Wrapping the plate setter

feef706

Ive been in the habit of wrapping my plate setter for ease of cleanup and handling when not in use, however I've been finding that after a long or hot cook the heavy duty aluminum foil has been disintegrating, basically breaking down.

This has me concerned for toxins getting into the food. Anyone else noticed this.

Is it a bad idea to wrap?

chuckytheegghead

I don't wrap the platesetter. I just form a sheet to go on the top, using heavy duty aluminum foil. 

feef706

chuckytheegghead said:

I don't wrap the platesetter. I just form a sheet to go on the top, using heavy duty aluminum foil. 

Maybe I need to do that as it always seems the part that folds to the underside is the really bad looking stuff. Thanks for the idea.

Photo Egg

feef706 said:

chuckytheegghead said:

I don't wrap the platesetter. I just form a sheet to go on the top, using heavy duty aluminum foil. 

Maybe I need to do that as it always seems the part that folds to the underside is the really bad looking stuff. Thanks for the idea.

You can also use the lids from the heavy duty foil pans. Cut or bend to fit.

Mattman3969

If you use a drip pan that is bigger than the protein there is no need to wrap the PS.  10yrs and I've never wrapped my PS and it still looks good and clean.  Used but clean. 

flyerdoc

I must be old school, I never minded what the plate setter looked like as long as it functions. And for me, it functions fine even if it looks like its been through a war. Badge of honor I say. Anyway, my better half would disagree (but I don't let her near the egg anyway...) but, I never bother to "protect" the setter. No foil. No protection. After 16 years I'm happy to say its as good as new. Well, almost

RRP

I'm a fan of wrapping - NOT rapping - and I never use more than enough to cover the exposed part and barely around the edges meaning the HD foil is not on the bottom side exposed to any high heat. I've never had the melted aluminum foil you have observed. To each his own, but don't understand the thinking that a PS with grossly baked on crap is so cool to some eggers. But YMMV 

feef706

flyerdoc said:

I must be old school, I never minded what the plate setter looked like as long as it functions. And for me, it functions fine even if it looks like its been through a war. Badge of honor I say. Anyway, my better half would disagree (but I don't let her near the egg anyway...) but, I never bother to "protect" the setter. No foil. No protection. After 16 years I'm happy to say its as good as new. Well, almost

I am not so much worried about looks as I am ease of handling, I've noticed a lot of nasty sludge after a Boston butt.

Thanks all, I think we have a consensus.

Mattman3969

Drip pan will fix that for you.  

feef706

RRP said:

To each his own, but don't understand the thinking that a PS with grossly baked on crap is so cool to some eggers. But YMMV 

They call that seasoned...

bgeaddikt

Is there any way to prevent the drippings from burning and giving off bad fat/drippings burning smoke? Wrapped or not or with a drip pan i have had this happen on some occasions

feef706

bgeaddikt said:

Is there any way to prevent the drippings from burning and giving off bad fat/drippings burning smoke? Wrapped or not or with a drip pan i have had this happen on some occasions

Do you have an airgap? It's going to burn eventually but an airgap helps.

bgeaddikt

I can have the food higher then the plate setter but the black bubbles give off white smoke.

Focker

bgeaddikt said:

Is there any way to prevent the drippings from burning and giving off bad fat/drippings burning smoke? Wrapped or not or with a drip pan i have had this happen on some occasions

This acrid taste happened to me as well, even with an air gap, only in the BGE.  I don't experience this in my WSMs running empty water pans, drip pan is much more elevated  from the heat source.  Or via snake method in the kettle with the pan being off heat.  KBQ, the fat drains out of the bottom with a drip pan outside of the pit.

Used to add some water to the BGE drip pan towards the later stages of the cook, just enough to cover the drippings.  Add more water if necessary.  Sadly, due to progression regression, the eggs seldom Q, grill, or bake pies anymore.  

RRP

feef706 said:

RRP said:

To each his own, but don't understand the thinking that a PS with grossly baked on crap is so cool to some eggers. But YMMV 

They call that seasoned...

LOL - it is your meat, not mine, so who am I to say how you like it? 

KiterTodd

I'll do a top wrap for a low and slow just due to the amount of fat/sludge that seems to collect on top of it.  For all other cooks (i.e. higher temp cooks) I let it go naked as the Egg Gods intended it. 

TN_Sister_State

I have started cooking all my meats in the aluminum pan on the grate. All except brisket since i cant fit one large enough. I just let it drip on the PS and do a clean burn with the PS in there to take care of the crap. 

lousubcap

I'm in the air-gapped drip pan club.  Never have foiled the platesetter.  No crud build-up but definitely in the seasoned category.  Same deal with the stone for the SBGE.  

Hotch

I like the @Mickey method, SALT!

Jeepster47

If you have a BGE plate setter, then this is one of the handiest accessories out of Tom's Ceramic Grill Store.  The cost is minimal ... cheaper than anything comparable you'll find at the Goodwill store.

https://ceramicgrillstore.com/collections/drip-pans-stainless-steel-round

Like @feef706 , I didn't like the aluminum foil under the plate setter turning into gossamer threads during a cook, so bought the stainless steel drip pan.  I do foil the pan to aid in cleanup, but since the foil is out of the direct line of fire, it doesn't disintegrate.

I like the 14" for my large plate setter, Tom recommends the 16" ...

You might also think about picking up three of the 1/2" thick ceramic spacers to provide an air gap.  Wadded up aluminum foil or copper T's will provide a good spacer, but the pans don't slide around as easily on the ceramic spacers.

https://ceramicgrillstore.com/products/ceramic-spacers-3-set

Eggaroo

Jeepster47 said:

If you have a BGE plate setter, then this is one of the handiest accessories out of Tom's Ceramic Grill Store.  The cost is minimal ... cheaper than anything comparable you'll find at the Goodwill store.

https://ceramicgrillstore.com/collections/drip-pans-stainless-steel-round

I've been meaning to order that 18" drip pan for my XL for about 6 months now, but in the meantime I found an 18" round aluminum serving tray at GFS for $2.79 just yesterday, so I'm going to give that a shot for a while more. I will still line it with HD foil to prolong it's use. I guess I'm just cheap.

bhedges1987

I ordered the largest drip pan to fit in my plate setter.  I lay foil in that for easy clean up.  Also put 3 balls of foil between my plate setter and drip pan.  Those same 3 balls of foil I have been using for the past few months and they are still there.

feef706

@Jeepster47 I'm a day late and a dollar short, I literally just placed my first CGS order on Friday so I'll have to look for another solution.

@Eggaroo what is GFS?

Eggaroo

feef706 said:

@Eggaroo what is GFS?

GFS = Gordon Food Service.