Sticky Foil

[Joe]

On longer smokes, the foil will often stick to the floor of my #2D, along the drain line right above the chip box.  It can be very difficult to remove.

Any ideas on how to avoid this? A cooking spray before foil lining perhaps?

TY,

Joe

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[LarryD]

Do you try to take it out before it is completely cool and it sticks or is this after it's had time to get cold and all the fats gel?  I've had a little bit of stickiness with my #2... I can generally lift carefully and it'll go ahead and release.  I use a putty knife if needed and to scrape gunk off the bottom between foil changes.

[NDKoze]

I use these foil lids from Sams and have never had a problem because they are a lot stronger than foil and won't rip.
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/bakers-chefs-aluminum-steam-table-foil-lids-full-size-15-ct/prod3830043.ip?xid=plp:product:1:1

They fid perfectly in my #3, but you would have to cut it down a little bit to fit in your #2. But that would be easy.

[gregbooras]

I have never had the sticking problem, but I use heavy duty foil for the smoker floor.
Best Greg

[SconnieQ]

Using a heavier foil might be the solution. I use Reynolds "Super-Strength" which is even heavier than "Heavy-Duty". Also, you might try the Reynolds non-stick foil. Place the non-stick side face down on the bottom. Sometimes I use regular foil on top of the wood box, and occasionally get a few bits of stickage. I use a credit card to scrape any loose grease or gunk or bits of foil. A plastic putty knife also works well. Plastic gives you plenty of scraping ability without scratching.

[LarryD]

I'm actually surprised by how much oil/fat/liquid gets under the foil in my #2.  One might expect just a little around the edges and a small radius around the drain hole, but pretty much the entire floor of mine gets coated to some degree.  It's not really causing me a problem, but it is surprising.  Now it sounds like I'm not the only one to which this happens.  Are there folks who do NOT have this happen?

[Durangosmoker]

Happens to me with virtually every smoke. I figure it is fats that got turned into smoke on the top of the wood box, then condensed on the cooler sides of the unit and run down and under the foil. I just wipe it out with paper towel or a sponge.

[SconnieQ]

Yep, lots of fat under the foil. The foil keeps most of the fat and all of the really crusty baked on stuff off of the bottom though. When you look at the fat in the drip pan, and on the foil, you'll see that what is under the foil is actually not that much by comparison. What's under the foil is pretty easy to remove. I just wipe out the bottom with paper towels.

[DivotMaker]

Yep, lots of fat under the foil. The foil keeps most of the fat and all of the really crusty baked on stuff off of the bottom though. When you look at the fat in the drip pan, and on the foil, you'll see that what is under the foil is actually not that much by comparison. What's under the foil is pretty easy to remove. I just wipe out the bottom with paper towels.

+1.  Not a big deal.  Just remove the foil as soon as the smoker is cool enough, and it wipes clean easily.  Now, if you wait a week....well...