Drip pan Ideas for a UDS ?

To effectively catch most of the grease, I think you'll need a large pan that is at least half the diameter of the barrel.

I've seen some very large stainless steel bowls sold that might do the trick.
Or you could try the "brinkman water pan" from the WSM-like brinkman smoker. See here for details.
Lots of the WSM-folk use a large clay pot base or pizza stone with or without the pan as well.
This gets into the idea of a heat sink in the cooker, which some people like.
Something like sand or ceramic briquettes (about 1-2 pounds worth) in the pan give it a heat-sink function which might stabilize temps over long cooks.

Whatever pan you use, be sure to cover the top with foil for easier cleanup.

Of course, using a pan will make your cooking "indirect" for better or for worse, and you won't get that sizzling vaporized/burnt fat flavor.

I never tried a water pan because I thought it would mess up my efficiencies. What I do though is to place a thin piece of sheet metal over the top of the basket. This helps avoid grease fires, but still incinerates the juices to add flavor.

If you are looking for a heat sink, I'm told you can add a clay pot to over the basket, but I never found the need enough to try it.

I put another set of bolts about halfway up the drum and had a piece of expanded metal cut to fit.





You could set a foil pan on that if you wanted to. I never have though. I have set the charcoal basket on it and grilled steaks on the UDS though.



Dave