Water pans, do you use them and why?

smokeusum · Jan 19, 2013

I have a masterbuilt, extra-wide smoker. I know around here, in eastern NC, home of some of the best BBQ in the country, I catch flack for using a propane smoker, that it isn't really smoking, but my hubby, a master digester of eastern (pork) BBQ says I've put them boys to shame...

Anyway, I find the water pan, while adding a bit to flavor is also a great regulator for temp control in addition to just being something between an open flame to my meat (or salmon!) and I add stuff to it; water that they wood was soaked in, apple cider or juice, or whatever else I can get my hands on. Of course, it's mostly water... So what are your thoughts, methods, etc, and the reasoning behind it?

s2k9k · Jan 19, 2013

I have a propane smoker also and I'm a firm believer in the dry smoke chamber. I dumped the water in my pan a long time ago and keep it filled with sand. Sand makes a much better thermal mass than water does. Water will not go above 212* and as it evaporates the size of the thermal mass changes. Sand will take as much heat as you can throw at it and it's size will not change therefore giving much more consistent temps.

coffee_junkie · Jan 19, 2013

I use play sand instead of water in my propane smoker. Two reasons, I have an AMAZE-N-Smoker that i use to generate my smoke, water in the pan would make it go out. The other reason is that water doesn't add moisture or flavor to the meat. I add flavor and moisture to the meat through rubs, maranades, injections, brines etc. The play sand keeps its temps really well and never needs to be refilled on long smokes. Cuz remember, if your lookin' you aint cookin. If I need water, for instance when I am smoking sausage I have a little 9x9 stainless cake pan that I place in the bottom of the smoker. The casings need to stay moist during the cooking.

Another strong opinion I have is that soaking the wood chips is counter productive, the chips don't burn any longer when soaked, they just take longer to get smoking. The longevity of chip smokage comes from how much air gets to them, control the air and you will get longer smoke times and better smoke period.

Have fun kicken those boys butts.

smokeusum · Jan 19, 2013

coffee_junkie said:
I use play sand instead of water in my propane smoker. Two reasons, I have an AMAZE-N-Smoker that i use to generate my smoke, water in the pan would make it go out. The other reason is that water doesn't add moisture or flavor to the meat. I add flavor and moisture to the meat through rubs, maranades, injections, brines etc. The play sand keeps its temps really well and never needs to be refilled on long smokes. Cuz remember, if your lookin' you aint cookin. If I need water, for instance when I am smoking sausage I have a little 9x9 stainless cake pan that I place in the bottom of the smoker. The casings need to stay moist during the cooking.
Another strong opinion I have is that soaking the wood chips is counter productive, the chips don't burn any longer when soaked, they just take longer to get smoking. The longevity of chip smokage comes from how much air gets to them, control the air and you will get longer smoke times and better smoke period.
Have fun kicken those boys butts.

smokeusum · Jan 19, 2013

Darn it, using my phone on this forum isn't easy :) coffee_junkie thank you, I appreciate the boy-butt kicking comment!!

I am actually going against manufacturer guidelines with my smoker and am actually using "chunks" for a longer burn/smoke time. I'll have to try the sand thing! Thanks guys!

s2k9k · Jan 19, 2013

Nothing wrong with using chunks, much better than chips.

daveomak · Jan 19, 2013

As a kid growing up.... and seeing smoke houses that put out some great food.... I never saw a water pan anywhere.... I still can't figure why they are needed.... except, maybe to make up for a poor quality smoker.. Big Chief, Lil Chief, Totem..... none of them had water pans either...

smokeusum · Jan 20, 2013

That's a pretty harsh statement Dave to a newbie; are you implying I purchased a poor quality smoker? Yea, probably, I'm new, it was a gift to my husband how LOVES old school, classic Lexington, NC BBQ. A connosuer of 30 years, he's a professional digester!

With that said, I watched him, his best buddy and my daughter eat my first pork butt for three days... Heated and reheated in the microwave over & over with the same comment... Damn, still doesn't need sauce!!! That was all I needed to hear to know I was doing something right!

