Steven Simpkins
TVWBB Member
Is temperature easier to control with water or a clay saucer? Can you keep a consistent lower temperature using water or a clay saucer?
Steve
Steve
Water or Clay Saucer
- Thread starter Steven Simpkins
- Start date
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Steven Simpkins:
Is temperature easier to control with water or a clay saucer? Can you keep a consistent lower temperature using water or a clay saucer?
Steve </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well easier is what you are used to. When you switch over to waterless, you have to learn new vent settings.
Consistent lower temps is all about how much air you are allowing into the coals. Now if your WSM is leaky, gaps where the sections go together, then that has to be fixed first. So it's just a matter of re-learning the WSM when you switch to something different. Me, I use what I have. The stock water pan with a sheet of HD wide foil an inch or two up off the inside bottom of the water pan. I can run at 225º all day and night. That said, I've had 6 years of pratice using this method. HTH
Is temperature easier to control with water or a clay saucer? Can you keep a consistent lower temperature using water or a clay saucer?
Steve </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well easier is what you are used to. When you switch over to waterless, you have to learn new vent settings.
Consistent lower temps is all about how much air you are allowing into the coals. Now if your WSM is leaky, gaps where the sections go together, then that has to be fixed first. So it's just a matter of re-learning the WSM when you switch to something different. Me, I use what I have. The stock water pan with a sheet of HD wide foil an inch or two up off the inside bottom of the water pan. I can run at 225º all day and night. That said, I've had 6 years of pratice using this method. HTH
Patrick Sullivan
TVWBB Fan
What are the advantages and disadvantages to using water vs. using clay? Is it strictly ease of clean up?
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> What are the advantages and disadvantages to using water vs. using clay? Is it strictly ease of clean up? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
For me, never having to add water on long cooks is the main advantage. For example, say you're doing an overnight butt. Once you get your temp set, you're ready; you won't have to get up to check water levels. Clean up is easy too if you foil which I do.
Paul
For me, never having to add water on long cooks is the main advantage. For example, say you're doing an overnight butt. Once you get your temp set, you're ready; you won't have to get up to check water levels. Clean up is easy too if you foil which I do.
Paul
Patrick Sullivan
TVWBB Fan
is it more difficult to maintain a low temperature in the WSM without water? For example, do you sleep in an overnight cook or do you have to watch it from time to time?
Jerry N.
TVWBB Emerald Member
Pat,
As Bryan said, it's all what you're use to. People use the wsm with water, without water, with a clay saucer, with a double pan (Piedmont) or no pan at all. I would echo Bryan again and say that no mater what method you use, you have to have a reasonably tight unit (no major air leaks). Then I would say to answer your question about stability, low temps and overnight cooks, the biggest variable is WIND. If you have a nice cozy place to set your WSM out of the wind, you should have no problem running low steady temps all night.
So - don't worry about the method as much as getting some practice in. Personally, I prefer waterless because of the clean up. I've used sand and now have a saucer and I can hold temps low and steady for several hours and I don't even have a wind screen. Once you learn your unit, you'll be able to do the same.
As Bryan said, it's all what you're use to. People use the wsm with water, without water, with a clay saucer, with a double pan (Piedmont) or no pan at all. I would echo Bryan again and say that no mater what method you use, you have to have a reasonably tight unit (no major air leaks). Then I would say to answer your question about stability, low temps and overnight cooks, the biggest variable is WIND. If you have a nice cozy place to set your WSM out of the wind, you should have no problem running low steady temps all night.
So - don't worry about the method as much as getting some practice in. Personally, I prefer waterless because of the clean up. I've used sand and now have a saucer and I can hold temps low and steady for several hours and I don't even have a wind screen. Once you learn your unit, you'll be able to do the same.
Dave/G
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by patrick sullivan:
is it more difficult to maintain a low temperature in the WSM without water? For example, do you sleep in an overnight cook or do you have to watch it from time to time? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I check every half hour for the first two hours. The smoker should then settle in a range. I leave at least one bottom vent open slightly, although I like to leave all three open a tad, and go to bed. You won't have to set your alarm clock, because if you are like me, you'll be thinking about it when you go to sleep and you'll wake up on your own and run out to see what's what. At least you'll have gotten some sleep. I use the clay saucer. Find it works well.
