Anyone own a weber smokey mountain?

[passedpawn]

Here is my tip on the water pan.
1. Foil the water pan completely with HD foil.
2. Foil a 12" clay flower pot base completely with HD foil.
3. Place the foiled flower pot base inside the water pan.
4. Place a 12" disposable foil pizza pan inside the flower pot base.

Each cook toss out the foil pizza pan and replace with a new one.

This way you have a clean grease free cooker every time you smoke and you don't waste foil. I only refoil the works about 2 times per year.

Temps remain much more steady with the clay in there. This is especially important when it is windy.

I have never used water.

Haha, you don't waste foil but you throw the foil pan away each time?

I do not think the clay pot, sand, or any other material is useful in maintaining temps. Once it is heated up, what good could it possibly be? Water is understandable as it absorbs a lot of heat when vaporizing, and the 212F vapors fill the smoker and keep the temps down.

I'm smoking in mine right now. I have the water pan in there, but no water. I think this is the way I'll run mine from now on. Tomorrow I'll just dump the water pan/grease in the woods, hose it off quickly. Easy.

 

[rdarr40]

Haha, you don't waste foil but you throw the foil pan away each time?

I do not think the clay pot, sand, or any other material is useful in maintaining temps. Once it is heated up, what good could it possibly be? Water is understandable as it absorbs a lot of heat when vaporizing, and the 212F vapors fill the smoker and keep the temps down.

I'm smoking in mine right now. I have the water pan in there, but no water. I think this is the way I'll run mine from now on. Tomorrow I'll just dump the water pan/grease in the woods, hose it off quickly. Easy.

I suppose it is not as much about wasting foil but, the time it takes to do it. Plus, I do not like cooking each time with the burning grease vapors from the previous food.

We all do not live in Florida so, maintaining temps can be more of an issue in other climates. Specifically, I can maintain 225° consistently for more that 10 hours without refueling in < 40° conditions.

My opinion is that water is very messy to deal with and you have to continuously refill it during longer cooking sessions. If you use the Minion starting method then you don't need to worry about using water to keep temps down.

It is only my technique, I did not imply that it was the best way or the only way, it is just my way.

 

[bob1852]

I said the hell with the water pan. I couldn't get temps up on my second cook, so I dumped it out and had no issue with that.

I agree. I prefer to use my coals to cook food not heat water.

Just a foiled water pan for me and my 18" WSM...

 

[passedpawn]

I suppose it is not as much about wasting foil but, the time it takes to do it. Plus, I do not like cooking each time with the burning grease vapors from the previous food.

We all do not live in Florida so, maintaining temps can be more of an issue in other climates. Specifically, I can maintain 225° consistently for more that 10 hours without refueling in < 40° conditions.

My opinion is that water is very messy to deal with and you have to continuously refill it during longer cooking sessions. If you use the Minion starting method then you don't need to worry about using water to keep temps down.

It is only my technique, I did not imply that it was the best way or the only way, it is just my way.

Sorry, I came across as critical. I appreciate your comments. And you're right, I don't know what it's like to run a smoker in cold temps. I think about that a lot when smoking (and brewing). I do admire you guys that make it happen in the cold temps.

 

[JonM]

Yep, it's tricky in the cold weather. My gut feeling is that a couple pounds of sand becomes a 250* mass that can help to stabilize the temps if wind starts sucking the heat away. It's totally gut feeling/anecdotal, but in the cold, a combination of sand in the water pan and a wind break make it easy to maintain temps.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Have used the minion method on mine from the start. Haven't really used it when it was too cold, and never have had the need to use water or sand. Only once have I put anything in the water pan and that was stock and veggies for a turkey smoke to use in a stock/gravy.

 

[bob1852]

Yep, it's tricky in the cold weather. My gut feeling is that a couple pounds of sand becomes a 250* mass that can help to stabilize the temps if wind starts sucking the heat away. It's totally gut feeling/anecdotal, but in the cold, a combination of sand in the water pan and a wind break make it easy to maintain temps.

But you're using energy to get that sand bed up to 250*f.

I'd prefer to use that energy to cook meat.

 

[JonM]

It's really only a concern on subzero overnight cooks. Like I said, it's totally anecdotal, but I tried a cook with an empty water pan on a mildly brisk fall day, and couldn't get stable temps or even temps over 200, even with the use of the DigiQ. Pan full of sand, and I have no trouble maintaining temps even if it's 0* outside.

 

[NickTheGreat]

...I'm smoking in mine right now. I have the water pan in there, but no water. I think this is the way I'll run mine from now on. Tomorrow I'll just dump the water pan/grease in the woods, hose it off quickly. Easy.

I did that my first time, and it made a greasy nasty mess in the bowl. That's why I did the flower pot method, and cover each time with foil. Then after the thing cools and solidifies, I take the foil out and throw away. I got a 500' roll of foil from Sams for like $10.

 

[bob1852]

It's really only a concern on subzero overnight cooks. Like I said, it's totally anecdotal, but I tried a cook with an empty water pan on a mildly brisk fall day, and couldn't get stable temps or even temps over 200, even with the use of the DigiQ. Pan full of sand, and I have no trouble maintaining temps even if it's 0* outside.

Yeah, I understand, but I seem to have the opposite problem. In really cold weather if I have sand/water in the pan, I can't get it up to temps. Without sand/water, it'll get up to temps pretty quick, and haven't had a problem maintaining ~215-225 which is good for a long smoke.

 

[smileyak87]

I smoke a lot in -35 - 0 weather all winter long and during these times I just foil wrap the water bowl for easy cleanup and use the minion method and adjust temps by opening or closing side vents

 

[Darwin18]

This thread and the weber virtual bullet site have convinced me that I need, not want, a Weber Smokey Mountain. I just need to get some home repairs taken care of first and replace a couple of appliances, but I know what I'm asking for my birthday.

 

[passedpawn]

This thread and the weber virtual bullet site have convinced me that I need, not want, a Weber Smokey Mountain. I just need to get some home repairs taken care of first and replace a couple of appliances, but I know what I'm asking for my birthday.

I bought one in perfect shape for $100 off craigslist (I even got the nice cover and a bag of Kinsford with it). New is nice, but maybe a craigslist find will get it to you sooner than your bday.

Here's a pic to dream on... this thread is grossly inadequate in the pic dept. Two pastrami, a brisket, and two pork butts.

 

[sch21c]

Had my wsm for a couple of years but really starting to use it frequently this season. Just got the DigiQ and love the control it provides. I've been using water in the pan but am switching to the clay pot base. For those that use that method, what size base would you suggest for a 22.5" WSM?


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