Cooking Comp Pork Open in Aluminum Pans

[Biged92]

How many teams out there cook there pork butts/shoulders open in aluminum pans for the first half of the cook, rather than completely exposed on the grate? And if you use this technique, do you see any loss of smoke flavor?

I was going to do a couple of practice runs on the Assassin28 after the holidays, and wanted to try cooking the butts open in aluminum pans for several hours, and then wrap it up.

I was just curious to see how many people use this technique successfully.

Thanks

[FatCoyote]

Interested in this myself

[didisea]

Cook the pork in two 1/2 pans put together for the first 2-3 hours. (I cook hot and fast).Spray the end that the money muscle is going to be on with some Pam to prevent it from sticking.

If you are cooking one butt just for the MM, then take a sharpie and mark the aluminum pan "MM" on the outside in order to keep them straight as to which MM you liked best. If you are cooking 3 or more butts, we rank them like "M1," "M2," etc.

Take them out of the cooker when time to foil, foil it, and then put the foiled butt back in the cooker in the "outside" foil pan, take the pan full of greasy yuk, and put it aside.
Not a recommended method for pellet smokers though. Works great in a WSM. I had 10 top 5 finishes in Pork last year, so I don't think the "loss of smoke" is an issue.

[SITM BBQ]

Never tried it with pork. Smoking triggers does it and his record speaks for itself. I think it would work well on non injected pork, but may be too much if you inject.

[Wampus]

You may get a better response if you posted in the Comp forum.




We put ours in pans when we foil, but not before.
I'd think you'd get better smoke exposed on the grate rather than in a pan, but perhaps not. I'm curious what the goal is by doing this? You're going to end up with lots of drippings in the pan. Is there something you're going after with this?

[INmitch]

The only reason Johnny Trigg does it is to keep the grease out of his pit. I kind of like the thought of smoke kissing that meat everywhere.

[didisea]

I don't see whether you inject the pork to make any difference in cooking it in pans.
Cooking in pans is much easier to clean up after. No grates to clean, no mess in the smoker.
I cook the butt fat side down, so even if that part got smoke, you are going to discard that part anyway.
Cooking in pans will not work in a high convecting smoking environment.

[Biged92]

You may get a better response if you posted in the Comp forum.




We put ours in pans when we foil, but not before.
I'd think you'd get better smoke exposed on the grate rather than in a pan, but perhaps not. I'm curious what the goal is by doing this? You're going to end up with lots of drippings in the pan. Is there something you're going after with this?

I originally posted this in the Comp section, but it was moved to Q-Talk. Not a big deal.

As for why I am asking. Main reason is that I want to avoid having any burnt grease flavor from the drippings hitting the deflector plate at the bottom of the smoker. I notice if I cook higher than 275, I begin to get the white smoke from the drippings burning. To this point I have placed a pan under the pork butts to avoid some of the greasy burnt smoke. I have heard and seen others cook butts in pan for the whole cook, and was wondering if there was a major difference.

I am still learning how to cook on this pit. It's a great smoker, just trying to dial it in.

[swamprb]

Cooking in pans will not work in a high convecting smoking environment.


What pits might you be referring to?

[cpw]

I normally cook butts with a pan on the next lower rack, but I've also done the entire cook in a pan on both a backwoods and a lang. Never noticed a lack of smoke flavor. Like didisea mentioned up there, if you cook fat cap down the bottom part of the butt will most likely be discarded anyway. One thing that I think does help is put a cooling rack in the pan to keep the butt off of the bottom of the pan, it'll help keep your bark.

[Jason TQ]

I pretty much pan cook at home and can't tell any different from smoke flavor. And that is across my different smokers as well. No difference in any of them. I like the juice they collect for both brisket and pork. If you don't want the meat sitting in the juice people also put a cookie rack or some kind of rack in the pan.

[RumRunner_1492]

I have tried it both ways. It is easier and cleaner when doing the whole cooking process in the pan. I was told by Stump's to put a rack on the bottom of the pan so that is what I do. I purchased cooling racks that fit in the bottom of the aluminum pans. That allows the smoke and air flow to get all around the pork, brisket or whatever you are cooking. It works very well and this is how I will be cooking them for competitions in 2014.

[jelser]

I cook my pork in pans from start to finish for competitions. I just won the FBA team of the year in the pork category so I must be doing something right. :-D

[CharredApron]

I cook my pork in pans from start to finish for competitions. I just won the FBA team of the year in the pork category so I must be doing something right. :-D
Congrats neighbor!

[INmitch]

I cook my pork in pans from start to finish for competitions. I just won the FBA team of the year in the pork category so I must be doing something right. :-D

With my presentation I like to have bark on three sides of my MM. Can you get that in pans?

