How to achieve more moisture in the smoker

[Guest]

Along with the smoke and temp it seems that the right amount of moisture is a key to getting good results. Is this true? If so, then how does one get more moisture into the cooking process? Use less water in the pan so there is less to heat up? I realize that you'd have to stay on top of things as far as keeping water in the pan.

 

[jeff lowe]

Hello,

I am in the San Diego area also.

I would say that if your bbq does not come out juicy enough or tough you need to just cook it longer for the collagen to break down.

I now go about 5-6 hours for baby backs and 7-9 hours for spares. Also a probe thermometer works well as well as just poking the meat and see how easy it is to stick and check how tender.

If you want to ge together and cook some bbq let me know.

 

[Jim Minion]

Moisture in the meat will make a difference but moisture in a waterpan or the lack of it won't make BBQ moist.
A good cut of meat, brinning or injecting, along with the correct technique will give you moist BBQ.
Jim

 

[Guest]

As Jim has pointed out, the amount of water in the water pan, does not affect the moisture of the meat. In fact, many bulletheads don't use water in the pan at all, they put in 2"-3" of sand, cover that with foil, and make clean-up a snap.
The water is used as a thermal mass to help control and stabilize cooker temperatures. Sand in the water pan accomplishes the same thing without a bucketful of greasy water to dispose of after cooking.

 

[Konrad Haskins]

OK maybe I missed it but I did not see a cut of meat mention. A good packer cut Butt, Brisket or St. Louis Ribs cooked right will be juicy. Naked chicken breasts smoked will tend to be dry as will a pork tenderloin. Some meat smokes best and some meat grills best. What cuts are we talking?

 

[Frank Boyer]

Water is cooked out of meat, not added to it. The trick is to render fat, break down cologen, and not boil off to much of the moisture (water/fat content) in the meat.
Frank