Do you use a drip pan when smoking a pork shoulder?

Bpeep · July 8

I usually put a pan with sand under my pork shoulder when smoking. Is a drip pan needed or do you just put foil on the deflector?

zaphod · July 8

I picked up a couple of 13 1/2" "pizza pans" from Amazon that I use for drip trays and for round cookie sheets. Before that I used foil pizza pans from the grocer as drip trays (good for 3 or 4 uses). BGE sells disposable foil drip trays for a spectacular price.

I'm very happy with the pans.

stlcharcoal · July 8

ALWAYS on a pork butt. Those things lose so much fat, you don't want all of that junk inside your BGE otherwise everything is going to taste like burned pork fat.......at least until you waste a 1/2 bag of charcoal doing a clean burn. You can get 50 half buffet pans from Costco or Sams for about $20.

DoubleEgger · July 8

Raise the drip pan up using some wadded up aluminum foil as a spacer. You don’t want the drippings to sizzle and impart an acrid taste to your food.

BeanHead · July 8

I put pineapple juice and water half full in a pan under mine, but everyone has a different opinion and I am sure some folks will say I am wrong.

lousubcap · July 8

I use an air gapped foil lined drip pan for any indirect cook. It lives in the PSWoo. Change out the foil depending on the prior cook(s) and accumulation. FWIW-

dbCooper · July 8

DoubleEgger said:

Raise the drip pan up using some wadded up aluminum foil as a spacer. You don’t want the drippings to sizzle and impart an acrid taste to your food.

I do this (air gapped drip pan) on all low and slow cooks for the reason @DoubleEgger stated.

fishlessman · July 9

above 280 i use a pan over a stone, below 280 just the pizza stone, below 220 ill just let it go direct but with minimal lump. i mostly cook between 220 and 280 and let it settle in there where it wants to stabilize for an over nighter. i dont notice any acrid tasting smoke below 280 dome. liquid in a pan and the temps jump on me when its gone and i prefer to sleep than check in on it, no fan control devices here.

Ozzie_Isaac · July 9

BeanHead said:

I put pineapple juice and water half full in a pan under mine, but everyone has a different opinion and I am sure some folks will say I am wrong.

This is the internet, you’re wrong.

(gonna try it next time though)

GrateEggspectations · July 9

BeanHead said:

I put pineapple juice and water half full in a pan under mine, but everyone has a different opinion and I am sure some folks will say I am wrong.

Is the idea that the pineapple juice evaporate and impregnate itself in the meat?

Ozzie_Isaac · July 9

GrateEggspectations said:

BeanHead said:

I put pineapple juice and water half full in a pan under mine, but everyone has a different opinion and I am sure some folks will say I am wrong.

Is the idea that the pineapple juice evaporate and impregnate itself in the meat?

I bet it smells good during the cook, and then you have a liquid for a gravy, basting, or a cocktail.

JohnInCarolina · July 10

Bpeep said:

I usually put a pan with sand under my pork shoulder when smoking. Is a drip pan needed or do you just put foil on the deflector?

I’ve not heard of using sand before, but in principle I don’t see why not. It will catch the drippings, prevent them from sizzling, and unlike liquid won’t slow the cook down.

Bottom line is, like others have said, you need something with a pork butt. Acrid smoke taste on a butt is no bueno.

BeanHead · July 10

@GrateEggspectations it does add some flavor as it evaporates and I am not a fan of spritzing so it adds a bit more humidity to the cook and keeps the fat from burning and making the meat taste like an ashtray smells. And @Ozzie_Isaac 😂. Let me know if you try it!

Bpeep · July 10

JohnInCarolina said:

Bpeep said:

I usually put a pan with sand under my pork shoulder when smoking. Is a drip pan needed or do you just put foil on the deflector?
I’ve not heard of using sand before, but in principle I don’t see why not. It will catch the drippings, prevent them from sizzling, and unlike liquid won’t slow the cook down.

Bottom line is, like others have said, you need something with a pork butt. Acrid smoke taste on a butt is no bueno.

I got the idea to use sand from watching a video when I first was gifted my BGE last year. I like the way it works and it's an easy clean up.

fishlessman · July 10

JohnInCarolina said:

Bpeep said:

I usually put a pan with sand under my pork shoulder when smoking. Is a drip pan needed or do you just put foil on the deflector?
I’ve not heard of using sand before, but in principle I don’t see why not. It will catch the drippings, prevent them from sizzling, and unlike liquid won’t slow the cook down.

Bottom line is, like others have said, you need something with a pork butt. Acrid smoke taste on a butt is no bueno.

its a trick to regulate temps in the thin metal type weber smokey mountain smokers. the sand helps holds the heat in check.

MaskedMarvel · July 12

I do elevated Costco pan with 50% water 50% white vinegar and a heavy dash of granulated garlic.

Edit - I scrolled through thinking I had a pan pic from years ago and came across this one:

Nags Head years ago. I always drag a BGE along for a meal for the trip. This time it was pulled pork (go figure) and boa Sam. What do you do when you realize the grate is too small? Pan with beer-can supports FTW!! lol. Forgotten about that one…

Do you use a drip pan when smoking a pork shoulder?

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