Newbie and the water pan.

[NCGrimbo]

Hello my brethren. I've been smoking using the Alton Brown flowerpot method for a year now and I'm moving up to the big time. :D After a bit of research, I purchased a bandera last night. I've got the mods guide and plan to do many of them, if not all. But, what puzzles me most is this: what's the water pan used for and should I always have it in and filled with water when smoking?

Thanks,
NC Grimbo.

[willkat98]

It is a heat sink, and should be used all the time

Search the term "Water Pan" using the search link at top of the forum.

Many threads (debates) on whether to use sand or water in the pan, moisture isses, etc.

Welcome

[BBQchef33]

For BBQ.. Absolutely. Always have it n place when ever you cook. Its there for a few reasons. 1 - helps dissapate the heat under and around the pan(witht he baffle in place). 2- Acts as a heatsink to even temperatures out and aid in faster recoverery after opening the champer. 3. Humidifies the chamber. You can remove it towards the end of a cook to raise temps. Move the food down and closer to the heat and it will assist in drying bark or crispy-ing chicken skin. I have also done steaks on the lowet shelf, near the firebox, without the water pan.. big fire, high heat, but still indirect. Gives you smoke flavor, but still cooks at 400-500 degrees.

there are loads of threads in her4 about the waterpan.. some fill it with sand.. litter.. theres loads of opinions.. Use the roadmap at the top of the forums(do we have a roadmap for waterpand dialogue?) or search feature in the top menu.

[parrothead]

At the top pf the page there is a thread called roadmap. It should have a link or two. If not, it should be added.

[jt]

I think you guys have it covered. Thanks for taking care of these issues when I'm not around. :D

[The_Kapn]

Here is what I have found recently.
Started last year with Spiced Up Water. Smells nice, but no flavor apparent in the product.
Moved to Plain Water.
Then--DF and I used Sand at the Mobile Cookoff last weekend in both my WSM and the StudeDera.
DF's WSM used Plain Water.

It is Sand for me from now on.

Good and stable temps.
Great Bark!
Golden Brown Chickie instead of Blacker Chickie skin from the other WSM with water (don't know why the difference, but we liked it!)

And, most importantly--SUPER EASY CLEANUP!
That is real important at the end of a 14 hour cook :lol:

Just my nickle's worth!

TIM

[BBQchef33]

if i had a nckle everytime someone said that.... welll you know.. :)

here we go again.

Then why do the manufactures/designers call it a water and and not a sandbox. ? or a litter box?



i updated the roadmap.

[willkat98]

if i had a nckle everytime someone said that.... welll you know.. :)

here we go again.

Then why do the manufactures/designers call it a water and and not a sandbox. ? or a litter box?



.

Because they don't want you adding silicates to you food, which would open up a health liability to them.

Same thing with using cat liter, oil stop, popcorn, and that stuff they use to sop up vomit in school hallways.

[jt]

and that stuff they use to sop up vomit in school hallways.
mmmmm, now there's a good flavor for Q

I use water in mine. That said, I haven't tried sand or anything else. Sometime maybe I will but until then it'll be water.

[Mark]

I refuse to get sucked into another water versus sand debate.
Try the "search" function.

[The_Kapn]

Shucks--I did not intend to start it all over :oops:

DF and I just happened to have made a direct comparison cook last weekend. That has not been done before here. New material :wink:

Same batch of chickie prepped the same way. Almost identical cook times, temps, and fuel in identical WSM's. Almost identical taste and texture. Only difference was skin color and we have no idea why that was.

Cleanup time and effort--no comparison--Sand wins that race :lol:
DF did line his water pan with HD aluminum foil and then filled with water. That does help the cleanup a bunch.

Not arguing, just reporting.
SO--FWIW.
To each his own--both wet and dry work.

TIM

[chad]

For the record: the chicken skin in the WSM with the water pan was NOT black :D it was dark mahongany brown :mrgreen: However I will attest that it was significantly darker than the sand mod WSM.

We found zero differences in heat control between the two cookers. No wind, mid-40 temps overnight, same initial JM startup, etc. It was an interesting exercise since we had to be up and cooking anyway!!

[The_Kapn]

For the record: the chicken skin in the WSM with the water pan was NOT black it was dark mahongany brown However I will attest that it was significantly darker than the sand mod WSM.
TOO FUNNY :lol:
Y'all need to sit up all night and cook with DF!
This is a small example of our "discussions" :lol:
I yield--dark mahongany brown may, just possibly, be more accurate :lol:
Note to self--DF and I both get a dictionary for Christmas this year :lol: :lol: :lol:

Back on topic--if anyone has any idea why the color difference was so great, we would love to hear it!
Almost identical cooking.

TIM

[chad]

I don't need a dictionary - I need spell check on this forum! :D

I think the difference in the chicken is: The water WSM chicken was put on earlier and the target cooking time was 3 hours.

The sand WSM chicken went in an hour later and we were checking to see if the drier yeat made any difference -- I believe this chicken was in the cooker only 1:45 to 2:00 vice the 3 hours.

Both were completely done and neither were overcooked to the point of falling off the bone though they were easy to pull away from the bone.

[The_Kapn]

I don't need a dictionary - I need spell check on this forum! :D

I think the difference in the chicken is: The water WSM chicken was put on earlier and the target cooking time was 3 hours.

The sand WSM chicken went in an hour later and we were checking to see if the drier yeat made any difference -- I believe this chicken was in the cooker only 1:45 to 2:00 vice the 3 hours.

Both were completely done and neither were overcooked to the point of falling off the bone though they were easy to pull away from the bone.
That's gotta be it!
DF has the "cook notes" :lol:
I know they both were tasty and tender and I have two of each to enjoy for left-overs.
Ain't life grand!
TIM

[racer_81]

if i had a nckle everytime someone said that.... welll you know.. :)

here we go again.

Then why do the manufactures/designers call it a water and and not a sandbox. ? or a litter box?



.

Because they don't want you adding silicates to you food, which would open up a health liability to them.

Same thing with using cat liter, oil stop, popcorn, and that stuff they use to sop up vomit in school hallways.

...cat litter....oil stop.....popcorn.....jack daniels.....