Can you use too much moisture in a smoker

[herman mack]

Been doing pretty good learning to smoke but my smoker makes lots of moisture while cooking.when cooking butts they look right taste great but seem too moist am I crazy. Also when smoking chicken do you guys use water pans? Thanks

 

[Ol'Joe]

butts are usually pretty moist even with no water pan, I'll cook chicken at about 325, with no water, to get an edible skin.

 

[toymaster]

What kind of smoker are you using?

 

[pjtexas1]

Are you wrapping the butts? If so, might let them go a little longer before wrapping. Moisture is good unless you are talking about the bark. You don't want soggy bark.

 

[jasonjax]

Not sure what cooker you have, but why not remove the water pan and cook a test cook without it and see?

 

[pjtexas1]

How are you testing for doneness? Mushy pulled pork could be overcooked.

 

[herman mack]

Thanks for the help

 

[herman mack]

Im using a digital temp probe and taking it to 200 without wrapping

 

[herman mack]

Im not wrapping and taking it to 200 on a digital prob bark looks good and not soggy everyone says its good. But one guy told me that was the moistest BBQ he ever ate and I was already thinking it seemed too moist

 

[herman mack]

Im using a gas UGD that I built trying to show a picture but cant figure out how yet

 

[pjtexas1]

Im not wrapping and taking it to 200 on a digital prob bark looks good and not soggy everyone says its good. But one guy told me that was the moistest BBQ he ever ate and I was already thinking it seemed too moist

Seems like you are your own worst critic like most of us.:crazy: If the butt is bone in try cooking until the bone wiggles free instead of going by internal temp. If that is still too moist for your liking you could pull it when the bone is still a little attached and work your way backwards on each butt until you find what you like.

 

[herman mack]

You may be right. I may just be getting side tracked do you use a water pan through the total cook time?

 

[YetiDave]

I've never found any benefit to water pans etc

 

[pjtexas1]

I don't use a water pan in any of my cookers. Not even the ones designed to use water. I don't notice any difference. It helps me run hotter and I am too lazy to want to mess with the extra cleanup.

 

[Untraceable]

Almost impossible to get more moisture in a pit than a reverse flow vertical like Humphreys/Backwoods.

Plenty of great finishes with these pits.

Personally, I dont think the water makes the difference you would think. but they sure do regulate temps well.

 

[YetiDave]

I don't use a water pan in any of my cookers. Not even the ones designed to use water. I don't notice any difference. It helps me run hotter and I am too lazy to want to mess with the extra cleanup.

^ With you all the way :thumb:

 

[Bludawg]

You 're supposed to put water in there and to think I've been doing it wrong for 3 decades:drama:

 

[herman mack]

I will try running it without less hassle would be great Thanks for the reply

 

[Tom Sellecks Mustache]

The only thing I ever noticed with the water pan was that it helped keep the temp regulated a little better. It wasn't the it kept it cooler or ran it hotter, just that I didn't get the same swings in temp. At least, that's the experience I've had with my smoker.

 

[DaveAlvarado]

What is this "too moist" you speak of?