Guys and Gals, I'm confused. I've read all of the posts regarding using a clay saucer or sand instead of water but isn't the purpose of the water in the pan two-fold?

I thought the water was meant to help regulate temperature and create a moisture rich environment to keep the meat moist.

For those of you who use a clay saucer or sand instead of water: Do you notice any difference in moisture in the finished meat?

I've only used my WSM five times and I've had water in the pan every time. Cleanup is not that bad if I foil the bottom of the pan IMO.

I'm interested in switching to a clay saucer if there is an rather noticeable advantage besides cleanup....

Overcooked = Dry Meat

Moisture can help with the "smoke ring"

The water is there to regulate heat. It provides a 'safety net' in case of thermal spike or dip.

I've done water, no water, and sand and have not noticed any difference.

I switched from water because it was a pain to dump and clean up. Ever sloshed porky water on yourself? Yuck!

Besides cleanup is the saving on fuel and time. Water sucks up lots of heat energy and takes the longest to come up to temp. Sand or clay saucer not so much. No water comes up to temp fastest. But it's not like you save a lot.

Go ahead and try a clay saucer but there's nothing wrong with sticking with water.

Whatever works best for you.

quote:

Originally posted by TravisH:
Ever sloshed porky water on yourself? Yuck!

Thankfully, no, I haven't... yet. I'm thinking I'll try the clay saucer in the near future to see what I prefer.

I started out with K and water, went to lump and clay.

Now empty foiled with lump and the Q keeps getting better.

Fire can be simple if you let it: more air more temp. The meat is the heat sink. No water = less burned fuel.

The only reason I bought my 08 WSM was because of this site. And after doing a lot of reading on the no water mods I pulled the trigger I used to own a ECB and didn't want to deal with that again.
I agree that you should experiment with both ways to find out what works for you..

Good luck!

Tim

quote:

Overcooked = Dry Meat

moisture is internal and closely associated with the protein chains. When the protein chains get too hot they change in a way that squeezes out this moisture. No amount of humidity (or mopping, or marinading for that matted) is going to stop or slow this process.

You will get some surface drying, but this is what establishes the bark, and IMO its never excessive.

Ambient humidity seems to be a problem with large offsets. I often read where they run better with a lot of meat in them (which keeps the humidity up). But the wsm is so low volume that its not an issue and runs well with a single butt.

Thanks for the input eveyone. I've continued to use water recently, that is until I find it too much of a pain to clean the inside of the bowl.

I have noticed that more water in the bowl seems to keep producing a pretty good smoke ring on the meat.

quote:

Originally posted by j biesinger:

quote:

Overcooked = Dry Meat

moisture is internal and closely associated with the protein chains. When the protein chains get too hot they change in a way that squeezes out this moisture. No amount of humidity (or mopping, or marinading for that matted) is going to stop or slow this process.

You will get some surface drying, but this is what establishes the bark, and IMO its never excessive.

Ambient humidity seems to be a problem with large offsets. I often read where they run better with a lot of meat in them (which keeps the humidity up). But the wsm is so low volume that its not an issue and runs well with a single butt.

1 question: IF the water in the pan dont add anything to the meat and just act like a heat sink,why do ppl foil ribs/brisket for an example.(foield good will contain a high moist enviorment for the food and it tenders faster(am i right?)

And as u said wsm is low volume wouldent we benifit from the water low 225 and even more in 350 HH cooks?

Might have had to many beers,but i think i have a point,and even if it doesent help that mutch to care about then why ever foil ur food?

Take care.

Bless//Me

Foiling speeds up the cooking process and gets your Q done faster. It's also helpful when cooking at high heat because it lengthens the "done" window. At high heat, tender can turn to overcooked quickly and foil allows more room for error.

Well ur right but what speeds it up?the moisture in there or the higher heat?

And what makes the window at high heat larger? moist or heat?

In it self the foil is not magic.

Bless

One of the main points of using a barrier between the hot coals and meat involves the water pan. No matter if you run your WSM with the water pan dry...dry foiled....wet....or clay saucer/fire brick, any of these methods shield the meat from direct heat or we would be grilling instead of indirect cooking.
I have tried all kinds of things including apple juice in the water pan, water with herbal sprigs like rosemary floating...etc. For the life of me I cant believe anything I do makes a difference in flavor to the actual meat. Of course it may make some really good gravy..LOL.
HOWEVER, IMHO and in my humble cooking conclusions, water or no water makes no appreciable difference in the meat moisture or meat quality.
So if there is really no difference in the meat quality, why go the gooey route and have to dump fat swimming in the pan of water?
I foil a clay saucer and set in in place. I then lay an additional layer of foil over it so that becomes a tosssable sheet of foil with all the rendered fat to toss. The clay saucer has stabilized the temp and made it cook like a brick oven. Water, on the other hand is not very stable since it is continually evaporating and needing monitoring. When it cooks way down, is that stable like it was when full? Not.
Clay is simple, stable and cleans with a quick toss of one foil layer.
Meat is moist, tender and perfect.

Sorry to filibuster, but I did read Wolgast's thoughts on foiling. I agree that foil itself is not magic. Many folks loosely cover products with foil to prevent burning. Only when we form a tight pouch or seal does it accelerate cooking. When a tight seal occurs, it creates a pressure cooker type environment which traps the moisture the meat is expelling. By doing this, we have created a brasing environment. The same thing happens when we form a pouch with parchment paper or even encrust meat with pastry dough.
If we cooked a corned beef brisket in boiling water in an open pan, it may take two or more hours for the collagen in the connective tissue to break down. Add 15 pounds of pressure from a pressure cooker, and it is done in 1/3 the time. Next time you foil a butt, take a knife and slit the foil and watch the steam shoot out from being under pressure. Maybe not as much as a real pressure cooker, but noteably more than on the open grate.

My 2cents is that you really can't pressure cook with foil. When you foil, moisture builds up and is a more efficient way to conduct heat.

Hand over a stove flame vs hand over a pot of boiling water vs hand in the boiling water, which one gets your hand hotter the fastest.

Once you go with out water you will wonder why you ever did.

Ok maby u cant compare the extra moisture in the foil,with the extra moisture in the wsm with water in the pan.

I know the the airflow between the 2 have a great deal to do with this teori,but still thought it should be addressed.

//Me

I have tried water a empty pan a clay saucer and sand ! I prefer water ! But then I also prefer K don't care for lump much don't do HH cooks so I guess you could say Iam a outcast who belives HH is grilling And I never foil

Get the pan, clay saucer, piedmont pan or whatever gadget ur using and throw it in the trash. Wsm works best without the pan, saves charcoal and can really dial in temps, i have never had a problem with temp spikes.

quote:

Originally posted by Noe:
Get the pan, clay saucer, piedmont pan or whatever gadget ur using and throw it in the trash. Wsm works best without the pan, saves charcoal and can really dial in temps, i have never had a problem with temp spikes.

Sounds like an expensive little upright drum smoker! No thank you though, I've got both cookers, and I only prefer "fat in the fire" with my chicken.

Noe thats not an option