is it more difficult to maintain a low temperature in the WSM without water? For example, do you sleep in an overnight cook or do you have to watch it from time to time? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I check every half hour for the first two hours. The smoker should then settle in a range. I leave at least one bottom vent open slightly, although I like to leave all three open a tad, and go to bed. You won't have to set your alarm clock, because if you are like me, you'll be thinking about it when you go to sleep and you'll wake up on your own and run out to see what's what. At least you'll have gotten some sleep. I use the clay saucer. Find it works well.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by patrick sullivan:
What are the advantages and disadvantages to using water vs. using clay? Is it strictly ease of clean up? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
For me, the number one plus going waterless is how much longer your fuel lasts verses using water in the pan. You don't have to keep all that water hot, and 16-18 hrs. out of one full packed ring of lump is easy to obtain.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by patrick sullivan:
is it more difficult to maintain a low temperature in the WSM without water? For example, do you sleep in an overnight cook or do you have to watch it from time to time? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
In my first post, I said that you should take care of any leaks in the WSM, very important to do IMO. Once that is done, you know that the only air getting in the WSM, is through the bowl vents, it's easy to hold low temps for long periods of time without extra air coming in. I have worked my bowl, midsection, and door over the years, to get my WSM very tight. I also have used the double charcoal grate mod from day one, thus reducing airflow some through the charcoal. Add all those together and my WSM runs cold. With all my vents wide open and a full chimney of lump ontop of unlit lump, my max temp is 300º-310º. If I need a higher temp than that, I'll leave the lid hang off by about a 1/4" for extra airflow to get the temps up. HTH
What are the advantages and disadvantages to using water vs. using clay? Is it strictly ease of clean up? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
For me, the number one plus going waterless is how much longer your fuel lasts verses using water in the pan. You don't have to keep all that water hot, and 16-18 hrs. out of one full packed ring of lump is easy to obtain.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by patrick sullivan:
is it more difficult to maintain a low temperature in the WSM without water? For example, do you sleep in an overnight cook or do you have to watch it from time to time? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
In my first post, I said that you should take care of any leaks in the WSM, very important to do IMO. Once that is done, you know that the only air getting in the WSM, is through the bowl vents, it's easy to hold low temps for long periods of time without extra air coming in. I have worked my bowl, midsection, and door over the years, to get my WSM very tight. I also have used the double charcoal grate mod from day one, thus reducing airflow some through the charcoal. Add all those together and my WSM runs cold. With all my vents wide open and a full chimney of lump ontop of unlit lump, my max temp is 300º-310º. If I need a higher temp than that, I'll leave the lid hang off by about a 1/4" for extra airflow to get the temps up. HTH
Bill Spearman
TVWBB Super Fan
Follow Bryan's recommendations and you will have no problems, at least with the WSM............ do not know about any recommendations he has made here or elsewhere.........
Patrick Sullivan
TVWBB Fan
sorry, final question...
What does the clay saucer look like? where did you find one? do you foil it and put it in the water pan of does it fit in the place of the water pan?
What does the clay saucer look like? where did you find one? do you foil it and put it in the water pan of does it fit in the place of the water pan?
RDOwens
TVWBB Super Fan
A home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes will have them. I foil mine and insert it into the foiled water pan. That leaves a little airspace beneath it. I then foil the water pan and saucer together.
If I am not mistaken, I purchased a 12" saucer. Others state that a 14" fits as well.
A saucer looks like this:
If I am not mistaken, I purchased a 12" saucer. Others state that a 14" fits as well.
A saucer looks like this:
Ron G.
TVWBB Wizard
Patrick,
By "Clay" - people mean "Terra Cotta" - which is the raw, reddish / orangish brown stuff that un-glazed flower pots are made out of.
The Saucer that people are referring to is the thing that people normally place under a flower pot, to keep water from leaking all over the floor, or to permit watering plants from the bottom.
I've been using a WSM for my second season, and have been using the water pan all along. I am thinking about looking for the clay saucer and giving it a try.
Now, though, I have a related question -- Do those of you who use the clay saucer do any sort of "burn-off" the first time you heat them up (before wrapping with foil)? Or, do you find that they are mostly inert - and do not introduce any off smells or flavors?
By "Clay" - people mean "Terra Cotta" - which is the raw, reddish / orangish brown stuff that un-glazed flower pots are made out of.
The Saucer that people are referring to is the thing that people normally place under a flower pot, to keep water from leaking all over the floor, or to permit watering plants from the bottom.
I've been using a WSM for my second season, and have been using the water pan all along. I am thinking about looking for the clay saucer and giving it a try.
Now, though, I have a related question -- Do those of you who use the clay saucer do any sort of "burn-off" the first time you heat them up (before wrapping with foil)? Or, do you find that they are mostly inert - and do not introduce any off smells or flavors?
Dave/G
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ron G.:
Or, do you find that they are mostly inert - and do not introduce any off smells or flavors? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No burn off and no off smells or flavors here.
Or, do you find that they are mostly inert - and do not introduce any off smells or flavors? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No burn off and no off smells or flavors here.
Tom Murtiashaw
TVWBB Member
No burn off smell. I started using the clay pot saucer this summer and I would never go back to water. I wrap the WSM water pan in heavy duty foil, then double wrap the clay saucer in heavy duty foil and set it right on top of the foiled water pan. (Clean up after the cook is a snap.)After the WSM reaches about 200 degrees I close two of the bottom vents and control the rest of the cook with just one vent open about 10 to 20 percent. That usually pegs my WSM temp in at 225 to 230. PBs take me about 16 hours from start to finish and I normally do not have to add any charcoal during that time. In the last couple hours of the cook when the coals are dwindling, I will open the other two bottom vents which raises the WSM temp up to 250 to 275, I flip the PBs so the fat side is down and start mopping the PBs with a vinegar based sauce. It usually takes that final increase in the WSM cooking temp to push the internal temp on the PBs up to 195. My clay pot saucer was purchased from Home Depot and it is stamped Made in Italy.
Tom
Tom