So hot put water in the clay saucer!


 
Gary S

Gary S

TVWBB Guru
For the last few months I have read everything on this site I could read, cooked briskets,shoulders and poultry. Had fun doing several of the mods and the Q I have created has been not much less than outstanding!! That never would have happened were I not a member of this web-site.

Today, Wow a whole different story. I have a 100F in my back yard! Started a butt this morning. My WSM has gaskets. It's all over the map! Outside air temp under a canopy 98F. I have the dampers down to 3/16" drill bit size. I could almost smother the coals and let the sun take over! My butt looked so dry I put water in the clay saucer! Actually it looks much better afterwards. Always cooked with a dry saucer or a water pan with water.

Everything needs moisture today!
 
I never have used water. I think it would be messy. I would rather wrap in foil if I were worried about being dry. I want the outside on a butt to be dry for the bark.
 
Originally posted by Earl D.:
I never have used water. I think it would be messy. I would rather wrap in foil if I were worried about being dry. I want the outside on a butt to be dry for the bark.
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Funny how some folks say water doesn't make any difference with the final product, but some insist on dry heat for better bark.
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Gary my wsm has a few leaks. A few things to help with higher temps. One thing I do when trying to achieve a lower temp wold be to only light about 6-8 coals in a chimney starter. Also at times I find that I can run my wsm with all intake vents totally closed. With the leaks it still gets air in it and the fire burns just fine. Lastly if I get into a situation where I'm still to hot with doing as I mentioned above, I will close my top vent some. I would not suggest doing this more than 50% but usually does the trick for me. HTH Vince
 
Right on Dave. I knew the water would knock down the temps and it did. I also knew the little bit I used would evaporate and it did. The bark was fine. Actually I'm still new to this, cook some picnic before but this was my first butt and I must confess I was surpised at how dry it looked "butt" (stole your quote) it all worked out in the end, well almost I cracked the saucer
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Vince thanks. I usually don't have a problem because I have the gaskets and it's sealed up pretty tight. It was just one of those days I guess. Never stop learning!
 
Gary, your thread reminds me of a guy on another forum that was telling how he likes to smoke st. louis ribs on the wsm. He smokes with water, vents left open to really steam the ribs and get them done fast. While he mentioned having to refill the pan, he said that letting the pan run dry toward the end of the cook set his bark. I won't knock it til I try it myself.
 
In the short two years I've had my WSM, I've tried most of the variations -- water, no water; clay saucer instead, bricks instead; foil, no foil; anything left? Haven't tried sand.

But what has been working well for me (and my favorites, like many, are Boston Butts, brisket and ribs) is water in the bare pan covered over with foil in which I've poked some holes right at the edge. Keeps the water and pan clean (haven't had to clean the pan at all in the last 4 or 5 cooks), traps the drips in the foil. If I want drippings, I throw in a foil pan on the lower grate.

That includes a recent 16 hour BB cook.

I think it's all what you get used to and feel comfortable with.

Rich
 
letting the pan run dry toward the end of the cook set his bark. I won't knock it til I try it myself.
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That's really a coincidence you say that because a guy up here says he was a competition cook and in fact competed at the Jack Daniels. He's a short order cook now at a smoke house where I go for lunch now and then. We have some great chats about recipes, mods., and technique. Today, I just posted one of his recipes from the Smoke Ring where he goes by the Web name of Roxy. It's a South Carolina Mustard sauce he told me to try. I made it for the Butt I cooked yesterday and it's really good. I queried it here to see if it was on this site, did not find it and thought I should post it under his name for the benefit of the members. Anyhow he said to me one of his competition secrets back then was to use the water pan for brisket but let it run dry. He said it really helped to set the Bark. I have not tried it but then again I've only cooked a few briskets and it will take time to try out the variables. That was in the back of my mind yesterday and it did work although I'm thinking the bark would have been fine on it's own.
My issue has been finding a rub that works without too much salt. The one I used yesterday was really good. It was sent to me by another Member here. Anyway there seems like there might be some validity to trying that.
 
I'll have to check out the mustard sauce. Best use I've found for the good ones, though, is to mix with Stubbs, and I'm not even a big fan of Stubbs. A 50/50 mix is mighty fine on a bbq sandwich, though.

I find Chris Lilly's rib rub recipes well balanced and the pork butt/shoulder recipes low on salt, but that's to compensate for the injection. I'm an absolute sucker for bbq books, but Chris Lilly's book, Big Bob Gibson's BBQ, is by far the best I've bought in the last couple of years.
 
Stubbs is not a brand we get up here. I see lots of product names used but very few ever make it this far across the border.
 
Originally posted by Gary S:
Stubbs is not a brand we get up here. I see lots of product names used but very few ever make it this far across the border.
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I think THIS is the key phrase from Dave (at least to me): "and I'm not even a big fan of Stubbs".

Ditto from me. Tried that sauce once and won't get it again. So I don't think you're missing much.

Rich
 
The water in the pan is a heat sink to help you keep more even temperatures in the smoker, it has very little or no affect on the bark formation of the butt. The water evaporating from the pan doesn't add moisture to the meat. Later in the cook there is less moisture coming out of the meat which allows your bark to firm up.

That's just my opinion though.
 
Originally posted by Bob Sample:
The water in the pan is a heat sink to help you keep more even temperatures in the smoker, it has very little or no affect on the bark formation of the butt. The water evaporating from the pan doesn't add moisture to the meat. Later in the cook there is less moisture coming out of the meat which allows your bark to firm up.

That's just my opinion though.
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Good one, Bob. I like that opinion and it fits with what I've seen.

Rich
 
My issue has been finding a rub that works without too much salt.
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I make all rubs without salt - and suggest you might do the same. Salt the meat first - as much or as little as you'd like - then wait for the salt to draw moisture, about 5-10 min. Apply your salt-free rub over the salt - as much or as little as you like. Keeping the salt and rub independent means you can use however much you prefer of each.
 
Yes Kevin I have read your comments on salting seperately and that makes perfect sense but I'm not really sure what would be a light amount of salt to use as opposed to a heavier amount say on a 10lb brisket. If I consider the amount of salt compared to the overall weight of the meat I'm inclined to think a Tbsp for 10lbs. would not be too much for both sides or is a tsp enough per side? It's all in establishing a bench mark then I can go from there.
 
" I have the dampers down to 3/16" drill bit size."

Was this the top damper? There is no reason not to close the bottom dampers completely. Top damper always stays open.
 
No I always leave the top open unless I'm shutting right down to smother my coals. I think it was just one of those days, very hot, and the sun bearing down on the cooker.
 
Originally posted by Gary S:
Yes Kevin I have read your comments on salting seperately and that makes perfect sense but I'm not really sure what would be a light amount of salt to use as opposed to a heavier amount say on a 10lb brisket. If I consider the amount of salt compared to the overall weight of the meat I'm inclined to think a Tbsp for 10lbs. would not be too much for both sides or is a tsp enough per side? It's all in establishing a bench mark then I can go from there.
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I think you have to try it out and judge for yourself, Gary. I've ended up not using any salt alt all for brisket. and pork butts. I eliminated it from my cajun rub and only add it if I want it for things like cajun almonds.

Not that I don't use salt for other things, but these large low and slow just don't seem to me to need it.

Rich
 
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