# Switching from Water to Sand



## crusty ol salt (Aug 26, 2008)

Okay folks i have been pondering the switch from water to sand.  My question is do you season sand like you do a new smoker to eliminate any impurities?  Do you wash it?  The play sand at Lowes has set out in the garden center for who knows how long...  this may all be just a mid afternoon random though and ramble about nothing.  I do appreciate your input greatly.


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## richtee (Aug 26, 2008)

Hmmm if the cat's been in it..or you notice alge/mold on the bag interior...wash it and dry it. If it's dry and fine... pour it in as winter is coming baybay!


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## jminion (Aug 26, 2008)

If you buy the sand from Lowes you  need do nothing except only fill the pan about 3/4's full and cover with HD foil. Watch your pit temps on the way up and close air supply some as you get close to your target pit temp.


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## ga84gw (Aug 26, 2008)

Not to hijack this thread but I have a smoker like the Brinkmann South Fork with the offset firebox, horizontal chamber and vertical chamber.  I have been putting the meat in the vertical chamber so where would I put a water/sand pan?  Is the water/sand typically used to keep temps down or to just hold the temp steady?


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## travcoman45 (Aug 26, 2008)

An why are yall removin yer water?  Ifin yer lookin fer some thermal mass, add a couple 3 bricks in the unit.  I would keep the water ta hep maintain the humidity in the cooker myself.  Keep that humidity up an yer meat is gonna loose less moisture.  Just my two coppers worth.


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## sumosmoke (Aug 27, 2008)

I agree with Tip.


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## thom emery (Aug 27, 2008)

We are now using River Rocks in our water pans


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## jminion (Aug 27, 2008)

using sand in a water would be in a WSM style cooker not useful in an offset and other style cookers.

I don't hold with moisture in a cooker helps keep bbq moist, it is the connective tissue breaking down releasing it's moisture that produces is the moisture we are looking for.


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## richtee (Aug 27, 2008)

When ya live in the northern climes... mopping replaces water pan moisture, and sand replaces water pan heat moderation. Realize that moisture only prevents excessive drying of the meat surface. More important with the thinner/smaller cuts. But mopping IMO...helps them all


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## walking dude (Aug 27, 2008)

i agree with tip.........i have done sand, river rocks, etc..............and i am now back to water............so my mind is made up.........


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## davenh (Aug 27, 2008)

I also tried the switch and went back to water in my MES.


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## richtee (Aug 27, 2008)

Do not disagree. But you miss the point of water moderating temps. And SOMETIMES that makes a difference in a cold north wind.


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## smokin' dick (Aug 27, 2008)

Flower pot base in the water pan. Foil it. Effective,neater, easier clean up, and lighter weight. Like Rich says, mop for moisture.


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## flash (Aug 27, 2008)

This is true, if you need the humidity. In Florida, you do not. As long as you have 80% humidity you do not need any water in your smoker. I actually only use Sand during the cold months, due to it keeping a higher and more constant temp in the smoker. Remember water does supply some moisture, though very little, but is really there for temperture control.
Use the playbox sand from Home Depot or Wal-mart. I don't season my water, so no need to season your sand.


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## crusty ol salt (Aug 27, 2008)

Just like flash, here in coastal virginia the humidity is normally high. The reason I was wondering about seasoning the sand is most sand from lowes and the home depot are stored in the garden center. I know it should be ok but somewhere in the back of my mind I wonder what chemical cocktail could it be exposed to. Maybe am to extreme but I washed the sand and raked as I put it into the grand kid's sandbox. As far as the sand and water comparison I know the safe guards at the water treatment plant, I have no clue to the quality control at the sand bagging facility 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






It is a great discussion and it is very interesting to read everyones point of view.


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## flash (Aug 27, 2008)

Crusty if you do need some moisture while using sand, especially during the cooler months, just use a spritzer. I like apple juice/apple cider vinegar.
 Don't forget to cover the sand with a sheet of aluminum foil. I've actually reused the sand by adding alittle water to it to return it to the original consistency.


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## justsmoke2 (Aug 28, 2008)

Crusty experiment and see what you like.  Your still going to produce good food no matter what.  Just remember there are all sorts of smokers out there and not all of them require water.  Personnally I use crumbled up foil in my pan and cover with foil to catch the drippings.  No specific reason for doing that way, it just works for me.  If you do use sand becareful you can over use it and it will turn hard on you.


