Sand

[Scott Schaeffer]

So what is the deal with using sand? I keep reading about it but I am still not sure what the use is. I know that this is a beginner's question, but that is what this forum is for.

I tried to look for a FAQ on the site but I found nothing.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[Doug D]

Try the search function here in the forum for some discussions of the finer points of using sand as a heatsink instead of water. In a nutshell, it doesn't evaporate like water. On the other hand, it doesn't stop absorbing heat at 212*, so it's possible it can become an undesrable radiator of heat.

 

[Guest]

Easy clean up. No refill required. Must control temp on the way up.

 

[Tom Ferguson]

I'm fairly new here too, so consider that when reading my reply.

My first 2 cooks were with water. Everything went very good, except for some bonehead errors I made. Both the butts and the WSM were very forgiving, so the cooks turned out well.

I tried sand for my next two cooks after reading much about it here. My observation was that the temps were easier to control with water. Maybe it was just me. As someone else pointed out, you have to ramp the temps up carefully with the sand because it is much harder to bring the temps down.

Water is never going to get above 212* so you have an excellent heatsink. Sand will get much hotter.

I'm not giving up on sand, because I think it could be very good, given all its other advantages. I just think a beginner will have an easier time with water for a low and slow cook.

Please note: I am not trying to get a sand vs water debate going. There are strictly my observations and I am a rookie. YMMV

 

[Guest]

My experience is that cooking time is a little shorter with water, given similar temperature profiles. At the same temperature, the saturated environment from using water will contain more energy than the straight "air" from using sand. What it matters, I don't know...

 

[Jim Pye]

Has anyone tried using sand as a base, say about 1/2 of the pan, then covering with foil and filling the remainer of the pan with water. It seems to me that at the beginning when coals are running hotter the water would act as the primary heatsink and keep the temps down. Then as cook goes on, the water evaporates and the sand becomes the main heatsink. As its later in the cook, the coals should now be running cooler so less chance of the temperature getting too hot.
Just a thought/question from a beginner.

 

[Guest]

Tom, your remarks are right on. I can share my rookie experience...
Using a Minion Method cook:
Full ring of kingsford, add 16 hot coals
Add meat...
Vents: all vents open 100%, watch temps and at 190*-200* close two bottom vents. The third bottom vent should be 15-50% open. You may be able to manage the temps with just one bottom vent being adjusted.
On a windy day, I ran most of the cook with the bottom vents all closed-keep the top vent open (under almost all circumstances).

By slowing the temp rise from the 190's up, this method was very successfull. That is what I learned here and seemed to work....