# xperiment



## wittdog (Jan 11, 2007)

I have a whole ham to smoke tomarrow and I was thinking about mixing things up a little.....I typically go with water in the WSM....but I was thinking about using sand.....or just crinkling up some Foil and doing it how the guru guys do it.....Any thoughts...


----------



## Greg Rempe (Jan 11, 2007)

You'll get the same effect with sand as you do water cept if you are cooking on the lower grate too it will be hotter there.  Other than that, not much of a difference.

I imagine foil will not "sink" the heat very well...guru is a different idea than doing it the regular way!


----------



## wittdog (Jan 11, 2007)

Greg Rempe said:
			
		

> You'll get the same effect with sand as you do water cept if you are cooking on the lower grate too it will be hotter there.  Other than that, not much of a difference.
> 
> I imagine foil will not "sink" the heat very well...guru is a different idea than doing it the regular way!


I'm thinking that becuase of the low temps (ambient air) that I might be able to get away with just foil...just thinking out lawd here...how much hotter will the lower grate be with the sand in the pan? Man you post something where you ask for opinions and you dont' get much of a response......You post something and you don't want opinions you get them


----------



## Bruce B (Jan 11, 2007)

Dave,

I have been using sand in the pan for almost 3 years now. I abandoned the regular WSM pan in place of the Brinkmann Charcoal Pan, I filled it 2/3 full of play sand, then I double foil it with HD Alum Foil.

There may be a slight difference in temps from top to bottom grate, but nothing that should cause you major concern. After switching 3 years ago I charted the temp differences during a butt cook and found at their highest a 23º difference at one point where the bottom grate was actually hotter than the top grate. Throughout vast majority of the cook the temps were within 5-10 degrees of each other.

Gerry Schatte, from the BBQ Forum, takes alum foil and rolls it into 3 or 4 baseball size balls and puts them into the pan, he then foils over the balls leaving a depression to catch any drippings. He uses neither sand or water and has had fine success with his method.

The method of the Piedmont Pan, which I will be using tonight, where you bolt two of the Brinkmann Pans together leaving a 1/2" space between them also works well.


----------



## Cliff H. (Jan 11, 2007)

When I get MY WSM I will be using sand.  Seems like tight quarters for all that humidity.


----------



## Bruce B (Jan 11, 2007)

Brian,

You're right and I didn't mention keeping an eye on his temps on the way up because I thought he already knew that. But you are right, the WSM will get up to temp quicker with sand than water.

You want see it get up to temp quick try using that Piedmont Pan mod, last time I was up to cooking temps in 20 minutes.


----------



## Bruce B (Jan 11, 2007)

If you are using the standard Weber pan it might. The Brinkmann pan sits lower whether you put water, sand or nothing in it.


----------



## Gary in VA (Jan 11, 2007)

brian j said:
			
		

> also there are people who say a dry environment creates better Q.



I completely agree with that statement.. I started out with a ECB and when I got my first small offset I thought I needed that water... until one day when i had to be gone for a couple of hours and decided not to put in a water pan (because I didnt want it going dry) ... so i never put water in during the cook... it was my best Q i had ever done (to that date).. so from then on I skipped the water.

My WSM arrives today... it most likely will never see water in the pan.

.... unless.. maybe... just maybe.. I may see some added benefit when doing a turkey....

that is my $.02


----------



## Finney (Jan 11, 2007)

I cook every way mentioned already depending on my mood, the food, and desired results.  I say unless you are using the lower rack, forget the pan all together. 

"I love the sound of melted fat hitting embers in the morning."   "It smells like...... BBQ."  :roll:


----------



## wittdog (Jan 11, 2007)

Finney said:
			
		

> I cook every way mentioned already depending on my mood, the food, and desired results.  I say unless you are using the lower rack, forget the pan all together.
> 
> "I love the sound of melted fat hitting embers in the morning."   "It smells like...... BBQ."  :roll:


doesn't that make clean up a pain?


