Pans or no pans?

[bangstick]

So I see a lot of people putting their meat (shoulders, ribs, chicken thighs...what have you) in disposable aluminum pans when smoking. What's the consensus, if there is one, on using disposable aluminum pans when smoking? Pros? Cons?

 

[mike243]

they work fine for catching juices and can help stop a hard bottom if you put a cooling rack under them to stop some of the heat,if you dont use a rack the bottom will get soaked in grease depending on how much is in the meat

 

[bangstick]

Got ya. I like capturing the "juice" and using it as a finishing sauce, if you will, but don't really like the meat soaking in it.

 

[browneyesvictim]

They are quite versatile for many applications as drip pans or cooking in. The main reason is to catch the juices! Obviously they are disposable making them very convenient for the smoker. The pans can hold liquid for the braising step instead of just wrapping in foil or butcher paper. A lot of folks will put a pan on a rack underneath the meat to catch the dips for the first couple of hours and so there is smoke all the way around the meat and develop a crust/bark. Then the meat goes directly in the pan with a braising liquid or foiling juice or whatever and is covered in foil to braise. This speeds up the cooking but at that point it doesn't continue to get any more smoke when covered.

 

[SmokinAl]

I've done both ways & if your smoking something that is very lean, then sitting in it's own juice will keep it from drying out. I usually use chicken stock for poultry & pork, & French onion soup for beef & put that in the pan with the meat!
Al

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

I've only used them to cook chicken thighs so far. I do a butter bath technique that used butter or margarine in pats to slowly create a broth from the cooking thighs as they sit on the smoker. I do plan on trying a foil pan method with my brisket for the 4th though. Hopefully, it will be a success. Only time will tell. I may start using them with my shoulder cooks too. Capture some of that precious juice as it renders. Man I am making myself hungry.

George

 

[banderson7474]

Got ya. I like capturing the "juice" and using it as a finishing sauce, if you will, but don't really like the meat soaking in it.

Yea I like using them below the rack so it catches the juices but also makes it so I don't sit the meat soaking in it. I like you don't want it sitting in the juices either during the smoke.

Although, I'm still on the search for the perfect brisket and I kind of gave up on it with a stick burner but after reading the last cpl of days, I have my motivation back and I might try one of the recipes where when it's time to wrap it, put it in a foil pan and put a simple apple juice, rub, sauce mixture it can sit in for the final hours thru the stall.

 

[oldsmokerdude]

If you do choose to do your entire cook in a pan, you may want to flip the meat over after an hour or two so the "bottom" can get some of the delicious smoke.

As others have mentioned, I almost always put a pan on a rack beneath the meat to facilitate clean up. Then use for any stage that would call for wrapping in foil. Works well for me.

 

[BKING!]

I’ve done pans and no pans. I’m now doing no pans mainly because the bark is my favorite part. With poultry the skin is my favorite part so similar story there.

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

With the butter bath chicken the meat only stays in the pans for the first part of the cook. Then it comes off and is dunked in a glazing sauce then placed back onto the grate. The skin comes out great if the method is followed correctly. If you like crispy skin then of course an actual grill is going to be needed for your chicken to come out the way you want.

George

 

[Geebs]

I did my last pork butt this way and left it in the pan with no rack. Last time I am doing that. The bottom that was in the juices cooked faster then what was not submerged and the pan was so full of juices I had to dump some out into the water pan. I have been trying to find a high enough rack to sit in my foil pans but I havent had much luck. All the racks I find are only 1/2 inch tall.

 

[gmc2003]

I only use the pan when foiling. I can foil whatever I'm smoking much quicker using a pan so the meat doesn't cool down as much.

Chris

 

[bangstick]

So here's what I'm thinking the next time I smoke a butt....let it sit on the rack until it's time to wrap and then put it in a pan and wrap it and leave it in the pan through the "resting" process to capture the juice. I'm going to give that try and see how that goes.

Thanks for all of the tips and advice.

 

[flash gordon m.d.]

i just got a smoke hollow 38" 38205GW propane smoker and hope to try it this weekend on a pork butt. i've read this thread with interest, trying to decide between less mess (i.e., use a pan) vs. better bark (on the rack). since the smoker comes with four racks that are adjustable in about 1" increments, i'm considering putting a rack just below the rack with the pork shoulder and putting a pan on that. doing so, tho' would cover about 90% of the lower rack's area. since this is my first smoker, i don't know if the pan would "obstruct" enough of the smoke to make a difference.

any thoughts? thanks in advance.

 

[banderson7474]

i just got a smoke hollow 38" 38205GW propane smoker and hope to try it this weekend on a pork butt. i've read this thread with interest, trying to decide between less mess (i.e., use a pan) vs. better bark (on the rack). since the smoker comes with four racks that are adjustable in about 1" increments, i'm considering putting a rack just below the rack with the pork shoulder and putting a pan on that. doing so, tho' would cover about 90% of the lower rack's area. since this is my first smoker, i don't know if the pan would "obstruct" enough of the smoke to make a difference.

any thoughts? thanks in advance.

That's my method. I don't think it would obstruct smoke. I think keeping the drippings is a must so you can pour it on it after you chop or pull. This way you get the juices and the bark you want.

I try to defat the drippings before pouring on but I'm sure a lot don't so I guess it depends on what you want to do. I d

 

[tallbm]

If I wrap something then I use a pan. I have a very specific setup.

1. I double foil the foil pan (yep foil the foil pan hahaha)
2. I set the foiled pan on the bottom rack of my MES (vertical smoker)
3. I then set the next rack ON TOP OF THE PAN. This keeps me close to the pan and heat source but not in the pan.
4. I put the meat on the rack that sets on the pan

Then pan then catches juices.
When it's time to wrap the meat I just remove the rack the meat is sitting on and put it in the pan.
I take the double foil and wrap around the meat. This way the meat has all the juices wrapped with it (see I was thinking ahead).
Finally I can remove the pan with already wrapped meat when everything is done :)

I don't wrap my briskets while cooking but still use this same double foil pan trick. This way when I pull the brisket it goes right into it's drippings and is wrapped and ready to rest.
Everything is efficient, nice, and neat!

Actually I've taken this whole approach a step further and now I use a non-stick crisper basket on top of the foil pan rather than a rack. The crisper basket has handles and makes removing a brisket from the smoker a breeze and I just foil it and wrap it in the house now rather then right there in the smoker :)

Being able to grab handles and pull meat out of the smoker all in one shot is so helpful to avoid breaking, dropping, or otherwise messing up the meat... which I am prone to do :P

DSC_9058[1]

• tallbm
• Feb 18, 2018

 

[johnmeyer]

You might also want to check out this somewhat similar thread from a month ago:

Wrapping vs wrapping in pan

 

[Bearcarver]

i just got a smoke hollow 38" 38205GW propane smoker and hope to try it this weekend on a pork butt. i've read this thread with interest, trying to decide between less mess (i.e., use a pan) vs. better bark (on the rack). since the smoker comes with four racks that are adjustable in about 1" increments, i'm considering putting a rack just below the rack with the pork shoulder and putting a pan on that. doing so, tho' would cover about 90% of the lower rack's area. since this is my first smoker, i don't know if the pan would "obstruct" enough of the smoke to make a difference.

any thoughts? thanks in advance.

I wouldn't worry too much about blocking Smoke with a pan below the meat.

I would make sure there's enough area around the pans so the heat can get through.
I once had 2 pans 9 X 12 on the same rack, and the area above the pans was much cooler than below the pans.
Once I removed one of the pans from that rack, everything evened out.

Bear