# Water Pan Question



## ddog27 (Feb 18, 2007)

Here is a question I thought all of us could discuss. This is for those of us who use a water pan in our smokers. I have watched on the food network where people put apple juice in their water pan. I have talked to people who put pineapple juice in their water pan. People put almost any liquid imaginable in their water pan.

My question is does it really matter what you put in your water pan? Does it add any flavor to what you are cooking?

Let me know what you guys think and why.


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## Captain Morgan (Feb 18, 2007)

I think it makes a nice aroma around the smoker.  Can't tell a difference
in the meat.

Which is why I don't  get q tips from Food Network.  A lot of other tips, but for q info, I come here.


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Feb 18, 2007)

Save the apple juice for the spray.


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## Greg Rempe (Feb 18, 2007)

It won't make any difference...also, I am not a subscriber to the fact that the water pan makes the meat moist because of evaporation...its a heat sink and that's it!


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## LarryWolfe (Feb 18, 2007)

I agree with pretty much everything already said.  Years ago I added evertyhing imaginable to the water pan and never noticed any flavor or moisture difference.


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## Nick Prochilo (Feb 18, 2007)

Greg hit it right, it's only a heat sink.


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## Steve McMurtry (Feb 18, 2007)

Want flavour, inject!


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## Oz (Feb 19, 2007)

I agree, heat sink only.  Plenty of moisture in my cooker with no water pan.


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## wittdog (Feb 19, 2007)

I'm a sand in the pan convert....


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## 007bond-jb (Feb 19, 2007)

Heat sink & auto temp. controler, no flavor comes from the water pan additives in the meat. However you can use the water with drippins for a smokey gravy base


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## Uncle Al (Feb 19, 2007)

We used to put wine in the hookah too... but never could tell if it added any flavor difference. 

Al


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## Nick Prochilo (Feb 19, 2007)

Uncle Al said:
			
		

> We used to put wine in the hookah too... but never could tell if it added any flavor difference.
> 
> Al



You would have been better off drinking the wine with water in the pan!


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## LarryWolfe (Feb 19, 2007)

Greg Rempe said:
			
		

> It won't make any difference...also, I am not a subscriber to the fact that the water pan makes the meat moist because of evaporation...its a heat sink and that's it!



It's only a heat sink in the beginning or when you refill and that's only if you fill it with cold water.  For anyone that wants to use water, fill it with either boiling water or water out of your coffee pot.


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## kickassbbq (Feb 19, 2007)

*What?*

If I had a water pan in my Lang, it would have to be large enough to bathe in.
Never could tell the difference in having a water pan in my other smokers.  Quit using them YEARS ago.
The meat don't know the difference.  Waste of time and makes a mess.
PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Smoke On!!!!!


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## Finney (Feb 22, 2007)

Hey Brad,
Welcome to the forum.  And way to jump right in there.
I for one won't argue with you on what you said... I'm one of the people that would be on your side.

But............ I quit arguing _this_ point with these guys long ago.

Have fun, dig in your heels, and make us all proud.   


*"viva le difference"*  :roll:


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## Greg Rempe (Feb 22, 2007)

Brad...I'm guessing you aren't going to be using the WSM to cook bacon a lot to get that drastic difference you point out.  On 30#'s of pork or brisket it ain't gonna make a big difference.

Moreover, I defy anyone to be able to tell a difference between a butt cooked w/ sand in the pan and one with water in the pan...it's a heat sink...otherwise it would have been left out of the whole smoker scheme deal...or not  

I just used the word "Moreover"...


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## Nick Prochilo (Feb 22, 2007)

God help me, I have to agree with Greg again!


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## Finney (Feb 22, 2007)

Look at Rempe "Man-ing Up".


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## Finney (Feb 22, 2007)

Greg Rempe said:
			
		

> *it's a heat sink...otherwise it would have been left out of the whole smoker scheme*



How does this statement make any sense in your head?  :?


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## ddog27 (Feb 22, 2007)

Greg Rempe said:
			
		

> Brad...I'm guessing you aren't going to be using the WSM to cook bacon a lot to get that drastic difference you point out.  On 30#'s of pork or brisket it ain't gonna make a big difference.
> 
> Moreover, I defy anyone to be able to tell a difference between a butt cooked w/ sand in the pan and one with water in the pan...it's a heat sink...otherwise it would have been left out of the whole smoker scheme...or not
> 
> I just used the word "Moreover"...




