water and smokers?

[smokinwelder]

I was talking to a friend the other day and he said my smoker would be better if I had a water something? I have no idea. Maybe a pan, tray, or mister? Does this ring a bell to your guys?

[Pete Mazz]

I prefer beer and smokers!

I always use a water pan but I go vertical.

[The Czar]

Yep....beer and smokers.....that should be dipped in gold....

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[Rodcrafter]

I've used a water pan for a while, but I don't anymore, I'm convinced at this point that meat being a muscle doesn't absorb moisture from the smoking environment. It is made known by this fact the meat "dries out" while cooking is evident that the moisture is coming out of it not going into the meat. I've also noticed that the water pan causes the temp to go up and down according to how much water is left in the pan. Also that the water pan becomes a "heat sink" requiring as much fuel to heat it as is needed to cook the meat. So I don't use one any more, I may spray something on the surface of the meat if it appears the surface is going to dry out too much, but I know it is not getting inside it.

jm2cw

[alleyrat58]

Yeah scrap the water pan unless it serves a functional purpose as a heat sink like in backwoods or in WSM. Even on those models many users fill their water pans with sand or some other substrate instead of water. When Frank reads this he will have a bunch of math and atmospheric pressures and BTUs and such to prove that water pans are useless, but I'm not going there.

In my RF I spray the meat with water more for the purpose of helping the rub dissolve, not to add moisture. In my Chuterdoo I use no spray because that thing makes its own water and the rub dissolves nicely on its own. If your meat needs moisture more than likely you need to foil it part way through the cook and allow an appropriate amount of rest. Rest is crucial to keep meat moist after cooking.

I can't say water cookers are all bogus since guys like Myron Mixon use them with immense success, but I will say that I personally don't find them useful.

[Smokeone]