Water pan under meat decreases smoke flavor?

[bluefish42]

I have been experimenting with a pan of water on the bottom smoker rack and the meat above it on the top rack. This does seem to keep the meat moist, but I think maybe it reduces smoke flavor. I can imagine that the steam does carry the smoke away before it hits the meat. Is this a known effect? Or maybe I'm imagining something.

 

[Colin1230]

Good question bluefish42.

Just my experience with a WSM and KJ. Water pan full or empty does not seem to effect smoke flavor imparted to the meat. Amount of smoke wood used certainly does.

 

[gmc2003]

Good question bluefish42.

Just my experience with a WSM and KJ. Water pan full or empty does not seem to effect smoke flavor imparted to the meat. Amount of smoke wood used certainly does.

I totally agree with ^^^this^^^. I've not seen any effects on smoke flavor using a water pan. Temps yes, flavor no.

Chris

 

[Smokin Okie]

No. Moisture on meat attracts smoke.

Meathead's PHD at Amazing Ribs , absolutely confirmed this several years ago in this long article about smoke. Ya have to scroll down quite a ways to get to where he proved moist surfaces attract smoke.

https://amazingribs.com/more-techni...r-setup-and-firing/science-of-wood-and-smoke/

Aaron Franklin says the same, he always runs a water pan in his smokers to put moisture in the cook chamber and help the meats attract smoke.

Here's a pic from Amazing Ribs

 

[jcam222]

I almost always use a pan of broth under meat in my cooks. Never had an issue. That's true in the old MES40 I started with and remains true in my 270 cabinet and 84D Lang. Now I suppose depending on the smoker if the pan completely stifles air flow it could be an issue.

 

[Colin1230]

I totally agree that a humid, moist cooking environment is a good thing but I have not been able to attribute it to the degree of smokeyness I get in my unscientific backyard laboratory.

 

[civilsmoker]

I'm only going to add that from a food safety standpoint a high humidity cooking chamber is a very good thing. I know in my state from a commercial setting if you are cooking at 225 degrees you have to have the CC at 90% humidity at the exit for a % of the cook time. Ie usually for an hour if it is a four hour cook.......

 

[civilsmoker]

Oh, I will add that wrapping or foil boating a protein in the smoker does exactly this..........

 

[Smokin Okie]

I've always had a water pan in my smoker and I always will.

So hard for me to know any diff.

But I'm not gonna vary from what works for me.

 

[Colin1230]

Yep Okie, that's what we all pretty much all do. We do what works for us and share our experience along the way. I hope we have answered the B bluefish42 question. If not, let's keep trying. Oh, and welcome bluefish. I apologize for not saying so sooner.

 

[mike243]

Thats why spritzing always helps pellet smokers imo, good thing is on them it won't extend the cook time very much because the therms will quickly recover, other types might take 20-30 minutes to recover

 

[Smokin Okie]

Tuffy Stone uses no water in his WSM water pan here, but he spritzes every 30 minutes

 

[Smokin Okie]

Tuffy doesn't say why no water, but my 18 WSM would've had trouble reaching 275 with water in the pan.

 

[Smokin Okie]

And Harry Soo does same thing here on his WSM, he doesn't put water in the water pan but spritzes.

Also, the WSM is a low air flow cooker. On a cooker with higher air flow like an offset, water becomes more necessary to keep the meat surface moist. The higher air flow will dry out the surface.

 

[Hockeydudde]

I find that my water pans, when directly in the heat path on my offsets, collect a black coating fairly quickly. I figure they are keeping that black deposit off my food, which affects flavor... In a good way I figure.

 

[JCAP]

I have gone back and forth on my water pan usage so much my head spins. But generally in a drum smoker I won't use a water pan, but usually in my pellet and Kamado I do use a water pan. I can't say I've noticed anything different taste wise necessarily, but more stable temps are definitely helped by water pan.

 

[bill1]

I think Blonder's test is valid...and I think his reasoning is that moisture helps the big smoke flavor molecules stick to the meat better. But it also cooks the meat faster so you're spending less time in the smoke. It may average out to a wash.

But I've always been a water pan guy. YMMV. I even have one with a hot water heater element to greatly increase the humidity in the smoker. Really helps with a big turkey.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I think Blonder's test is valid...and I think his reasoning is that moisture helps the big smoke flavor molecules stick to the meat better. But it also cooks the meat faster so you're spending less time in the smoke. It may average out to a wash.

But I've always been a water pan guy. YMMV. I even have one with a hot water heater element to greatly increase the humidity in the smoker. Really helps with a big turkey.

I agree. I think its obvious.

But hey, everyone needs to do, what they do. If they happy with the meats they're smoking ..... then its all good.

But I'm gonna have a water pan in my smokers.