I have never noticed that the drippings from my food give me any sort of "off taste". ... Basically any low and slow I use a small stainless bowl from the dollar store. Place the fish inside the smoker and refer the equipment manufacturers instructions to check as to how to secure the fish inside the smoker. If you use a smoker like a Weber Smokey Mountain (which you can learn more about in our review), your water pan will be directly below the meat, and directly above the charcoal. You do these at your own risk! Boiling hot water and/or steam has the potential to cause serious injury if the water pan is filled in an unsafe manner or if the pan falls into the hot coals during use. When Using Water In The Pan, don’t foil the inside of the pan. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The water pan in the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker serves two purposes: Many people feel that cooking over indirect heat is essential to making good barbecue. If it's cold outside, you can add hot or boiling water to the pan, and that will help the smoker come up to temperature quicker. The first reason you'd want a water pan for your smoker is HEAT SYNC. For longer cooks, check the pan and replenish the water every 3-4 hours. If you like what These include: Despite these things, I still believe that the advantages of using water outweigh the disadvantages for new WSM users trying to maintain “low & slow” cooker temps in the 225-275°F range. Location Of Pan In The Smoker. I've smoked with and without a water pan. This eliminates the need to scrub off the smoke build-up that occurs on the bottom of the pan. Assuming you don’t over-smoke the turkey, the drippings will be perfect for making gravy. Here’s how to safely use water in the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. Try one of these: One of the complaints people have about using water is having to dispose of the water/grease mixture and washing the pan after use. It doesn't get crazy hot but does in fact create moisture as it steams and evaporates. The pan catches the drippings that would otherwise hit the coals and flare up to create the taste that some people associate with grilled meat, not barbecued meat. You may wish to rotate items between the top and bottom grates to prevent overcooking. Two disposal aluminum serving pans stacked together filled with water. When filling the pan, make sure to keep the water level below the foil. How do I get the most out of my smoker water pan?Is it not cool to put barbecue sauce (or any other kind of sauce) on meat that's cooked in the smoker? Stand back from the cooker and wear long barbecue gloves to protect your arms. I use the water pan for most of my barbecuing, sometimes filled with water, sometimes empty. Fill it once at the beginning and you’re done. As you remove the turkey from the cooker, pour any accumulated juices inside the body cavity into the pan. Smokers have a water pan included, but grills generally do not. I'm doing then save this link and use it every time you go to Amazon. To achieve cooker temperatures in the 325-375°F range, you must leave the water pan empty. The water pan sits in the center section of the smoker, or on the grate opposite the meat in a grill. I just put it on the smoking grate. Most barbecuing in the Weber smoker is done with the water pan in place. I've slipped up a few times and didn't catch it in time (alcohol may have been involved) and the temp inside reached above 400. The shape, size, and capacity of the water pan varies for each Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker model. So, my recommendation is to never foil the inside of the water pan when using water. Using Hot Water Vs. I just put it in the bottom of the cooking chamber. Cold Water In The Pan, How Often To Check And Refill The Water Pan, Disposing Of Water/Grease And Pan Cleanup, Foiling The Pan To Collect Drippings For Turkey Gravy. There are as many opinions about this subject as there are WSM owners, and there is no absolute right or wrong answer. As you might expect, using the Weber Bullet as a steamer never caught on. In most cases it’s fine to use cold water in the pan, regardless of whether you’re lighting the smoker using the Standard Method or the Minion Method. It’s OK to use water every time you cook with your WSM. Creative Weber smoker owners have tried almost everything as an alternative to water in the pan or even as an alternative to the pan itself. by Jason Near the side where the smoke comes in. When Using An Empty Pan, also wrap the inside with foil. If using a charcoal grill or charcoal/wood smoker, this pan would be placed above the coal area. My smoker came with a water/marinade pan. If you like the results and you’re comfortable with the process, don’t feel like you have to change anything. Some experts go so far as to say that the water vapor “bastes” the meat, cooling it through surface evaporation. Simply click here to return to, Return to Home Page from Smoker Water Pan Question, Replacement Stainless Steel Grills & Cooking Grates. Without the water pan, you won't get as much vapor, which helps to evenly cook your meat and vegetables. As a new owner, your most important objective is to get some success under your belt and feel confident in controlling cooker temperature.