Wsm with a turkey question

[Nuke em]

Meathead or anyone else that wanna tag in. Just a quick question. Gonna be burning a 20 lb bird on the trusty ol wsm for turkey day. Outta curiosity I watched the video again (can’t remember how I smoked em before. Sign of old age and I lost my book of notes in the move a couple years back). I see that when the wsm was assembled after the charcoal it wasn’t mentioned if the water pan was left in dry or removed or left in with some water in it.
I know I’ll be doing the gravy also so there will be some moisture inside but will it be enough.
the turkey will be spatchcocked with the fireboard and fan and all that stuff.
I would guess to leave the water pan in to act as a barrier in case of hot spots. Also I’ll be using lump charcoal which will burn hotter. (Unfortunately I can’t use kings Ford briquettes cause I can taste the fillers etc. also can’t find any natural hardwood briquettes this time of year in my neck of the woods). I still have a few days to check around again and see if I can spot some. But if not then lump will be the heat source.
the water pan is the main concern. Thanks everyone

[Nuke em]

Just found it in the turkey written directions towards the bottom. It say on wsm styles you can leave the water pan dry and should be enough moisture to do the job. And also looking at some of the pictures I remember how I cooked one before. I used a gasser the last time.
now a new question. It says you can leave the pan dry. Has anyone did em both ways and if so any noticeable differences?

[ecowper]

When I do a turkey on the WSM, I leave the water pan dry and I put a pan of gravy makings on the bottom grate under the bird :-)

[ecowper]

See Nuke Em's post ..... htat's what I do

[jsaniga]

Does leaving the pan on the lower grate while smoking the bird cook off too much of the water? I have been wondering how to mount a catch pan under the top grate somehow and don't really want to drill into my WSM. Your idea would definitely be the easiest way and wouldn't block the smoke from the bird. Do you also spatchcock your bird? I have a WSM 18.5 inch; what would be the biggest bird I would want to try?

[ecowper]

jsaniga I've never had a problem with my gravy pan getting to dry. I typically use a 9x13x2 aluminum disposable pan for it. I do spatchcock. I have done a 22 lb spatchcocked bird on a WSM 22.5. It took up the entire grate. I would think, spatchcocked on a WSM 18.5, you could probably do 16-18 lb bird

[Nuke em]

Yes. Meatheads gravy
Gravy

This gravy is essentially a rich concentrated smoky turkey stock that will penetrate the meat, not just sit on top of it. Once you try it you will never go back to the thick floury wallpaper paste again. You will have more than you need when you are done, so you can use it in soups or pot pies or risotto. The recipe here has a lot of room for improvisation.

3 quarts [2.8 L] water

1 cup [237 ml] apple juice

2 onions, skin on, ends removed, cut into quarters

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch lengths

1 rib of celery, leaves and all, cut into 2 inch lengths

1 tablespoon [15 ml] dried sage leaves, crumbled (do not use powdered herbs, they can cloud the broth)

1 tablespoon [15 ml] dried thyme leaves

2 whole dried bay leaves

[ecowper]

Only change I make is to substitute sauvignon blanc for the apple juice