Sand in the pan

[Cy Robinson]

There is at this time 2 pork butts and one brisket cooking in the WSM in my driveway. Since water close to high temp fires bring out the coward in me I use sand in the water pan. Some time ago I heard Alton Brown say, "the larger the heat sink, the more residual heat." Cannot remember what he was referring to but the thought stuck in my mind. This may be nothing but the ramblings of an aging cook on the slippery edge of senility, but I have been experimenting with smaller amounts of sand in the pan. Todays cook has 4 cups of sand. (3.38lbs.) The cook started at 0930 this morning - Miniom method, full charcoal ring and fifteen lit coals. Smoke from 3 packets of Pecan flaveord pellets. The temp went up and at 195* I closed down the up wind vent. Other 2 vents were closed 1/2 way at 220*. The temp "spiked" to 233* so the 2 vents were closed to about 1/4. The temp leveled at 222* and the up wind vent was cracked just a tad. The temp has settled at 226* and held for the past 2.5 hrs. Could this be a part of a solution to the high temp problem using sand or am I just living in a dream world?

 

[Bill Hays]

Hi Cy.

I don't think it's so much using sand over water but, controlling your temps the way you did, "on the way up" and adding focus to the windward vent. I've read here many times where people use no water or sand in their WSM and have had good luck with it. I think that changing weather conditions would give this setup a bit more of a hard time over someone using water or more sand than you're using though. Looks like you have a good handle on it.

Bill

 

[Dave Brewer]

When I use sand, I fill the pan about one third full and push the sand up the sides so there is about a one inch layer. Then I place some foil on the sand to hold it in place. Top it with one more layer of foil. I don't use sand as a heat sink/stabilizer, I just want it to act as a heat shield. Most people use way too much sand I think.
Another way to go is, leave the sand out. foil the bottom, then put two more layers of foil on top, trying to leave an air gap between the layers. I read on this forum about a clay pot on the pan and it sounds like that would be a good way to go. I need to try it.
I was talking to a guy at a contest last week and he said he puts a pizza stone in his bullet.
He said it works great.
I just retired last month so I might have time to do some experiments . Last year I glued two pans together with some refractory fireplace cement. It worked well but the weber pans were too slick and the cement wouldn't hold after a few months of use.

 

[Steve Petrone]

Like most I started with water. The problem is water cleanup and a moist cooking environment. Next, I had good luck with sand as long as I didn't use the bottom rack (I was using quite a bit of sand). When I read about the Piedmont Pan, I was hooked. It allows full use of the lower cook position and has a dry cooking environment. That's a winner in my book.

I have experienced temp spikes on a few cooks. I do not know if they were wind induced or not. I do not remember reading of others who have had a spike. No one way is perfect but, the PP is my method of choice.

 

[Jim S]

I gave my new WSM it's virgin cook on Monday night. Cooked a slab of ribs 'cause I wasn't up for a longer cook. Terrific food. The first thing I did to pimp my cooker was to hit HD and buy a terra cotta tray. It cost all of 8 bucks. Thing is, just like in a pizza oven, it evens out the heat in the cooker. That tray went in before I ever gave it a charge of charcoal. Works beautifully.

 

[Cy Robinson]

Sorry for the delay in thanking you guys for the answers. Computer has had a viral attack - all kinds of pop-up ads that would kick me off line. Very frustrating. Anyway, it is no longer a problem. (My daughter,a genuwine certified smart person, fixed it.) Thanks again for the help. We have a pizza stone so I may try that since the price is right.

 

[Steve Abrams]

I don't use water, sand or Piedmont. I just foil my pan, make a couple of foil balls, toss them in the pan and another layer of foil that just touches the tops of the foil balls. That leaves an air pocket between the top layer and bottom layer of foil as a heat buffer.

I haven't tried thePiedmont pan yet. I have the extra parts and am thinking of putting one together.