How About A Foil Pan?

[Ivan]

Instead of wrapping ribs or briskets in foil, would it result in the same thing if you put them in a foil pan and cover the pan tightly with foil and put it back in the smoker???

[JamesB]

I've done the pan thing a time or two... Seems to work OK... Now I don't know if you get as much of a pressure cooker effect as you do by tightly wrapping in only foil due to the great air volume in the pan, but...

These days, about the only time I wrap a brisket or butt is when I'm trying to hurry it up...

Let us know if you give it a go.

James.

[Paul Taylor]

Hey Ivan. I myself have never done it that way. But unless you have an extra large pan, I don't see where you can go wrong. Just don't use too large of pan so the meat won't dry out.But I may be wrong. It wouldn't be the 1st time :lol:

Paul Taylor

[Fred]

No = i.e. Your goal is to wrap the brisket as tight as you can & let it cook in its own/added juices – in a foil pan you have a larger aria receiving heat that steams off more of the juice & you risk drying out/loosing a lot of the juice / You can place a wrapped brisket in a foil pan to help your mess/clean-up/juice-burn safety.

Keep smoking

Cook Clean- Cook Safe - Have Fun

[Woodman]

I agree with Fred!

[gsmith]

Has anyone ever wrapped them in plastic wrap and then in foil? I have read where some bbq legends only use plastic wrap and place the meat in a dry cooler. I have also heard of a local chef at one of the casinos that smokes his ribs for a bit then wraps them in plastic wrap and continues cooking them in the oven. I thought the plastic wrap would melt but it doesn't.
It seems you would get a better seal with the plastic wrap.
Any thoughts?

[BBQ101]

:lol: Never tried the plastic wrap but have thought about giving it a go. Foil pans are not as good as foil wrap like the others said.

[rstcso]

I've used foil pans, but they're more of a pain than just wrapping. When I put the brisket in the pan, I'd poor a beer over it. One cook I put one in a covered pan, the other just wrapped. After the wife and kids sampled each, found out I was just wasting a beer :cry: . Also, the pan would be so full of juice, there was a major safety factor involved, but the dogs were counting on my spilling some :lol: .

Now that I'm using Bill's rub, the briskets are better than ever :) .

[burnt food dude]

Has anyone ever wrapped them in plastic wrap and then in foil? I have read where some bbq legends only use plastic wrap and place the meat in a dry cooler. I have also heard of a local chef at one of the casinos that smokes his ribs for a bit then wraps them in plastic wrap and continues cooking them in the oven. I thought the plastic wrap would melt but it doesn't.
It seems you would get a better seal with the plastic wrap.
Any thoughts?

A while back (on one of the forums) there was a discussion on using plastic wrap during cooking. Some people wrapped in plastic then in foil for a double wrap. There was a link, off forum site, to an article about plastic wrap & high heat. To make a long story short the conclusion was that it was probably OK to use plastic at the smoking heat range, up to 250 degrees. I'm not sure but, I think the melt and fume factor was about 375 degrees (don't quote me) or flames.

Personally, if I'm going to rub something and leave it longer than a couple of hours, I'll wrap it in plastic wrap and cook in it. Well, maybe reheat something in the nuker cover with it. :wink:

[burnt food dude]

In the general BBQ section, there is a thread about different materials you can cook in.

FATZ wrote:
You can actually use food service grade clear plastic wrap up to 265 degrees. You can put it right on the grate as long as that 265 is not reached.

I learned that in Pitmasters school...hehe...lol.

[TAR RIVER RAT]

OK foilers, what do you do with the juice in the foil if you are going to do pulled pork.
Tarbutt

[Thom Emery]

I think I saw that plastic wrap idea in a Paul Kirk book
I have put two racks in a large foil pan covered with foil
it worked about the same as double wrap single
There was a surprising amout of fluids in the pan after 1.5 hours
But you cant do brown sugar and honey deal if ya put two in a pan

[Thom Emery]

OK foilers, what do you do with the juice in the foil if you are going to do pulled pork.
Tarbutt

Have not foiled pork butt love the brownie If ya dont pull until
its used have not had a dry problem

[gsmith]

I put the juice in the bowl with the pulled pork that way when reheated it doesn't dry out.

[Ivan]

Thanks for all your opinions! I'll just stick with wrapping and avoid the pans....have a 10# Brisket & 4 slabs of ribs on my WSM since late this morning....

[TAR RIVER RAT]

Deuce, I would think if you poured the juice in a separate bowl and put it in the reefer to cool, you could then scrape the top fat layer off and then pour it over the pulled pork. It wouldn't be as heart clogging as with all the fat in it. I am going to try it next cook.
Tarrib

[Ed Embry]

Deuce, I would think if you poured the juice in a separate bowl and put it in the reefer to cool, you could then scrape the top fat layer off and then pour it over the pulled pork. It wouldn't be as heart clogging as with all the fat in it. I am going to try it next cook.
Tarrib
Tar, I use a gravy separator like this (http://www.abestkitchen.com/store/gravy.html) to separate the fat. Just make sure you strain it. The bottom spout clogs up easily.

[Paul Taylor]

GET'EM BIG E!! YOU DA MAN!!! :D

Paul Taylor

[gsmith]

Deuce, I would think if you poured the juice in a separate bowl and put it in the reefer to cool, you could then scrape the top fat layer off and then pour it over the pulled pork. It wouldn't be as heart clogging as with all the fat in it. I am going to try it next cook.
Tarrib

TRR,
It's funny you say that. Yesterday the wife and i cooked 5 pork butts. Actually she did everything I just watched and gave pointers. Anyway I pulled one of the butts for guests to eat and there in the bowl sat the juice. After the butt was pulled she went to pour the juice on top and looked at me and said no way so we just put the sauce on it. In the future I will definately separate the fat from the juice prior to adding it to the butt. Good tip.

