Foil Really Required?

[bigfoot21075]

HI Everyone!

I am just preparing my #3 for its second smoke tomorrow (two racks of spares or KC if I get to cutting them).

I cleaned up after my first cook (the full brisket). I put the foil down and still got grease under it, I even used the HD Reynolds foil. This got me wondering is it worth it to foil? I mean this is a smoker not an oven, don't I want it WELL seasoned? I have never foiled or even really cleaned any other smoker other than to just make sure it is not a grease fire waiting to happen. Is all this foiling really worth it?

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[jpittssr]

Is all this foiling really worth it?

That's a dang good question.

[DivotMaker]

Hey Bigfoot,

Foil on the bottom will keep your life simple.  Especially with larger cuts, like butts and briskets, there's a LOT of drippings!  Due to the heat from the element, those drippings will bake very hard on the bottom without foil.  Yes, you get a little grease under the foil (I think mostly from the moisture that flows down the sides), but it easily wipes clean with a paper towel.  If you bake those drippings onto the bottom, cleaning is going to require a lot of scraping!  If you don't clean the burnt drippings, you run the risk of fire, and nasty burnt smoke on your next cook.

[Pork Belly]

My rule of If that makes you happy then you should do it applies in this situation. however I beleive you will regret it.

[Walt]

+1

[bigfoot21075]

I will have to retry this, I made an amateur mistake with this cook. I decided to use a catch pan on the rack above the firebox. The problem was my catch pan (a disposable serving tray) was too large and it trapped the heat in the lower section of the smoker. I assume the temp sensor on the #3 is in the lower section of the box so when I heated, the pan trapped a lot of the heat preventing the rest of the over from getting hot. Eh live and learn

[NDKoze]

Yeah, that's a definite no-no.

But hey, now you know.

[DivotMaker]

+1.

[es1025]

I recommend foiling the bottom of the smoker and the smoke box. Clean up is simple once everything has cooled down. Also, I take a dry paper towel and wipe up any residual drippings. One last item, wipe down the bottom hole where the drip pan is, a lot of gunk builds up.

I bought a giant roll of HD foil from Costco and still using it. You don't use much.