Water VS Sand

D

ddog27

Guest
Ok I know that this has probably been discussed several times. My primary smoker is a WSM. When I use my WSM I put water in the water pan. I have read where many others use sand in the water pan. Can you tell me what the advantages are to using sand in your water pan? Does your meat come out moist without the steam from the water? Please let me know all of the pros and cons of sand verses water. Thanks!
 
Does your meat come out moist without the steam
Click to expand...

Although there may be some marginal benefit to a moister cooking environment, that is not the purpose of the water. The water serves as a thermal buffer to provide indirect cooking temps in a confined space.
The same effect can be had with sand or nothing at all in the "water" pan.

Moist Q comes from proper preparation and not overcooking. It does not come from steam from a waterpan.

Just trying to save you from developing an erroneous preconcieved notion about the effect of moisture in the cooking environment.
 
It's called the water pan for a reason!

If the old master pit builders and Qer's wanted to use sand, it would be called a "sand" pan.
 
BigAl said:
If the old master pit builders and Qer's wanted to use sand, it would be called a "sand" pan.
Click to expand...

Welcome back (again) Big Guy--been missing you.

I can't remember--do you have a WSM??
If so, ever test it with sand or just nothing in the pan?
Just curious.

TIM
 
The_Kapn said:
Welcome back (again) Big Guy--been missing you.

I can't remember--do you have a WSM??
If so, ever test it with sand or just nothing in the pan?
Just curious.

TIM
Click to expand...

No WSM, and since the air is very dry here, I need as much moisture as I can get, for Briskets here, I have used an extra water pan right on top (on grates) of the fire basket.
 
BigAl said:
No WSM, and since the air is very dry here, I need as much moisture as I can get, for Briskets here, I have used an extra water pan right on top (on grates) of the fire basket.
Click to expand...

Al--thanks. That puts your statement into context.

Down here in the "flatlands", I have cooked on WSM with water, sand, and dry.
Dry yields a quality product with lots of moisture and a pleasing bark.
I go only by results, and since I get great results with a dry pan, that is the way I cook.
The ease of cleanup etc is just a bonus. I would be glad to clean up the mess if it added anything to the end product.

On a side note--I do not use a pan of any type in the Dera. Exact same reason as above. Excellent moist product and that is what I am after.

All this may change in the rarified atmosphere at 7000 ft or so where you live, for sure :lol:

TIM

ps- How's your wood supply???? :lol:
 
No water for me either. Don't use it in the barrel or the chargriller and mine comes out moist. Must be the injection...
 
Not to beat a dead horse, but, wow, I'm trying to recollect a few technical threads, by Mark and others, that went along the lines of:

Water, as a heat sink, can only become a heat sink under the meat to 212*. Anything more is burned off in the form of steam, and therefore the "heat sink" remains approx. 212*

Sand, on the other hand, can heat to much higher temperatures, therefore the "heat sink" when using sand can result in a much higher heat under your meat.

I cannot pinpoint the numerous threads on this, but I know I read it here
 
sand in the wsm..although i am gonna try that empty pan covered with foil just to see..im all about eliminating steps..
i really dont think water adds anything to the meat or contributes to a moister end product
also, all this pouring of juices, booze and stuff in the pan dont add a thing to the end product either IMO
 
billm said:
sand in the wsm..although i am gonna try that empty pan covered with foil just to see..im all about eliminating steps..
i really dont think water adds anything to the meat or contributes to a moister end product
also, all this pouring of juices, booze and stuff in the pan dont add a thing to the end product either IMO
Click to expand...

I agree with Billm. I made enough mods to my Pro that the original water pan I installed had to be elimanted. I had tried water, w/spices, & w/beer. I'm at 5000' in high desert. I don't think I ever noticed a difference between water, no water. It's nice not having to maintain, and later clean the water pan out.
 
Every time I open my Dera door I see steam coming off the water. Its bound to help with moisture in the chamber. I only put sand in my water pan when Im smoking my garlic. I dont want to add any moisture to the garlic before I dehydrate it.
 
i was gonna say something funny and then i read the kitty litter post.

i can't remember what i was going to say anymore
 
Here's da deal. Water will boil away faster as the heat rises helping to control temp spikes. This actually works better in the fire box than the smoke chamber, because salt and grease falling into the water will raise the boiling point of the water higher than the protective benefit.
Sand on the other hand will heat as high as you heat the smoker. The benefit to sand in stabilizing temps is when you forgot to add a log in time. This is why big smokers have a ceramic firebox. Heat will be radiating from the sand keeping the temp from crashing in the smoke box. There might be summer/winter concept here: sand in winter, water in (TEXAS) summer.
 
Brauma said:
Every time I open my Dera door I see steam coming off the water. Its bound to help with moisture in the chamber. I only put sand in my water pan when Im smoking my garlic. I dont want to add any moisture to the garlic before I dehydrate it.
Click to expand...

thats my point
not sure why you would want or need all that moisture either...
 
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