# What do I do with the water dish on the WSM after cooking?



## LarryWolfe (Jun 10, 2005)

*Re: What do I do with the water dish on the WSM after cookin*



			
				Cruising said:
			
		

> Do I take the center ring over to the back end of the house and tip the whole thing over? How do you deal with the water bowl on the WSM when the cooking is done?
> 
> I didn't foil it this time. Is that a good idea to do each time?
> 
> Thanks



If you have an area AWAY from your house, dump it.  Or you will have critters visiting!    Otherwise, get an old drywall bucket w/the lid and dump it in there.  DO NOT foil the whole pan of water, it will boil over onto your coals.  You can foil the rim, but not the whole bowl.  Or you can just use sand.


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## Greg Rempe (Jun 10, 2005)

Cruising said:
			
		

> Do I carry the whole center piece of the wsm to the back to dump it?  I can't imagine lifting the bowl without spilling it.



Even with the whole center section you run the risk of a spill...let it cool down and pick it up or siphon some out.

I use sand in my water pan...clean up is easier (just take the foil off) and no need to replenish the water supply during really long cooks.  However, it is just my personal preference in doing that. :!:


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## Woodman1 (Jun 10, 2005)

Do what I did with all my grease over at Greg's house. Just dump it in the backyard!


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## Finney (Jun 10, 2005)

Wait until the liquid is cool and just lift the bowl out.  It won't be full at the end of the cook.  As for foiling, most say if using water to foil the out side of the pan and the rim.  If you buy the really wide and HD foil like they sale at Costco and Sam's, you can foil the inside without much worry of a hole which can cause problems.  Also get a Brinkman Charcoal pan to use as your water pan.  Only $4 at Bass Pro Shops.


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## Greg Rempe (Jun 10, 2005)

Cruising said:
			
		

> What is the purpose of foiling the outside? Is it cosmetic or does it affect the cooking?
> 
> If I never foil it, will the bowl last as long?



Foil it...drain water out and then throw away foil...DONE!  No mess in the water pan to contend with! :!:


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## Finney (Jun 10, 2005)

Cruising said:
			
		

> What is the purpose of foiling the outside? Is it cosmetic or does it affect the cooking?
> 
> If I never foil it, will the bowl last as long?


Foiling the outside isn't really needed.  I never did it until someone else told me to.  It just keeps the buildup from the fire coals off the bowl, not really a big deal.  I also foil the inside of the bowl foe easy cleanup.  As Greg said, pour out the liquid and throw away the foil.  Couldn't be much easier.


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## Finney (Jun 10, 2005)

Go to Lowes or HD and buy 'play sand'. it is supposed to be clean for kids to play in.  Alton Brown suggests putting it in the oven during the cleaning cycle to sanitize it.  
Using sand, line the pan with foil and add the sand leaving about 2" from the top of the pan.  Cover the sand with at least two layers of foil.  After your cook let the dripping on the foil cool and remove the foil that has grease on it.  Recover with foil.

One note:  If you use the upper and lower rack, radiant heat from the sand will make the bottom rack cook faster and hotter than the top rack.  Depending on what you are cooking you might want to swap meats from top to bottom half way through your cook.


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## Nick Prochilo (Jun 11, 2005)

If you get the sand like Chris said, just look for sanitized sand. It's sold in bags also and there won't be a need to "cook it" in the oven.. I just use water and dump it in the back corner of my yard. The critters come and clean up during the night.


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## Kloset BBQR (Jun 11, 2005)

Whatever you do, don't do what someone over at the WSM site suggested some time ago, "Can I make gravy with the drippings"?


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## Finney (Jun 11, 2005)

I'm still a water guy when I'm not using my Guru.  I've used sand, and keep sand handy if I decide to use it.  It has it's place in the arsenal.

You will note that MR. SAND (Larry) switched back and used water on his huge butt cook for todays party.  If asked, I'm sure his reasoning would be the higher temps at the lower grate with sand.  He wanted more even heat through out the cooker.


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## Nick Prochilo (Jun 11, 2005)

Kloset BBQR said:
			
		

> Whatever you do, don't do what someone over at the WSM site suggested some time ago, "Can I make gravy with the drippings"?



YUCK!


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## Greg Rempe (Jun 11, 2005)

it's the 15"er :!:


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## Finney (Jun 11, 2005)

Mr Rempe is correct. =D>


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