Meat drippings and au jus

It's worth it to me. I've never had a burning or over smoked problem though. I don't start collecting au jus until the meat has already got the color I want. Therefore When I wrap or pan the meat it is on the cooking grate and not a lower grate (UDS).

I've had really good luck making gravy from smoked turkey. Instead of have a pan underneath the meat for the whole cook, after a good amount of time in the smoke, I put the turkey in a foil pan with some chicken broth and cover it in foil. You end up with moist meat and smokey broth. Strain the broth and mix with a roux to make awesome gravy.

I keep/collect all the drippings, beef, poultry, pork. Yes it can be smokey, over the years only 2 folks thought is was too smokey. Everyone else loved it. Not much really burns for me, I use cheap turkey roaster pans with foil covering the pan, pushed down enough to hold the drippings but not to the bottom of the pan as this is what for me keeps the drippings from burning. This is from a turkey as an example.
https://imageshack.com/i/f7yyvsj
When making gravy, I add a lot of chicken stock, beer what ever to tone it down but still keep that great flavor. Pretty much the same process when making soups etc. You will be able to control how smokey/strong it is by how much you use. The fat hardens at the top of the jar in the fridge, everything below is golden stuff. :blah:

mikemci said:

It's worth it to me. I've never had a burning or over smoked problem though. I don't start collecting au jus until the meat has already got the color I want. Therefore When I wrap or pan the meat it is on the cooking grate and not a lower grate (UDS).

Click to expand...

^ +1... I too don't pan until the final hours of the cook when I also tent the turkey to keep it that great golden color. I have a vertical cooker so I keep the birds toward the top of the cooker where they are exposed to the reverse flow of heat and smoke and not directly above the cooking chamber.