# How to dispose of grease from water pan



## ryanl

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, I thought this would be the best fit. Anyways, I'm just wondering what the best/recommended way would be to get rid of the waste grease/water from the water pan after a cook is done? I am hesitant to just dump it down the kitchen drain, as I'm concerned that over time it will build up and I will have major plumbing issues.


----------



## timstalltaletav

Definitely don't dump it down the drain.  Unless you're in a restaurant with a grease trap, you'll have big issues eventually.

Just do like I do, dump it in the neighbor's yard :)

You probably could let it sit for a while to cool, the grease should solidify and come up to the top.  Skim that off and throw it away.  Then dump the water down the drain.  The little bit of grease that remains shouldn't hurt much.


----------



## ryanl

tjs231 said:


> Definitely don't dump it down the drain.  Unless you're in a restaurant with a grease trap, you'll have big issues eventually.
> 
> Just do like I do, dump it in the neighbor's yard :)
> 
> You probably could let it sit for a while to cool, the grease should solidify and come up to the top.  Skim that off and throw it away.  Then dump the water down the drain.  The little bit of grease that remains shouldn't hurt much.


 neighbor's yard eh? How much bbq would i owe them for each dump (assuming I get caught that is)? Is there like a conversion chart somewhere that converts grease dumped to ribs owed??


----------



## welshrarebit

I pour mine on my dogs food for the night. They love it!

You could also pour it into a container and put it in the fridge over night and when it gets hard just throw it away.

Restaurants pay big bucks to have their grease traps cleaned! I'd get in BIG trouble if I'm caught intentional dumping grease down the drain.


----------



## timstalltaletav

Welshrarebit said:


> I pour mine on my dogs food for the night. They love it!
> 
> You could also pour it into a container and put it in the fridge over night and when it gets hard just throw it away.
> 
> Restaurants pay big bucks to have their grease traps cleaned! I'd get in BIG trouble if I'm caught intentional dumping grease down the drain.



I'd give the dogs a splash or two previously.  Then one of them got sick and had "an accident", which the Roomba  drove through and spread everywhere in the house while I was at work.

If you're not familiar with what that looks like, Google or YouTube "Roomba runs through dog shit" and see.  Cleaning that disaster up immediately changed my tune on giving the dogs anything fatty.

They still get all the bones they want...


----------



## noboundaries

Edited because my previous short answer was done from my phone and easily misinterpreted.  

When I use the water pan in my WSM, only water goes in it.  I don't bother foiling it.  I use foil lined dip pans (20" cake pan, 15" paella pan, 9x13 aluminum roasters) so the water pan doesn't foul.  After the smoke I throw the foil and grease in the trash.  I'll reuse the aluminum roasters as drip pans several times before I discard them.  I usually scoop some cold ash from my ash bucket into the grease filled foil to clump the drippings and keep it from leaking in my outdoor trash bin, stinking up the place.          

Now, that said, I have dumped drippings down the sink before when I forgot to foil line the paella pans, but I always followed that an enzyme solution that breaks down deposits in the pipes.  Works for things you run through the garbage disposal too.


----------



## venture

I don't put water in my drip pans unless I am contemplating an au jus.

My disposable drip pans just go in the trash.

My foil with liquid gets placed in a flower bed to drain and dry before it hits the trash.

Other than potential problems with flies or ants, the grease is biodegradable.

Good luck and good smoking.


----------



## addertooth

Discard?  Save it to make a Roux, and amazing smoky gravy, with fine shreds of pulled pork or brisket in it.


----------



## noboundaries

I do make roux for gravy but I have so much fat in the refrigerator from earlier smokes I'm forbidden by SWMBO from adding any more.  She says it makes her gag when she sees the container but she loves the gravy.


----------



## daveomak

It's organic....  It will decompose in the garden....    turn it under... BUT...  a roux is the best way to go.....  and it tastes better than garden soil....


----------



## checkmarc

Are you just using it to maintain temperature or to catch drippings also?  Some of the best ad hock sauces I've made have been from the dripping boiled down, degreased and added to the marinate or mop sauce.


----------



## chef willie

tjs231 said:


> Definitely don't dump it down the drain. Unless you're in a restaurant with a grease trap, you'll have big issues eventually.
> 
> Just do like I do, dump it in the neighbor's yard :)
> 
> You probably could let it sit for a while to cool, the grease should solidify and come up to the top. Skim that off and throw it away. Then dump the water down the drain. The little bit of grease that remains shouldn't hurt much.


Seriously....busted a good belly laugh outta this one with the neighbors yard. all advice given up top is legit.....pick the one easier for you. I got 60 acres behind me with the occasional cows grazing so if I got something real nasty it goes over that fence and the disposable pan goes in my trash can. Got a 100 pound Lab in the house so he gets nothing greasy due to the obvious & no bones for the same reason.....Willie


----------



## ron eb

Use a pan to catch those yummy drippings.


----------



## mr t 59874

Who mentioned bear bait?  Wasn't me!!!!!!!

T


----------



## jirodriguez

If you are using a charcoal smoker (I have a 22.5" WSM) you can do what I do. I let the charcoal go completely cold (usually the next day), then dump the ash into a trash bag lined 5 gallon bucket, then dump the waste water/grease on top of it, the ash absorbs the water. You can do that till the bucket is full, then close up the bag and dump it in with your trash.


