Ignoring the pan

[BB-Kuhn]

I've been cooking ribs every weekend this month on my smokenator setup. I got sick of the water pan routine - it seemed that sometimes I would wrestle with the temp for a while, it would get settled after 30-40 min of yo-yo action only to skyrocket 15-20 min later when the pan was dry. Open, fill, yo-yo and start over again.

So I've just been ignoring it and going without the water pan. I keep the temp around 265 (I like this a bit hotter for ribs anyway).

It still yo-yo's a bit, but no worse than before and now I can keep it closed, and that helps with temp control.

All in all I like it better. Easier, and it burns less fuel, since you aren't wasting it to a heat sink. Ribs are juicy either way.

[flbuckeye]

I use a loaf pan full of water in addition to the pan provided with the SN. From amazingribs.com...

Water pans. Water pans are not for making gravy. In my articles on the best setups for different grills and smokers, I advocate using a water pan under the meat or over the fire. Here's why:

1) Water in the pan absorbs heat and never rises above 212°F. This helps you keep the temp down to 225°F, a temp I recommend you learn to hit with regularity (read my article on calibration).

2) Water helps stabilize the temp in the cooker and minimize fluctuations because water temp takes longer to rise and fall than air.

3) A water pan can block direct flame when you need to cook with indirect heat.

4) Water vapor mixes with combustion gasses to improve the flavor.

5) Water vapor condenses on the meat and makes it "sticky" allowing more smoke to adhere.

6) The pan can add humidity to the atmosphere in the cooker to help keep the oven from drying out your food. This can vary significantly depending on the design of the cooker. If you place a water pan a few inches below the meat in a pellet cooker, the water does not get very hot, and it will have little effect. In an offset or bullet smoker, with the water pan directly above the coals, it can make a significant difference in how much water evaporates from within the meat and how moist the meat will be.

7) The humidity keeps the meat moister and that slows cooking as the moist surface evaporates and cools the meat. This allows more time for connective tissues and fats to melt.

Try to use only hot water. Cold water will cool your oven down a lot and should only be used if you are running hot and need to cool it down. And fill the pan to just below the lid so you don't have to keep opening the lid to refill. Put it above the hottest place in your cooker so more water will evaporate.