Now, back on topic, I mentioned this post to him and he had a different theory regarding the water pan. He disagrees, stating that while it may not add to the keeping meat juicy, the steam created would infuse up into the meat, which I have at agree with, at least for my smoker, where the pan sits directly above my coals and directly under my meat or fish:)

Been pretty pleased so far, but I'm still learning :)

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smokeusum
Jan 20, 2013

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smokeusum
Jan 20, 2013

smoke happens · Jan 20, 2013

That's not a harsh statement at all smokeusum, not sure how you picked that up from Dave's comment? You asks for thoughts, methods and reasoning and he answered. Dave is a wealth of knowledge and can teach any newbie or long timer a lot. IMHO of course...

davidhef88 · Jan 20, 2013

Smoke Happens said:
That's not a harsh statement at all smokeusum, not sure how you picked that up from Dave's comment? You asks for thoughts, methods and reasoning and he answered. Dave is a wealth of knowledge and can teach any newbie or long timer a lot. IMHO of course...

Dave is a wealth of knowledge, but I thought the comment was a little rude also.

smokeusum · Jan 20, 2013

I total get the wealth of knowledge you all have! I'm hear to learn, theorize and recreate what those old masters used to do, and then add to it!

daveomak · Jan 20, 2013

Davidhef88 said:
Smoke Happens said:

That's not a harsh statement at all smokeusum, not sure how you picked that up from Dave's comment? You asks for thoughts, methods and reasoning and he answered. Dave is a wealth of knowledge and can teach any newbie or long timer a lot. IMHO of course...

Click to expand...

Dave is a wealth of knowledge, but I thought the comment was a little rude also.

Sorry Dave..... Seems I have been PM'ing folks for months on how to make their smokers work better.... It was a "quick" comment with no thought put into it.... My error....

smokeusum said:
That's a pretty harsh statement Dave to a newbie; are you implying I purchased a poor quality smoker?

Been pretty pleased so far, but I'm still learning :)

Smokeusum.... Yes it was harsh and I apologize.... It was not directed at you... It was directed at all the companies that sell smokers that are less than acceptable.... mainly from an engineering standpoint.... Hopefully I will put a little more thought into my future comments before my fingers disengage my brain... Dave

fwismoker · Jan 20, 2013

Moisture makes the surface of the meat sticky for smoke to adhere better is a fact. Are there times that isn't necessary? Absolutely there is such as cold smoking or times you want a crispy skin on turkeys or chickens.

davidhef88 · Jan 20, 2013

DaveOmak said:
Sorry Dave..... Seems I have been PM'ing folks for months on how to make their smokers work better.... It was a "quick" comment with no thought put into it.... My error....

Smokeusum.... Yes it was harsh and I apologize.... It was not directed at you... It was directed at all the companies that sell smokers that are less than acceptable.... mainly from an engineering standpoint.... Hopefully I will put a little more thought into my future comments before my fingers disengage my brain... Dave

No problem Dave.. You usually aren't short like that. I was just concerned that a lot of people could have taken it as if their smoker had a water pan it was junk. Which you know as well as I do isn't true, but a newbie could have really taken it the wrong way. I too have been PMing a bunch of people links to mods I've done on master forge gasser. Seems to be a lot more since the temp has dropped and the snow is flying. Have a great night and thanks for all the help and looking forward to help where I can.

michael ark · Jan 20, 2013

I use a water pan and love it. It helps keep my temps down and the surface of the meat moist.

diggingdogfarm · Jan 20, 2013

There are advantages to controlling the moisture in a smoker with a water pan, eliminating the dreaded stall, etc., but most folks tend to like to keep things simple.

~Martin

fwismoker · Jan 20, 2013

michael ark said:
I use a water pan and love it. It helps keep my temps down and the surface of the meat moist.

There are advantages to controlling the moisture in a smoker with a water pan, eliminating the dreaded stall, etc., but most folks tend to like to keep things simple.

^^^Remember that "dreaded stall" is what makes something like good brisket possible!

diggingdogfarm · Jan 20, 2013

I'm talking the evaporative cooling stall, not the barely existent collagen or whatever stall.

~Martin

fwismoker · Jan 20, 2013

We're talking the same stall. Meat temp won't climb until moisture evaporates. Having more more moisture in the pit can slow the cooking but no problem because the end result will be better

The only time i don't use a water pan is with things that i want cooked faster such as whole chickens and want a crispier skin.

diggingdogfarm · Jan 21, 2013

FWIsmoker said:
We're talking the same stall. Meat temp won't climb until moisture evaporates. Having more more moisture in the pit can slow the cooking but no problem because the end result will be better

The only time i don't use a water pan is with things that i want cooked faster such as whole chickens and want a crispier skin.

Yup, that's an unfortunate effect of smoking at dry-bulb temperature.

~Martin

Water pans, do you use them and why?

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