Smoking in an Aluminum Pan


 
Jim V

Jim V

TVWBB Member
I’m a newbie to smoking and I’ve been reading Myron Mixon’s book Smoking with Myron Mixon. Many, if not most, of his recipes call for smoking in an aluminum pan including chicken, pork loin, baby back ribs, beef ribs, lamb, brisket, prime rib, and I would guess pork butts too. There are probably many other recipes in which he uses an aluminum pan to smoke but I haven’t finished the book. My question has to do with the pan interfering with the absorption of smoke especially on the bottom side of the meat where the juices would accumulate in the pan. He certainly is an expert on the subject but I would like to hear others’ opinions too. Using an aluminum pan would certainly make for easier cleanup.
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Mixon does it because it is neater and easier to move around various things in his giant smoker and it can make cleanup easier. He's also a fan of the high heat method where you cover the food in foil for a good part of the cook and putting foil over a pan is easier than wrapping a brisket or butt. He says that in the book somewhere.

It can be a pain using foil in the WSM because it takes up room. However I do it routinely for meatloaf and I also smoke ground beef in foil pan to put in chili. I follow the HH brisket technique on this seat with a big foil pan as well.

You will get less smoke around the bottom in a foil pan. I saw a guy put meatloaf on parchment paper onthe rack and noticed he had a smoke ring (lighter) along the bottom edge of the slice that I don't get in a foil pan. I am going to try this with my next meat loaf and I did it with cold smoked salmon as well to protect the bottom of the fish from direct smoke and prevent grill marks.

Also I don't like chicken for instance floating around in the fat/drippings. I like to BBQ becuase a lot of that fat renders out.

A big stack of foil pans is pretty cheap at Sam's club but they aren't free so I don't use em if I dont need em.

I think if you're consistent using or not using foil pans you can adjust your smoke wood selection and amount to also be consistent. Unless you really pack the meat into the foil pan I wouldn't think it will have a huge effect on the smoke taste.
 
Jim, I generally don't use a foil pan, but once I got the WSM 22 it made it easier. I went to Myrons class last year and he does like them. If you put a wire rack in the bottom of the pan so that you meat is no sitting in juices it works pretty well.

Mark
 
I use a foil pan only on HH butts. Not from the get-go but after 4-5 hrs when I like the color and am ready to foil.
I cook fat cap down so I'm not sure if that affects the smoke adsorption or not.
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Tim
 
It sounds like using a pan doesn’t really affect the outcome if you make some minor modifications:
1. more wood or stronger flavor wood
2. wire rack in the pan
I’ve used the wire rack before with a rib roast and it worked great. I especially like the easy cleanup part. Chris, let us know how the parchment paper works out. Thanks for the great feedback.
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If I'm doing a roast, whole chicken or pork loin I sometimes cook them in a pan with a rack in the bottom so I can catch the drippings for gravy. In this situation I'm usually not using much wood for smoke.
 
Alum pans are ok sometimes but normally not necessary. Mr. Mixon does this to make good looking BBQ for competitions and it looks good in books n magazines. It will make clean up easier , faster. To me bbq is about slowing down, taking yer time, drinkin a barley pop. If you have the funds then nothing wrong with using them either!
 
I have a lot of respect for the great Mr. Mixon. The man's record speaks for itself!
I'm just not a foil guy, either pan or wrap, to cook in. I will use them to collect the drippings. Just my $.02.
 
I know Myron Mixon lets people believe he’s all about not wasting energy but he seems to have an intense passion for what he does and somehow he seems to get it right. Regarding the parchment paper, I’ve got to get me some of that stuff. I’ve seen it in the grocery store but didn’t know what to do with it. I also have to try the meatloaf … mouthwatering pics! I Just love this site. You guys have been so helpful.
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After making the mixture for meatloaf I put it in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and then put it in the refridgerator for an hour. When putting the meat loaf in the smoker I invert the pan and put the loaf directly on the grate. Then I remove the parchment paper from the loaf and let it cook. The loaf will hold its shape while cooking and the smoke ring will be even all the way around.
Milt
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">You will get less smoke around the bottom in a foil pan. I saw a guy put meatloaf on parchment paper onthe rack and noticed he had a smoke ring (lighter) along the bottom edge of the slice that I don't get in a foil pan. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The parchment paper for meatloaf is absolutely (imo) the way to go.
 
At work we use parchment paper a lot. The commercial variety sold in sheets at restaurant stores is much easier to work with than the rolled parchment sold in grocery stores.

For meatloaf we form in a pan and then turn it over and drop the loaf onto a piece of parchment. The paper is then rolled (like a tootsie roll) tight to form the loaf. It's usually cooked the next day and it has a nice form by then.

We cook it in the parchment paper (to about 160)and then when done baste with catsup or bbq sauce.
 
I've used pans on brisket. Since brisket can take a lot of smoke and I usually use a lot of wood, I don't think you could taste the underside not having much smoke. If it bothers you that much take the brisket out of the foil pan and put it back on the grill for awhile . Whatever you do save them brisket juices. Definitely, good eats!!!
 
I use aluminum pans with wire racks on briskets, butts, ribs, and the first half of my chicken cooks. It allows me to move them around much easier and makes covering a snap. It also doesn't hurt that the racks in my cooker never get messy.

Russ
 
I’m feeling very comfortable about using the foil pans with the wire rack. As I said earlier I did use a pan to cook a standing rib roast with a rack and really liked the results. Because the pans take up more space I suppose it could be a little harder to find a place to attach the temp probes. But other than the costs of the pans I really don’t see much of a downside and I don’t think any of us are smoking our food to save money … it’s an expensive activity.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I don’t think any of us are smoking our food to save money … it’s an expensive activity. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
But so enjoyable + we all gotta eat to sustain ourselves. I can buy a whole bunch of charcoal, wood, and good stuff to cook for what I've spent in the past week in restaraunts.
My 22 1/2" WSM cost less on Amazon than the new driver that I'm contemplating + all the other golf accessories and not to mention green fees.
Just about anything we do is expensive.
My last two annual raises barely cover the price increase of gas + the increase in tolls on the Illinois Toll system for my daily commute.
My State Income Tax went up 50% last year and my property taxes are up 27%.
On and on and rambling and off topic ...
Mentioned earlier that I rarely use aluminum pans but when I do they usually get used several times. Washed an aluminum pie tin, recycled from Baker's Square, yesterday that I had used as a water pan in one of my OT's - don't know how many times I've used the same pan.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by paul h:
and I usually use a lot of wood, I don't think you could taste the underside not having much smoke..... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Most brisket I see done here and elsewhere doesn't have smoke on the underside because that is where the fat cap is. Some trim thinner than others but most leave at least some fat on the bottom and that doesn't get a smoke ring.
 
keep in mind that he cooks competition style and smoke is probably the last thing judges look for. You are more likely to turn a judge off with a lot of smoke than impress them.

Plus, efficiency and consistency are key things that most home pitmasters don't think about.
 
Larry, thanks for making my point … we don’t do it to save $$$. By the way, wait till you’re retired and join a private golf club.
J, even though the judges don’t want to be overwhelmed with smoke don’t they want to see a smoke ring?
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