Waiting for plate setter/deflector

rmercier

....while I wait, is an aluminum pan an adequate deflector? For some reason, it seems as though a ceramic Stone would be more efficient. An aluminum pan seems as though it would only block a flame, but not necessarily heat....or is the purpose SOLELY to divert flame?

Dobie

You are cooking indirect with a pan deflecting the heat which is the same thing the plate setter does. Im not sure how hot you can go with aluminum though. 

rmercier

Thanks...I'll only be cooking low for a bit...should have some sort of ceramic deflector by the time I need to cook on high with a deflector

Dobie

You can put some water in the pan also.

gdenby

I didn't have a plate setter for at least 4 months after I got my 1st Egg. Just used double thick HD foil, or pie plates, a few times old porcelain plates, all sitting at the lower grill position.

A few years ago I did a test. The main differences between the plate setter and an aluminum pie plate, empty, filled w. sand, or filled with water is that the plate setter makes it take longer to get the dome to heat (and stays that way.) Also, It gets very hot itself, while the pie pan never exceeded 250F w. a dome of 250.

So I don't use the platesetter much as a deflector, but as something to make the Egg more like a baking oven.

fishlessman

you can do most lower temp cooks just by raising the grill, no platesetter needed. if i did alot of bread baking at high temps i would get one but i wouldnt get one for lower temp cooks. i do ribs raised direct, have done turkeys raised direct, have done butts raised direct etc

rmercier

Great info, thanks gents

Grillin_beers

I know a guy who does Boston butts by raising the grid and putting the butt on a pizza stone.  He turns out some great pulled pork.   There are a lot of ways to skin a cat.