jdbower Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 My wife is amused. Just about every time I cook for her the drip pan comes out all crusty and burned but I dutifully scrub it clean until it shines again before I repeat the process for the next cook. Besides a routine scraping as needed she doesn't seem to see why I go through the effort or making it sparkle. My thoughts are that if I wasn't using a baste that caramelizes on the bottom of the pan (thanks LarryR, but now I'm stuck cooking poultry!) the drippings may be useful as gravy or sauce and if I keep the pan clean on a regular basis this is much more feasible. So what's your drip pan look like?
Fetzervalve Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 I typically line mine with foil to avoid the dreaded scrubbing. So it's closer to sparkling than crusty, but it doesn't exactly sparkle..
Syzygies Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 I line with heavy duty aluminum foil an unlined 16" terra cotta plant saucer from Home Depot. Heat deflector and drip pan in one. The foil always leaks a bit, giving the terra cotta some character. I'm on my second or third saucer, but they're inexpensive. Don't buy lined unless you're prepared to test the glaze yourself (same mistake as galvanized metal in a cooker).
Firemonkey Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 Mine is 90% clean...The inside is definitely clean, but the bottom may have some discoloration from where it sat on the lower grill and the bars went across. I sometimes line with foil, if I know I am doing an especially messy cook. Other times I let it ride naked. More often, I use a disposable foil pan - the small ones you get from the Chinese carryout work perfect under a roasted chicken - and just toss them in the dishwasher. Much easier to manage than the big KK drip pan, which is only used under suitable large chunks of meat. With the foil pans, if they are just too messy to contend with, you can toss it. I save all the foil pans I come across for this purpose - pie pans, carryout containers, the big frozen lasagna pans, etc.
johnnyboy Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 I use disposables too. So I can toss it and not worry about scrubbing. If you want to save the drippings use a heat deflector under the pan, add a bit of water in the pan.
Syzygies Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 If you want to save the drippings use a heat deflector under the pan' date=' add a bit of water in the pan.[/quote'] ...and don't brine the meat! It's either/or, unless you think salt is the new sugar.
Firemonkey Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 If you want to save the drippings use a heat deflector under the pan, add a bit of water in the pan. Yeah, the only time I use a drip pan is when I am cooking indirect with the deflector, and i only occasionally get scorching - usually only on the most sugary of rubs. I think oversizing the drip pan is contributing to your burning of the drippings, too. More surface area for it to dry out and burn.
aavkk Posted January 12, 2014 Report Posted January 12, 2014 I line with heavy duty aluminum foil an unlined 16" terra cotta plant saucer from Home Depot. Heat deflector and drip pan in one. Great idea. I'm always looking to simplify the process of getting to the coals and loading and unloading the racks.
Smokydave Posted January 12, 2014 Report Posted January 12, 2014 I line mine with heavy duty AL foil, top and bottom and sometimes I scrub with Bon Ami. I never know if Dennis will be in Philadelphia and will drop by to look around and eat!
Loquitur Posted January 13, 2014 Report Posted January 13, 2014 Mine doesn't have any goo in it but its jet black.
