Your friend is correct, it doesn’t keep the meat moist… but it does keep the bark a little moist. In many people’s opinion, true barbecue is done in a dry heat, not a moist heat like that generated by a water smoker. (one conversation with Smokey Hale will convince you of this fact.) The water pan in vertical smokers were created for two reasons 1) to disperse the heat being generated right under the pan, and thus not allow for drippings to create smoke by hitting the fire; 2) to work as a heat-sink so that recovery times are shortened when the door or lid is opened/removed. Since most vertical smokers are made from thinner materials, the latter reason for the water pan holds great importance, without it you’d lose all of your heat in the cooker when you open it, and it would take longer to recover. This is also where sand comes into play. By lining your water pan with a double layer of heavy duty foil, filling the pan over 3 quarters of the way full with clean play sand, then placing a double layer of foil over that, you create several beneficial effects. First, you have a heat sink, the sand will retain a good amount of heat when you open the cooker, and your recovery time will be just like it is using water. Second, you are now cooking in a dry environment, which allows for the creation of a much better bark on your barbecue products (“much better” does not mean letting it get real hard-and-chewy… you need to baste or mop.)
The reason for not filling the pan completely with sand is to allow for catching of the drippings. This is also the reason for the double foil on top of the sand. When you are done with your cooking day, clean-up is as easy as removing one layer of the foil and replacing it with a new one. The sand will last you a LONG time if you keep it clean. Be forewarned, speaking from experience, you do not want to do the sand trick without the proper use of foil. The first time I did this I forgot to line the pan before adding the sand… sand likes to bake itself into hard clumps attached to the pan itself. It was almost impossible to clean up that mess! I’ve also heard that failing to install the foil over the top of the sand will result in an equally unwelcome, messy, result, and you will not be able to reuse the sand.
I’ve been using sand in the water pans of my WSM’s and Bandera for a long time, and it was one of the best moves I made.
P.S.- I also own 2 Great Outdoors Smokey Mountains, gas fired, and use the sand trick on them as well.
Hope that helps, or at least clears up the concept a little.
Tom
The reason for not filling the pan completely with sand is to allow for catching of the drippings. This is also the reason for the double foil on top of the sand. When you are done with your cooking day, clean-up is as easy as removing one layer of the foil and replacing it with a new one. The sand will last you a LONG time if you keep it clean. Be forewarned, speaking from experience, you do not want to do the sand trick without the proper use of foil. The first time I did this I forgot to line the pan before adding the sand… sand likes to bake itself into hard clumps attached to the pan itself. It was almost impossible to clean up that mess! I’ve also heard that failing to install the foil over the top of the sand will result in an equally unwelcome, messy, result, and you will not be able to reuse the sand.
I’ve been using sand in the water pans of my WSM’s and Bandera for a long time, and it was one of the best moves I made.
P.S.- I also own 2 Great Outdoors Smokey Mountains, gas fired, and use the sand trick on them as well.
Hope that helps, or at least clears up the concept a little.
Tom