[jasonjax]

Do any of you guys that are cooking entirely in the pan NOT use a cooling rack to life the meat off the bottom of the pan? IE: it cooks some in its own juices as they accumulate.

[cpw]

Do any of you guys that are cooking entirely in the pan NOT use a cooling rack to life the meat off the bottom of the pan? IE: it cooks some in its own juices as they accumulate.

I do this when I cook in a pan. I don't use racks.

[John Bowen]

When I use the big smoker I put a pan under the rack where I sit the butts and brisket to collect drippings then when I wrap (around 165 ish) I use a pan and cover it with foil. I like the way the bark forms with this process and it gives me more room on the grill. Even with racks I find the drippings coming up over the sides. Clean up is easier since all I have to do is deal with the top rack.

[jelser]

I don't use racks in the pans and I get good color on the money muscle. I trim the money muscle in a way that provides a good color on finished product. Also the placement of the butt in the pan helps that too, don't lay the butt in the pan without doing some adjustments to the butts to help the smoke get into the nooks and crannies. Once the juice starts filling up in the pan I usually have the color I'm looking for.

[rookiedad]

as a helpful hint when using pans, use a metal pizza peel to move those babies around with.

[grillinguy247]

I cook my pp in a pan but on a raised rack (in the pan)This works for me with plenty of smoke.

[Biged92]

Great feedback. I appreciate all the help.

[Pappy Q]

How many teams out there cook there pork butts/shoulders open in aluminum pans for the first half of the cook, rather than completely exposed on the grate? And if you use this technique, do you see any loss of smoke flavor?

I was going to do a couple of practice runs on the Assassin28 after the holidays, and wanted to try cooking the butts open in aluminum pans for several hours, and then wrap it up.

I was just curious to see how many people use this technique successfully.

Thanks

I do not use pans in the first part when cooking on the Jambo but do when cooking in the new gravity fed. I do this because in the gravity fed the heat is coming from the bottom and scorched the meat. Putting in pan produces better product with no change in smoke flavor. Clean up much easier too.

[Timmy Mac]

I do not use pans in the first part when cooking on the Jambo but do when cooking in the new gravity fed. I do this because in the gravity fed the heat is coming from the bottom and scorched the meat. Putting in pan produces better product with no change in smoke flavor. Clean up much easier too.

Wow it scorched the meat? You cook hnf?

[hamiltont]

I don't compete but I do cook a lot of pork butt... I don't bother to trim the fat cap. Just place the butts in a aluminum pan fat cap down and rub 'em right there in the pan. When they're done I take them out of the pan and the fat cap pretty much falls off. Then they are foiled and held in coolers. I save all the juice and use a gravy separator to separate the juice from the fat. Then I add a little cider vinegar and apple juice to the drippings to make enough to add 1 cup back to each butt after it's pulled. Here are a few pics of a recent cook...

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k566/tjhamilton/BBQ/Butts%20and%20Smoker/PorkButtsRaw_zps6474a306.jpg (http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/tjhamilton/media/BBQ/Butts%20and%20Smoker/PorkButtsRaw_zps6474a306.jpg.html)

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k566/tjhamilton/BBQ/Butts%20and%20Smoker/PorkButtsCooked_zpsa115b3b9.jpg (http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/tjhamilton/media/BBQ/Butts%20and%20Smoker/PorkButtsCooked_zpsa115b3b9.jpg.html)

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k566/tjhamilton/BBQ/Butts%20and%20Smoker/Smoker_zpsbdfc28c2.jpg (http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/tjhamilton/media/BBQ/Butts%20and%20Smoker/Smoker_zpsbdfc28c2.jpg.html)

[Pappy Q]

Wow it scorched the meat? You cook hnf?

Usually 275 but it was probably 290 on that rack

[cpw]

I cook my pork in pans from start to finish for competitions. I just won the FBA team of the year in the pork category so I must be doing something right. :-D

Jim- Out of curiosity, what kind of smoker are you using?

[jelser]

Jim- Out of curiosity, what kind of smoker are you using?

I use a UDS

[Hot Sauce Hoss]

I'll share this with you. I ciiked pork and brisket straight on the racks last year in contest in ga kcbs and we had a good year in the rankings for a 2nd year team. Then I got the brite idea to cook butts and brisket in the pans start to finish this year so no mess at all and spent all year wondering WHY we were not doing as good as last year. Last comp at koa in Calhoun ga said what the heck brisket and butts straight on the racks and the bbq was MUCH better imho. And got a call in pork. To "me", lesson learned and I compete on superior smokers. This is just my experience.

Smokin Hoss BBQ team

[JD McGee]

Hot-N-Fast in pans...Low-N-Slow on the grate...we have done well both ways...

[BBQ_MAFIA]

We always cook our Butts in pans at contests and we use raised racks so it doesn't rest on the bottom of the pan.