WSM 18"

[paulfalco12]

What do you guys do with water pan, do u fill it with water or sand? Do u foil it, Ive used water and foil it, and the grease and drippings always manage to get through the foil. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[gmc2003]

I have a WSM 22, no water or sand used. I just double foil in opposite directions and rinse out after. I think the wide roll will cover the 18 totally.

Chris

 

[paulfalco12]

thanks chris, what benefit does not using water or sand have. I have never not used water in the water pan. Planning on smoking some baby backs or spares this weekend.

 

[troutman]

I foil and use water. Water acts as a heat sink and provides humidity. Water can get pretty nasty but I try to put a drip pan above the pan to catch most of the drippings. Most of the gunk ends up in the foil, just have to replace often if not every time.

 

[yankee2bbq]

I don’t use water in the pan. Just wrap the pan in foil.

 

[noboundaries]

I don't use water, sand, bricks, clay, or foil. I've done all of those, or some variation, at one time. Not any longer. Basically, my water pan is one big-A drip pan. After a smoke, especially a fatty one, like pork butts, I pull it out of the smoker, scrape the gunk into my trash can with a spatula, give it a quick rinse with the garden hose, and back into the smoker it goes.

 

[jirodriguez]

I've always used water in my pan.... figured it hasn't let me down yet. I dump my cold ash into a 5 gallon bucket lined with a trash bag, then dump and scrape my water pan into the bucket as well. Then toss it all in the trash when the bag is full, the ash soaks up the water.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Dry pit rules! No water in any of my smokers. When the bowl is in the smoker I wrap it in foil for easy clean up.

 

[rigger45]

Dry pit rules! No water in any of my smokers. When the bowl is in the smoker I wrap it in foil for easy clean up.

Same here. Easier to clean up everytime.

 

[gmc2003]

thanks chris, what benefit does not using water or sand have. I have never not used water in the water pan. Planning on smoking some baby backs or spares this weekend.

The smoker will heat up quicker, and you won't use as much fuel. With the 18 fuel consumption may not be a game changer, but the 22 can be a fuel hog at times. Once your smoker is seasoned you can control your temps pretty easy without water. Plus adding water after a few beers on those longer cooks can be tricky to do without screwing up your temps.

Chris

 

[SmokinAl]

I use lava rocks & water in mine, the water evaporates after a few hours & then it's just hot lava rocks for the rest of the smoke. I rarely use the bottom rack so I just put an aluminum pan there to catch any drippings. Or a pan of beans if I'm smoking ribs, or a fattie, or something that only takes a few hours to cook. Then the drippings flavor the beans.
Al