Sand


 
MattP

MattP

TVWBB Super Fan
Hopefully this isn't too much of a retread-- did a quick search and didn't find much, but if one knows of a thread that already has this well-discussed, feel free to let me know.

I'm interested in switching over to sand in my WSM's water bowl. Biggest reason being that I'm tired of cleaning it out after each cook. Figure with sand I can just slap a layer of foil over the top to catch the drippings.

Is there anything I need to keep in mind while using sand in the bowl? Do I just fill the bowl with sandbox sand?
 
Matt, I wouldn't fill the pan completely full at first, when I tried sand I had my pan full to within 2-3" of the top. It worked well for awhile, that is until the sand temp caught up to the temp of the fire and then started releasing the heat, for me it turned into a roller coaster ride of temp chashing, I would try maybe a 1/4 to 1/3 that way the sand heat up faster and you can start using your vents but try to catch it on the way up because once it's up it's tuff to get back down thats why some people use the clay saucer and why I use a steel disk, it's way easier to catch the temps as they rise because there isn't anything absorbing the heat for release later on. Hopefully that makes sense, but the more sand the more heat it'll absorb and release.
 
Makes perfect sense, Don-- thanks for the thoughts. Curious to see if anybody else chimes in with similar experiences. Perhaps I'm just better off going with a clay saucer?
 
No experience with sand here but I do use a clay saucer, if you're just looking to get away from water a saucer is an option you should consider.
 
I used sand and switched over to a clay saucer. I can't really say I noticed any difference but the sand has potential to spill and the clay saucer does not. In that respect, I find the saucer a little easier to use. As Larry said above, I would like to try the Piedmont Pan idea. I think the thing that would make a difference with the Piedmont Pan is if you can get out of the wind - which I can. I would think with little to no wind, you could run pretty easy with just an empty pan. In fact, similar to the Piedmont Pan, I've read about people just putting some foil over their pan - leaving an air space, and calling it good. The only reason I haven't tried that is because I've got my current set up dialed in and I'm not interested in changing for the sake of changing. I remember my bother came back from the Navy with a saying that went something like "Works just fine, Lasts a long time, don't "mess" with it." So I don't.
 
That Piedmont pan looks interesting. And a job that me, being not-so-handy, could probably handle. Looks like I've got some thinking to do...
 
Uh, why not just foil the existing pan with nothing in it? Dry? I've never found a need to put anything in the pan. I just foil over the top with wide foil and good to go. If it gets really gnarly looking, then replace it.

Maybe I'm missing something

Russ
 
Russ Sylvester said:
Uh, why not just foil the existing pan with nothing in it? Dry? I've never found a need to put anything in the pan. I just foil over the top with wide foil and good to go. If it gets really gnarly looking, then replace it.

Maybe I'm missing something

Russ
Click to expand...

Certainly an option, but would that act as enough of a heat sink?
 
Matt, no it will not act as a heat sink, the only true heat sink is water what you would be doing is creating a shield to deflect the direct heat just like you would if you used a clay dish or steel disk, the idea is to catch your temps on the way up using the vents for control, it really is very easy with a small learning curve.
 
Probably dumb question, but when using a saucer/empty bowl/etc, can one still keep their WSM down in the 225-250 range?
 
It'll hold pretty true for you I mean I've never really tried holding it at 225 but 250-260 mine holds pretty steady. Adjusting your temps couldn't be easier without water. I'm basing these answers on my experience since I stopped using water. There is a couple reasons I use a steel disk, for one I read a couple of posts about empty water bowls warping, the disk I use sits a few inches below the edge of the pan and steel doesn't crack or break from thermal shock or if you drop it but I've yet to read in this forum about any warping.
 
Russ Sylvester said:
Uh, why not just foil the existing pan with nothing in it? Dry? I've never found a need to put anything in the pan. I just foil over the top with wide foil and good to go. If it gets really gnarly looking, then replace it.

Maybe I'm missing something

Russ
Click to expand...

One thing you might be missing is an air space. The way you described what you do, I can't tell, but making an airspace by not letting the foil touch the bottom of the inside of the pan will help keep the drippings from burning and possibly having some nasty smoke during the cook.
 
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MattP said:
Probably dumb question, but when using a saucer/empty bowl/etc, can one still keep their WSM down in the 225-250 range?
Click to expand...

Yes. It's about air flow and fuel. In this case mostly air flow. If you dial down the vents low enough, you can easily run at 225. Using a saucer, I have one bottom vent open about half way or a little less and run at about 250-275. If I had it open about a quarter, I'd likely be around 200. A lot depends on how tight your WSM is. I think mine is a little on the loose side, but it will extinguish the fire if I shut all vents. (note - I keep the top vent fully open)
 
MattP said:
Probably dumb question, but when using a saucer/empty bowl/etc, can one still keep their WSM down in the 225-250 range?
Click to expand...

Yes i have no problem at all keeping temp's at 225-250 & most time's i don't even have the water bowl in there.
 
One thing you might be missing is an air space. The way you described what you do, I can tell, but making an airspace by not letting the foil touch the bottom of the inside of the pan will help keep the drippings from burning and possibly having some nasty smoke during the cook.
Click to expand...

I've found just the opposite. Because the foil isn't laying on the bottom of the pan, the drippings don't get super heated and burn (basically frying). By running the foil across the top of the pan, I've created a trapped air space that does essentially the same thing as a heat sink (water, sand, etc.), just not as massive.

I dunno, to each his/her own I suppose.

Russ
 
Thanks for all the input, everybody. Think for my next job I'll try having the bowl in there, but empty. Over the summer I added a gasket to my WSM and it seems to have sealed up real well-- so that should be beneficial with regard to temp control with the vents.
 
Russ Sylvester said:
I've found just the opposite. Because the foil isn't laying on the bottom of the pan, the drippings don't get super heated and burn (basically frying). By running the foil across the top of the pan, I've created a trapped air space that does essentially the same thing as a heat sink (water, sand, etc.), just not as massive.

I dunno, to each his/her own I suppose.

Russ
Click to expand...

That's what I was trying to say. You said it better.
 
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