water, no water, concrete.


 
PeterZ said:
Trust me ! If I can produce as good BBQ without water I will NEVER look back =)

Peter
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Temp controller or no temp controller, better bark on butts and briskets with no water. Butts at 235-250, briskets at 275-300 and wrapped in butcher paper. (You ought to try it!)
Strangely enough though, I just don't see how folks like ribs better cooking dry, unless they want to foil. The water pan not only helps to even out cooking across the slab, end to end, but it helps keep the bark moist and tender, not letting it get thick and leathery in spots. Moisture also conducts heat better, and I consistently get my st Louie's done in five hours cooking 235 to about 250, even half a dozen slabs covering two grates on my 22" wsm.
 
timothy said:
Yea Peter I would just try it both ways and see what you think.
I only use the water when I need to keep temps @ 225 for spiral sliced hams.
Otherwise my WSM runs nicely @ 275 with minimum fuss.
To me the use of a heat sink on anything over 250 is counter-productive..Let us know how it works out:wsm:

Tim
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That's a really interesting comment, never really thought about it.
 
If you're looking for a heat sink / drip pan combo you can also use a heavy cast iron wok. You can grind off the handles if they protrude too far out.
 
Thats the way I view useing the steel plate in my pan, it's not a heat sink but heat shield with a nice air pocket under it. I use the vents to control the temps the only spikes I get is either when a chunk of wood catches or the ash falls from the charcoal. I know it's differnet strokes for different folks. I'm glad someone found and posted the link for the plow disk, that was what I originally was going to use until I lucked out at work and the disk is really pretty inexpensive when you start thinking of just how long it will last.
 
Don, glad you saw the post. It was you I was refering to initially when I was talking about a member using a steel disc.
Glad you commented on the plow disc. How thick is the disc you are using and what do you use to catch the drippings Don?
George thanks for the idea of the CI wok makes me think a frying pan would work too with a little modification.
 
Don Reed said:
Thats the way I view useing the steel plate in my pan, it's not a heat sink but heat shield with a nice air pocket under it. I use the vents to control the temps the only spikes I get is either when a chunk of wood catches or the ash falls from the charcoal. I know it's differnet strokes for different folks. I'm glad someone found and posted the link for the plow disk, that was what I originally was going to use until I lucked out at work and the disk is really pretty inexpensive when you start thinking of just how long it will last.
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A non-stick frying pan would be the ticket it seems.
 
Gary, the plow disk is 1/16th thicker than my disk but I have a smaller one under it that you don't see whick is 1/16 "thick so I'm actually using just about the same thickness as the plow disk. I'm at work so I can't messure the diameter of my disk but I do know it fit's about 2" below the lip of the pan, so I still have the pan to catch the drippings.

Neil, I'm not to sure about the non-stick coating on the skillet, cast iron or stainless would be better or even if you could find a couple of cheap round pizza pans and just stack them and place them inside the pan providing they're the right diameter. I'll come back tothis a little later break time is over.
 
Don Reed said:
Gary, the plow disk is 1/16th thicker than my disk but I have a smaller one under it that you don't see whick is 1/16 "thick so I'm actually using just about the same thickness as the plow disk. I'm at work so I can't messure the diameter of my disk but I do know it fit's about 2" below the lip of the pan, so I still have the pan to catch the drippings.

Neil, I'm not to sure about the non-stick coating on the skillet, cast iron or stainless would be better or even if you could find a couple of cheap round pizza pans and just stack them and place them inside the pan providing they're the right diameter. I'll come back tothis a little later break time is over.
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Don I was wondering about that. Thanks for your advice, may try the stainless in comparison to the saucer.
 
NeilH said:
Don I was wondering about that. Thanks for your advice, may try the stainless in comparison to the saucer.
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I think for the money, considering I have cracked two clay saucers I'm going to try the plow disc and just foil it.

Neil I'm thinking you burn the coating off a non stick pan.
 
Found this about nonstick:


4. What happens if nonstick coated cookware is overheated?
At high temperatures, the quality of the coating may begin to deteriorate — it may discolor or lose its nonstick quality. This can begin to occur at temperatures above 500°F (260°C). If heated to an extremely high temperature, the coating may begin to decompose and give off fumes. Fats, butter, or cooking oil will begin to scorch and smoke at about 400°F (204°C). DuPont nonstick coatings will not begin to significantly decompose until temperatures exceed about 660°F (349°C) — well above the smoke point for cooking oil, fats or butter. It is therefore unlikely that decomposition temperatures for nonstick cookware would be reached while cooking without burning food to an inedible state.

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5. Are fumes from overheated nonstick coated cookware harmful to people?
The fumes that are released by overheated polymer can produce symptoms referred to as "polymer fume fever" — flu-like symptoms that are relatively quickly reversed in humans. Over the past 40 years, there have been only a few reported accounts of polymer fume fever as a result of severely overheating nonstick cookware. It should be noted that butter, fats, and cooking oils will begin to smoke at approximately 400°F (204°C), producing fumes that can irritate eyes, nose, and throat and possibly cause respiratory distress. DuPont nonstick coatings will not begin to deteriorate in appearance or performance until the temperature of the cookware reaches about 500°F (260°C). The coating will not show significant decomposition unless temperatures exceed about 660°F (349°C).
 
I use lava rock for a gas grill, about $7 bucks a bag. Just over with foil to keep grease free. Cheap and works.

UnYawn....
 
So you guys are saying I shouldnt put my chimney on a paver stone? I bought a 12x12 stone for like 1.00 from HD, I've used it probably 10 times for my chimney and never had a issue yet. LOL Should I stop incase of explosion?
 
James I don't think that was what was said or implied. The discussion centred around concrete as a heat sink inside a smoker. In your application you are using it as a base while your chimney heats up. The heat is not confined the same way at all and in fact is rising above the chimney but...given what we know about moisture in concrete, leaving the stone outside in the weather and putting a hot chimney on it...who knows for sure.

I fire my chimney in my kettle and set it when hot and empty on a patio stone on my wooden deck. The stone has cracked.
FYI
 
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