Best way to start Qing without water?


 
Christopher H

Christopher H

TVWBB Fan
Hi BBQers,

I am a self taught (interwebs) BBQer. I have ALWAYS used my water pan but after seeing that at least half the people on this site, as well as the man, Harry Soo himself, never use water, I thought I should give it a try. Being new to a WSM I assume the best way to regulate temperature is just the vents? Always using water before I could still get a little bark on the meat but it seems no-water is easier to get a good bark?

I came from an ECB with a few mods but no water in the pan was never really an option as the unit would run very hot without it.

So should I wrap my water pan in foil on top and bottom and use the vents and call it good? The meat will be enough of a heat sink? I have heard some people use sand or a ceramic pizza stone on in/on top of the water pan, what purpose is this for?

Please help!
 
I have a '99 model with the shallower pan and have never used water....pan is wrapped in heavy foil.
The phrase "water smoker" gets people thinking inside the box.
 
Christopher H said:
But where can you get a ceramic stone or clay bottom for cheap. Weber has a ceramic stone for about $50! If I was to spend $50 on that I might as well double it and get a used IQ110.
Click to expand...
Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart. Just buy a clay saucer (what you put a clay plant pot on) I think I paid $7 each at Walmart for the saucers in my 18.5" and my SJ-Mini
 
ChuckO said:
Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart. Just buy a clay saucer (what you put a clay plant pot on) I think I paid $7 each at Walmart for the saucers in my 18.5" and my SJ-Mini
Click to expand...

Thanks! What size did you get? Also do you have a picture of your setup so I can check it out?
 
I don't have a picture that displays my defuser / clay saucer. The saucers I have are 12 inches but that's because they were out of 14 inch saucers. Works good enough that I wouldn't bother replacing them if I saw the 14 inch saucers on the shelf
 
ChuckO said:
I don't have a picture that displays my defuser / clay saucer. The saucers I have are 12 inches but that's because they were out of 14 inch saucers. Works good enough that I wouldn't bother replacing them if I saw the 14 inch saucers on the shelf
Click to expand...

So are you only foiling the saucer or still foiling the water pan too? Sorry I'm a noob when it comes to the saucer.
 
Christopher H said:
So are you only foiling the saucer or still foiling the water pan too? Sorry I'm a noob when it comes to the saucer.
Click to expand...
The foil is to make clean-up easier.
Foil everything that you don't want to scrub.

I do a double layer of heavy foil.
I don't use the terra cotta saucer but I suppose you could place it in the bowl and wrap as a single unit.
 
Last edited:
Glad I found this thread. I too will do my first waterless venture this weekend. I am thinking of just wrapping the pan and not even using a clay dish to see how things go that way. Does Harry Soo use any clay dishes? Also, not sure what a heat sink is. My plan for my first WSM venture is to try baby back ribs at around 250. 2 hours, then foil for another 2 hours, put on the sauce, and leave for another 30 min. Just want to get started to see how this works.
 
Remember.... To adjust the T the exhoust vent (lid vent) is DECISIVE. Few millimiters and you get steady great T changes. This is my last recent discovery
 
I haven’t used water for over six years nor have I ever used sand or a saucer. The best method I ‘ve used is first scrunch up a very loose roll of foil, say 1inch diameter and around 12 inches long, and then make it into a circle. Put this at the bottom of the water pan that came with your WSM. This roll provides an air space and acts like heat barrier and doesn’t allow the juices to burn or smolder as they would if they’re directly on the pan. On top of the roll put two layers of foil that cover the top of the pan and extend over the lip by 2-3 inches. I use two layers because sometimes with one layer it’ll tear and then the juices drip onto the pan and smoke, but I’ve never had two layers tear. Make sure the foil has a good depression such that it touches the roll.

For foil, use 24” wide heavy duty foil such as Reynolds 627. You’re going to have sticker shock, but if you look on ebay you can usually get it for a good price. It will last forever, plus it’s great for wrapping meats after they’ve been BBQ’d
 
Grant,
Harry does pretty much what Ken does, ie no clay dish/heat sink and some foil spacer(s) in his waterless, double foiled pan.
As a suggestion... be careful with the time your ribs (or whatever meat) are in foil. Since it's the brazing stage, it's very easy to overcook.
Keep an eye on the meat's tenderness and use that as your guide when to unfoil.
 
Bob Bass said:
Grant,
Harry does pretty much what Ken does, ie no clay dish/heat sink and some foil spacer(s) in his waterless, double foiled pan.
As a suggestion... be careful with the time your ribs (or whatever meat) are in foil. Since it's the brazing stage, it's very easy to overcook.
Keep an eye on the meat's tenderness and use that as your guide when to unfoil.
Click to expand...

Thanks Bob and Ken. I'll try to be careful, but probably will not even know for sure if the ribs are overcooked or not while in the foil. I am supposed to get one of those temp guages today where you can put it in your meat and then monitor it wirelessly, but don't know if that works for ribs (putting the temp probe in ribs since it's not like you have a big area to put the probe).. I was assuming to get the ribs as tender as possible it helps to keep them in the foil longer. I plan to make Harry's SYD rub tonight for the ribs. Will be some time before I am an expert like all of you guys... !
 
Last edited:
Grant... you can probe with a round toothpick through the foil. Just check, when removing the toothpick, that it is fully intact once removed. ;)
 
I may wind up trying without water too, soon. I think the moisture is a good thing but I'm not sure it outweighs the cleanup of using the water pan. Generally I pour the used water in a trashbag with my ashes. I can't pour it in that back yard or the dogs will be rolling around in it!
 
Dustin Dorsey said:
I may wind up trying without water too, soon. I think the moisture is a good thing but I'm not sure it outweighs the cleanup of using the water pan. Generally I pour the used water in a trashbag with my ashes. I can't pour it in that back yard or the dogs will be rolling around in it!
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's why I want to try without the water..one dog will try to eat it and the other will be rolling around in it! Unless there is a big positive difference using water, I hope to be able to stick with the dry pan...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top