Cooking in pans

Brew-B-Q · Sep 10, 2009

I'm looking to move from disposable foil pans to the stainless steel hotel pan for when I pan/foil meat in my cooker. For those of you using steel pans, what are you doing to keep them clean? I thought about foiling the bottom and outside, and then foiling the inside as well, and then using a 3rd piece of foil to cover the pan when I have the meat in and it's time to "foil." Does that make sense, or is there an easier way to keep them from getting all nasty over time.

early mornin' smokin' · Sep 10, 2009

good luck, best way to keep them clean is to give a quick soak in ammonia and hit with hotel pad brillo.

garyk1398 · Sep 10, 2009

it doesn't make sense to me to switch from foil pans then going to all the trouble or foiling SS pans. Might as well stick to the disposables then! I'll watch this thread to see others chime in.

82muchhomework · Sep 10, 2009

garyk1398 said:
it doesn't make sense to me to switch from foil pans then going to all the trouble or foiling SS pans. Might as well stick to the disposables then! I'll watch this thread to see others chime in.

I agree.

If you are trying to save money on disposable pans, try buying them at Sam's or Costco. I've even seen pretty good deals at Smart & Final for disposables.
The same pan that costs $0.50 in bulk from sams, costs almost $3.00 a piece from vons!

Phesant · Sep 10, 2009

You can put cheap dish soap (light coat) on the outside (duh)

and just wash of the smoke.

bigabyte · Sep 10, 2009

I was wondering if it would be worthwhile to switch as well. I'm curious to hear from those who think it's a good idea to switch, and why. One thing I love about this place is I'm always getting ideas I never thought of before.

big brother smoke · Sep 10, 2009

Switching is a pain in the arse! You can re-use the alumninum pans after cleaning , if money is a factor. The stains left on the SS pans are a bear to clean after being in the smoker. They will acquire caked on greased from the smoker.

cowgirl · Sep 10, 2009

Phesant said:
You can put cheap dish soap (light coat) on the outside (duh) and just wash of the smoke.

That's what I do when using a good pan over an open fire. Wipe the bottom of the pan with dish soap, it makes the pan a lot easier to clean. :-D

Brew-B-Q · Sep 10, 2009

I am considering switching as I thought it would be easier to hold meat in a cambro, versus using the disposable pans. I've been using, and re-using disposables I get from the warehouse stores, and they work pretty well. I did poke a hole in one the other day while injecting, and that got messy quick.

So you're rubbing the bottom with soap prior to putting it in the smoker?

texman02 · Sep 10, 2009

Using dish soap is an old trick I learned way back there in scouting. Works great!

Phesant · Sep 10, 2009

"So you're rubbing the bottom with soap prior to putting it in the smoker?"

Yep all around the pan .....

smoke it if ya got it · Sep 10, 2009

I like the conveniance of being able to just chuck them when I'm done the dollar store makes it easy by selling the alluminum pans so cheap

early mornin' smokin' · Sep 10, 2009

yep, they put soap on the outside of the pans. To upgrade to these plans is just common sense, they only cost a few dollars, by the time you buy the disposable ones, have one collapse on you and ruin a dinner, you'll never use them again.

BBQ_MAFIA · Sep 10, 2009

I use the stainless steel pans in my Spicewine.
My process is focused on limiting the mess and not on cost effectiveness.
In the past, by accident, I picked up a disposable pan too quickly which was loaded with meat and cooking grease.
The pan folded, the meat and the grease fell to the ground. The end result was a total mess and a hungry family.
As I have had the pans for a long time, and don't have to go through the expense of buying them this was an easy decision.
When cooking in the pans, I wrap the pans in aluminum foil and then make a rope out of another strip of foil which the meat sits on. This is, in essense a
disposable cooking rack. This allows for better circulation of air and smoke as opposed to the meat sitting flat on the pan. The meat is cooked while sitting
on the foil rope and all drippings are colleced in the pan. Once the meat is finished, I tent the pan and into the Cambro it goes.
When I am ready for clean up, all the foil goes in the trash. The pans get washed down with soap and water and go back on the shelf and wait to be used again.
I have the equipment already so this works for me. Is the expense worth it? I think each individual should decide on their own.
I can tell you that the clean up is very easy and my Spicewine looks as good as it did when I got it a few years ago.
Let us know what you decide on doing.
Good Luck

Greendriver · Sep 10, 2009

Brew-B-Q said:
I am considering switching as I thought it would be easier to hold meat in a cambro, versus using the disposable pans. I've been using, and re-using disposables I get from the warehouse stores, and they work pretty well. I did poke a hole in one the other day while injecting, and that got messy quick.

So you're rubbing the bottom with soap prior to putting it in the smoker?

two disposable half pans fits into one full metal pan that stays in the cambro. This way you can cook in the half pans or wrap and cook in foil but either way they then go into the full metal pans in cambro. I have two and been using them like this for a year now and have never needed to wash them, just wipe em out. most of the time I wind up foiling butts in half pans and use only foil for briskets.

Ron_L · Sep 10, 2009

I bought plastic pan liners for competition use to ease in clean up. I don't use them for cooking, only for prep and holding food in the cambro, but they are usable up to 400 degrees F so you could use them in the cooker, but they don't cover the outside of the pan so using a coating of dish soap would help with cleanup of the outside.

landarc · Sep 10, 2009

Why not just get the pans and use them for BBQ only, sure they will get a little 'seasoned' but, so are your grates and such and nobody cares. I happen to use a cast iron skillet in my kettle, but, they are both round so it works out.

nmayeux · Sep 10, 2009

I use both. However, I still prefer the foil pans, as it saves time and effort after a long cook. It's just one more thing I don't have to wash. Also, I ust the hotel pans as shelves in the cambro to prevent the foil pans from collapsing.

And if you see any of my picturs, you will quickly see that I have a foil fetish...

indianagriller · Sep 10, 2009

I just bought several (Sams sells them two to a pack) of the stainless pans for my cookers two to hold brisket and butt and one to do chicken. For about 35 bucks i figured it will save me in the long run.

jrb03 · Sep 10, 2009

What in the world are yall cooking in pans? The only time a pan ever see's my smokers is for a batch of surprise potatoes or beans under pork.

Seriously, im curious why you have meat in a pan in the smoker.

Cooking in pans

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