To water pan or not to water pan?

[sparkypyro]

Want to add that after shutting the smoker down, removing the bird and chip tray and closing the doors the smoker was still holding at 200 a little over a half hour after the heat was shut off. Outside temps that day were around 67 degrees. Very surprised at how long the bricks held the heat.


Sent from my iPhone using smoke signals.

 

[hoity toit]

how about a tad bit of water whenyou are smoking sausage????? Just askin//. I have always done it dry without water......

 

[hoity toit]

Yes I think the humidity for the first 3-4 hours really helps with smoke penetration. After that time the meat has already begun to skin over and the smoke penetration is going to slow down. 

I believe that meat is juicy because of the moisture in the meat and that it doesn't get juicier from humidity or adding more liquid to the outside. It just seems to me that humidity, spritzing or mopping just puts moisture on the outside of the meat and then evaporates off. I don't see how it can penetrate deep into a large piece of meat that has formed a skin on the outside.

I have used water and spritzed and I have found I have gotten much juicer meat when I used a dry smoke chamber. I really believe when a dry skin forms on the outside it helps lock in the natural juices of the meat. I smoked a standing rib roast on T-Day in a dry smoke chamber with no water at all and I had placed a pan under it to catch drippings and after 5 hours there were only 4 or 5 drops in the pan but when I sliced it juice ran all over my cutting board.

This is all my opinion from things I have read and the little experimenting I have done with the dry smoke chamber so please don't flame me I'm just throwing out my observations, I'm not saying this is the best way or that everyone will get the same results, just saying I like doing it this way. I'm sure as time goes on I will read of other methods and I will try those too, I am always wanting to try something new!

I am with you on that. Once the outside skins over its locked in. Seems like you get too much smudge if it is too wet inside., especially with sausage if the casing isnt completely dry. Youcan open the door and my glasses steam up., drip pan is a good idea for "natural juices that may or may not drip" with the grease.

 

[pyre]

Anymore I only use water (in my WSM) when I'm cooking ribs.  

 

[bismarckdon]

I had a similar problem with my 40" MES last year. I used water in the tray and was amazed at the amount of black condensation was in the smoker and dripped off the door when the door was opened. A filthy mess to clean up! Eventually, the heating element quit working so I returned the unit to SAM'S where I purchased it. I just bought a 30" MES and will be smoking without water in order to avoid the mess. Haven't tried it yet (we still have snow on the deck, so maybe in a few weeks with warmer temperatures). Any thoughts?
 

 

[roadkill cafe]

I never use water. Actually, I put playground sand in the water pan for thermal mass. Never have an issue with meats drying out and no black rain.

 

[flash]

Depends on the ambient temperatures on what I use. Got a GOSM charcoal to propane conversion. In the warmer months, I will use water, but when colder out I tend to stick with sand......which I dampen some for each smoke until I just can't use it anymore.

 

[smokinclt]

I never use any water in my Lang. I have not found a need. That said I do spray but that is because the temp recovers in a couple of minutes so i can open it. That way I keep the moisture but I get an amazing bark. 

Doug