----------



## Finney (Jan 11, 2007)

wittdog said:
			
		

> Finney said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Clean up?!?!?!?   What is this clean up you speak of? :roll:  "kidding"

It is a little more.  But think of tha ash as cat litter.  There's just some "clumps" in there.   I wouldn't do it with a full chuck roll in there because there is just too much grease in those bad boys.  Butts are fine though.   You can tell by listening when the magic is happening.


----------



## wittdog (Jan 11, 2007)

Sounds good...besides cleaning the pit is the mrs.job


----------



## cleglue (Jan 11, 2007)

I've only used sand since getting the WSM last spring.  It cooks great that way for me.


----------



## wittdog (Jan 11, 2007)

I'm thinking sand in the pan....starting it a 2 this afternoon...checking it before work....and then letting it ride overnight...and it will be done tomarrow morning....or....starting it tomarrow morning...I'm guessing that this ham should take about 16hrs..the ham is 16lbs....


----------



## Finney (Jan 11, 2007)

Fresh ham?  (I mean, not a cured ham)


----------



## wittdog (Jan 11, 2007)

Yes Fresh...


----------



## wittdog (Jan 11, 2007)

Ham all rubbed up and ready to go…I tweaked my rub this time it should be interesting to see what happens with the tweaking….



The Gator Clip I was telling BTGG about




Went with sand in the pan…and away we go…..


----------



## Finney (Jan 11, 2007)

I thought so, but wanted to make sure.  Sort of hard to find here except around Easter.


----------



## wittdog (Jan 11, 2007)

got it for .99lb


----------



## Puff1 (Jan 11, 2007)

I'm confused by the whole ham thing.
What exactly makes it a "whole ham"?
In the pic it looks like a butt.


----------



## K Kruger (Jan 11, 2007)

A ham is a rear leg of a pig. A fresh ham is one that has not been smoked or cured, i.e., it's raw.  If the shank end (the narrow end) is removed it's not actually 'whole'  but they are often sold this way. If a whole ham is cut roughly in half crosswise, then one is often labeled 'fresh ham shank end' and the other 'fresh ham, butt end', or something similar.


----------



## Puff1 (Jan 11, 2007)

Thanks  

Good luck Dog


----------



## wittdog (Jan 12, 2007)

5 am and the ham is done..resting now and I might just have a sammie for breakfast


----------



## wittdog (Jan 12, 2007)

I’ll be pulling it in a bit….had a sample tastes good…


----------



## john pen (Jan 12, 2007)

I get out of work at 8...that'll be 2 1/2 hours..ought to be rested enough by then to be served with some eggs, homefries and toast !

I can bring the mixings for bloody mary's (as long as you have vodka, worschester, celery salt, s and p, hot sauce and a little horseradish)..


----------



## Nick Prochilo (Jan 12, 2007)

Why not chow down on those double stuff oreo's while your waiting!


----------



## wittdog (Jan 12, 2007)

John I was thinking english muffins Hollandaise sauce and an egg....and I have all the fixings for bloody marys


----------



## Finney (Jan 12, 2007)

wittdog said:
			
		

> John I was thinking english muffins* holliday(sp)* sauce and an egg....and I have all the fixings for bloody marys



I took the* (sp)* as a cry for help.......    Hollandaise


----------



## wittdog (Jan 12, 2007)

Need to make some of Jacks sauce today


----------



## Woodman1 (Jan 12, 2007)

Try vaseline.........


----------



## wittdog (Jan 12, 2007)

Woodman said:
			
		

> Try vaseline.........


 [smilie=thefinger.gif]  [smilie=a_goodjobson.gif]


----------



## Uncle Bubba (Jan 12, 2007)

I'm going to cure the new pit with vaseline or maybe vagisil. [smilie=a_holyshit.gif]


----------



## Puff1 (Jan 12, 2007)

Looks good Dog.
Have a sammie for me


----------

