Double water pan creation

P

Piedmont

Guest
I have through the years followed all of the good suggestions regarding water/drip pans for indirect cookers. Boiling the water then adding to the pan, add sand then cover with foil, and recently to crumple foil then cover with foil.

I came up with a new idea that I hadn't heard anyone speak of yet. I went out today and bought two new pans, stacked them together, held them tight with clamps, drilled 3 holes for no. 10 bolts, cut copper tubing to 3/4" as spacers, and wing nuts to hold it all together to make a double pan.

The bottom pan acts as a heat sheild to the top pan, where you can add boiling water or nothing at all! If you do add water to the top pan, you drastically reduce evaporation.

You can see pics on my website, address below,

http://web.infoave.net/~amwil/discursion.htm#Drip Pan

You should be able to make one for yourself from the pictures and my description above!
 
Piedmont, that looks like a great idea i will have to try that. Thanks
 
Hope it helps!

fnnm358 said:
Piedmont, that looks like a great idea i will have to try that. Thanks
Click to expand...

Once I had everything gathered, it took only 5 minutes to drill, cut and assemble! Hope it helps!

I sort of did early experiments by placing a sheet of tin under a water pan and it helped greatly to stop the water pan from boiling off.
 
That sure looks like water pans for a WSM. How does the setup compare as far as temp control, stability, etc. versus the other methods you have tried?
 
Reply to JimT

JimT said:
That sure looks like water pans for a WSM. How does the setup compare as far as temp control, stability, etc. versus the other methods you have tried?
Click to expand...

If you start out with boiling water in the top pan, and do a long cook, say 4-5 hours for ribs. You shouldn't have to add water. You won't have the issue of the temp climbing, because the water won't boil off. You'll be able to use water plus have a stable heat sink.

I'm going to do my first cook today without having anything at all in the top pan. I'll be doing ribs.

Note: I made my spacers 3/4 inch long, you can experiment and make them whatever you like but I suggest no lower to allow air flow to occur from between the two pans.
 
<raises hand>

Question - If your water isn't evaporating...what good is it doing the meat?

Sorry, call me stewpid, but... :confused:
 
Good thinking Piedmont. Actually, I get similar results just double wrapping my WSM pan in HD foil. Makes for easier cleanup too. I rarely have to top off the pan, and I've only ever had to do it on really long cooks. I considered getting a Brinkmann charcoal pan to use for its increased capacity but the foil works so well, I never bothered.
Arlin, the water doesn't serve to keep the meat moist in a WSM as much as it does as a heat sink. The main benfit is more stable temps. That's why you can use sand, etc..., you're really just adding thermal mass.
 
Reply to Arlin

Arlin_MacRae said:
<raises hand>
Question - If your water isn't evaporating...what good is it doing the meat?
Sorry, call me stewpid, but... :confused:
Click to expand...

What I was taught the water in the pan is for,

1. A heat sink. In that the water temperature will rise to boiling temperature of 212 defgrees F, no higher. This along with the high moisture inside the cooker acts to control the temp. *If thats what you want to accomplish.

2. To add extra moisture to the cooker, there by helping to maintain moisture within the meat. * If thats what you want.

3. To allow you to cook indirectly. (The meat never 'see' the coals)

Both 1 and 2 are not required and proof of that is that I have been cooking spare ribs with a water pan not full of water but full of sand/covered with foil. My ribs have been great! Sooo, IMHO, the actions caused by water in the pan are not what I need.

I control my temperature by the amount of coals and settings on the air dampers. Therefore if my temps are held to 240 - 270 F, I get moist, tender ribs and rib tips.

All I want to do is cook indirectly, as easy as I can, therefore I need a heat sheild that doesn't burn grease as I cook (another feature of having water in an un-sheilded water pan). The double wall pan gives me what I'm looking for. Indirect cooking, ease of use, not having to add water or not having to refill my water pan during a long cook such as for ribs or brisket.

I hope I have answered you question, hit me again if not.
 
2. To add extra moisture to the cooker, there by helping to maintain moisture within the meat.
Click to expand...

Peidmont, I'm with you, I don't buy this either.

Firstly it assumes that the cooking environment is dry without the waterpan. This just isn't true. Even kiln dried wood has a moisture content over 10% when the relative humidty is 50%, so a little math tells me that for every 80# of wood, I'm burning a gallon of water. Granted 80# of wood is between 2-4 cooks worth but enven a quart of water "burned" while cooking a rack of ribs is some significant humidity in the pit without a waterpan, and seasoned firewood is probably closer to double the M/C % of kiln dried wood.
Secondly I just don't buy that a humid environment is the solution for dry meat. You can dry out a cut of meat by boiling it in water. If ya want moist meat, quit cooking it when it gets done.
 
kcquer said:
Peidmont, I'm with you, I don't buy this either.

Firstly it assumes that the cooking environment is dry without the waterpan. This just isn't true. Even kiln dried wood has a moisture content over 10% when the relative humidty is 50%, so a little math tells me that for every 80# of wood, I'm burning a gallon of water. Granted 80# of wood is between 2-4 cooks worth but enven a quart of water "burned" while cooking a rack of ribs is some significant humidity in the pit without a waterpan, and seasoned firewood is probably closer to double the M/C % of kiln dried wood.
Secondly I just don't buy that a humid environment is the solution for dry meat. You can dry out a cut of meat by boiling it in water. If ya want moist meat, quit cooking it when it gets done.
Click to expand...

Well said Scott.

TIM
 
Reply to JimT

JimT said:
Piedmont,

Does your double pan interfere with the bottom grate?
Click to expand...

The pan doesn't change anything downward, it changes things upward by 3/4 inch.

The lower pan of the double pan set up sits on the same mounts as a single pan does, its the upper pan that sits 3/4 inch above the lower pan.

Does your lower grill grate sit atop the water pan?
 
Just bought me a new pan for my Dera at Bass Pro Shops for $5. What a bargain.

Thanks for the engineering mod Piedmont. I always like tinkering with chit too. But Ive never had a prob with my liquid evap'ing from the pan. I mainly smoke butts and Im spraying them down often with apple juice. All this drips into the pan.

I do line my pan with HD foil to aid in clean-up.
 
Piedmont said:
The pan doesn't change anything downward, it changes things upward by 3/4 inch.

The lower pan of the double pan set up sits on the same mounts as a single pan does, its the upper pan that sits 3/4 inch above the lower pan.

Does your lower grill grate sit atop the water pan?
Click to expand...

My lower grate sits on the next mount up, which is only about 5/8". With the water pan in place, there is only about 1/4" clearance between the two. http://virtualweberbullet.com/parts.html indicates the distance is 1/2".

The mod was for a WSM wasn't it?
 
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