Water Pan In a Drum.

Wesman61 · Jul 26, 2016

I'm planning to smoke a couple of butts tomorrow in my drum. It doesn't seem to need a water pan for moisture but I find that I'm not crazy about the taste of the meat when the grease drips on the coals. Does anyone use a water pan in a drum for this reason?

troy64 · Jul 26, 2016

So far in my new WSM I have only used the water pan as a catch basin lol. I foil it for clean up. But I have to admit I'm not crazy about the taste so far. It seems a bit strong (smoke) flavor wise. I'm wondering if the water pan might mellow out the smoke a little. I know it will add moisture but I've read more that use it only for catching than watering lol.

mcyork28 · Jul 26, 2016

I have been using one lately with pretty good results. Just give it a try and see if you like the results.

Teleking · Jul 26, 2016

Wesman61 said:
I'm planning to smoke a couple of butts tomorrow in my drum. It doesn't seem to need a water pan for moisture but I find that I'm not crazy about the taste of the meat when the grease drips on the coals. Does anyone use a water pan in a drum for this reason?

The very reason I use one. SWMBO doesn't like the grease smoke. I don't mind it but you know how that goes.

AussieMatt · Jul 27, 2016

I use a pizza pan with holes drilled all over it. There's some drippings get through but nowhere near as much as no pan. I actually use mine more for even temps side to side than catching the drippings.

Just be aware that if you run a pan with water in it, you've introduced a heat soak and you'll burn more charcoal to cook.

KevinJ · Jul 27, 2016

Wes if you have a 2nd grate just put a pan underneath them to catch the drippings. I cook on a WSM and don't use the water pan but have replaced it with a clay saucer to use as a diffuser and catch drippings.

tbrtt1 · Jul 27, 2016

I use a pan in my UDS to avoid the grease fog taste. No water in it. Just make sure it is not too wide to impede or adversely affect airflow. This allows the amount of smoke flavor to be controlled by the wood chunks.

pitbossJB · Jul 27, 2016

Yep, I always use one, it does take longer to heat up.

thunderalley3 · Jul 27, 2016

I lay a ceramic floor tile over my fire basket to keep the drips from hitting the flames and to disperse the heat, seems to work great

Wesman61 · Jul 27, 2016

I have a Gateway Drum. It has three shelf settings and i have the heat diffuser plate. Even with the diffuser plate I get the burnt grease taste. Today's cook will just be experimental. I have been trying to tame my craving for a larger offset. My current offset has a cook area of 19.5"x 20". I prefer the results I get from the offset but want more capacity. I want to see how closely I can get to that taste with my drum. If I can get close enough I'll have an easier time talking myself out of buying a new offset.

Wesman61 · Jul 27, 2016

Amazing what a difference a water pan makes. It's taking a lot longer. Usually I can smoke a butt in 7 hours at 275°. I'm 7 hours in and the IT is 153°.

LTG · Jul 27, 2016

Are you foiling after a couple of hours?

Wesman61 · Jul 27, 2016

LTG said:
Are you foiling after a couple of hours?

I foil beef, not usually butts though.

Steve S · Jul 28, 2016

I saw a tip from Harry Wu (sp?) About setting up the WS water pan with foil and leave out the water. I added a couple of pounds of sand and double foiled. The sand seems to help with stabilizing the temp and the double layer of foil makes for easy cleanup. The lack of water seems to give me better bark on meats.

aawa · Jul 28, 2016

In my UDS, I never use a water pan. I have found that the environment here + the meat make the UDS fine on humidity levels.

For butts and briskets I don't ever use a fat catcher. I typically will let them sit on the pit for 4-5 hours (once the bark is set and the color is good), then wrap. I love the sizzled fat flavor on the meat, but it can be overbearing if you don't wrap your meats.

For poultry and ribs, I will use a fat catcher (normally just foil on my 2nd rack). I don't like the flavor of the sizzled meat on poultry or ribs. I will always use a fat catcher and also I do wrap if the color starts getting too dark.

tbrtt1 · Jul 28, 2016

Without a pan to catch he drippings, you are at the mercy of how much fat and moisture is in the meat. In other words, if I cook only 1 or 2 racks of ribs the drippings are not as significant and therefore don't contribute a heavy grease fog taste. If there are 3 or more racks and some bird or a large butt or a brisket then there is going to be more drippings and hence more of that grease fog. A little grease fog can enhance the smoke flavor but too much is overbearing.

I prefer consistency and predictability when I smoke, so I always use a pan without water to catch drippings. I control smoke flavor by the amount of wood chunks.

LTG · Jul 28, 2016

Wesman61 said:
I foil beef, not usually butts though.

Start foiling once you like the color and your problem will be solved.

Wesman61 · Jul 28, 2016

I hadn't thought of foiling as a way to control dripping. Guess I'll try that next time. As far as yesterday's cook, my wife loved the pork butt but even using a water pan it still had the grease fog taste although much less so. I think I'm chasing a pipe dream trying to get an offset taste from anything besides an offset. Oh well, guess that means I need a larger, better offset. I hate when I have to get new bbq toys.

Water Pan In a Drum.

Wesman61

is Blowin Smoke!

troy64

Full Fledged Farker

mcyork28

Babbling Farker

Teleking

is Blowin Smoke!

AussieMatt

Babbling Farker

KevinJ

somebody shut me the fark up.

tbrtt1

Got Wood.

pitbossJB

is Blowin Smoke!

thunderalley3

Full Fledged Farker

Wesman61

is Blowin Smoke!

Wesman61

is Blowin Smoke!

LTG

Take a breath!

Wesman61

is Blowin Smoke!

Steve S

Take a breath!

aawa

Babbling Farker

tbrtt1

Got Wood.

LTG

Take a breath!

Wesman61

is Blowin Smoke!

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