Cooker with latching drip tray for selectively opening and closing grease dispensing apertures in cooking pan

Abstract

A cooker has a pan of circular configuration with an open upper end receiving a circular lid and a bottom having apertures therein. A disk shaped drip tray disposed below the pan and having upstanding lugs thereon is selectively moved between raised and lowered positions using opposite latching mechanisms which adjustably couple the drip tray to the pan. In the raised position, the drip tray engages the bottom of the pan and the lugs on the drip tray extend into and close the apertures in the pan. In the lowered position, the lugs are removed from the apertures, permitting greases, fats and similar substances to drain through the apertures and onto the drip tray. The latching mechanisms permit separation of the drip tray from the pan for separate cleansing thereof such as by placing in a dishwasher. When food cooked in the pan is ready to be served, the pan and attached drip tray are placed within an opening in a circular serving tray which has removable trays positioned about the circumference thereof for holding food items such as toppings for the food cooked in the pan. An electrical heating element embedded within the bottom of the pan provides heat for cooking.