cleaning water pan


 
T

Tom Pru

New member
I am looking for suggestions for what people do to ease the job of cleaning the water pan. Cleaning the inside of the bowl is by far the more tedious part of smoking.

I wrap the bottom-side of the pan, but not the inside (where all grease accumulates).

Do folks recommend foiling the inside? Chris seems to recommend against doing so. I wish somebody made a round-ish foil pan insert for use with the WSM. I would buy a bunch.

Your ideas appreciated,
 
I wrap the entire pan, one layer on the bottom three layers on top. I get my foil from Sam's, it's the food service size, heavy duty foil. Sometimes it leaks a little, sometimes not. I use the cooled ashes to soak up the grease in the foil, which if you planned ahead you can just wrap the ends of the foil together and drop it in the trash.
 
Well, here's what I do. I throw all the water out of the pan and let it dry out a bit in the sun. Then, I douse the grungy junk that's in the pan with lighter fluid. Toss in a match and let it burn down. Repeat. All the nasties have been turned to ash and can be removed from the pan with a light scrubbing with a grill brush.
 
i dont clean mine. dont use water sand pots or foil either just a empty pan. when the gunk gets a little thick i give it a wipe with some paper towels and put it back in the cooker.
 
I have never foiled the outside of the water pan (even when I was still using water). I foil the inside of my WSM pan (which sits atop a Brinkmann pan in a Piedmont Pan arrangement) with extra-wide foil, which seems to work well enough.
 
I foil inside and out. If any leaks through,I clean with Greased Lightning or Mean Green. I think Dawn would work pretty well too. HTH
 
I just use wide heavy duty foil to line the inside of the pan. I fill the pan when the cook starts, but never refill it. After the cook, there is usually little water left so I just fold up the foil, put it in a plastic bag and throw it in the trash. Rinse the pan in soapy water and it is ready for the next cook.
 
I foil inside and out with HD foil. If something leaks inside and it needs cleaning I use Dawn Power Dissolver (this stuff rocks) and a non abrasive pad as required. Otherwise use oven cleaner if there's some real tough stuff - but foiling pretty much eliminates all of that.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mark H:
What is the advantage of foiling the outside of the pan? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You get carbon buildup/soot on it. Doesn't hurt anything except dirty to handle.
 
I thought it was some kind of thermal-dynamic thing or something. My hands have been dirty before.

Thanks for the reply.
 
I have always just covered the bottom and then used detergent to clean out the inside...

...but after reading this I just thought of an idea. Has anyone ever just put a piece of foil over the bowl after it is filled with water? Dripping fat collects in on the top piece of foil (which is sort of drooping down anyways) and then you just pull that off and throw it away. Then dump the water and there should be no need to clean the inside of the bowl. I'll have to try that out next time... if I remember.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Philip Madden:
Has anyone ever just put a piece of foil over the bowl after it is filled with water? Dripping fat collects in on the top piece of foil (which is sort of drooping down anyways) and then you just pull that off and throw it away. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's fine if you don't need to add water during a long cook. But if you do... what then? Or if you seal the foil too well around the top of the pan, and steam pushes the foil up so that the accumulated grease runs down into the fire? Keep a close eye on it when you try it the first time. I think the idea has merit, but also some possible pitfalls (hey, PITfalls, a bbq pun!)
 
+ 1 on multi-layer foil. I haven't had to clean my pan itself since the after my second smoke when I decided that it was too big of a pain in the arse and started foiling it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry D.:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Philip Madden:
Has anyone ever just put a piece of foil over the bowl after it is filled with water? Dripping fat collects in on the top piece of foil (which is sort of drooping down anyways) and then you just pull that off and throw it away. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Or if you seal the foil too well around the top of the pan, and steam pushes the foil up </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think that would be the problem with this method. The steam would accumulate on the foil and pretty soon you'd be dripping water onto the coals. It would drip off the edges of the foil as it condensates.

Similar to this, I've used a second pan. Put the water pan in and put a second pan on the bottom grate to catch the grease. You give up the bottom grate, but I don't use it anyway. Now I'm waterless so I wrap the clay saucer in foil.
 
I also place a pan on the 2nd grate to catch the grease. I foiled once, but it was a annoying. Pan on the 2nd grate, then hit the water pan with the pressure washer and I'm good to go with minimal effort.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry D.:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Philip Madden:
Has anyone ever just put a piece of foil over the bowl after it is filled with water? Dripping fat collects in on the top piece of foil (which is sort of drooping down anyways) and then you just pull that off and throw it away. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's fine if you don't need to add water during a long cook. But if you do... what then? Or if you seal the foil too well around the top of the pan, and steam pushes the foil up so that the accumulated grease runs down into the fire? Keep a close eye on it when you try it the first time. I think the idea has merit, but also some possible pitfalls (hey, PITfalls, a bbq pun!) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

well, I was just thinking of putting the foil around the top but leaving one side open enough for me to stick the watering can tip in there if I need to top up the water. This would also allow the steam to escape....
but then again I've been thinking of going with a clay saucer instead. So I may never do this. It was just a thought that crossed my mind when reading the above posts.
 
I take the pan and racks, spray some oven cleaner on for an hour or so, then hit them with the pressure washer.

Thats all folks!
 
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