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## flash (Aug 28, 2008)

True dat 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 I have one pan that I had to use a hammer and chisel to free it of a ring of sand. Still it doesn't really cause that much of a problem. Remember water will eventually rust the pan thru.  I do like the consistency from using sand. As water evaporates temps will fluctuate and are terrible to control during winter months, still during the summer months, I have water in the pan more than sand.


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## crusty ol salt (Aug 28, 2008)

I think that is part of the fun of this new adventure, is finding out what works for me.  what is the personality of my smokers.  How do they react in the wind and rain.  How do i react and over come.  

Part of me reasoning for changing over to sand is i was not developing the dark rich bark i wanted.  

i have up the sugar content in my rubs but i think the humidity is also having some affect on the outcome.

Here is my current plan.  Smoke it, eat it, evaluate it.  If need be back to the drawing board (includes input from SMF).  Tweak it adjust it and back to the smoker.

This could be a never ending cycle of "looking for smoking perfection".
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Now i know that smoke has never actually happened because there is no pics.  I promise they are coming soon.


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## crusty ol salt (Sep 1, 2008)

Smoked 2 butts today and I loved the results using sand. I will be posted q-view under pork with the title "labor day - 2 butts". Again thank you all for your input.


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## abelman (Sep 1, 2008)

Glad it worked out. I use sand in the colder months here in Colorado to keep up the temps. I use water in the warmer months. 

Flash was the one who taught me that one, and I appreciate it as it saved me a ton of grief when there is snow on the ground and it's below freezing.

A little water in the sand seems to help the humidity in the smoker as well.


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## morkdach (Sep 1, 2008)

here in kansas stay with water


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## richtee (Sep 1, 2008)

Yep... good call Able!


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## ddave (Sep 1, 2008)

I respectfully disagree.  I think there is a HUGE advantage in using a sand pan in an offset if only for thermal mass as Tip describes.  It sure helps even out the temps on the chimney side in my SnP.  But I think I may need a water pan closer to the firebox to help with humidity as well.

Dave


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## pinkmeat (Sep 2, 2008)

Where exactly do you place the sand? On the cooking surface, or under?


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## crusty ol salt (Sep 2, 2008)

I just looked at the stats on weather.com, it almost 10:00pm here in portsmouth, va and the  temp is 70 degrees and humidity is 72%. When I use a water pan the boil-off saturates the air to 100% humidity. I really believe I was doing just as much steaming of my food as I was smoking it. My bark was soggy, my rub turned to paste it was bad. Today as I unwrapped my finished butts i still had a cup of the most wonderful juice in the bottom of the foil. I think i will try this a couple more times to see if i can reproduce the results.


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## pinkmeat (Sep 2, 2008)

Huh, I'm in Lynchburg, not too far from you. My butt was swimming in about 1.5" of juice when I unwrapped it....most juice I have ever had to date.

I have noticed on ribs more than anything that sometimes when I begin to foil, the rub hasn't setup and can smear if I grab the racks with tongs. Maybe something to think about....


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## crusty ol salt (Sep 2, 2008)

i think it is all part of the learning curve and the adventure. i think there is substance to both sides of this coin. I just finished looking at the downloadable cooking log they have a weather block on there maybe i should start using it.


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## bbq bubba (Sep 2, 2008)

Where the heck are you going to put the meat???


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## bishop916 (Sep 2, 2008)

Re; sand in the offset, I added bricks to my chamber, and the temp stability has been greatly improved. If sand is comparable, I'd recommend it.


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## ddave (Sep 3, 2008)

I put the sand pan on the tuning plates underneath the cooking surface.



On the racks above the tuning plates.

Dave


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## jaynik (Sep 3, 2008)

Use sand or the piedmont water pan method.  IMHO, you're wasting your time and energy with water. I don't believe the moisture from the steam you're creating will significantly impact the moisture of your meats.

That said, it's your smoker.  Use it how you want.  I've been water-free for over a year and it's so much less messy and aggravating.


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## ddave (Sep 3, 2008)

Actually here is a picture of the sand pan placement.



The problem I think is that since it is a tall roasting pan, the surface of the hot sand is only about 2-1/2 inches from the meat. I think that is why the meat is cooking dryer.

Am thinking of trying this . . .



and using 2 smaller pans of sand for thermal mass and a water pan against the firebox end for moisture.

Dave


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