Drip Pans

gc/tx, no drip pans inside. disposable pans, you are right, they could blow away without some weight inside, eg, a rock or something. Also be aware that salt from your drippings will eat holes in those pans eventually, I know. I've heard of people using heavy glass pans, no problems there. Welcome to the forum and happy cooking, Bob

After my Smokette comes next week and I see what size pan I need, I'll go shopping for one. The idea of using a heavy glass pan sounds pretty good. You said no drip pans inside. That must be a no no for some reason.

you dont want the pan blocking the heat/smoke from the wood box. Also any kind of a pan about as high as a jelly roll pan works.I have my 008 on top of a stand so there isn't lots of room.Sometimes I put a disposable pan inside of another heavier one.It kind of wedges in so doesn't blow away.

I posted the pan question in case someone may have found "just the perfect pan." This is obviously not a big deal; I'll look around for something in a store that handles pans and the like. Am thinking one that has a no-stick surface might be nice.

I found the perfect pan in the bottom drawer of my electric range. It is enamel coated, about 2" deep, and heavy. I think it is the broiler drip pan. It always cleans up very easily with just a spray of hot water from the faucet.

I use a old cake pan. Like Hippie I spray it out with hot water.It's about 2" deep.

I have what Hippie has.

You can also go to a restaurant supply store and buy an heavy aluminum pan just the size you want and THEN add a temp alum pan inside that. Remember you're going to have to empty/wash it. The removable pan you can just toss. It won't blow away if you buy a pan deep enough to fit under the smoker that won't let the insert fly out.

Personally, I like to keep it real simple. I buy a 10-pack of 12X9X2 disposable aluminum pans. Insert a small rock to weight pan down and slide under the CS (008). Toss after a few smokes and repeat process. Cheap, easy, and effiecient.

My model 55 came with a stainless steel drip pan. I line with foil and just toss after use. Maybe you can order one from cookshack.

Can you post the dimensions for that ss drippan please?

I think the model 55 is the residential version of the commercial model 075 that we use. We just use a 1/2 size 4" deep stainless steel insert pan for the drippings. It would certainly not blow away outdoors. You can go into any restaurant supply house and ask for a 1/2 size 4 inch deep insert pan, and they'll know what you're talking about. Should probably run about $15, give or take. Sam's club here sells two packs of them on the restaurant supply aisle for about $30. Dimensions are approximately 12 x 10 inches. These are also known as hotel pans or steamtable pans.

I'm not sure if this solution would work for the Smokette, as I've never used one or seen one in person. The stainless hotel pans also come in 2" deep versions that might fit under the Smokette, from looking at the pictures on this site.

Yea, 4" is a little too high. 2" is about right. I don't know why I am even inquiring, my wife don't even know what the broiler pan is for and it works great for me!

Totally forgot my drip pan yesterday and was two plus hours into the smoke (three racks of baby backs) before I realized it. I had a puddle but when I finally ate the ribs, I forgot all about the mess I had made.

I picked up a drip pan in one of those dollor stores. It's 7 1/2 wide x 12 1/2 long and 1 1/2 high. I line it with foil for easy disposal.

Thanks for all the replies. WOW, this forum is great.

Half size stainless steel steam table or hotel pans are the best. 2" high is more than enough for a 050. They are available at just about any wholesale type grocery or restuarant supply. You also might put a similar pan of baked beans on the bottom tray to collect the dirippings. This replaces some of the water with tasty drippings and fat. I suppose you could skim of some of the fat, but Q ain't supposed to be eaten like granola and yogurt! Depending what you are cooking you may have to adjust the time, I normally add the beans about half way through. Bush's best come out much gooder than store bought, especially with a little extra brown sugar and or molasses

Hippie...

I did the same thing. My wife's broiler pan. About 2" deep, heavy enough to stay put and a snap to clean. The drippings don't 'cook' on, they just drop in and jell so the pan goes back into oven drawer just like new.

That makes 3 of us!

I have my Smokette under the carport on top of cynder blocks with a grate perfect level. (If I drip anything, it is easy to just turn the block and looks clean) I like others use a small broiler pan. It slides under the cooker and catches BOTH drain holes.I go to the local thrift store and you can find them for .25 or .50 at any thrift store. If you search the utensiles area you can find tongs, ss hotel pans, trays etc for almost nothing. Oh,yeah, ALWAYS ask for a discount!!

The idea of cynder blocks is interesting. I tried to put a brick in my pan and slide it under the cooker, but the cooker is so low to the ground that the pan and brick would not go under it. I too need to do something like you did to raise it off the concrete, to at least raise it a little higher.

You guys don't have the cart/stand? I don't think I can do without it. The broiler pans originally mentioned are from the broiler compartment in the kitchen range. They are enamel coated and heavy. Not disposable.

After cleaning it this evening, I'm thinking a cart/stand would be a nice thing to have. Might spring for one in another month or two. Hippie, I know what the broiler pan is, but my wife has dubs on it for her own use. Actually, the disposable pans, one stacked in the other in case of a leak, worked ok. I put a couple of rocks in it to keep it from blowing out from under the cooker.

Search for some homemade carts/sheds some owners have made. I've seem some pics of some amazing smoker shelters.

Drip pan: dig through the dredges of your cupboard for an old tin 9x13 pan. Fits just right, won't blow away, the dog won't eat it, it's cheap, and you already have it. Buy your wife a nice new one to replace the one you took.

Dennis, I don't need a shed; it is on a covered patio. But I do need a stan in order to get it up higher where it will be more convenient. I may buy the one that Cookshack makes for it.

I recommend you do. It has storage inside and wheels and gets the Smokette up to a good level. Oh, and it matches!

Hippie,
I agree. It matches.

I have the CS cart under my Smokette. Another advantage is the cover fits over it and the cart. What I don't like about it is that the door scrapes when opened/closed. And the door, when completely closed, still has a sizeable gap all around it.

Get you some round magnets about the size of nickels to hold it together all around and close up the gap.

The door on my smokette cart scrapes too but I decided there is nothing I can do about it.at least the cover keeps a lot of moisture off of it.

I have used my smoker for numerous events, including Boy Scout fund raisers. In a pinch, like when you have to get up too early to remember to grab your drip pan, I have fashioned one out of aluminum foil and folded some paper towels to put in it with a couple of rocks to weigh it down. The best part is that when you are done, just crumple it up and toss it in the trash.

If you do go with the half size stainless steel steam table, you can line it with foil for easy clean-up. I add the paper towels to prevent drips from splashing the bottom of the smoker.

Happy smoking!

The cart sounds pretty flimsy if the door doesn't shut properly. How sturdy is it build; is it single layer sheet steel and kind of shaky if you shake it?

Mine don't seem flimsy or shaky at all. Most likely the door dragging problem is a result of unlevel placing or adjustment.

what do you mean unlevel placing? you mean when it was put together?

Just be sure the Smokette and stand are on a level surface and if it is still out of adjustment, get the toolbox out.

I would recommend any Smokette owner or anyone thinking of ordering a Smokette get the stand and cover. I don't want anyone to get talked out of buying the stand because it is so handy and helpful.

Sure the stand is better than no stand at all. And I'd buy one again. But that doesn't absolve its flaws. Nor does it imply that the customer is 'most likely' at fault.

You know, if you have a problem with a CS product, what do we always say?

Call CS.

I am not saying that it isn't a good set up either.Like it is said above, together they make a nice pair With the cover I don't worry as much about there not being a tight seal around the door.
My husband says the sheet metal screws in the cart door hinges are off about a sixteenth of an inch and he might back them out and fix.But I have lots of other honey-do's more pressing than this...

I agree with all of the above.