To pan, or not to pan

[Mike Saunders]

I love my WSM. Never before have I had turkey as good as this. I'm geting ready to try my hand at a brisket. For that - I know I will use a pan.

Question centers aorund this. I have a friend at work who cooks wonderful boston butt on his ECB, and does not use the pan.

Now - being a butt cooker from way back (we have a pit at the church that will hold 60 - 65 butts, and I am the registered "pit boss" therof) I have always cooked butts either indirect, or as in the case of the big pit - at least 30 inches above the coals. I have always gotten good results on the big pit, probably better than in my offset Brinkman.

I want to cook one or two in the WSM, and wonder who has done this without the pan in place? fat drippings burning off make a good flavor also.

Mikeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[Mike Provance]

Mike,
Have never tried it. Remember best cue I ever had(Butt) cooked by a ole head who cooked directly by coals. Guaged how it was cooking by the time of the drips hitting the coals. Cooked using a "pit" made of CMU blocks with a grate over the blocks. Now I gotta have a Taylor to tell me what the grate temp is. I have been to "scared" to try to smoke with the WSM the way you described. Like my sleep to much. Hope you try it and let me know the results. I'm feared of a far while I'm asleep. WSM has made me lazy.

Mike

 

[Chris Allingham]

Yes, I've cooked butts without the pan, and I've cooked butts with the pan empty. Just use the Minion Method and keep the vents damped down to keep the cooker temp under control. But even if the cooker temp spikes and you have to fight it back under control, butts are very forgiving, so no worries.

However, if you go without the pan, you will end up with some gunk in the charcoal bowl that will have to be cleaned up--it doesn't all burn when it hits the coals!

Have fun,
Chris

 

[Chris Finney]

Mike, just keep everything on the top rack and you will be fine. As Chris said, use the Minion Method so you don't get too hot and control your heat on the way up. If you need more space than the top grate will allow, suspend another rack below using threaded rod as discribed in the Mods section of the website. This will keep the lower grate further away from the coals.