Modification for Weber Smoky Mountain 18.5

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nascott

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jan 5, 2014
66
26
Western Suburbs of Chicagoland
So, I am thinking of doing a brisket and a butt tomorrow and I am trying to think about how I can get both going without 1 dripping on the other.

Simplest solution is to let the drip pan sit in the water pan and absorb the juices from what is on the bottom.


That should be fine, but the juice may get burned and dried out by the clay heat sink I use in the water pan.

Now, for the top rack, so that doesn't drip all over the bottom, has anyone ever used a suspended drip pan? I fashioned this from a couple of coat hangers and am wondering if anyone has any better ideas OR cautions against? Too much inhibition of flow?


Of course, it's possible I am way over thinking this and I should just let the butt cook on the top and drip all over the brisket below it.

Thoughts? Suggestions?
 
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That my friend is a creative use of your grey matter!  Give it a try, it won't hurt anything at all and definitely won't inhibit air flow.  Might be a bit tricky when it comes time to get to the lower cut of meat with the hanging drip pan full of hot fat and drippings while attached to the upper rack, but you'll figure it out.  Take care that you don't spill into the fire.  Oooh, that could result in a HUGE fireball.  Hot fat on hot coals is like gasoline on a fire (don't ask how I know).  Be sure to let us know how it works.  You just might be on to something new.

I always use a drip pan when I smoke.  I often smoke meat right in the drip pan using a cooling rack to keep the meat up off the bottom of the pan, allowing for 360 degree air/smoke circulation.  An 8"x10" cooling rack fits perfectly in the bottom of a 9"x13" aluminum catering pan like they sell at Costco.  See pic below.

I also smoke use 15" paella pans in my 22.5" WSM as a drip pan with handles.  A 13.25" round cooling rack fits perfectly in the paella pan.  See pic below.  That combination would be too big for your 18.5" but a 12" paella pan with a 10" round rack would work in the 18.5.



 
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