How big is your...................Drip pan.

hondabbq

When I first got the egg I did a couple of cooks and I found the edges of the meats that were past the PS edges would get dried out and overdone. I invested in a drip pan. I have a LBGE and I bought a 16" drip pan that fits nicely inside the PS legs up position. I put a cake cooling rack under my drip pan so it isnt in direct contact with the PS.  When I am doing L&S's ie ribs, butts, I find sometimes the fats smoke a lot and create the acrid greasy taste to the meats. My L&S temps are 225+ and are never above 275. Of course with a 16" drip pan it overhangs the PS between the legs and I assume heats up the whole pan causing the smoke. This is why I cant do turbo ribs. I like the idea of it but the bone side just seems to get dried out to quick before the rest is done.

Does any one else have this issue? Are your drip pans just the circumference of the PS? If so, how do you prevent meats from drying out from being over the edges? Pics would be beneficial.

r8rs4lf

Little pieces of foil on the edge of the meat. Did ribs yesterday and did that although I didn't use a drip pan.

Focker

Use a SS 14" deep dish pan and CGS rectangular drip pan for the large.

With full slab ribs, I foil the ends of the grate or slide a piece under each end.  Remove when they shrink up, around 3 hours or so. 

nolaegghead

I have a 16" diameter x 1/4" steel that just fits in the plate setter.  I usually cover that with foil to minimize funkification  and I have a larger "shadow" to cook in.  If you have stuff hanging over the edge, do what the gentlemen above suggested, extend you shield with foil.

RRP

Most times I just foil my PS itself, but when I do use a drip pan I use this 1.6" x 16" pan also foiled. The only problem with 16" that definitely impedes the air flow so I only use it at lower temperature cooks.

Focker

Pics of both drip pans 

hondabbq

RRP said:

Most times I just foil my PS itself, but when I do use a drip pan I use this 1.6" x 16" pan also foiled. The only problem with 16" that definitely impedes the air flow so I only use it at lower temperature cooks.

I do the same thing. Do you find the fat smokes up later in the cook?

SGH

@hondabbq
Mine is 16x2 1/2. I create a air gap with either the original fire grate or with a weber sear grate. Works like a charm my friend.

jhl192

This is an excellent thread. I see @hondabbq 's point.  It seems that there 4 choices to avoid drying out the ends of your ribs:  

1) Cut the racks of ribs in half  (thus not allowing you to do the bend test)

2) Put a 16" pan over the 13" PS and block airflow (<1inch open on the sides) 

3) Wrap the ends of the ribs until they shrink back to 13" (if they ever do)

4) Use an XL whose PS is already 18" in diameter to begin with 

BTW:  I just took the average of several packages of ribs in my freezer and they are about 17" long to start.  

Surely this cannot be a big a deal to resolve as I have seen tons of pictures of mouthwatering racks of ribs coming off larges on this forum.  None of these solutions seem to be ideal for the large owner ( I guess the problem is worse for Medium and Smalls).  Is this an over reaction or is @hondabbq onto something here?  Which is the best path?  

dldawes1

20 inch diameter aluminum water heater drain pan works perfect fo XL. I used JB Weld to seal up the 1" drain hole.