What the hell is it and do I need it?

Unknown

1) What the hell is the "Plate Setter" and why do I need it?[p]2) What the hell is the large V-rack and do I need it, or do I need the rib rack, or do I need neither or both?[p]3) Do I HAVE to use a drip pan with firebricks?? Do I?? It seems like something else to clean.[p]Hope these questions make sense. They were generated while browsing the BGE price list, and I'm planning on ordering some goodies along with some lump and alder chips -- thanks in advance for the answers![p]David Saliba

sprinter

David Saliba,[p]Cant really help you on #1 and #2 as I don't use either of them. Maybe that partially answers your question but I DO use some version of each of them, just not that actual product. I use a jimmy rigged plate setter setup using firebricks and a baking stone and I use a rib rack that I bought at a local store.[p]One advantage to using a drip pan with fire bricks is that it allows you to put some liquid in the pan. Its hotly debated whether or not it actually adds any flavor to the meat, I've had instances where I swear the liquid flavor was in the meat and others where I could not tell a difference. One of the biggest advantages of the drip pan is that it will catch the drippings and keep the grease of the meat from hitting the firebricks and then the fire and causing flareups.[p]Just my 2 pennies. Hope this helps.[p]Troy

Mike Oelrich

David Saliba,[p] The plate setter can be viewed by clicking on the "What's New" link on the top of the forum page and then clicking on the "Plate Setter" link. It's a ceramic platform that sits on the fire ring to give you ceramic mass and an elevated cooking surface. It's very handy for cooking bread and pizza, etc.[p] The V-rack allows you to suspend roasts, or other pieces of meat over a drip pan to collect the juices. The V-rack can also be inverted to act as a rib rack. This lets you cook ribs "vertically" so you can get more of them on the cooking grid.[p] I use a drip pan with fire bricks to keep the bricks from getting infused with all the meat juice. It's easier for me to clean a drip pan (especially one lined with foil) than it is to clean the darn bricks. I also use the drip pan on it's own for some low-temp cooking. I helps keep some juice for gravy, etc. and I find that sometimes a lot of juice will extinguish a small fire. Some also find the tast imparted by the grease hitting the coals objectionable and prefer to keep the juice out of the fire for that reason. BTW, I've also simply covered the firebricks with foil to keep the grease off of them.[p]And no, you never HAVE to do anything. Part of the fun of the BGE is eggsperimenting and finding what works best for you.

King-O-Coals

David Saliba, I place my setter with the legs up, to raise the grate up even with the bottom gasket, which provides indirect heat for certain meats, and just let the drippings just drip on the setter. It will burn off nearly clean during cool down. The dry flakes left will easily scrape off with a spatchula next time you open humpty. I turn the setter with the legs down to create a pizza cooking surface, again, even with the lower gasket. Some people use a pizza stone, but I just cook my pizza right on the setter surface. It works perfectly.

Mary

sprinter,[p]All of the above is true. Your firebrick and bake stone setup is not a jimmy rigged plate setter - it's the original indirect cooking technique. The only real advantage to a plate setter is that it is one piece instead of several. The plate setter is more fragile - mine arrived broken and attempts to glue it back together failed - broke again on first use, so I gave up. I think BGE's version is a little thicker so it might be more durable than the original kiln plate setters. But you can't beat the price of firebricks and they are more flexible. Your choice.[p]I've had drips onto my firebricks and I don't worry about them. The next burn will clean them off pretty well. Since I don't cook directly on them, it isn't much of an issue. They get cleaned off when I get them hot again before the next food stuff goes in. Again, your choice.[p]A vee rack helps to hold a roast in a particular position and for some roasts that tend to flatten out - it will hold it in amore round configuration until the meat gets cooked. but if you choose, you can just put it on the grid. A rib rack holds the ribs vertically - mostly so you can cook more of them than if they lay flat on the grid. A matter of choice and convienence.[p]Mary

JJ

Mary,
This is the cement that C~W used, and reccommended to me. [p]High Temperature Rutland furnace cement. 2700F and its working great! Fire
chamber is still back in one piece.[p]
Item number is FSC8[p]
Item number is FSC8[p]

sprinter

Mary,[p]Interesting about the "roots" of the plate setter. I had this stuff sitting around and it seemed to make sense, so I used it. Works great. I also substitute a second grill for the bake stone and have a two tier grill.[p]Like you, I could care less about the stuff dripping onto the fire brick. It burns off in the next cook. I guess the point I was going for is that if there is enough grease, or the grease on the bricks gets hot enough, it could flare up or add an unpleasant burnt flavor to the meat that some may find objectionable. My bricks have more gunk on them after some cooks that I cant place them flat on the grate to save my life. Those are the good cooks.[p]Thanks for the history lesson on the plate setter. Leave it to this group to come up with stuff like that. Necessity (and the BGE) is the mother of invention.[p]Troy