Aluminum foil and the plate setter

bocaboy2591

I wanted to get everyone's thinking on using aluminum foil or a throw away aluminum pan on the plate setter in order to help keep it clean. Has anyone seen a difference in temperature control or any reason not to do this? After a few cooks, the plate setter is usually filthy with drippings. I turn it upside down, and instead of killing the fire, I let it burn as hot as I can get it to clean off the plate setter. This procedure also helps the sticking problem of the plate setter when it becomes difficult to remove from the fire ring.

My concern is that while I like the idea of using aluminum foil to help keep the plate setter clean, it would change the heat pattern in the Egg by stopping the radiation of heat from the stone to the grill. Same for a drip pan.

OK, so I get I'm a bit neurotic about this, but I'm curious what others think of using foil or a foil pan, and how they keep their plate setters clean. 

SWVABeanCounter

I have a large and a 14" round cake pan fits perfectly on my placesetter.  I'll line it with aluminum foil for ease of cleaning.  I've noticed no difference in heating.  I also make sure to put an air gap between the placesetter and drip pan so the drippings don't burn.

Doc_Eggerton

I always cover my PS with foil, and on really drippy cooks use disposable pans with a little water in them.

Charlie tuna

I have a large and when cooking indirect I use a piece of thin foil across the top of the platesetter and extend it past the edge of the egg as a probe cable protector. I know it changes the heat flow from below somewhat, but this works for me?

Little Steven

The idea of the platesetter is to block radiant heat. If you use any kind of drip pan space it off the platesetter so the drippings don't burn and create off flavours.

bocaboy2591

Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to start with the aluminum foil over the plate setter and see how it goes.

SmokeyPitt

If you keep the foil within the boundaries of the plate setter then I don't think you are really changing anything.  Perhaps you are blocking a little more heat with the foil but I don't think enough to matter, plus I think the idea is to block the direct heat anyway. 

If you extend it past the plate setter then you are creating a larger indirect area, but like Charlie I think this is a good thing especially if you are cooking something like ribs or several butts where the meat is hanging over.  

I don't know why the plate setter has such big openings to be honest.  There was a post about using the kamodo joe deflector that has much more coverage and people say it works better. 

bocaboy2591

SmokeyPitt said:

Perhaps you are blocking a little more heat with the foil but I don't think enough to matter, plus I think the idea is to block the direct heat anyway. 

Well, the idea of the plate setter is to generate radiant heat without direct exposure to the pit. The foil has to affect the heat radiation somewhat which is why I was asking if anyone did it on a regular basis.

The argument for using foil is that cleaning the plate setter is a PITA and uses a half load of charcoal to get the BGE hot enough where the gunk is burned off.

I think the only way for me to get a definitive answer is to try a rack of ribs or a butt and see how it cooks. My guess is the difference is minimal with foil, and a bit more pronounced with using a throw-away pan.

Thanks for the thoughts, Smokey! I'll repost after I've had a chance to do a cook.

Charlie tuna

This is a typical foil pan that i use.

Charlie tuna

The finished product turbo cooked:

caliking

I think the platesetter is more of a heat sink or blocker as opposed to a source of radiant. Its possible that foiling the top actually helps reflect some heat back to the meat?

bocaboy2591

Charlie tuna said:

The finished product turbo cooked:

Looks delicious, Charlie!

bocaboy2591

Caliking, you may be right that the foil actually reflects the heat back up, but aluminum is a lousy conductor of heat. That's why you can take foil and touch it just a couple minutes after it's out of the oven as opposed to the material that the BGE is made from which holds and radiates heat.

hondabbq

I cover my platesetter all the time. Only my legs are black. The rest is like the day she was bought.

bocaboy2591

Hondabbq, lol! That day is long gone for my plate setter! I keep it clean by the method I described above, but I'm going to start using foil and see if it makes any difference in cook times or the final results. I'm off to a wedding this weekend, but ribs are on the menu as soon as I return!