DennisLinkletter Posted November 29, 2010 Report Posted November 29, 2010 Here is something that we've all talked about so here are some shots of our first rough draft of the Roti Drip pan with drain tube. It will permit direct cooking and fat/oil collection. I think it will all go up in smoke so I'm playing with a drain tube.
primeats Posted November 30, 2010 Report Posted November 30, 2010 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan Great idea for the drip pan, but won't the tube get too hot and vaporize the fat? What about a double layer of metal on the bottom of the drip pan, this might keep the fat from smoking or evaporating at moderate roasting temps.Or sealing some refractory material inside the double layer of metal on the bottom of the drip pan.
DennisLinkletter Posted November 30, 2010 Author Report Posted November 30, 2010 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan The tube was my production guys idea.. I wanted to make the double walled version.. When my new roti motor gets here I'll give it a spin.. with and without the tube..
Firemonkey Posted November 30, 2010 Report Posted November 30, 2010 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan I see the tube getting plugged up easily and also being a challenge to setup since it has to go down through the charcoal basket. Probably not a big deal with a clean, empty cooker and basket, but messy when you have a half burnt basket of lump, and the inside of the grill is well used. Just to throw out an alternative...how about having the bucket suspended by a bail instead of resting down in the fire. Picture a triangle, with a hook attached on the top and the base attached to the end of the catch bin (on each end). This way you could just hang it from the rotis assembly. Advantages: It would always be centered under the basket...It wouldnt be down in the fire and burning....you could take it out to dump or capture the drippings(even in the middle of a cook if there is room enough?) without getting down in the grill and dirty. It could be a lighter construction, and it would also be easier at cleanup time too because it could go in the dishwasher if you wanted. Just make sure the hook has a wide, gentle bend to it (like an inch or so diameter) and it should have no problem slipping as the basket rotates.
johnnyboy Posted December 1, 2010 Report Posted December 1, 2010 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan FWIW, I too am not a fan of the drip tube (for reasons already mentioned). FM, bucket suspended via bail/hooks is one heck of an idea!! Bucket would be installed/removed independant of the rotisserie/hunk of meat; correct? It could also be engineered with something to adjust the height.
cruzmisl Posted December 2, 2010 Report Posted December 2, 2010 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan I've never liked the coals under the drip tray. The heat is so intense that it burned the fat beyond the smoke point and tainted the flavor of the meat. The smoke point of chicken fat is only 375f but thats not high enough to get a crisp skin. I like my homemade option that was hacked together using Weber stuff and some old stainless. I use disposable aluminum trays which makes it easy to clean and the coals are off to the side. This gives me the ability to get high temps to crisp the skin and avoid burning the fat. Just another option.......
primeats Posted December 2, 2010 Report Posted December 2, 2010 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan Are we geniuses or what!?!
cruzmisl Posted December 2, 2010 Report Posted December 2, 2010 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan Of course we are. I bet Dennis could manufacture something that fits way better and looks way better than what I came up with.
rorkin Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan I've never liked the coals under the drip tray. The heat is so intense that it burned the fat beyond the smoke point and tainted the flavor of the meat. The smoke point of chicken fat is only 375f but thats not high enough to get a crisp skin. I like my homemade option that was hacked together using Weber stuff and some old stainless. I use disposable aluminum trays which makes it easy to clean and the coals are off to the side. This gives me the ability to get high temps to crisp the skin and avoid burning the fat. Just another option....... Agree on the fat burning issue.. I even place small spacers under the drip pan even with the heat deflector in place to get it off of the hot surface.
johnnyboy Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan I've never liked the coals under the drip tray. The heat is so intense that it burned the fat beyond the smoke point and tainted the flavor of the meat. The smoke point of chicken fat is only 375f but thats not high enough to get a crisp skin. I like my homemade option that was hacked together using Weber stuff and some old stainless. I use disposable aluminum trays which makes it easy to clean and the coals are off to the side. This gives me the ability to get high temps to crisp the skin and avoid burning the fat. Just another option....... Agree on the fat burning issue.. I even place small spacers under the drip pan even with the heat deflector in place to get it off of the hot surface. I've found adding a can of beer or so in the drip pan also helps eliminate the fat burning issue/off taste result. My biggest drip pan uses almost two cans of beer.
rorkin Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan Why not water ??
johnnyboy Posted January 26, 2011 Report Posted January 26, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan I suspect water would work too for eliminating the fat drippings from burning, but I think beer also adds a little flavor with it's steam.
mguerra Posted January 26, 2011 Report Posted January 26, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan When I do a roti chicken direct at 400 degrees it comes out great. Of course all the fat drips right down in to the fire. I notice no ill effects from this. What is the idea behind using the drip collector?
cruzmisl Posted January 26, 2011 Report Posted January 26, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan The fat burns when it hits the coals and smokes. I don't care for the taste of burnt chicken fat which is why I use the drip tray. Also I find I can really jack up the temps with my method which yields a great skin.
johnnyboy Posted January 26, 2011 Report Posted January 26, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan Doc, at least a few of us agree with Cruzmisl comment "The heat is so intense that it burned the fat beyond the smoke point and tainted the flavor of the meat.". My wife for years complained about a tainted flavor; got to a point we started thinking she just didn't like the flavor of charcoal cooking. At some point we realized keeping the dripping grease away from the hot coals eliminated the tainted flavor she didn't like.
DennisLinkletter Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Posted January 26, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan I'm in Java this week in the factory and the guys made up the two drip pan prototypes I asked for.. There was a little miscommunication in that they made the what I wanted the total with the inside width.. so it's wider than I wanted. They did come up with a clever bracket that sits on the lower grill lip.. Seeing it sitting there gave me another idea.. Having it sit a bit to the front and so the bulk of it is forward of the mid-roti line.. I need to do some fat drip analysis this weekend to see how far from center a bird will drip.. But moving it forward gives it much more direct straight up heat for aggressive fat melting.. Photos over the weekend!
DennisLinkletter Posted January 28, 2011 Author Report Posted January 28, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan Photos tomorrow.. I brought two double walled drip pans home to Bali.
Dan Posted January 28, 2011 Report Posted January 28, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan As an engineer, I'm curious about the comments made above... When a rotis chicken rotates, from where the the fat drip? All over, or mostly from the front edge as the fat that pooled on the way over the tip 'pours' off. i.e.: Sort of like a old fashionned water wheel would drop liquid. Curious in Seattle, Dan
cruzmisl Posted January 28, 2011 Report Posted January 28, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan I think its like a water wheel and stays mostly to the center and drips at the 6 o'clock position. I pulled out a big ass rib roast to find out. It goes on the spit tomorrow night
cruzmisl Posted January 30, 2011 Report Posted January 30, 2011 Re: Rough draft of the Roti Drip pan Well here is my set up. Obviously the roti in the center, below that is the drip pan, under the drip pan is the firebox. Depending on what I'm cooking and how hot I want it, I'll either remove the coal basket or leave it in. Leaving it in elevates the coal a little and puts it closer to the food. You can see the coal baskets flanking the sides of the beast. When I Was done with this roast I removed the drip pan and threw it away. KK stays nice and clean. The internal temp of the KK never got above 500 and I get great results.