----------



## lorne17

JIRodriguez said:


> If you are using a charcoal smoker (I have a 22.5" WSM) you can do what I do. I let the charcoal go completely cold (usually the next day), then dump the ash into a trash bag lined 5 gallon bucket, then dump the waste water/grease on top of it, the ash absorbs the water. You can do that till the bucket is full, then close up the bag and dump it in with your trash.



Thanks for the tip! I just got a WSM 18" from my wife for Father's Day! I know she gave it to me early so I can practice with chicken and be ready for ribs this Sunday. 

Anyways, I am trying your method, but I'm curious if you fill your water bowl up completely? I'm worried my charcoal ash isn't going to soak enough of it up? Thoughts?

Thanks,
Lorne (I'm the newbie here)


----------



## jirodriguez

lorne17 said:


> Thanks for the tip! I just got a WSM 18" from my wife for Father's Day! I know she gave it to me early so I can practice with chicken and be ready for ribs this Sunday.
> 
> Anyways, I am trying your method, but I'm curious if you fill your water bowl up completely? I'm worried my charcoal ash isn't going to soak enough of it up? Thoughts?
> 
> Thanks,
> Lorne (I'm the newbie here)


If I'm only doing a short smoke (less than 10 hrs.) I only fill my water pan about half full, for longer smokes I fill it all the way, but I don't add any water during the smoke. So at the end of the smoke a lot of the water has evaporated, then I just let the coals run until they burn out. So usually the next day when I dump the pan I only have a small bit of water left or sometimes just congealed grease - so I take a putty knife and just scrape the pan out and into the ash bucket.

There are times I have had a fair amount of water left and the ashes absorbed it all just fine. Also if you burn only lump charcoal you can actually spread the ash into your compost pile or your flower beds (in moderation for the flower beds).

Holler if you have any questions 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Johnny


----------



## chef jimmyj

Unless you have dogs, dump it in the corner of your property. The local, skunks, opossum and raccoon's will make quick work of the grease...JJ


----------



## jirodriguez

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Unless you have dogs, dump it in the corner of your property. The local, skunks, opossum and raccoon's will make quick work of the grease...JJ


Dogs? What are these dogs you speak of? We just have a bunch of furry freeloaders that take over the furniture...... 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	

















DSCN1878.JPG



__ jirodriguez
__ Jun 17, 2016


----------



## smokeymose

Totally lost it on this one, because I've been dumping it in the neighbor's yard for some time now LOL!!
They only come outside (away from the boob tube, I guess) long enough to mow the grass. Not a clue...
I tried pouring in the farthest back corner of our yard once and the Shi Tsu went into meltdown.


----------



## chef jimmyj

SmokeyMose said:


> Totally lost it on this one, because I've been dumping it in the neighbor's yard for some time now LOL!!
> They only come outside (away from the boob tube, I guess) long enough to mow the grass. Not a clue...
> I tried pouring in the farthest back corner of our yard once and the Shi Tsu went into meltdown.


Points for admitting you Own a Shi Tsu...
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






LOL...Just playing! My last girl was a runt Dachshund. 10 pounds of yippy ankle bitter...JJ


----------



## smokeymose

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Points for admitting you Own a Shi Tsu...:ROTF
> 
> 
> LOL...Just playing! My last girl was a runt Dachshund. 10 pounds of yippy ankle bitter...JJ


Our other is a little Bichon mix or something we rescued. Walleyed & half blind, she runs into things constantly, but her little tail keeps wagging, just happy to be alive. Gotta love 'em.












IMG_1312.JPG



__ smokeymose
__ Jun 17, 2016





A Dachsund is on our list of what we'd like if something happens to one of ours, but we hope it will be a long time.


----------



## rabbithutch

Good advice above - well except maybe for the neighbor's yard bit :devil: - but I have to confess that I have on occasion flushed some of it down the toilet after skimming and mixing with ashes didn't take up all the liquid.  I don't make a habit of this, but if the liquid not too greasy I don't have any problems.  Of course, if you live somewhere that they monitor the quality of what comes out of your toilets disposal line (hey, the get pretty funny in hahafornia and taxachusetts) you won't want to do this.


----------



## rabbithutch

Dachs Death.JPG



__ rabbithutch
__ Jun 17, 2016






We've had one or more dachshunds continuously for more than 50 years.  In my mind, they are the perfect breed for a pet.


----------



## frankerector

TimsTallTaleTav said:


> I'd give the dogs a splash or two previously.  Then one of them got sick and had "an accident", which the Roomba  drove through and spread everywhere in the house while I was at work.
> 
> If you're not familiar with what that looks like, Google or YouTube "Roomba runs through dog shit" and see.  Cleaning that disaster up immediately changed my tune on giving the dogs anything fatty.
> 
> They still get all the bones they want...



LMAO!......

The Roomba rolls again.


----------



## uncle eddie

I have some RR ties in the yard that are used for terracing/landscape edging near our house and I pour the water/grease on them.  Keeps them looking new.

I actually live on acreage and sometimes - when a nuisance plant comes up - like a thorny locust, multiflora rose, autum olive, etc. - I pour it on them.  It works.


----------



## garyo

I dump it off my back deck.

It is nice having a "natural area" for a back yard.


----------

