Cooking Meats on Bottom Rack WSM Issue

[93_confirmed]

A few weeks ago I was doing a large cook on the WSM. I had 4-5 racks of ribs on the top rack and two pork butts on the lower rack with a full water pan throughout the cook. Usually I cook the butts on the top rack and what I noticed with this particular cook is the bark on the butts was much softer and a lighter color than when I have cooked them on top. I used the same slather/rub as I have done for previous cooks so I'm assuming the moisture from the rack literally sitting above the water is causing this issue.

Does anyone else have this problem and is there any way achieve a firmer bark for those meats cooked near the water pan? Any suggestions? :thumb:

 

[BlueandGoldBBQ]

Use sand instead. Just did my first two cooks (two separate shoulders) with sand at 300 instead of water at 250 and they were awesome

 

[93_confirmed]

Use sand instead. Just did my first two cooks (two separate shoulders) with sand at 300 instead of water at 250 and they were awesome

Ok, I've heard of doing that or bricks. Does it matter what type of sand?

 

[BlueandGoldBBQ]

I went to Home Depot and got a couple bags of play sand. I covered it with foil to protect from drippings. Way easier than messing with water, it uses less fuel and reacts instantly to intake vent changes

 

[ulc]

Just use empty water pan. Forget water or sand.

 

[93_confirmed]

Just use empty water pan. Forget water or sand.

Doesn't that force the temps much higher beyond the 250-275 range though? I usually only keep the empty water pan for whole chicken/whole turkey cooks.

 

[Jason TQ]

Just use empty water pan. Forget water or sand.

This. Just foil the pan for super easy cleanup. Catch temps on the way up. Never understood clay pots or sand. Wsm maintain temps super easy

 

[93_confirmed]

Okay, thanks for the advice. I'll try an empty foiled pan this weekend.

 

[Happy Hapgood]

I too have been cooking with an empty foil wrapped WP for several years now. I use ATC but the principle is the same.

If you use sand or clay in the WP, eventually the substrate will assume the temp of the fuel on a long cook. If using water of course it boils at 212*F therefore regulating the temp the meat sees. You are catching steam right off the top of the WP therefore moistening the meat/bark.

This will shorten your cook time but keep in mind the stall and it's done when it's done.

Just my .02 and Good Luck! :thumb:

 

[Wolverine]

Yep empty water pan, you will be surprised how much heat the butts can withstand ,

 

[SmokePigTails]

Try using a pizza stone wrapped in foil sitting on the water pan if you have an 18.5.

The stone acts as a nice heat sink on the deep 18.5 water pan.