New user needs help with "Flower pot smoker".

[woozle]

After watching Good Eats I decided to try my hand at smoking, and since none of my local stores had electric smokers in stock I built myself a flower pot smoker.  This is just a large flower put with another on top, a few holes, a grill halfway down and a hot plate at the bottom.

The problem arose when I tried to use it.  I put a pan of wood chips on top of the hot plate and was rewarded with billows of smoke almost immediately.  Way too much smoke, it turned out.  When the smoke turned brown I suspected trouble and discovered a roaring fire on top of the remains of the hot plate.

What I think happened was the drippings from the pork shoulder fell into the chip pan and ignited.  The hot plate is toast, and my wireless meat thermometer may be as well, but the rest of the setup is intact.

What would you say went wrong?  Was it a mistake to put the chip pan right on top of the hot plate?  (I used a pie pan for the chips). Do I need a drip pan between the meat and the chip pan?  And should I be using wood chunks instead of chips for long cooking items like pork shoulder?

I don't want to give up on the flower pot smoker, so I am looking forward to any help the forum uses may provide.

 

[bama bbq]

I think you nailed it: you need a drip pan between the meat and the chip pan

 

[frosty]

I think you nailed it: you need a drip pan between the meat and the chip pan

I agree, drip pan should help!

 

[bone player]

After watching the Good Eats episode I tried this method with a pork butt and had good results....until the electric hotplate shorted out and blew the top off the flower pot.  Happened again when I did a brisket and to a friend of mine as well so I knew that it was not just me.  Had good results but could not afford to keep replacing the hot plates. 

 

[bone player]

So yes...a drip pan is a good idea!