Your "Moreover" jones makes me all kabookied out on the deal!


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## Greg Rempe (Feb 23, 2007)

Finney said:
			
		

> Greg Rempe said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It's put there to keep the temps down on purpose...if they didn't want the temps to stay low they wouldn't have put it in.  Of course, I'm sure that doesn't make sense to you either Finney.

Again, I'm not saying that it isn't putting moisture in the chamber...but it is minimal at best!


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## Finney (Feb 23, 2007)

Greg Rempe said:
			
		

> Finney said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It's put there to keep the temps down on purpose...if they didn't want the temps to stay low they wouldn't have put it in.  Of course, I'm sure that doesn't make sense to you either Finney.[/quote:1ws1wz1s]


So, it couldn't be in there because they thought it would provide a moister environment?  
Or, it couldn't be in there because they thought that if you put a flavorfull liquid, or aromatics in the water it would help flavor the meat?

I will agree that it is a heat sink.  But it is also a temperature stabilizer (because the hot liquid helps keep temps up as your coals are dying).    
I disagree that it doesn't add moisture to the cooker or that it won't afford the opportunity to add more flavor to your cook.

I also agree with your earlier statment that a WSM full of butts doesn't really need more moisture.  Once the meat gets hot enough there will be moisture in there.
Some things will benefit from having water in the pan more than other things will.

Cook how you want, sand, water, foil, emty pan, etc...  I don't care.  
I'm just saying that it's not "cut-and-dried" that it is only a heat sink.


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## Nick Prochilo (Feb 23, 2007)

Oh boy, the disagreeable list keeps growing and growing! How about a list of things we can disagree on?


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## Greg Rempe (Feb 23, 2007)

I didn't say that it didn't add moisture...just that it was negligible at best.  Difference being that it is talked about as if there is a steamy jungle in there and that just isn't the case.  

Heat sink/stabilizer....semantics...I didn't say stabilizer because I figured that was a given but I guess not...so yes, it does act as a stabilizer as well. :roll: 

I don't think Weber thought about that pan as a vehicle to provide additional flavor...that would be foolish!

I'm not deterring anyone from cooking how they want to...but the thread is about opinions on the water pan...that's all.


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## wittdog (Feb 23, 2007)

It makes a difference..which is why I now prefer sand....


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## SoEzzy (Feb 23, 2007)

Finney said:
			
		

> Cook how you want, sand, water, foil, emty pan, etc...  I don't care.
> I'm just saying that it's not "cut-and-dried" that it is only a heat sink.



Other things that make it less cut and dried for me are: -

1) They call it a _Water pan_, they don't call it a sand pan, or a foil pan or an empty pan! It only becomes a dried water pan if you don't put more water in! 

2) If they didn't think it was useful or needed by the average consumer, they wouldn't add it in to the build, as it costs them time and money to produce, if they thought they could get away without it they would remove it. 

Ergo (Latin word for therefore)!

3) They must think that it is needed, whether as a heat sink or for moisture, as they still do put them in the box, and then the ask you to refill it on long cooks after the 4 - 5 hour mark. 

Now don't get me wrong I am not defending it blindly, I have cooked with an empty pan and I have cooked with a foiled pan, as well as with water and sand and other liquids, (the other liquids verses water, didn't do as much for flavor as I would have liked so I dicontinued other flavors, and went back to plain water), but unless I am aiming for a higher temperature cook, the pan goes in and most of the time it is filled with water.


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## LarryWolfe (Feb 23, 2007)

A water pan is only a heat sink in the beginning of the cook "if you start with cold water".  Once the water starts boiling it starts evaporating thus reducing the amount of so called "heat sink" you think you're getting.  Which will gradually rasie your temperatures as the amount of water reduces.  Water is only a temperature stabilizer and that's really only when it's full and boiling.  Subsquently, unless you continue to add boiling water evertyime you refill you are slowing the progress of your cook down due to the raising and lowing of temperature due to the water replentishment process. 

In my opinion no meat cooked in the WSM will benefit from using water.  If you want a reliable heat stabilizer, use sand.


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## LarryWolfe (Feb 23, 2007)

wittdog said:
			
		

> It makes a difference..which is why I now prefer sand....



Ditto!


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## Nick Prochilo (Feb 23, 2007)

Again, we can all agree to disagree. Do what ever works for you. If you think it adds moisture to your meat, then it does. If you think aromatics add flavor to your meats, then it does. If you like sand over water, great!


