How often to clean soot off bottom of pan

[Kylebriant]

We upgraded from a barrel stove with 2 steam table trays to a barrel stove with a new Badgerland 2x3 flat pan this year. We boiled for the first time on Sunday and when we were cleaning the pan at the end of the day we noticed the bottom was covered in black soot. Just curious how often everyone cleans the soot off the bottom of their pan. Should we clean it off after every boil or just wait until the end of the season and clean it once? Thanks in advance.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Some black soot is inevitable and trying to fight it will be all consuming. Yes a thick build up will act as an insulator. If it is chunky I would spray with Eazy Off oven cleaner as you determine is best.

[Kylebriant]

Thank you. Just a very thin coat right now but i wasn't sure if it would "bake on" and be harder to remove if I don't clean it off now before my next boil

[Sinzibuckwud]

I brush my pans before every boil, nothing crazy just start at the back and knock a bunch off slowly towards the front and burn it up the stovepipe. When I had no roof I'd pull the pan off to keep the soot from coming back down into the pan. Barrell stoves without forced air seem to make more soot, helps a little to keep up, after a good cleaning mid season I usually see a small pickup in evaporation usually during startup.