Unscented Clay Kitty Litter - Is It Food Safe When Warm?

[MtView]

I'm using a barrel smoker (OJB) and noticed that when I make short ribs the drain on the bottom gets filled to overflowing. I know some folks use unscented clay kitty litter in the bottom of their barrels and offset smokers to absorb the grease.

Is the unscented clay kitty litter (or dry floor, etc) food safe if it gets warmed up from the smoker? It might be fine when cold, but could it be releasing non-food safe substances when warm/hot?

This might also be a good question for docblonder .

[MBMorgan]

I'm going to go with "no".

You just gotta assume that something like Kitty Litter that was never intended to be associated with food would never be tested for food safety, nor certified as, "food safe". You just gotta ...

[STEbbq]

I am also gonna say no. If this is an issue on fatty cooks, I think you just need to figure out how to jam an aluminum pan in there.

[Jerod Broussard]

Check and see if it is classified as "GRAS"

[Donw]

Interesting question. Went to the Arm & Hammer website and they had a good explanation of the various kinds of kitty litter and their ingredients. Clay based kitty litter is usually a variation on Fuller’s Earth.

I looked up several SDS sheets for Fuller’s Earth, also known as Kaolinite or Bentonite, and found this:
“SAFETY DATA SHEET Revision Date 17-Jan-2018
1. Identification
Fuller's Earth
F90-3
Kaolinite; Bentonite
Laboratory chemicals.
Not for food, drug, pesticide or biocidal product use”
And,
”Classification
This chemical is considered hazardous by the 2012 OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200).”

Not saying that you would have any problems using it but you will probably never find any official documentation that it is "Food Safe."

[ecowper]

I think you could use just plain sand and be fine. I wouldn't use anything manufactured, like kitty litter.

[Mr. Bones]

Never even heared of, much less conceptualized upon usin me no kitty litter, but ya does pose an interestin question, Amigo...

Afore I overthink it, lemme tell ya what: Aluminium foil is FoodSafe as can be, an Readily Available...

[treesmacker]

Lucky you, using no kitty litter; Arm and Hammer Fragrance free is up to $9-11 for a 20 lb. box. My wife changes it out every week. I just cringe every time we put $20 of that stuff in our shopping cart! We have indoor cat, Hattie, 16+ years old and we love her, but waiting for her to pass some day to eliminate these expenses and be able to travel easier (she is super healthy). 😣

[bbqLuv]

Maybe, try Kitty Litter Casserole Recipe - Food.com instead.

[treesmacker]

OK... who is going to post a pic? Panhead John?

[DTro]

Great question and I think I saw the same video as you. Two sheets of foil with a hole cut in the middle might work just as well. I have yet to capture as much juice as you have, but If you bank the foil up high around the intake, it might work just as well. I was tempted to buy the kitty litter but my dog friend wouldn't approve.

[MtView]

Great question and I think I saw the same video as you. Two sheets of foil with a hole cut in the middle might work just as well. I have yet to capture as much juice as you have, but If you bank the foil up high around the intake, it might work just as well. I was tempted to buy the kitty litter but my dog friend wouldn't approve.

I'm going to try the tin foil or maybe the two sheets of foil with a drip pan. Maybe in sealing the two halves of the barrel with lava lock I made it too tight? It only seems to be the short ribs that do it. I can't figure out how that much juice gets past both the heat deflector and the coals.

[MtView]

Maybe, try Kitty Litter Casserole Recipe - Food.com instead.

That's a real thing?? LOL.

[MtView]

I think you could use just plain sand and be fine. I wouldn't use anything manufactured, like kitty litter.

I might go with pool filter sand if the tin foil liner on the bottom ends up being too messy.

[MtView]

Interesting question. Went to the Arm & Hammer website and they had a good explanation of the various kinds of kitty litter and their ingredients. Clay based kitty litter is usually a variation on Fuller’s Earth.

I looked up several SDS sheets for Fuller’s Earth, also known as Kaolinite or Bentonite, and found this:
“SAFETY DATA SHEET Revision Date 17-Jan-2018
1. Identification
Fuller's Earth
F90-3
Kaolinite; Bentonite
Laboratory chemicals.
Not for food, drug, pesticide or biocidal product use”
And,
”Classification
This chemical is considered hazardous by the 2012 OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200).”

Not saying that you would have any problems using it but you will probably never find any official documentation that it is "Food Safe."

Well, thanks for doing that. I guess that's pretty conclusive. It looked like a good idea in theory....

[mrteddyprincess]

I tried kitty litter in my offset and it worked great, but when I got out of there after covering up my stuff I tracked it all over the patio and back into the house.

[bbqLuv]

LOL,

[Mark V]

I am both surprised this came up as a question and also got so many responses. I doubt any cat litter company has worried about it being food safe.

[treesmacker]

My basset hound, Cecil Yates, didn't worry about it... he dove right in head first to get those delicious morsels.