# Sand or Water?



## onedragon221 (Dec 18, 2009)

Ok? i was watching this clip on youtube,  insted of using water they used sand in the water pan? 
any thoughs on this?


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## scpatterson (Dec 18, 2009)

Defeats the purpose doesnt it????


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## raceyb (Dec 18, 2009)

In my personal opinion, sand is ideal and i use it.  I use sterile play sand and cover it with clean foil. I haven't used liquids in my water bowl for years. Most of what I smoke is brined or marinated or is fatty and doesn't need the moisture. The sand makes a great heat sink as well. All in all, it's a personal choice.  Try both and you'll pick one over the other.


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## pignit (Dec 18, 2009)

There has always been a disagreement on this subject as to whether water in the pan is really necessary and will sand do. Water or sand will accomplish creating a heat sink but I personally like to put apple juice, or some kind of flavored liquid in my water pan. I do think it adds to the flavor of the meat and I know it creates a moist smoking environment. I put lava rock in the pan when I'm doing jerky because your drying it out. Try it different ways and see which way you like it.


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## hoser (Dec 18, 2009)

I'm basically with Racy on this one, although I have used both methods. What I asked myself was "do I want to smoke the meat or steam it?" water pan = steam. I'd rather go with lava rock or sand, and spritz or mop if I feel I need the extra moisture.

Experiment with both, and you'll find out what's right for you.

Good luck and good smoking


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## chubbs (Dec 18, 2009)

What about both? Fill your pan with lava rocks and then add water...I thought about trying this.


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## mballi3011 (Dec 18, 2009)

For me I use water or other liquids in my water pan for the heat sink and the moisture during the smoke.


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## flash (Dec 18, 2009)

What purpose is that? 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I use both. If ambient temps are low, sand will allow you a higher and more consistent temp in your smoker. Find moist playbox sand and do as Racey states. You can easily reuse the sand by just adding some water and stirring to the same consistency. 
  In Florida, if our humidity is high, we really do not need to use water, but still there are some meats I like water in the pan.


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## fatback joe (Dec 18, 2009)

I use a clay plower pot saucer thing in my WSM.........same idea as the sand, but without having to F with the sand.


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## onedragon221 (Dec 18, 2009)

Thankz for the info... going to try the sand tomorrow. Its suppose to snow tomorrow, how will that effect my temp? oh by the way? I love this forum! ALOT OF GREAT INFO FROM EVERYBODY! Thank you..


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## rickw (Dec 18, 2009)

The cold will burn through more fuel but it's the wind that will steal the heat from your cooker.


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## onedragon221 (Dec 18, 2009)

ok? so is there a workaround for this problem?


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## rickw (Dec 18, 2009)

Pretty easy; just get the cooker out of the wind. I built a wind break for my WSM.


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## smokemaster (Dec 18, 2009)

I do the same. Wrap that baby in foil and clean up is a breeze.


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## onedragon221 (Dec 18, 2009)

Hmm? Cool!!  LOL my wife is going to hate me LOL


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## onedragon221 (Dec 18, 2009)

LOL part i dont like is the clean up...


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## flash (Dec 18, 2009)

Well the sand will help your temps, that's for sure. Abelman out in Colorado said the sand really helped him thru out their winter months after he started trying it. I know in snow and wind that anything that helps with creating higher temps is welcomed.


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## onedragon221 (Dec 18, 2009)

Ok? Is there something i can wrap my ECB in, like a blanket?


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## rickw (Dec 18, 2009)

You'll be ok if it's just cold. If it gets windy just move the smoker so as to block the wind. Or use anything you have that will act as a wind break.


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## raceyb (Dec 18, 2009)

The problem with wind that I have experienced is that the gusts will get in and force the hot air out of the smoker. As the smoker starts to build back up, the next gust draws hot air hot and on and on. One really needs a wind break to solve that problem in my personal opinion.

Now if it is just real cold out, you can wrap your smoker with an insulated blanket, a water heater jacket, etc., to help offset the loss of heat.

I'm so glad I live in Florida.


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## flash (Dec 18, 2009)

Me too, but even living SW of you a bit, I have seen high teens here. We should be seeing high 20's to low 30's coming soon.


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## abomb (Dec 18, 2009)

If you use sand, how often do you have to change it out?


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## onedragon221 (Dec 18, 2009)

Hmm water heater jacket?  and its suppose the snow tonite but i really wanna try my hands on some ribs ;-)


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## chubbs (Dec 18, 2009)

a balmy 9 degrees when I woke this morning....just finished my garage vent to allow me to smoke inside.

Now I just open the back door of the garage. Remove the screen from the storm door. Insert blue insulation board and attach aluminum sections of pipe. The section of pipe coming off the MES is that stuff used with pellet stoves and is not just thin junk... the rest of the sections are thin stuff. It extends above my gutter...seems to work well in test smokes. Have a fan mounted on the insulation board to exhaust smoke if needed, like when i open the door.

I all so wrapped it up and insulated it. The thermometer seemed to read closer to my remote probe once it started maintaning...within 3 degrees.


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## raceyb (Dec 18, 2009)

They sell them at your hardware store. If you get one, spend some time before hand custom fitting it and making sure access door and vents are accessible.  They work well.  I haven;t had to use one since moving down here though.


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## raceyb (Dec 18, 2009)

Did you have to say that out loud?   LOL

BRRRR    I'm not even sure where my fleece and jackets are...


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## flash (Dec 18, 2009)

If you keep aluminum foil over it, I have use it for 4 or 5 smokes. The heat does make the sand fuse alittle to the pan, so make sure you loosen it if you need too and resupply some moisture to the sand so it is moist.


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## scpatterson (Dec 19, 2009)

Thought the purpoe in the water pan was to create moisture...Sand does not.Never used either myself.


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## pignit (Dec 19, 2009)

I don't use a water pan in the offset stick burner but I do in the gas vertical and the MES. I always use apple juice or a fruit punch and I do know that it will give the meat a slight flavor. I've always thought of it more of a heat sink and a way to disperse the heat a little more evenly in a smoker that has the heat source directly under the meat..... and it will help to retain the heat inside and decrease recovery time. I don't think it matters whether you use sand or water but I think the barrier between the heat source and the meat helps to distribute the heat more evenly and gives a place for the grease to accumulate without it catching on fire.


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## flash (Dec 19, 2009)

Not really. It is there for a heat sink, although it does provide alittle moisture, but that is not the main reason it is used. When using sand, if the humidity is low, I tend to spritz more, if the meats look dry.


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