# Do You Use A Drip Pan?



## ronp (Dec 13, 2009)

I use one for just about everything.

I am not talking about the water pan.

I use those throw away ones from Sams, 30 for about 8 dollars. 

Right below the meat place your pan, I use 3 cups of either beef stock, or chicken stock with some thinly sliced onions. When the smoke is done I pour the juice into a bowl or jar and put into the freezer and while the meat is resting the fat comes to the top. Skim off the fat and discard. If I am pulling the meat I then pour the juice over the meat and mix it in. 

Absoultly delicous. For chicken you can use it for gravy or soup.

I never use any finishing sauce with this method, it's that good.

Ahh, liquid gold.


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## bassman (Dec 13, 2009)

I use the steam table pans from Sam's also.  Sure saves on the cleanup.


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## meateater (Dec 13, 2009)

I will be tomorrow. I used a catch pan before, changing my ways! :)


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## rivet (Dec 13, 2009)

Never. My modded SnP precludes that.


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## beer-b-q (Dec 13, 2009)

I do in the smokers that it will fit into,  I was told by Bradley not to do so in my Bradley because that could be part of my problems with it....


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## oneshot (Dec 13, 2009)

Hey Paul, I'm curious what problems you're having with your Bradley???  
What did Bradley say about a drip pan causing your problem????


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## ellymae (Dec 13, 2009)

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, but when I do I also use the disposable steam table pans.


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## eaglewing (Dec 13, 2009)

RON, how do you keep it from evaporating or just boiling away?


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## chisoxjim (Dec 13, 2009)

sometimes, when doing butts, or whole chickens  I use one to catch the juice, and keep the smoker clean.


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## oneshot (Dec 13, 2009)

I just tried it the first time with my Chuckies like Ron suggested and they were the best Chuckies I've ever had!!!!! 
I also added the juices to the pulled chuckies and the results were fantastic!!!!!


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## stonebriar (Dec 13, 2009)

Thanks for the idea Ron!


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## ddave (Dec 13, 2009)

I don't use one as you describe it.  Sometimes when I foil a brisket, I will put it in a pan.

Sometimes I use a water pan on the SnP.

It doesn't have to. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	







I don't use one in the drum.

Dave


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## ronp (Dec 13, 2009)

Well it is usually on the second shelf here and doesn't boil away. My water pan right above the element does though.


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## blue (Dec 14, 2009)

Always!!! Gotta keep my smoker clean.


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## gnubee (Dec 14, 2009)

I make the gravy for my mashed potatoes out of the chicken, pork or beef drippings. If I am making Dutch's beans they become my drip pan under beef or pork and add greatly to the flavour of the beans. 

If I'm not making gravy, I use it to make an awesome hunter sauce with just a hint of cranberry, cumin, rosemary, and a smidge of juniper berry. Mmmm good on Veal Cutlets.


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## coyote-1 (Dec 14, 2009)

My drip pan is also my baffle. It's a full-size pro baking sheet, and it fits very well in the CGSP. I have it up on 4 bricks, which sit on the large charcoal pan/rack. 

If the smoker's very full I will bump it right up against the firebox opening to prevent burning the closest pieces of meat. Otherwise I'll leave a 1" gap, to allow as much heat as possible to pass from the firebox into the smoke chamber - this allows the unit to use MUCH less fuel.

Sometimes I fill that pan with water to help moisten the meat. But that keeps smoker temps just above 212; if I want higher temps I have to do without the water. And indeed, I always use the resulting drippings if at all possible! Don't want that delicious stuff to go to waste.


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## cxb (Dec 14, 2009)

I have a ECB, would you still use a drip pan or does the water pan serve as the drip pan.

BTW Just found this site last week and am in love with it. I had the smoker for a couple of years and did a lot of stuff wrong.


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## oxfordnative (Dec 18, 2009)

I also use the aluminum pans from sams, I went to the hotel resturant supply and bought the racks that fit them,  they use them in buffet lines with fried food, The racks are for 1/2 buffet trays. I put my meat on the racks. Works perfect. leaves no mess and dosent take up a extra rack.


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## nwdave (Dec 18, 2009)

Now I do, after seeing it mentioned in one of the technique threads.  Even got better usage ideas from this thread.  

Now, if I could just remember all the good ideas.


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## fatback joe (Dec 18, 2009)

I went with never, but really "rarely" would be more accurate for me.


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## fire it up (Dec 18, 2009)

Would have voted for sometimes but not "sometimes I forget" because I only do with certain meats that I plan on adding a broth or sauce with.
Otherwise it can drip away into the grease can and I don't care.  Long as the smoker is set right all that will just drain out the far side.


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## scarbelly (Dec 18, 2009)

What he said


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## john3198 (Dec 19, 2009)

I always used the water pan in my vertical Brinkman, but was water, not something to make sauce out of.

When I did my Prime Rib on the Hasty Bake earlier this week, I used a drip pan with stock, onion, carrot, and celery. Didn't think to de-fat it in the freezer. Didn't really care for the sauce too much - a bit too much smoke. Will try again with some mods and de-fatting.


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## forluvofsmoke (Dec 19, 2009)

I do sometimes, not always, but should most of the time. As you said Ron, no need for a finishing sauce when you've used a drip pan.

I do like to pan/tent/brase larger cuts, and save the liquids for the finish. It makes alot of difference on how much rack space I have available...I load 'em up most of the time, so don't have the extra rack space for drip pans.

I did find out lastnight during a brisket smoke on my Vault that a drip pan can be your enemy if it is a bit too large in size for the grate size...it adds baffling when you likely don't want or need it, and can skew the chamber therm reading. My packer literally covered the grate from end-to-end, so I wanted to catch all the drippings if possible, and used a pan accordingly.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 Ooooooooooooops! LOL!

Eric


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## treegje (Dec 20, 2009)

I have never tried it


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## falconrod (Dec 20, 2009)

Since I'm new to Smokin' there hasn't been opportunity to experiment with drip pans except I usually use one while baking meat or BBQin' with indirect heat.  One trick you might try is to pour the drippings into a ziplock bag, remove all/most of the air inside and then cut the bottom corner off the bag.  The drippings will drain into whatever container/pan you have and leave the fat sticking to the walls of the plastic bag--no more skimming...


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## k5yac (Dec 20, 2009)

Never use a pan. It all just drains out the far end into a drip can that I discard. Is my pit a mess? Sometimes the bottom gets a bit grungy (thanks you ABTs), but I clean my racks before each smoke and if there is a lot of large debris, I just scoop it out and throw it away with the ashes.

My pit gets a thorough washing each spring and a touchup with high temp paint. Any crub from cooking just gets cleaned out between sessions.


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## herkysprings (Dec 20, 2009)

I THINK Bradley instructions suggest not using tinfoil drip pans somewhere (possibly tinfoil at all...). I havent in mine yet, but I dont see why not, other than they may restrict air flow a bit if they are too big.

I think the idea is they are trying to say meat in the tinfoil pan might reducy smokey flavour. I could be wrong. I just put a toaster oven pizza stone in mine, so next smoke with it I might try to fix some smaller maybe 9X9 tinfoil pan on top of the stone or something.


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## silverwolf636 (Dec 22, 2009)

Can someone put up the benefits of using a drip pan and how to use one? Sorta like a tutorial. 
Thanx
--ray--


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## chisoxjim (Dec 22, 2009)

I ue a drip pan in the GOSM is I am doing a butt, or a whole bird.  For the simple reasn of trying to keep the smoker from getting all the juices from these bigger cuts all over it.  Saves me on cleanup.  

For wings, ribs, etc I dont use a drip pan.


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