Never Add Charcoal Again


 
S

Steve Petrone

TVWBB Diamond Member
The answer is the Piedmont Water Pan. No water in the pan cooking conserves fuel.

My last few cooks have been with pwp using foil balls in the top pan covered with foil like the guys do with the temp control devices. That way you can use the drippings as they do not burn.

In addition I have been raising my cook temps to 250 to 275. Butts are wonderfull and they finnish in 12 to 14 hous instead of 16 to 18 as I had previously done.

Mike Willsey has a winner with this technique.
 
The meat doesn't want to coopereate...the butts are at 187 16 hours into the cook.

20% of the charcoal was old but we are holding at 220 16 hours later with no additional coals and one vent adjustment this am.

The Piedmont Pan is working like a charm. There is no wind.
 
Steve-

Do you still use the lower grate with the Piedmont Pan? I did the middle grate mod with the 16 penny nails through the straps and put copper handles on the middle grate but I occasionally like to use all 3 grates (for 6 slabs) when doing ribs instead of rolling or buying rib racks. This mod definitely will conserve fuel. I hope those butts will give in and quit plateauing!
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Brandon, I do use the lower grate. Thats why I took the extra precaution of using foil balls in the pan then cover with foil.-
 
Thanks Steve, I thought the additional pan would interfere with the lower grate. A local hardware store stocks the Brinkmann charcoal pan so I'll have to pick another one up along with a few machine screws, copper, and wing nuts
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How did the butts turn out?
 
Has anyone tried putting a small weber pan into an ECB pan, maybe some foil balls in the weber pan, then foiling the whole thing?

Would the air space between the two pans be sufficient to control the temp?
 
I have not been using water for quite a while. I simply use the original WSM pan foiled with a slight dip in the center. This has worked out well. I'm trying to understand the purpose of the foil balls. A foiled pan would give you the air space between if that is what is desired. Is it to catch the drippings???
 
Balls-about 3/4 of an inch thick.

My weber pan did not work with brinkman pan-had to buy two so they can nest just 1/2 inch apart.

I am not an engineer but guys talk about radient heat and covection heat etc. All I know is that if I want good results when using the bottom grate and no water, I get good results with the Piedmont Pan and the foil balls. The foil balls just provide an extra layer of protection for the bottom grate cooks.
 
Steve-

I just bought a charcoal pan, 1/4x1 stainless screws, wing nuts and copper. I cut the copper a little over a half inch long. Is that alright? I can cut other ones if necessary with the excess. Tomorrow I will drill the holes and assemble.

Do you fill the pan with these 3/4" foil balls, or just one layer along the bottom of the pan? I don't know much about guru cooking methods. Yeah they are convenient but most of the fun is playing with the fire
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Thanks for your advice.
 
Brandon, 1/2 inch worked for me.
The balls act as a spacer, just needed in the bottom of the pan. I cover them with two layers of foil to catch the drippings. For clean up just remove one layer of foil.
 
I can't wait for the test run on the PWP.
My hypothesis:

PWP= decreased use of fuel + decreased cooking times + decreased cleaning time yielding increased money saved and decreased time spent eventually yielding excellent Q!
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I can't find the step by step thread on how to make this. THere was one that gave each item needed and the order to do them. I am the least handy person in the world and need the instructions.
 
If you have a drill press, just clamp the 2 pans together, and drill the holes. Took about 2 minutes. I used mine for the first time Sunday for 3 racks of b/backs. Works well, and I used the Guru with it.
 
Been thinking about making the switch to conserve fuel and speed up cooking, but still undecided between the double PWP method or the clay pot base method. Any recommendations on either of these two methods, pros/cons?

Thanks,

Mike
 
I've used the Piedmont Pan mod twice on cooks now and they have been some the easiest cooks I've had relative to temp control.

My most recent cook, overnight pork butts, I
was up to cooking temps within 1/2 hour and they stabilized between 225-235 within an hour, and I was sleeping shortly thereafter. After 6 1/2 hours of sleep my temps had moved only 8 degrees lower. Easy cleanup too!!

I'm sold.
 
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