Meathead at amazingribs.com explains it much better than I.....but ...perhaps he's wrong.
The purpose of the water pan is to stabilize heat. Since water boils at 212° after that it is hogging the heat. It will absorb a lot of BTU's. Water does nothing for adding moisture to the meat. That is why a lot of people use sand or gravel. The larger more expensive smokers have no water pan at all.
Happy smoken.
David
Art I don't buy into everything meathead has to say although he's right on much. There's water in wood chunks, and tons in the meat, and depending where you live plenty in th air so no need for water in a wsm. Like the mule said it's a fuel waster...Imo the reason it was made with one is to make it useable right out of the box for folks New to smoking meats.Meathead at amazingribs.com explains it much better than I.....but ...perhaps he's wrong.
http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/what_goes_in_the_water_pan.html
I meant to specify. from this website. I do not belong to that other website.
I have noticed meathead friggin ripping my posts lately? I mean come on man get an agenda of your own.
The question was how to get 325° and your thread says this will help you hold 225° so I am thinking this link is useless for high heat in a WSM. Then this thread is about chicken and crispy skin. You need to dry the skin to get it crispy. If we are to believe that the water pan adds moisture to the meat that is strike 2 for your link.
Meathead at amazingribs.com explains it much better than I.....but ...perhaps he's wrong.
http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/what_goes_in_the_water_pan.html
You didn't say that about meat drying out...Meathead did. Lol. If a water pan can increase moisture in meat I'd love to know how meat I cook without a pan is noticeably more moist then others using one. Not buying those "studies" I gotta say.
FWIsmoker
I'm convinced you're absolutely right about Meathead not being right all the time. I'm sure he's not. My only point was that when it comes to bbq and smoking, there's not a lot of hard and fast rules. It is more a matter of creativity and personal preference. And, I never said water in the pan will keep meat from drying out. All I said was it's a matter of personal preference and water in the pan can increase moisture in the meat. There's a bunch of info and studies out there that will back that up. I joined this forum to learn and help when I can....not argue. So let's cook some good food and have a good time.