Butts...to pan or not to pan?

[CUTigerQ]

What are the pros and cons of panning your butts from the beginning to not panning them? I'm thinking about cooing these that I'm about to cook tomorrow in pans. Any pros and cons or is it just personal preference?

 

[Blanton]

Personal preference and keeps things cleaner and from dripping on other items if vertical. With that said, I have convinced myself before even testing, that the pans are impeding air flow and changing how things cook. Winter testing is about to begin to test without pans for next comp season.

 

[SmittyJonz]

Less Bark or mushy bark on bottom unless you use lil racks in pans.

 

[Hillbilly BBQ]

Use a pan with a Bradley rack, works like a champ.

 

[jimstocks53]

Use a pan with a Bradley rack, works like a champ.

Amen!!! With a pan cleanup is simple and with meat supported on a rack it is smoked not braised. But it also helps to save the juices.

 

[Enrico Brandizzi]

Ok for the inside rack to keep bark far from liquid.
But what about smoke and heat in the bottom part of the butt which is INSIDE the pan?

 

[CUTigerQ]

Hmmm. I'll have to look at trying to find this Bradley rack.

 

[Joe Black]

I don't like pans. I don't like the way the bark turns out and it's also mushy. I get good smoke and bark before I wrap for the stall. When I wrap, I add !/2 cup of apple juice. This helps keep the meat moist through the stall and also helps with tenderness. After the stall turns loose, I unwrap to re-set the bark, but I also keep the juices in the foil to re-use after pulling.

I guess if you use a Bradley rack in a pan, you could wrap the whole pan to get through the stall and still save the juice in the pan. I guess it just goes back to personal preferences.

 

[Jason TQ]

Amen!!! With a pan cleanup is simple and with meat supported on a rack it is smoked not braised. But it also helps to save the juices.

Yeah, best of both worlds there. Though a lot of time for just pulled pork I let them sit in the pan. You get softer bark (except for the top) and with some of the braising happening the pork will cook faster sitting in the pan. Though sitting in the pan the meat gets plenty of smoke.

 

[pjtexas1]

Personal preference and keeps things cleaner and from dripping on other items if vertical. With that said, I have convinced myself before even testing, that the pans are impeding air flow and changing how things cook. Winter testing is about to begin to test without pans for next comp season.

i have also learned that depending on the cooker that pans can change airflow and/or create hot/cold spots. not a big deal if you are cooking 1 or 2 pieces of meat but not really good if you have the smoker loaded up.

Less Bark or mushy bark on bottom unless you use lil racks in pans.

if you are going to pan make sure to use a rack in the pan and used balled up foil in 4 corners under the little rack. this elevates the meat and gets more smoke and heat to the underside of the meat.

 

[long haired hippie]

Pans in my smoker?

In my oven....OK - But my smoker?

 

[Hillbilly BBQ]

These work well in a half pan....fit a Butt perfect! Put a little apple juice or what ever liquid in the bottom dont fill over the rack and smoke away!

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HLU84K?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00"]Amazon.com: Update International Heavy-duty 1/4 Size Cooling Rack, Wire Pan/Commercial Grade, Oven-Safe, Chrome, 10" L, Set of 2: Kitchen & Dining@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518wVS-khJL.@@AMEPARAM@@518wVS-khJL[/ame]

 

[Doog]

Just depends on how many butts I'm smoking. If it's more than a few I leave them ride.
But if it is just a few I usually pan.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Pan them. Collect the drippings and run them through a grease seperator. Take a 1 to 1 ratio of bbq sauce and drippings. Then use the mixture to sauce it.

 

[Mrwokn]

No pan for me but I put a foil pan below on the bottom rack of my UDS. Helps collect the juices and keep the fats from crippling my embers

 

[Okie Sawbones]

These work well in a half pan....fit a Butt perfect! Put a little apple juice or what ever liquid in the bottom dont fill over the rack and smoke away!

Amazon.com: Update International Heavy-duty 1/4 Size Cooling Rack, Wire Pan/Commercial Grade, Oven-Safe, Chrome, 10" L, Set of 2: Kitchen & Dining

I've done them both ways many times, but now I do this. ^^^^^^^^

 

[Sean "Puffy" Coals]

I always put my butts right on the cooking racks with a large pan on the rack below to catch drippings. I start the cook with water in the pan, which steams up and makes the heat moist. By the end of the cook, the water is all gone and only rendered fat and drippings remain.

When I do have to pan them, I put the drippings in the pan and seal them up tight until they're done. And I always pour the drippings back over the pulled meat for extra flavor and moistness.

In my opinion, the loss of bark is negligible and well worth the trade off.