That was a good response Flash, simple and to the point.Well, are you smoking or grilling? Without a water pan, you are basically just grilling. The pan is there to act as a heat sink. I forgot to put mine in one time and came out to over 400º temps. Whether it is water or sand, there is a reason for the pan.
Well, my wife has been know to call me "Simple" a time or two.That was a good response Flash, simple and to the point.
I've been called worse...Well, my wife has been know to call me "Simple" a time or two.
Hmmmm.... I'm not sure about that. Many smokers don't even have a water pan? Some would say the water pan is just a crutch? My smoker has one and I usually use it. But when I'm smoking poultry I sometimes take it out. Especially in the winter. It's all about controlling your fire no matter how you go about it. No? Just my two cents any way.Without a water pan, you are basically just grilling.
Well with out it, something in the "LOW and SLOW " credo will change. Now you can always use sand instead of water. Playbox sand works great and will give you a higher more constant temp. But if you temps raise up into the 400º with your normal pan of charcoals or your normal setting for propane, you will not be smoking. Your right that some smokers do not have a water pan, but I am pretty sure all Vertical smokers do. Horizontals afford much more space to move the fire off to one side and smoke indirect, but in a vertical, it will be direct, no matter what you do.Hmmmm.... I'm not sure about that. Many smokers don't even have a water pan? Some would say the water pan is just a crutch? My smoker has one and I usually use it. But when I'm smoking poultry I sometimes take it out. Especially in the winter. It's all about controlling your fire no matter how you go about it. No? Just my two cents any way.
I have heard of that also. Someone else just used clay bricks. The heat sink is the key, doesn't matter how you achieve it. Some perceive that the water from the water pan adds moisture to the meat, (It does, but very little) but water does not have to be there. I use sand alot of the time. It seems you have to use something or down size the amount of coals you are using and doing that, you may be replenishing them often.I use a clay flower pot saucer covered with foil in the water pan of my WSM. It acts as a heat sink, and is easy to clean (rmove foil and toss). I have no trouble at all holding temps in the 255-250 range for hours. Using water or not is up to you -- but I think as others have said, you need something in the pan.
Thanks everyone for the tips. I had the chicken quarters on for 3 hours with hickory and had crispy skin and savory juices. Gotta love that WSM.Well with out it, something in the "LOW and SLOW " credo will change. Now you can always use sand instead of water. Playbox sand works great and will give you a higher more constant temp. But if you temps raise up into the 400º with your normal pan of charcoals or your normal setting for propane, you will not be smoking. Your right that some smokers do not have a water pan, but I am pretty sure all Vertical smokers do. Horizontals afford much more space to move the fire off to one side and smoke indirect, but in a vertical, it will be direct, no matter what you do.
If you leave the water pan out of your wsm, you'll use about half the charcoal and yes, you can cook low and slow (about 250 F) without it. For chickens, put one chimney of unlit briquettes in the charcoal ring, add twenty fully ablaze briquets, assemble the smoker and give it half an hour to stabilize. You should be able to control the heat with only one of the air vents once it is up to temp, leave the other two closed. My water pan has found a nice home as the ash pan for my kettle and I haven't missed it at all.