Water Pan Question CGSP

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grillinbum

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 11, 2010
14
10
Florence, SC
Going to be doing my first smoke with new CGSP. Question is where to put water pan or is it necessary? I will be turning the charcoal pan up side down and I have a 12 x 12 x 4 basket in the sfb. Thanks in advance for your help and hope this was the correct place to ask.
 
I can't help but maybe someone else will come along.
 
i dont have a cg but i have sfb smoker, never have used a water pan. have heard of people putting a pan at the opening of the firebox to help regulate the heat on that end. if you are flipping the charcoal grate and putting it at the opening you probally dont need to do this. hope this helps.
good smokn !
 
Glad this question was posed, I was thinking the same thing. I used the water pan every time in my old vertical smoker and was wondering if it was necessary or commonplace. In my first run with the smoker I placed it next to the sfb opening in the cooking chamber.
 
I have that same smoker, and I have never used a water pan in it. But I have read a few threads where people have.
 
Some use a water pan sitting on the charcoal tray (not inverted) as a heat sink next the SFB opening to balance temps. Others flip the tray & use it as a baffle to balance temps & no water pan is necessary. I use the inverted tray & have not seen the need for a water pan.

I used to have a older model Brinkman SNP that I used the water pan in since it did not have a tray to use as a baffle.
 
I do both. It's mostly dependent upon the time of year, along with what you're cooking.

A water pan will keep your smoke chamber temps just a bit above the boiling point; as long as water remains in the pan, temps really can't go much higher. For ribs in summertime that's a great thing! For turkey at 2am on a breezy Christmas morning, it's not so helpful.
 
thanks for the replies...didnt use pan all worked out great. Started taking pics but by the time food was done didnt get a chance to take finished...next time. Did small rack baby backs, 6lb beer can chicken, pork tenderloin, corn on the cob and some baked beans!!!
 
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