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Thanks, Boys...say SmokinOkie... what's all this about not openig the door? Would that cause it to dry out? I'm accustom to putting a tray with a little water on the shelf below the meat. It keeps lots of moisture in there and catches the drippings for much less mess. Anybody think that's a bad idea?
I guess the old pre-probe days we'd just open the door and start pulling on the meat. When it came apart with no effort in your hands it was ready. Thoughts/comments?
While the newer smokette's 020,025,040,045 have a 750 watt element which allows for quicker recovery. The 09 has a 500 watt element and a LOT of those family members that use them, have a saying that every time the door is opened it ADDS 30-45 minutes to the cook time.

I like to dump a little moisture out of mine when doing a big load, instead of adding a water pan...but too each his own.

Yep, this winter I bought a thermapen...dang did my pork chop grilling improve. I can cook without a probe,but really don't like the thought of it,oh well!

I have a lot more thoughts, but I really don't need to bore you with them...LOL! Good notes is the most valuable tool a young cook can have,and changing one thing at a time in his cooking process is priceless!
quote:
Originally posted by Porkbutt:
Thanks, Boys...say SmokinOkie... what's all this about not openig the door? Would that cause it to dry out? I'm accustom to putting a tray with a little water on the shelf below the meat. It keeps lots of moisture in there and catches the drippings for much less mess. Anybody think that's a bad idea?


I won't say bad, but you won't need it. The CS is a VERY moist environment. It's well insulated and a small vent hole. That's by design. Adding more moisture, from a pan, will affect the bark and give it a more steamed appearance.

It wouldn't do it the first time, just use the smoker and see if that works. Most people don't add a pan to a CS.
Thanks Boys - I was thinking about catching drippings as much as adding moisture when I asked about the pan with water. I think Oke has a good suggestion...try it without it first. I still like catching the drippings in a throwaway tin pan...I just happen to have a Costco size bunch of them.
SmokinOkie, do you or anyone else feel that's a bad idea? Will it burn or cause something you don't want?
I had a Masterbuilt smoker that worked pretty much the same as the 009 that's being shipped out today. It was a cheap China made hunk of junk. I'm really looking forward to getting this well made AMERICAN smoker. I guess I'll buy a remote probe to monitor meat and cooker temp.
Drippings in a smoker are different than drippings in your oven. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. You get a LOT of smoke taste (as the smoke rolls off with the grease).

If it's something you like, you can try it, just don't block the path of the heat/smoke. Too big of a pan can do that.

Then use it and tell us if you liked it.
my 2 cents..... if you foil the bottom of the smoker(remember to punch a hole) and the top of the wood tray, and put a pan under the smoker, your clean up will be minimal in a worst case scenario. I've coooked ribs, butts, chicken and brisket in my 025 and the foil catches the really nasty stuff. I just pull the foil and wipe down the bottom with paper towels and that's it to clean up.
I tried a ball tip roast with and without the drip pan inside the smoker (I have an SM025), and the roast without the drip pan had a darker, crisper bark that looked more attractive. With the drip pan, the meat looked like it hadn't cooked enough, even though the remote probe temperature said it was done.

Bottom line: I will never use a drip pan inside the smoker, at least not for roasts, shoulders, ribs, butts, etc. I'll continue to foil as mentioned above and put my drip pan under the smoker.

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