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## Greg Rempe (Feb 23, 2007)

Nick Prochilo said:
			
		

> Again, we can all agree to disagree. Do what ever works for you. *If you think it adds moisture to your meat, then it does. If **you think aromatics add flavor to your meats, then it does*. If you like sand over water, great!



Not directed at you Nick as we seem to be on the same page here but...No...that part is wrong.  It is not adding moisture to the meat and putting onions, garlic and grape juice in the water pan isn't adding flavor either.  If it did then the comp folks would be doing it ALL THE TIME instead of injecting!

Yes, moisture is in the air do to evaporation...no, it is not making your cut of meat juicer because the water is evaporating...it is a stabilizer and initially a sink....that's it!

I'm really not wrong on this and would be happy to prove that if I loaded a cooker full of butts and did one with sand, one with water and the other with wine, grapes, onions garlic and whatever else you want to stick in the water pan that you wouldn't be able to tell a difference between the three!

All that bring said...do it the way you like to do it!   8)


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## Bruce B (Feb 23, 2007)

Greg Rempe said:
			
		

> [quote="Nick Prochilo":ybf5m05u]Again, we can all agree to disagree. Do what ever works for you. *If you think it adds moisture to your meat, then it does. If **you think aromatics add flavor to your meats, then it does*. If you like sand over water, great!



Not directed at you Nick as we seem to be on the same page here but...No...that part is wrong.  It is not adding moisture to the meat and putting onions, garlic and grape juice in the water pan isn't adding flavor either.  If it did then the comp folks would be doing it ALL THE TIME instead of injecting!

Yes, moisture is in the air do to evaporation...no, it is not making your cut of meat juicer because the water is evaporating...it is a stabilizer and initially a sink....that's it!

I'm really not wrong on this and would be happy to prove that if I loaded a cooker full of butts and did one with sand, one with water and the other with wine, grapes, onions garlic and whatever else you want to stick in the water pan that you wouldn't be able to tell a difference between the three!

All that bring said...*do it the way you like to do it!*   8)[/quote:ybf5m05u]

I think that was Nick's point!!!!


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## Greg Rempe (Feb 23, 2007)

That was me being political...after making sure that my point was made.  I have to keep people happy! 8) 

However, that doesn't change the fact that I am right!


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## Nick Prochilo (Feb 23, 2007)

Bruce B said:
			
		

> [quote="Greg Rempe":2qwufyfb][quote="Nick Prochilo":2qwufyfb]Again, we can all agree to disagree. Do what ever works for you. *If you think it adds moisture to your meat, then it does. If **you think aromatics add flavor to your meats, then it does*. If you like sand over water, great!



Not directed at you Nick as we seem to be on the same page here but...No...that part is wrong.  It is not adding moisture to the meat and putting onions, garlic and grape juice in the water pan isn't adding flavor either.  If it did then the comp folks would be doing it ALL THE TIME instead of injecting!

Yes, moisture is in the air do to evaporation...no, it is not making your cut of meat juicer because the water is evaporating...it is a stabilizer and initially a sink....that's it!

I'm really not wrong on this and would be happy to prove that if I loaded a cooker full of butts and did one with sand, one with water and the other with wine, grapes, onions garlic and whatever else you want to stick in the water pan that you wouldn't be able to tell a difference between the three!

All that bring said...*do it the way you like to do it!*   8)[/quote:2qwufyfb]

I think that was Nick's point!!!![/quote:2qwufyfb]

Thanks Bruce, that's exactly what I meant! Man, that Greg likes to hear himself talk!


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## Pigs On The Wing BBQ (Feb 23, 2007)

I have quartered about five pounds of huge onions and tossed them on live coals cooking butts direct. the smell is fantastic. Does it make the butts better? I think not, but it does drive customers to my pit when vending. Get them by the nose and they will buy every time.


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## jminion1 (Feb 23, 2007)

The waterpan serves two functions, stabilize pits temps at the lower pit temps and makes your cooker and indirect cooker.

Moisture a cooker does insure moist meat the meat does absorb moisture any more that meat absorbs smoke. If meat absorbs water from the air if it did then at some point the meat would weight more than the starting weight and you will find that it is not the case.

Jim


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## Nick Prochilo (Feb 23, 2007)

Well that settles it for me! Thanks Jim, Cappy did a great job inventing you!


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## Greg Rempe (Feb 23, 2007)

I said the same thing that Jim said...Now, _*WE *_are both right!


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