aluminum pan instead of water pan


 
W

Wil C

New member
Has anyone used an aluminum foil pan instead of the water pan? Usually i wrap the water pan with aluminum foil and then trash the aluminum foil afterwards, but was thinking if anyone used just an aluminum foil pan instead. Clean up would be even easier as I would just throw out the foil pan instead.
 
Wil.
If it was myself I would stear away from the aluminium foil pan.
Notice how the aluminium foil on a regular water pan can burn and become brittle? I'd hate to have an aluminium foil pan, full of water, fail half way through a cook.
Would it be sturdy enough, when full of water, to be held by the four tabs? It may collapse under its own weight.
I wouldn't want those factors nibbling away at the back of my mind when cooking.
Maybe it would last for the whole cook, not sure though.
I don't use water, so it's not a factor for me.
My 0.02p.
 
Wil, Not sure if your thinking of pulling the water pan out all together or using it as a replacement(sitting on top). Either way I think it would be more expensive in the long run. Also as Tony mentioned it probable wouldn't be able to support it own weight filled with water hanging on the tabs.

chris
 
ah sorry for confusion.
was thinking of using just aluminum pan with no water and pulling water pan out all together
 
Wil C said:
ah sorry for confusion.
was thinking of using just aluminum pan with no water and pulling water pan out all together
Click to expand...

I don't think a light weight aluminum pan would work very well as a heat sink to help stabilize the temperatures.
 
^^
That's what I do. Easy life.
Measure the width of your waterpan, & then source a terracota flat pizza serving dish or pizza stone the same size. Foil it. You're golden. :)
 
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The largest round foil pans I've found are about 14" across and meant for lining dutch ovens. If you have a 14" WSM, they might work, but, as stated, they'd probably not hold up well to the direct heat of the charcoal.

Alternatively, aluminum foil is available in 24" widths. Here is a 24" by 1000' roll for about $50 (not including shipping). Yeah, that's a lot of money for foil, but 1000' should last you quite a while. I bought a 500' roll (18" wide) almost a year ago and I'm nowhere near the end, so 1000' would likely last me several years.

Personally, when I get a 22", I'm probably just going to piece together the 18" foil that I have, overlapping as needed to prevent drippings from getting to the bottom of the pan. However, I never use water in the pan, so that solution works for me. YMMV.
 
"Personally, when I get a 22", I'm probably just going to piece together the 18" foil that I have, overlapping as needed to prevent drippings from getting to the bottom of the pan."

Ahhh... The 'ol Z-Fold ! Works great, if folded correctly.
 
What am I missing... why the concern over a well-used water pan? I've been smoking for 10 months and never protected my pan. I always use water, then wipe it after the smoke and never scrub it. Would my meat be better if I gave better care over my water pan?
 
Some of us, heck... most of us started with water in the pan at some time.

Some of us have moved into the no water arena. This is where a foiled pan comes in handy.

Myself, I used no foil and had water in my pan for the first 30+ years. Once I took Harry's class, and moved to a WSM, I dropped the water and foiled the pan. And yes, a empty pan without foil does impart a burnt taste to one's BBQ.
 
I'll give you another option. Keep the water pan. Fill it with water, nothing or a heat sink (doesn't matter). Then just stick a pan to catch the grease on your lower grate. Of course this only works when you're only using the top grate, but for me, that is most often the case. I did this for a little while when I was using water. That way, the water didn't get greasy and was easier to dispose of. Just a thought.
 
Thanks; I'm not experienced enough to have recognized this was a conversation about not having water in the pan.
 
I assure You that a thin pizza pan + dispisable alu pan with some ash in, will give you a super steady Smoker.
More than this you will be able to modify your cooking T up/down as you like in few minutes.
 
I use a pizza stone as my heat sink. When I do a high heat brisket I use an empty disposable pan on the grate underneath it. It acts as a diffuser so the brisket is not subjected to direct high heat but it doesn't reall absorb ant heat so I can get a higher temp in my 18.5.
 
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