Does everybody use a drip pan?

GulfCoastBBQ · May 2009

Does everybody use a drip pan when cooking indirect? I have done some indirect cooks and just let the grease roll and burned it off later.

Little Chef · May 2009

It depends on the cook. If it is going to be an especially greasy one (like the big brisket we've got on right now) yes, drip pan for sure. Don't want all that fat going into our coals or onto the plate setter to create nasty tasting smoke. If its a realatively clean cook, ie spatchcock, no drip pan. And, we never ever put water or liquid in the drip pan. No need to add moisture...just to catch the fat before it hits the coals and makes a stink. :blink: Just my two cents!

SMITTYtheSMOKER · May 2009

Now we always cook with liquid in the drip pan for our long cooks. When was the last time someone complained that the meat off the Egg was too moist? I think the point is you don't have to cook with liquid in the drip pan, but adding moisture to the cook isn't a bad thing.

Little Chef · May 2009

Smitty...Exactly...it's not a bad thing, but it can draw the heat away from the cook. I don't want to heat a pan of water, or whatever, I just want to cook my meat. Just a bit unnecessary in our book.

Panhandle Smoker · May 2009

When I am using a drip pan particularly on the XL I will put a little water or apple juice in the pan just to keep the drippings from burning and stinking up the cook. Without a flip ring there is only about an inch between the plate setter and the grid. The newer XL's don't have this problem because the plate setters have longer legs. I don't have much choice but to put the drip pan directly on the plate setter. I know there are other configurations but I am just not there yet.

Grandpas Grub · May 2009

If I use my plate setter, which I don't use often now, yes every time. I want the plate setter as clean as possible. In this case sometimes my drip pan is as simple as some HD aluminum foil edges bent up to catch the drippings.

I mostly use the adjustable rig and spider. My drip pan is my barrier for indirect cooking.

GG

Wonka · May 2009

A tip for XL eggers: use a thin 18" pizza pan between the grate and the plate setter. It works as a perfect drip pan and costs a couple bucks at Wal-Mart. I scrape the grease off of mine after every fatty cook.

Beanie-Bean · May 2009

I try to when I can. Sometimes, the smoke burning smells funny (to me) coming out and I just have it in my head that the food will taste like that. Just me, though.

BENTE · May 2009

i agree with LC!!

i use it on alot of stuff but not all!! the egg taught me this

see i did a big batch of butts once and did not have a drip pan

well after cooking all that one night i figured a steak woulf be good for dinner.. well i pulled the platesetter out and flipped it over and opened all the vents and left it alone for a hour or so...

bye bye gasket :pinch:

ever since then drip pan

but like LC said on the big greasy things

"Sparky" · May 2009

I use a drip pan when I know there's gonna be a lot of grease.I made a drip pan out of foil for a big butt cook,and it leaked :ohmy: There was grease dripping out of the lower vent :pinch: Now I use a pizza pan and cover with foil(for easy clean-up).I don't use one all the time though,like for abt's .I don't mind the dirty platesetter,it burns itself clean anyway

I rarely use a drip pan in the small or medium,since I do most greasy cooks on the XL

GulfCoastBBQ · May 2009

SMITTYtheSMOKER wrote:

Now we always cook with liquid in the drip pan for our long cooks. When was the last time someone complained that the meat off the Egg was too moist? I think the point is you don't have to cook with liquid in the drip pan, but adding moisture to the cook isn't a bad thing.

In my opinion this logic is just plain wrong. Water and steam do not create moisture in meat, fat creates moisture and flavor. Steam cooks faster than dry heat quickly overcooking meat and driving out the real source of moisture and flavor which is fat.

GulfCoastBBQ · May 2009

SMITTYtheSMOKER wrote:

Now we always cook with liquid in the drip pan for our long cooks. When was the last time someone complained that the meat off the Egg was too moist? I think the point is you don't have to cook with liquid in the drip pan, but adding moisture to the cook isn't a bad thing.

In my opinion this logic is just plain wrong. Water and steam do not create moisture in meat, fat creates moisture and flavor. Steam cooks faster than dry heat quickly overcooking meat and driving out the real source of moisture and flavor which is fat.

Does everybody use a drip pan?

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