Water pan required on larger cooks??

Jlems · 08-09-2020, 04:18 PM

I have a wedding reception coming up and I’ll be putting 6-8 pork shoulders on an offset patio-size cooker. This is the largest amount of food I’ve done, and space is at a premium. With all this meat, is a water pan necessary? I’m thinking there will be enough moisture....?

BBQscott · 08-09-2020, 05:07 PM

I don't think a water pan is necessary at all. Pork shoulders have so much fat tissue in them they will keep themselves nice a moist! If you're really worried you could spray them down periodically but you'll make your cook take longer doing that.

Jlems · 08-09-2020, 05:10 PM

Perfect! Makes sense to me, exactly what I was thinking.

SmokeRingsMatter · 08-09-2020, 07:47 PM

I wouldn't use a water pan, but i would suggest wrapping them in foil once they develop a nice bark. It will speed up the cooking process, and help keep them moist at the same time. With all those butts, its a good safety net. Its called a texas crutch for a reason.

ssv3 · 08-09-2020, 07:49 PM

Plus it'll delay your cook using water

Burnt at Both Endz · 08-09-2020, 07:50 PM

.....and it will not set the bark very good!

Lynn Dollar · 08-09-2020, 08:55 PM

I always use a water pan, moisture helps smoke stick to the meat.

But hey, I do what I do, find out what works for you and then do what you do.

blackdogbbq21 · 08-10-2020, 12:28 AM

I always cook with a water pan in the smoker. I believe it helps and it definitely doesn’t hurt my bark.
However if the meat won’t all fit with a pan in the smoker then no choice but to not use one.

Shadowdog500 · 08-10-2020, 07:29 AM

I can’t say either way. But do you really want to try a new cooking method the first time when doing a wedding reception? Weddings and graduations are the cooks that a lot of people around here seem to loose sleep over.

Jlems · 08-10-2020, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowdog500

I can’t say either way. But do you really want to try a new cooking method the first time when doing a wedding reception? Weddings and graduations are the cooks that a lot of people around here seem to loose sleep over.

This is certainly the biggest consideration right here. I’ll just try to make everything fit and if not, I’ll figure it out on the fly. I’m fairly confident most people wouldn’t notice small differences in the cook outcome that we all would. I’d be interested to see if there is any actual data out there where someone has tracked different humidities AND temps and charted the results.

Jlems · 08-10-2020, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowdog500

I can’t say either way. But do you really want to try a new cooking method the first time when doing a wedding reception? Weddings and graduations are the cooks that a lot of people around here seem to loose sleep over.

This is certainly the biggest consideration right here. I’ll just try to make everything fit and if not, I’ll figure it out on the fly. I’m fairly confident most people wouldn’t notice small differences in the cook outcome that we all would. I’d be interested to see if there is any actual data out there where someone has tracked different humidities AND temps and charted the results.

BBQscott · 08-10-2020, 12:23 PM

Justin, just make sure you are not cramming your pork shoulders in to make the water pan fit. If the meat is to close together they wont cook evenly and you’ll get spots on the sides that never see the heat. Trust me Ive done it to myself trying to cram in spare ribs for a big party.... boy that was a disaster lol. If you cant fit the water pan, just make sure you use the crutch method. Sure the bark wont be as good, but honestly you will be shredding it up and pouring BBQ sauce all over anyway for all those people. Most people want their BBQ all sauced up anyway, at least that’s how the people around me are.

*EDIT*
Also, when is the wedding? Do you have time to practice with one pork shoulder doing it without a water pan to see the results you’ll get?

08-09-2020, 04:18 PM	#1
Jlems Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-05-20 Location: Detroitish, MI Name/Nickname : Justin	Water pan required on larger cooks?? I have a wedding reception coming up and I’ll be putting 6-8 pork shoulders on an offset patio-size cooker. This is the largest amount of food I’ve done, and space is at a premium. With all this meat, is a water pan necessary? I’m thinking there will be enough moisture....?

08-09-2020, 05:07 PM	#2
BBQscott Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 05-18-18 Location: CA, Bay Area Name/Nickname : Scott	I don't think a water pan is necessary at all. Pork shoulders have so much fat tissue in them they will keep themselves nice a moist! If you're really worried you could spray them down periodically but you'll make your cook take longer doing that. __________________ Traeger, Weber kettle 22", Weber genesis e330, Oklahoma Joe Highland offset.

08-09-2020, 07:49 PM	#5
ssv3 somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-25-12 Location: Los Angeles Name/Nickname : Sako	Plus it'll delay your cook using water __________________ LSG 24x30 V/O Yoder YS640 DCS 36 Gasser Blackstone Griddle Retrofit Blackstone Pizza Oven WSJ(K) WGA(P) WJJ(CU) W22(BI) W26(CL) Pit Barrer Junior Kingsford Oval (resto mod)

08-10-2020, 07:29 AM	#9
Shadowdog500 is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 06-18-12 Location: Down the Shore!!!	I can’t say either way. But do you really want to try a new cooking method the first time when doing a wedding reception? Weddings and graduations are the cooks that a lot of people around here seem to loose sleep over. __________________ WSM 18 & 22, Performer 22, Genesis 330, Smokey Joe, Q100, Daniel Boone

08-10-2020, 12:23 PM	#12
BBQscott Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 05-18-18 Location: CA, Bay Area Name/Nickname : Scott	Justin, just make sure you are not cramming your pork shoulders in to make the water pan fit. If the meat is to close together they wont cook evenly and you’ll get spots on the sides that never see the heat. Trust me Ive done it to myself trying to cram in spare ribs for a big party.... boy that was a disaster lol. If you cant fit the water pan, just make sure you use the crutch method. Sure the bark wont be as good, but honestly you will be shredding it up and pouring BBQ sauce all over anyway for all those people. Most people want their BBQ all sauced up anyway, at least that’s how the people around me are. EDIT Also, when is the wedding? Do you have time to practice with one pork shoulder doing it without a water pan to see the results you’ll get? __________________ Traeger, Weber kettle 22", Weber genesis e330, Oklahoma Joe Highland offset.

08-09-2020, 05:10 PM	#3
Jlems Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-05-20 Location: Detroitish, MI Name/Nickname : Justin	Perfect! Makes sense to me, exactly what I was thinking.

08-09-2020, 07:47 PM	#4
SmokeRingsMatter is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-31-20 Location: Bergen Town Name/Nickname : Poppy Pellet Pooper	I wouldn't use a water pan, but i would suggest wrapping them in foil once they develop a nice bark. It will speed up the cooking process, and help keep them moist at the same time. With all those butts, its a good safety net. Its called a texas crutch for a reason.

08-09-2020, 07:50 PM	#6
Burnt at Both Endz Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-14-13 Location: freeman,mo Name/Nickname : Calvin	.....and it will not set the bark very good!

08-09-2020, 08:55 PM	#7
Lynn Dollar is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-19-18 Location: Oklahoma City Name/Nickname : A man named Lynn	I always use a water pan, moisture helps smoke stick to the meat. But hey, I do what I do, find out what works for you and then do what you do.

08-10-2020, 12:28 AM	#8
blackdogbbq21 Take a breath! Join Date: 04-30-18 Location: Northern California Name/Nickname : Paul	I always cook with a water pan in the smoker. I believe it helps and it definitely doesn’t hurt my bark. However if the meat won’t all fit with a pan in the smoker then no choice but to not use one.