Drip pans?

JaredT

My wonderful wife just bought me an XL Egg for my birthday. Although I love it so far and have big plans for using it, I didnt do any research prior to having one on my porch. Ive seen a couple of posts about drip pans but would like some clarification on why, placement, and anything else I might need to know.

1911Man

AFAIK, drip pans are used inside the eggs when doing indirect cooking. Not under the egg to catch drippings (since any that are not caught by a pan will hit the coals and flare up).

Enjoy your egg, I know I'm enjoying mine.

buzd504

1911Man said:

AFAIK, drip pans are used inside the eggs when doing indirect cooking. Not under the egg to catch drippings (since any that are not caught by a pan will hit the coals and flare up).

Enjoy your egg, I know I'm enjoying mine.

Drip pans are usually placed under the grid (and protein that you are cooking) and above the deflector stone in an indirect set up.  The drip pan should be placed on "spacers" - something to raise the drip pan above the stone so their is an air gap to keep the drippings from scorching (and making an acrid smell) - foil balls work or I use old socket wrench sockets.  Some put salt or water/juice in the drip pan, but it's really not necessary (note that if you put liquid in the drip pan, it will create a heat sink and your temp will spike when it evaporates).

Depending on the protein you are cooking, some people will just let it drip on the stone and cook off.  YMMV, but I would highly recommend a drip pan for high fat proteins like brisket or pork butt.

buzd504

Weird, I didn't realize this was a necro thread.  I'll leave that here for search purposes. 

1911Man

buzd504 said:

Weird, I didn't realize this was a necro thread.  I'll leave that here for search purposes. 

I'm not dead!! It's only a flesh wound!!