Using the water insert in SnS

[GolfGeezer]

Folks, how many of you actually use the water insert? My experience with it has not been ideal. Even filling it only half to 3/4 full with hot water, I find that the heat from the coals doing low-n-slow causes the water to boil in a way that splashes over the edge. Thus, water drips into the bowl and then into the ash catcher. So then there is muddy ash to clean out. I find just putting a foil pan with some water on the indirect side works fine for hydration.

Just wondering what the collective experience is.

[Panhead John]

I used the water tray last week when I did my burn in, didn’t notice any water splashing down. I filled mine to about an inch from the top. I wasn’t really checking for it but didn’t seem to be a problem. Are you sure you didn’t spill your wine in it or something?

[GolfGeezer]

🤔 Nope. At least, not yet😎. I haven’t used the water insert on the new MasterKettle. My experience with that issue was with my previous SnS kettle using the usual Lo-n-slo setup.

[58limited]

Sure you didn't accidentally use vodka? I haven't had any problems, it boils at a simmer, not a furious boil.

[GolfGeezer]

Guess I’m just a lucky splasher! Looks like I’ll have to see what happens next time I do a slow cook. As I recall, the hot 12 or so coals on the left side, where I start the fire, and butting firmly against that corner of the insert, heated the water quickly to a boil and that caused the splashing.

[sarredon]

I’ve had my slow n sear for about 8 years. And probably have run more cooks on it than any of my other grills combined. The water definitely can boil over. Especially if running at higher temps. However, I haven’t noticed big issues with lower temps (225-250). I generally only light 10-12 briquettes, bank it in one corner and let the others catch in a minion method sort of set up. Filling the trough to alllow an inch of space as Panhead John said sounds like a good strategy if running hotter. Hope that helps!

[Sid P]

I always fill it up to within half an inch to an inch. No boil over that I’ve noticed, but I’m usually around 250°.

[klflowers]

I never use it anymore. It has gone the way of the wsm water pan. I am not even sure where it is l

[GolfGeezer]

That’s pretty much where I ended up with my previous one. Water in a foil pan on the indirect side, maybe, but usually not.

[SheilaAnn]

I use it often. I learned to NOT add water once the coals are hot. Then it splashes. But if I have to adde more water, I do a little bit to “temper” then top off…. But only to about 3/4.

[au4stree]

This is my experience and practice. 👍

[Henrik]

Mine simmer too, but it doesn't splash or boil over. Like others, I light 10 briquettes and bank them to the one end. I fill mine up to 1 inch from the edge. And I've done this many hundred times. How much charcoal do you have going, are you running higher temps? I tend to do 250° F low 'n slow cooks. If I cook hotter, then I don't use water.

[shify]

It definitely spits and pops when you first fill it if you follow the SnS lighting instructions, but outside of those first couple of seconds, I don't find it boils over during the cooks. And even during the initial fill, the amount of water that boils over seems fairly limited. I also only fill it during low and slow cooks

[GolfGeezer]

The cooks where I used the water insert were all done at 250*-265*. I also used the SnS method of lighting 10-12 briquettes in the corner to start, then added coals when they ashed over. shify may have pointed out what I experienced - the initial pouring of hot water after the initial coals were hot caused the water to spit/boil over. Looks like I'll be testing that process again when I do my next low-n-slow cook.

[shify]

GolfGeezer - I find if you pour in the water slowly, it tempers (for lack of a better word) the metal of the insert and doesn't sputter as violently. I have an electric kettle that I use

As I was filling it up last time, I was wondering the purpose of waiting for the initial briquettes to catch before adding the water vs. adding the boiling water when I light the starter cube. I assume its to not waste charcoal but might just add the water at the start just to take one step out of the process

[DaveD]

I use it on every low and slow cook, fill it nearly to the brim, and have only ever seen it bubbling, never frothing over. I have not done a controlled experiment but my anecdotal impression is that the thermal mass of the water helps mitigate temp swings as well as providing the hydration. And I fill it as others have written, while the initial ~10 coals are getting going, not when there's a bunch of hot coals burning. That said, I've also topped it up mid-cook, and again no boilover probs.

Good luck!

[Purc]

I too have not had a bad experience using the water insert in my SnS. It has boiled up but then it calms down and I fill it up to just below the top level for the rest of the low n slow cook.

[radiodome21]

Haven’t smoked anything on it in a while. I’ve been using it more for higher cooks like chicken, steak or shrimp. When I did use it I always added water after the fact because I always forgot about it. It’s also currently warped too so trying to figure out how much to use changes.

[Bkhuna]

I don't use the water insert when I grill. When I cook low and slow, approx. 225-250 I don't top it off. Just a inch of head space. I've never had a problem with boiling over.

[Spinaker]

I don't use the water pan portion of the SNS. I usually put a cast iron pan on the opposite side to catch them drippins'. That is about the extent of liquid I bother with when smoking on the Kettle.

[Skinsfan1311]

I rarely use it for low and slow anymore but always used water when I did.

[CRO]

I always use the reservoir.
I add the water after it's heated up, it does spatter.
I end up adding water a lot since I smoke in the 290 - 325 range.