Should I use liquid in the firebox?

[jrichmond]

I want to start by saying this is a great website. I have been pouring over the threads for days and have had almost every quesiton I had answered. There was one I could not find. I just purchased a Charbroil Silver Smoker from HD and wanted to know if it would be benificial to place meatloaf pan amount of apple juice or some other type of liquid in the firebox or should I just keep water in the smoke box? Would this keep the meat moister and allow the smoke to penetrate more?

My first smoke this weekend will include beef ribs and bone in skin on chicken thighs, plus some brats. Thanks to all the post, I think I will be ready to go by then.

 

[bbq bubba]

Hit roll call and check in...
Keep on reading, a water pan doesn't put moisture into the meat, it's used to regulate heat spikes from lifting the lid.
A water pan in the firebox would just boil off in no time.
Welcome to the SMF!

 

[tn_bbq]

Howdy.
I use a water pan in my smoker(s). I don't bother with filling them with anything but water (too cheap, I guess).

I think I'd put a water pan in the charcoal box too. Sure, it'll evaporate but so long as you keep your temps in the 225 range (yes...the firebox is quite a bit warmer) it'll last quite a while (just keep an eye on it and consider refilling with boiling water ocassionally).

That's the beauty of BBQ. There are sooo many different ways of producing a good product, and half the fun is exploring new methods.

 

[capt dan]

If your charcoal is correctly fueling the smoke, a water pn in the firebox of an offset will be a waste of time, and a good way to ruin a pan!

This is an offset smoker, it uses heat to cook, with an addition of seasoning woods for flavor. I have the same smoker, and have spent months modifying it to make it as efficient as it will ever be. The water pan needs to be under the food, near the stack to aid in keeping temps regulated when adding fuel, spritzing, or admiring the food. Go to the Charcoal smokers forum and read through the modification threads for offset smokers, or go back through my early posts in Dec-Mar and read how I moified my silver. It will save you alot of time, money and meat.

Waterpan in the smoker doesn't add any better smoke flavoring in my opinion.

Welcome to the SMF, enjoy the ride. Let us see how you learn by posting a few pics of your grub!

 

[tn_bbq]

I defer to Capt Dan about the water pan in an offset smoker, my smoker is not an offset.

I do recommend using a brine/marinade for those chicken thighs.
Brats will be nice and easy and tasty.
Beef ribs...I don't think I've ever eaten one of those, much less smoked one, so I gots no advice for ya

 

[jrichmond]

Thanks for the great advice all. I will be sure to keep some water in my smokebox.

Should I rotate the chicken and ribs? I will have the ribs on the smoke stack side and the chicken on the firebox side.

 

[jtribout]

What Dan said and WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post those pixs

 

[capt dan]

The guy has a silver, thats an offset, therefore the advice from another silver owner. A backwoods is not a charbroil silver, and unless you are setting your waterpan on top of your charcoal pan, then there is no comparison.

That said, there will not be anything bad that happens by putting a waterpan "in" the firebox, cept boiling water and a ruined waterpan.

Spose a crockpot would do the same! LOL

 

[bbq bubba]

He he he...he said crockpot......

 

[seaham358]

I Use the Silver Smoker and What Dan says..Water pan is a Waste of time.
Tried it before I knew anything and gained nothing.

You can spritz the ribs with juice during the smoke and get more out of that then a pan... Happy Smoking... And post some pics.. I want to see another solver Smoker in action...

 

[capt dan]

TN BBQ, thats a nice party smoker. Is it new? Almost need sunglasses to see it. Took your reply the wrong way, I'm an idiot, but who didn't already know dat!

 

[tn_bbq]

No problem.

The smoker is about a year old. I try to keep it clean, considering what I paid for that sucker. The hand truck IS brand new...ain't it purdy? :-)