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Can I completely remove WSM water pan and cook UDS style?

AKMIMNAK

AKMIMNAK

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I'm not talking about hanging meat. I'm simply wondering if I can just eliminate the water pan altogether and let the delicious drips flavor the meat as they hit the coals before, ala UDS flavor theory. I never cook with water anyways.
 
Last edited:
Yes you can.
I do it in wintertime when I don't struggle to keep to keep the heat down.
I quite like it.
Just be careful when you open the lid as the extra oxygen and the fat make for an awesome pyromaniac display :)
 
Badjak said:
Yes you can.
I do it in wintertime when I don't struggle to keep to keep the heat down.
I quite like it.
Just be careful when you open the lid as the extra oxygen and the fat make for an awesome pyromaniac display :)
Click to expand...

That is a great thought! I hadn't even considered that benefit. Might need to do it here in MN this winter.
 
ribs, possibly chicken exposed to the fire...sure. But larger cuts, you need at least a drip pan IMO. But that doesn't mean you need the water pan per say.
 
I almost tried this with my WSM but I had no idea what I was doing when I bought the contraption. All I've ever used were my dad's offsets back home. I'm a noob when it comes to these little smokers but they're so easy to use.
 
The only issue i found when not using the water pan is if you're cooking something like roadside chicken that drips a lot of liquid. I had a hard time keeping the temps up because the chicken was getting the charcoal too wet, and all that liquid was absorbed by the ash and left a nasty mess behind. So i find the water pan acts as a grease catcher with certain cooks.
 
I only use the water pan on my 22.5, and only for certain cooks - larger cuts or higher quantity. I'll usually just stick a foil pan on the bottom rack or nothing at all (especially for chicken). I don't think I've used the water pan in my 18.5 in over a year, as it's typically used for hanging split chickens or smaller butts where a half-pan on the lower rack makes for easy cleanup.
 
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