Sand or Water???????????


 
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Mark G.

New member
Hello,
What do you guys mean when you talk about using sand?? Do you ONLY use sand in the water pan? Or do you also add water to the pan? If just sand, what advantages are there? How does the sand work?
Sorry for all the questions. I think it's a very interesting concept I've never heard of.
Thanks!!

mark
 
Since the water pan in a bullet-type smoker functions as a heatsink to aid in temperature maintenence, some have sound substituting sand nearly as effective, while making clean up easier, and removing the threat of a spilled pan dousing the coals or worse-- injuring the chef with steam burns.

Water is not added to the sand, and foil covering it makes it reusable. Be aware that, over the course of a long cook, the sand can become an undesirable radiator of heat to the meat on the bottom grate.
 
Thanks for the quick reply!
So I could fill the water pan with sand and then just cover it with foil?
I always read that using water keeps the meat moist and constanly "bastes" the meat during the process. Is this not entirely true?
Thanks again!
 
The thing that keeps meat moist the most in low & slow BBQ cooking is the high degree of intramuscular fat most popular BBQ cuts have. After that, it's fat caps, applying mops, injecting, or wrapping in foil-- not necessarily in that order, and then maybe a very miniscule contribution from the water pan.

If you do decide to try sand in the pan, only fill it 2/3 to 3/4 full, cover with foil, making a concave depression in the sand first so drippings will catch in it.
 
Mark, I have used sand since I've gotten my WSM. This weekend will be the first time I use both cooking grate levels. I am doing 2 butts on top and 2 briskets on the bottom.

Perhaps foolishly, I will be doing it with sand, so, I will let you know how things turn out...also, I will include pics as things progress!

Everytime Doug writes that sand over the long haul might not be the best thing for the bottom it freaks me out. I just don't have the drive to get up at 3am and 6am to refill the pan with water, and I haven't gotten the brinkman replacement pan with the larger water capacity that would effectively eliminate that step. My fault but let's see what happens right?

Anyone ever done long cooks with sand only?
 
Thanks guys, great info.
Greg, I look forward to your results!
Where do you get that Brinkman water pan? Can you order it online?
 
Mark:

From another NuB, (I have only been visiting this site about three weeks). SEARCH this site but count on Doug D, Keri C, and Chris to be the Grand Visers. Greg R, on the other hand, KNOWS his stuff but is a bit reticent. These are all folks you can count on. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif That includes Chet...see below.
 
Two weeks ago I did four 8lb butts with sand only. They turned out beautifully. I did none of the rotating or shifting from top to bottom racks sometimes proscribed. I didn't have the heart to touch them when I checked in on them at about the 12 hour mark. They were just too lovely.

Temp at the top grate stayed at about 240 except for one point at about 7:00 in the morning when it dipped to 210 and I had to stir the coals.

I think that you'll find the consensus on use is to manage your temps on the way up, get it stable, and don't allow the sand to overheat. Place your meat on at about 190-200 degrees and pay attention for the first 30-60 minutes while you carefully get it up to your desired smoking temperature.

Chet
 
Hey guys, maybe I am doing something wrong, but I have done about 4 cooks on my WSM and I normally am cooking 10hrs. or more and I haven't had to refill my water pan on either cook. The water level seems to only go down a little, and after the cook I have quite a bit of it left to pour out. So how long are we talking about that requires you to refill the water pan.
 
Thanks for the compliment Keith, but I am in no way qualified to be a grand vizeer. At best, I might make a reasonable sorcerers apprentice.

I just try to share some of the stuff I've been learning. Most of it is stolen with pride (or as Keri said, "Shortening the learning curve").

You might be asking for trouble if you want me to sweep the floor.

/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mark G.:
Where do you get that Brinkman water pan? Can you order it online? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes. www.brinkmanncorp.com It is most commonly known as a Brinkmann charcoal pan, however, there is one Brinkmann model that does actually use it as a water pan.
 
Thanks for the compliment Keith...although I don't know what reticent means!!

Cheter...have you long smoked w/ sand with meat on the bottom...or were your 2 butts on seperate levels?

Chet, just re-read your butt post and you did say 4...thought you said two...sorry /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Thanks for the info!!
 
hey guys, thanks for all your help. This forum is full of top notch masters!
I have 1 more question relating to the sand before i go.
Is it still recommended that I use the Brinkmann water pan for the sand or can I stick with my original Weber pan? If I can stick with my original, should I still fill it 2/3 - 3/4 full? Because it is shallower than the Brinkmann, will I need to be concerned at all about it getting to hot or anything else?

I guess tha was more than one question, but I look forward to your help as always.
I think i'm going to give the brisket a try again this weekend with the sand and a nice brisket from CostCo.

Thanks again!
 
Users who tried filling the Brinkman pan with sand found themselves in trouble-- keeping temps down. The use of the Brinkmann pan was originally devised as a way of extending time between water refills. If you use it with sand, best to not put any more than you would in the standard pan.
 
If you use sand, you should use your original Weber pan and foil it using only one piece of heavyduty foil. If you piece it (like you'd have to do with the larger Brinkman pan), the goo that collects in the foil might "wick out" of the pan an into the fire...most people have had this problem with foiling a water pan with water in it whilst using two foil pieces.

P.S. I only use about 2-3 cups of sand in the Weber pan, not a whole lot.
 
Hey, Greg, if you use sand and put your briskets on the bottom, I highly suggest that you not trim the fat cap, and that you place your briskets fat side DOWN for most of the cook. The heat radiating from the sand can do some major heat damage on the bottom of the poor briskets, making the leaner side hard as a rock.

Don't ask how I know this. /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

One of the Grand vizers, huh, Keith? Wow, I'm not sure what I did to be included in such learned company as those with whom you place me, but I'm honored! I definitely don't belong in the same class as those guys, though. I still have WAY too much to learn. Else I'd be out there winning comps instead of judging them, eh, John L? /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Keri C, smokin' on Tulsa Time
 
Tom J,

I have no clue. Maybe you are doing someting right... For me, the challenge with using water was that it artificially held the temp down. The water would dry up and I ran out of fuel. I may have had too hot of a fire but since the water kept my heat sink at about 212 degrees +/- I didn't notice until it got out of hand. All I know is that I was spending more time than I wanted to checking and replenishing the water.

When I moved to sand, I was pretty careful about not letting the fire get away from me and I ended up with pretty great smoked flesh.

Use what works for you. Far be it from me to attempt to convince you to change what is working.
 
Keri, my cousin is a bbq caterer...has a $4500 trail behind smoker thingy...anyway, he told me to put the brisket fat side up as the fat will melt and baste itself. Also, will be getting additional fat basting from the butts on top. Foil pan?? Kind of confused and just want to makem sure me's is doin' it right!! Thanks for the help!!

Waiting for your reply (grandviser /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif)
 
Hey Mark, what did you wind up doing...sand or water? Did you purchase the Brinkman pan?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

 

Back
Top