Inexpensive drip pan ... and easier clean-up!

[rajones19]

I was cleaning out the drip pan of my #2 after a 7-lb. butt a couple weeks ago, and was bemoaning all the foil that needed replacement, the drip pan about 1/3 full of juice and grease that's not easy to get rid of. I usually pour it into a throw-away foil drip pan from Costco. All of a sudden I suffered one of those uncharacteristic flashes of brilliance - "I wonder if that foil drip pan will slide into place where the Smokin-It drip pan goes?" Yep, sure does. It is almost exactly the same size. At 10-1/2 x 13, it slides right in like it was designed to go there. It will be a long while before I ever drain/wash the Smokin-It drip pan again!

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[DivotMaker]

Creativity is a good thing.    I don't have a problem cleaning the stock drip pan (I live in the country and dump the drippings at the edge of my property), but easy is good!   

[NDKoze]

I don't mind foiling my pan. I bought a huge roll of 18" Heavy Duty foil at Sam's. So, it is cheaper than the foil pans although if you buy them at Sam's/Costco they are pretty cheap too.

My only worry would be if the foil lip on the pan that slides into the guides would hold up if you got the pan pretty full. I have had my pan near overflowing a couple of times and I am guessing that the foil lip would have given way. That was with a full 5 trays of very moist pepper stix. So, for most traditional smokes that don't give off that my drippings it may work just fine.

Good thinking though. I am always looking for new ideas like this. Thanks for sharing.