Sand or water in water pan.


 
Robert McGee said:
I use no water, no sand, and no clay saucer. I just foil an empty pan and have NO problem holding temperatures. It's a heck of a lot easier on cleanup without a pan of water full of grease, I can tell you that! I see NO difference in product, either.
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this is what I do, not problems at all holding temps, and clean up is just balling that foil up and throwing it away. I like using the pan, but never put water or sand or anything in it. I foil the bottom of the pan too, to help clean up.
 
I think for the new WSM, and the beginner (speaking of experience), until the cooker gets all the gunk built up on it, kind of like an insulator, some source of heat sink will be needed. Once we get to better our technique and understand the cooker we have it's a safer method. I think a few more cooks on mine and I'll be ready to not use a pan or at least be able to use no water more often.

Also, I've read that the meat takes all of it's smokey flavor within the first hour or so. Obviously the type of wood makes for a stronger or more subtitle flavor. And I would guess, the more chunks you put in at the start will also have a smokeier flavor. I think different types of meat take on smoke easier than others. These all being my own personal experience and opinion.
 
Hamilton Barnes said:
Robert McGee said:
I use no water, no sand, and no clay saucer. I just foil an empty pan and have NO problem holding temperatures. It's a heck of a lot easier on cleanup without a pan of water full of grease, I can tell you that! I see NO difference in product, either.

this is what I do, not problems at all holding temps, and clean up is just balling that foil up and throwing it away. I like using the pan, but never put water or sand or anything in it. I foil the bottom of the pan too, to help clean up.
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Same way I do it. I have Considered putting an aluminum drip pan inside my foiled WSM pan with a little water but so far haven't done it.
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Don Reed said:
I'm the only one here that uses a steel disk in the pan. I've posted about it several times before, it heats up with the smoker, it doesn't absorb heat so there isn't anything to release which can cause roller coaster temps, it weighs less than water or sand and just as easy to clean as an empty pan. It does radiate even heat and blocks the direct heat which can burn or scorch your food. Temps are unbelievably easy to control and it helps conserve fuel. As stated earlier, try what you like and use what works best for you.
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you know , I have read your posts and I thought " maybe I'll try that" ...I saw a chunk of broken plow blade at work about 8" long , 4" wide and 1\2" (?) steel. I was going to pick it up sometime and try it , but someone chucked it out before I could pull the trigger on it. Now I gotta wait for another suitable chunk of steel to make itself known to me.. :D
 
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Dennis, this is the post with some pics. DISK You can purchase a plow/harrow disk's from a farm supply store as well or just get to know some one that has a farm. A metal fab shop may cut you one as well, I lucked out because where I work we sometimes have to cut holes in steel and the plate was scrap.

Frank, I didn't think anyone ever read my posts.:D
 
Don Reed said:
Dennis, this is the post with some pics. DISK You can purchase a plow/harrow disk's from a farm supply store as well or just get to know some one that has a farm. A metal fab shop may cut you one as well, I lucked out because where I work we sometimes have to cut holes in steel and the plate was scrap.
I'm too cheap to buy one , I just gotta find something cast off.
Frank, I didn't think anyone ever read my posts.:D
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​ha ha ! I read everything !
 
Something else to consider, is that you can't get water hotter than 212 degrees (it just vaporizes if you do). By contrast, a piece lf steel, or a pile of sand just takes on the temperature of its surroundings, no matter how high that temperature might be (within reason). That makes water a little bit different as a heat sink.
 
God, I don't even know if my pan's still intact let alone foiling, watering, sanding, adding garden accessories etc... A heat sink just eats up fuel. True, it's a nice crutch for beginners but, like my pappy says (I don't really have a pappy), if you're going to do it, do it right from the start.
 
Jeff Jones said:
How would a wok work for something like this? Has the advantage of having the handles... Concave shape that would be conducive to foiling and catching drippings, and heavy enough to have some mass? I got this one from Amazon, and it's pretty solid.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001BSN7P0/tvwb-20
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Jeff, with all respect I would use the wok for what it was intended for.. Some use the Piedmont setup, which is just two pans with an airspace in between.
Some of us just use an empty foiled pan, not as a heat sink, but as a heat deflector.
Once you learn how the WSM acts in you're backyard, than temp control is as easy as just adjusting the vents.

Tim
 
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