I just listened to the Harry Soo video and learned that he uses a dry water pan. The Amazing Ribs website has a section on the WSM and it suggests filling the pan to within a half inch of the top. I have been using a WSM for about five years and have always filled the pan with water because I seasoned and cooked following Amazing Ribs from the beginning.
However I have a couple of questions I have been thinking about recently.
Why fill the water pan so full. I think I could do ribs which is tops a six hour cook and have only 8-16 ounces of in the pan. My water pan is pretty much as full when I finish which suggests there is not a ton of evaporation. Clean-up would be so much easier because it is a total PIA with a full pan not to mention figuring out how to separate the fat.
On the other hand, if you run a dry pan and then spritz after the bark has set, how does that work. If you have to open the lid three times per hour to spritz the meat, you are creating a lot of temperature fluctuation which I didn't think was a good thing. I have always tried not to open the lid until the end of the cook to check for doneness.
However I have a couple of questions I have been thinking about recently.
Why fill the water pan so full. I think I could do ribs which is tops a six hour cook and have only 8-16 ounces of in the pan. My water pan is pretty much as full when I finish which suggests there is not a ton of evaporation. Clean-up would be so much easier because it is a total PIA with a full pan not to mention figuring out how to separate the fat.
On the other hand, if you run a dry pan and then spritz after the bark has set, how does that work. If you have to open the lid three times per hour to spritz the meat, you are creating a lot of temperature fluctuation which I didn't think was a good thing. I have always tried not to open the lid until the end of the cook to check for doneness.
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