WSM Water Pan and Refilling

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Hey everyone,
Great board and first post!
I smoked a 10lb brisket on my WSM last weekend (this was my first smoke ever!) and it came out fantastic. I used the MM and starting cooking the brisket at 5:30am and it finished nicely (internal temp 180) at approximately 6:00pm. I marianted, used a good mustard coat and then a spicy and sugarless Texas rub. My question is; I never had to refill the water pan. When I checked at the half way point to turn over the brisket and mop, the water was still pretty full (with the addition of the melted fat) and each time after the pan never really seemed to lose a lot of water. Is that "normal" or could I have possibly done something wrong?
Thanks for the help,
Matt
 
Matt, you probably did nothing wrong but I would venture to say that it is out of the ordinary. Typically you would add some water during a 10hr cook or longer. But why try to find something wrong...good for you!
 
My last cook, I put 3 quarts of water in the pan in the beginning, and added only a quart later. The cook went 13 hours. After all was said and done, there were still 2 quarts of water in the pan. Other cooks have gone much differently, with almost all no water left after filling the pan full to start. It's just one of those "whatever happens, happens" things.
 
When I have gril-level temps around 220 I don't go through much water either, the higher my temps go, the more water I need to add. (i.e. higher temps=more water evaporation/boil)
 
Yes, the mustard coat on the brisket was great. You don't taste the mustard after it is done and the brisket was VERY tender. The recipe for the mustard coat is basic but very good (flat beer, mustard, spices). After the mustard coat you lay on the rub. And I sliced the brisket, did not pull. Served it over two slices of hearty white bread and on the Weber Kettle I made Texas baked beans with sliced jalepenos (sp). I am getting hungry.
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One more thing, an electric knife to do the slicing is mandatory. Makes the process much easier.
 
Sometimes i have to add water sometimes i don't. Very unpredictable on the refilling of the water pan. I did a chuck roll last week and had to add 3 750 ml. wine bottles full of water for that cook about 5 hrs in. The week before i did a 7.2 lb brisket flat that took 9.5 hrs and only added one 750 ml. bottle, Bryan
 
I will venture a guess as to why based on personal observation:

When I lite 20 + coals using the MM to get the WSM going to put a large hunk of pork on the water evaporated faster than if I were to use 12-15 lit coals under the pan for ribs. Even though the heat is the same in the cooker, I beleive that having more fuel lit under the water pan makes the water evaporate faster. Can I back this up with science ? Nope. This is just personal observation.
I have also gone 12 + hours without filling the water pan....like I said I started with too little fuel to get the temp up immediately.


jeff
 
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