12" or 14" FLower Pot Base


 
J

Jeff Calhoun

TVWBB Fan
OK, I want to try using a clay flower pot base. Which size would be preferred to use with the stock Weber pan? I've heard people rave about the 14" pot with the "36" stamped on it.

Other people say using a 14" will affect the heat output of the lower rack. These folks say to go with the 12". I'm confused. Should I go with a 12" or a 14".

Also, now I hear there are issues with lead in some of these pots. Should this be a concern?
 
Jeff I use both . . . actually I should I used both, I'm in the midle of my first cook with my new Stoker using only a foiled water pan. Anyway, I used both the 12" and 14" saucers. I used the 14" when I was only using the top grate and 12" when I was using both top and bottom. I read somewhere that the 14" didn't give you enough circulation around the bottom of your meat when using the bottom grate. May or may not be true but I bought into it. I noticed no difference when using the two saucers.

I can't speak to lead, but trust me, if the crap I put in this body in college didn't kill me, I'm not worried about a clay saucer that is not coming in contact with my food. I did however read here recently that someone bought a lead test kit and tested his clay saucer with no positive results for lead. If concerned I'd suggest the same.

Good luck, it's an awesome heat sink and clean-up is a snap!
 
Thanks Larry. It sounds like I'll try the 12" first since I like to use both racks sometimes. Do you foil the entire assembly each time? I hate to foil my water pan afer each cook.
 
A put the 12" in the water pan and then place a single sheet of HD over the top. After the cook I'd just fold it up.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LarryR:
A put the 12" in the water pan and then place a single sheet of HD over the top. After the cook I'd just fold it up. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Do you also foil the water pan on the bottom?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I don't foil the bottom. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ditto
 
Thanks for the replies. I've only always foiled the bottom of the water pan per Chris's video on this site.

Looks like we have a California thread going here which is rare for BBQ.

Foil Video
 
I originally purchased the 12" base from Lowes. It was made in Italy. I went to Home Depot over the weekend and purchased a 14" base. It didn't have the 36 stamped on it but it measured 36CM. It was the only 14" base in stock and was made in the US.

The 14" base fits perfectly into my stock water pan. I don't understand how this could affect temperatures on the lower rack since it does not protrude beyond the edge of the pan. Perhaps the larger pan puts out more radiant heat which could affect the lower rack adversely?
 
I use the 14" or 36cm and have use both the top and bottom racks on many cooks and the bottom cooks just fine. I don't see any real difference between the 2 racks. Seem to get plenty of circulation for any of my cooks and the bottom of the meat does not burn or dry out on the bottom rack. But I do use the Stoker on most cooks.
 
I just recently purchased the 14" clay pot from Home Depot and I foil it and place in into a Brinkmann charcoal pan.

I have two cooks under my belt using the clay pot, a full packer brisket and baby back ribs which I did tonight and I must say that this is the easiest temp control I've had on the WSM, not that others are difficult, it just seems that once you get your temp dialed in it stays there for hours on end and clean up is a breeze.
 
This may sound stupid - but which way up do you put the saucer? Is it inverted, to trap heat between it and the waterpan, or the other way?

Andrew
 
I foil the water pan then I foil the 12” clay saucer and then foil both. I did three racks of ribs last weekend, some spicy sausage and 2 fatty’s, the next morning all I did was wad up the foil from the clay pot and toss it in the trash can. Clean and easy. The next thing on my list is to purchase a round water heater pan so I can soak and clean my grates using soapy hot water. This way my lovely wife wont get mad at me for using the kitchen sink.
 
Bruce, I am new to this, so dont think im a dummy. but do you use the clay pot or the saucer from the bottom of it ?? Thanks....AL
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">but do you use the clay pot or the saucer from the bottom of it ?? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Al, you use the clay saucer base that the flower pot sits on. Just set it in the water pan and cover with a piece of HD foil.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff Calhoun:
OK, I want to try using a clay flower pot base. Which size would be preferred to use with the stock Weber pan? I've heard people rave about the 14" pot with the "36" stamped on it.

Other people say using a 14" will affect the heat output of the lower rack. These folks say to go with the 12". I'm confused. Should I go with a 12" or a 14". </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jeff, here is how I have solved the issues of improving heat and smoke circulation to the bottom grill when using any combination of clay saucers and/or water pans.

I raised the bottom grill above the WSM water pan / clay saucers by about 1.25" inches to allow smoke and heat to circulate THROUGH the bottom grill.

To raise the bottom grill, I install 4 LONGER screws - (4) 1/4-20 x 1-1/4" screws. These 1-1/4" screws are used to replace the 4 shorter 5/8 screws that hold the 4 grill straps thru bottom 4 holes in the midsection of the WSM. I prefer Stainless Steel screws, as we live on the ocean, but suit yourself here.

See this image - http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/misc_images/wsm_cutaway.jpg

By replacing the screws that go through the lower 4 screws in the midsection, you can stably rest the bottom grill on the legs of the screws - 1.25" above the aluminum ledge of the grill straps.

I find arrangement this gives more smoke and color to meats cooked on the bottom grill while not significantly reducing the height available for chickens or ribs cooked in a vertical rack.

Hope this helps you.

/Daniel Shurman
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top