Water pan cover


 
PaulBz said:
I would agree. There’s a reason it’s called a water smoker. I think I want to develop a silicone wsm water pan cover.
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Guys like Harry Soo who compete using the WSM with no water in the pan compensate by spraying the meat with water throughout the cooking process to enhance the smoke ring. Using water in the pan provides some moisture that helps promote smoke ring, if you're into that. :D

There once was a member here who developed a disposable foil liner for the WSM water pan, like those foil roasting pans, but shaped exactly to the water pan.

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?60824-22-5-quot-disposable-foil-drip-pans
 
Yeah I have not seen a silicone cover but I have seen these aluminum covers on Amazon and eBay. I personally have no interest (at this time) in anything other than foil because I appreciate being able to pull it off and throw it in the trash as apposed to having another item that I need to clean. These days I keep a fairly significant dead air space between the foil and water pan edges, so I feel I don't use a huge amount of foil per smoke. https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01DE6NC0Q/tvwb-20
 
Great. Typed out a response, and now it's gone. Weird.
I have foiled and not foiled my pizza pan. I will foil from now on, as it does make for easier cleanup. My foil isn't wide enough to cover the water pan, so if the seam leaks a little it's not a big deal as it just goes into the pizza pan rather than the sand.
 
Count me among those whom don't comprehend the concept of covering the pan if it is filled with water. I rarely use water but I do almost always insert the pan and when doing so I simply criss-cross two pieces of 18" foil and leave some dead air space; I do not crimp nor seam my foil. After the smoke I'm left with foil that is thrown away rather than having a cover that needs to be washed. I'm not left with what I consider baked-on residue in my pan; I have a thin layer of residue that is easily wiped with a couple sheets of paper towels. But perhaps my expectations of what I consider a clean pan are lower than others.

This reminds me that I also have a 24" roll of foil that I don't recall having attempted to use as a water pan lining - I may need to try that :)
 
Once again I’m on the same page as you Fletch, wrap, use, unwrap, wad up, throw it out! Easy as it gets.
Side note, my brother in law made me a “Grill Sink” using an aluminum (could not find a steel one) hot water drip pan, plugged one of the drain holes, put a nice eye bolt on the other side so I can hang it up after use. I will pit an appropriate hanger on my windscreen when I get that sorted out!
Snowed again last night here, I’m really getting an itch for smoking a butt or something!
 
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I’m sure someone else posted the terra cotta saucer thing but, I use it all the time, I think Rich Dahl gave me that tip, thanks Rich!
 
I've merged three threads with the same title into one thread. Please do not cross-post the same post to multiple forums. Thanks!
 
Sorry I won’t post the same thing to more than one forum again. I’m like the silicone idea more and more. First of all I use a lot of foil cover my 18.5. I can’t even imagine trying to foil the 22.5 one. No matter how much I foil I still get leaks in the water pan. And it’s a huge pain. So make a silicone pan that goes around the water pan. And what could be easier than cleaning a silicone liner? Juse hose it off. Or put in laundry sink. I wouldn’t recommend putting in regular sink into garbage disposal. I suppose for people up north where you turn off your water in the winter it may not be as easy to clean. But still I think a lot easier than the foil. And you don’t have to buy all that foil.
 
Prior to following this thread I didn't realize anyone who uses water also covered the inside of their pan. Does junk bake on a pan that is filled with water?
 
I don't generally line the inside of the pan with foil if I'm using water. There's usually enough leftover water and grease that it cleans up pretty easily. I only line the inside when cooking without water.

Speaking of water pans, I've got one waiting for me in the backyard that needs to be dumped and cleaned...later! :D
 
I have found that it gets a pretty grimy in there and is annoying to clean up. A silicone cover I think would be awesome.
 
My opinion:

240_F_187879116_sfiRP0KzLknJ2rU8pElYpTc05QAmHEX0.jpg
 
Bob Correll said:
My opinion:
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December 31, 2016 (found from my log) was my first time using a WSM with a dry water pan. Ever since, that method just happened to work beautifully for my personal taste. Until last weekend when doing my first ham I---for some unknown reason---put water in the pan.
 
I migrated to the clay flower pot base wrapped in foil a long time ago. I do sit it in the top of my water pan though. My thought is the dead air between the empty water pan and the flower pot base acts like a buffer and may slow heat swings a little more (and mostly protect the flower pot base from high heat and potential cracking). Works like a charm for me. I can't remember when I last had water in the pan.
 
Sam's (and probably Costco) sells 500' rolls of heavy duty 18" wide foil for $22.
Get a roll, it's awesome.
Make several crumpled rolls/tubes 2-4' diameter, these will be spacers to keep the foil you put over the top of the bowl off of the bottom.
Put a piece of foil across the top of the bowl using the foil roll/tube/spacers to help form a shallow depression.
Put another piece of foil crosswise over the first.
Put another piece diagonal across and a fourth piece crosswise to that one.
I usually use a total of six pieces shifting the third pair diagonal again, but 4 pieces is adequate.
I have never had a drop of grease get on the bottom of the pan during a cook, cleanup takes about 20 seconds and if I do it within 24 hours I usually save 3 or sometimes 4 pieces of the foil and reuse them.
 
I've had an 18.5 since 2011. I stopped using the water pan after my 2nd cook and switched over to the foiled Brinkmann charcoal pan. IFAIK it still has the same balls of foil in the bottom that I started with. Brinkmann is gone but the pan is still available, though at much higher price than the $5 I paid in 2011. Unfortunately I don't think there has been anything comparable for the 22, just one more little thing that has kept me from getting one (and I could use the grate area).
 
I have a 18 and use a Tera cotta flower pot watering dish i believe it is 14.5 inch size. I cover it with foil it works great.i think the heat is even more even.
 
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