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

AKMIMNAK

AKMIMNAK

is one Smokin' Farker
Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Location
Alaska
Name or Nickame
Jonathan
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 did ribs like this once on my 18.5 WSM. I have the hanger attachment. They came out ok. Different flavor than by using the racks and water pan (filled or not).
 
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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