anyone use water in your WSM

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BriGreentea

Knows what a fatty is.
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I haven't tried water in my wsm in a long time. my brisket turned out very good though had to dump the water out after 4 hours as I wasn't able to get the cooker much above 200 and I had all the intakes wide open
I was using the (Soo?) method which i put charcoal all to the top then take out some in the middle to light in my chimney. I used pecan chunks under the grate so the hot ash will get a slow burn throughout the cook. After i dumped the water my temps went to 275 to 300 with the intakes half closed. I want to use water but maybe I should give it up?
 
No water here, if fact I use a diffuser about 1/3rd the time.
 
I run a clay saucer and have for almost 10 years. I did not want the clean up issue. I did by a pizza stone on that I might try before it goes into my UDS. But no, no water ever I will thank "Slap yo Daddy" for that.
 
I did. I know it’s a bitch to clean but I like the results from having a water pan. Plus it prevents the spikes in temp. It’s not for everyone, especially the lazy who hates to clean up after a cook.
 
Czarbecue said:
I did. I know it’s a bitch to clean but I like the results from having a water pan. Plus it prevents the spikes in temp. It’s not for everyone, especially the lazy who hates to clean up after a cook.
Click to expand...

If you wrap the pan in foil it’s an easy cleanup.

That said, I haven’t used water in the pan in a long time.
 
Not sure why you have to be lazy to hate cleaning out a scummy water pan.

Scummy
Water
Pan
'Bout says it all.
 
Spent 2 years cooking on a WSM and never used water.
 
I almost always use water in mine. I am perplexed as to why you cant get temps up. I don't find it a problem at all, but I don't use the minion or doughnut method, either. Just get the whole pile going and the crappy smoke gone and put the meat on. I don't find emptying the water pan a big deal at all. If you don't let it sit for days it isn't scummy.
 
I just run out of places in the yard to dump a pan full of fatty smoky water. Luckily I now have a hole in the yard that used to be a den of something.
 
I have used my WSM's with and without water. Personally, I prefer without water.

Without water, it is more sensitive to airflow changes but, I get the heat I want without all the water and mess. I can go as low as I want within reason and can bump it up high if I want to finish chicken skin for example.

With water, the key is not to overstuff your WSM. With the water pan and poor airflow, I was stuck at 200~225F more than once. With half the meat, temperatures were back where I wanted them. Personally, I don't think the water adds anything to the cook other than dampening temperature spikes and more mess to clean up.
 
I did in the beginning several years ago just to learn it seeing what the owner's manual said. It's a heat sink. Water boils at 212*F as you know. It's meant to help stabilize the temp. Now I just wrap the pan in foil and use an ATC. Have had great results at 275*F. Can run at that temp for up to 16 hours if need be on my 18.5 WSM. Saves alot of KBB coal fuel. I see your in Fort Worth. We are both along I-20 and in the Summer our first 100*F are free anyway.
 
I used water the first few cooks and then tried it without water, I have never used water again. I just foil wrap the bowl top and bottom and use it as a heat deflector.
 
I have a knock off wsm but its 22.5 same as wsm. I use a 16" cake pan mostly for indirect smoking, but sometimes i add water after i wrap to help prevent wrapped meats from drying out. I use BP so i think the water helps.
 
I started with using water, stopped for a while (used a clay thingee/balls of foil, etc. in the water pan wrapped with foil) but I went back to using water - can't remember why. I like the results I've been getting and the cleanup doesn't bother me too bad.
 
water is good for controlling temps. with water it's almost impossible to get too hot. with the aid of a thermometer it's not needed. back in the old days before the proliferation of gadgets it helped.
 
I do both.
If it's hot outside, I use water as otherwise I can't keep the temperature down.


If it's cool or cold, I sometimes use the waterpan with water, sometimes without water and sometimes not at all
 
Wsm

My water pan is filled with lava rocks and covered in foil to keep temps stable.
Last time I left the water pan out and used a alum pan filled with water, the ribs came our very moist. I don't know "IF" were the ribs or the water that made them out soo moist?
DanB
 
My guess is that you didn't use enough lit charcoal to start with. The wsm probably was never hot enough to support staying hot after you put cold meat on.

If you want to give water another try, I would dump a heaping full chimney load of hot coals on the unlit, wait about 5 minutes, and then reassemble the wsm. Leave all vents wide open for a while. Only start closing the intakes a little once you are close to your desired temp.

Good luck!
 
For the first few years I used water it he pan all of the time. I've only recently switched more to "Harry's Donut" and I'm OK with the results. Lately I have been running hot and I can't seem to get the temps down. Maybe I'm using too much lump?

Here is a "funny" story about cleanup...

I used to dump it in the storm drain. You know, dressed in dark hoodie around dusk so no in daylight nobody would call the Sewer Police about some smelly, smoker water. One day, my wife saw a pan of the nasty water, asked what I did with it...and...you guessed it, she said, "You can't do that?"...so...the last time I had to clean it out, in the course of other outside duties, I left the full pan on our driveway and it got KNOCKED OVER...so...this is the grass and cement STILL TODAY!

14xi98j.jpg
 
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