Water Pan Disaster!

[ApronGuy]

Started a butt last night on my ECB and woke this morning to check the fire and adjust, when disaster struck.

I had just filled the water pan, and when I put the lid on the smoker, it must have jostled the water pan, which dumped its load into the fire, dousing the entire thing. Oh God, am I upset.

The butt is finishing in the oven, but all of this has led me to wonder about water pans in general.

1. Does the water pan really do anything? I mean, if you are planning on wrapping the meat later anyway, what does the water even do? I'm not sure I've really noticed a difference.

2. Do any of you use water pan, be it in your Egg, WSM or otherwise?

I'm really ready to just give up on the water pan altogether. It's a pain in my butt.

 

[Scrooge Fan]

Bummer. I thought the water helped to control the temp. at about 212 degrees and to keep the meat moist.

You might want to check to make sure there isn't a hole in the water pan.

 

[DaChief]

Dat sucks!!! I do use a waterpan in my WSM and haven't had issues. It does keep the temps down.

 

[bowhnter]

The water is used to help control the temperature. But I have replaced water with sand (play sand). Put foil on theeh bottom of the pan, add about 2/3 full of sand, and then you can just cover with foil at every smoke...easy cleanup.

 

[Yakfishingfool]

A heat sink is all you;re looking for. there is plenty of moisture in the meat to keep things moist. As above...cover pan, fill with sand and cover with foil. Keep it slightly bowl shaped to catch the drippings and then just change out each smoke or two. Good luck to you. Scott

 

[ApronGuy]

Bummer. I thought the water helped to control the temp. at about 212 degrees and to keep the meat moist.

You might want to check to make sure there isn't a hole in the water pan.

Oh, there's no hole. The whole thing came off its support and fell into the fire pan.

I guess I'm just griping.

 

[Azinine]

Started a butt last night on my ECB and woke this morning to check the fire and adjust...

Are you saying that you can do an overnight cook on your ECB?

 

[ipls3355]

Are you saying that you can do an overnight cook on your ECB?

I can get 6 hrs on one load in my ECB. For a noon lunch, I start it at 8:00 or 9:00 pm, get up and check it around 2:00 am, then up at 6:00 am to finish up.

 

[ApronGuy]

I can get 6 hrs on one load in my ECB. For a noon lunch, I start it at 8:00 or 9:00 pm, get up and check it around 2:00 am, then up at 6:00 am to finish up.

Yes, yes I do an overnight on an ECB. And the above is about the same for me. It's pretty easy to do in my house. The dog usually wants out at 2:30 am to relieve herself. This is perfect time to check the fire. Then, the kids get me up at 6 am.

This time, however, I did not get up in the night. However, I woke up at 5:30 to check the fire, and the temperature gauge was still in the "warm" section. Good enough for me.

 

[ApronGuy]

I battled rain this morning and an extinguished fire, yet with a little perseverance and totally awesome quelinary knowledge, I prevailed. The Father's Day Gods must have been shining down upon me this day.

The butt finished in the oven. The bone slid right out as if it were sitting in warm butter, and the butt fell apart in my neoprene-coated hands.

Despite my frustrations, I still think the ECB is a pretty good 29 dollar investment.

 

[VitaminQ]

I always had a lot of trouble running dry with the ECB. There might not be a good solution for that cooker. A piedmont-type set up might work better (basically two pans bolted together with a teeny bit of space between them, as I understand it).
I don't think I'll ever go back to using water in my WSM, though. Fire and temp control have improved dramatically for me ever since I started running it with an empty water pan. I just foil it and go. YMMV.

 

[Single Fin Smoker]

Minion method my friends. I swear by my ECB. I too have suffered some nasty water spills, but nothing big enough to put my fire out. Also, my new one which has no mods seems to burn longer than my old one.

I dunno, its funny. Guess they're all different.

Apron, I'm not ashamed to admit to use of the oven. Sometimes them butts are damn stubborn when you got people comin over in like 2 hours, and that bone ain't anywhere near ready to be pulled out.

 

[DaChief]

Glad to hear everything worked out in the end.

 

[CajunSmoker]

I had the same problem with the pan slipping in my ECB. My solution was to attach three pieces of thin metal at equal spacing around the pan so it will bump the side of the barrel and no allow the pan to move enough to fall off the brackets. Haven't had a problem with it since.

Glad to hear your found came out ok though. Sometimes the oven is our best friend:-D

 

[backyardchef]

Nice lookin' pork, Adam. I had some good results with my ECB, too. It was too frustrating, though. Glad you had good results. Try a few without the water and see what you think........

 

[Roo-B-Q'N]

I have both an ECB and a WSM and run water in both without problems. I alos have a Backwoods Party that I run water in. Once the water runs out on the Backwoods I start getting a foul smell from burning grease, wouldn't you get the same thing if you ran without water with a covered (with or without sand) water pan?

 

[Brauma]

Ive never used an ECB or WSM but, is there a way to add water to your pan without disasembling the unit? Like with a long tube or something?

As long as I keep my fire tamed down on my Dera I usually dont have to add water. But if I do, Im lucky enough to be able to add water with a watering can's spout.

 

[bowhnter]

Once the water runs out on the Backwoods I start getting a foul smell from burning grease, wouldn't you get the same thing if you ran without water with a covered (with or without sand) water pan?

I have never noticed any smell from burning grease. I do make sure I change the foil after every cook. I don't see where that would be any different with an offset or drum that doesn't use a water pan.

 

[ipls3355]

Im lucky enough to be able to add water with a watering can's spout.

That's how I fill my ECB

 

[Trout_man22]

1. Does the water pan really do anything? I mean, if you are planning on wrapping the meat later anyway, what does the water even do? I'm not sure I've really noticed a difference.

I'm really ready to just give up on the water pan altogether. It's a pain in my butt.

If you don't use the water pan you may end doing what I did a few weeks back. Came home from Church and lit chimmy so we could have ribs for dinner, 15 mins later had the bullet ready to go loaded and then wend in the change. Within 5 mins our grandson (just about 3) came to tell me that the back yard is on fire. Not really but lots of smoke, too much smoke, I had not put any chunks on yet. I did however forget the water pan. Grease fires are not fun. Use the water pan use water (they call them water pans for a reason.) If for no other reason they will help if you ever have a grease fire.