[TAR RIVER RAT]

I see that fat in the water bowl in my pit. I clean it out the morning after I cook. I line the pan with foil and there is a good 1/2 inch of hard fat on top of the water. Clean up is easy as I pour the water out and roll up the foil. So I know it would be wise to seprate the juice in the foil when you unwrap the butts. I have been just pouring it out. Drives outside cat crazy. :)
Tarrib&butt

[Buster]

These days, about the only time I wrap a brisket or butt is when I'm trying to hurry it up...

James.

JamesB, does not wrapping include cooking with all wood on your big pits? I think it'd be easy on the WSM but the others...whew. Never could get it to work that well for me. I'm old so 10-12 hours of tending would wear me out.

[Buster]

OK foilers, what do you do with the juice in the foil if you are going to do pulled pork.
Tarbutt

We've been using brisket and butt/picnic juices in mashed taters, lately. Beans too. Let it cool, lift the fat from the top and you're good to go.

[Paul Taylor]

:idea: :) Sounds like a plan to me.

Paul Taylor

[Oli]

I use the foil pan on Ribs and Brisket....keeps you from losing the juices if the foil rips, ribs are easier to watch in a foil pan, than in a foil packet.

[JamesB]

These days, about the only time I wrap a brisket or butt is when I'm trying to hurry it up...

James.

JamesB, does not wrapping include cooking with all wood on your big pits? I think it'd be easy on the WSM but the others...whew. Never could get it to work that well for me. I'm old so 10-12 hours of tending would wear me out.

Hey Buster,

Yes, on the bigger pits, I don't wrap unless in hurry up mode, and that ain't too often... Once done to my likeing they then get wrapped and coolerized...

When I was cooking on my little Brinkman SnP, there was no way I could cook entirely with wood w/o wrapping...

On my bigger pits, once up to temp, with a clean burning fire all wood cooks are really easy. Both of the pits I use have a good draft so the smoke doesn't over power the meat or lead to creosote buildup... My pits are well seasoned, but you won't find any creosote buildup like you see in so many pits.. I could not imagine trying to cook on a pit that is dripping that stuff... (sorry got side tracked)... I only have to feed the pit a decent sized split of pecan about once an hour, so the cooks aren't all that bad...

But, yes, I'm getting to that age (39) where these all nighters are starting to get to me at times! Now, how old a fella are ya? You didn't look too feeble to me...

Ya know your getting old when your prepping for an all night cook, look in the fridge and there are only 12 beers and say to yerself 'that should be enough'... used to mean a beer run for anything less than a case...

James.

[Buster]

[/quote]

But, yes, I'm getting to that age (39) where these all nighters are starting to get to me at times! Now, how old a fella are ya? You didn't look too feeble to me...

Ya know your getting old when your prepping for an all night cook, look in the fridge and there are only 12 beers and say to yerself 'that should be enough'... used to mean a beer run for anything less than a case...

James.[/quote]

Ya call 39 gettin' up there? Why I used to walk 5 miles to work, in the snow, up hill both ways when I was that age :-) I'm 53.

I learned a lesson about beer and brisket one time. I started too early and before the thing was done, I lost my focus...so to speak :-)

Aww, I guess I could do briskets and butts/picnics without foiling; the fire is clean enough but on my smallish pit, I have to feed rather small pieces of wood too often to keep it that way. Makes for a long day. That's the reason I'd like a 24x48 or 60 pit. The fire doesn't have to be babied as much. Still want the 16x32 for basket cooking, though.

I quit foiling ribs a long time ago. Really, don't foil anything I can get done in...say...6 hours.

[TexasBorn]

Deuce, I would think if you poured the juice in a separate bowl and put it in the reefer to cool, you could then scrape the top fat layer off and then pour it over the pulled pork. It wouldn't be as heart clogging as with all the fat in it. I am going to try it next cook.
Tarrib

I have a bowl in the frig now. That stuff is 1/3 fat. I separate the fat from the broth and juice which is a gel when cold. I mix it with the Q as mentioned.

TB

[JamesB]

But, yes, I'm getting to that age (39) where these all nighters are starting to get to me at times! Now, how old a fella are ya? You didn't look too feeble to me...

Ya know your getting old when your prepping for an all night cook, look in the fridge and there are only 12 beers and say to yerself 'that should be enough'... used to mean a beer run for anything less than a case...

James.[/quote]

Ya call 39 gettin' up there? Why I used to walk 5 miles to work, in the snow, up hill both ways when I was that age :-) I'm 53.

I learned a lesson about beer and brisket one time. I started too early and before the thing was done, I lost my focus...so to speak :-)

Aww, I guess I could do briskets and butts/picnics without foiling; the fire is clean enough but on my smallish pit, I have to feed rather small pieces of wood too often to keep it that way. Makes for a long day. That's the reason I'd like a 24x48 or 60 pit. The fire doesn't have to be babied as much. Still want the 16x32 for basket cooking, though.

I quit foiling ribs a long time ago. Really, don't foil anything I can get done in...say...6 hours.[/quote]

For some reason, I just came across this post...

Yep, for me 39 is starting to get old.... hehe... The way I see it, when I met my wife I was mucho younger and in much better shape... so, ya see, it is all her fault...

James.