WATER PAN FOR SMOKER
Poor Tom! He, like many other grill and smoker enthusiasts out there, never learned the value of a water pan. By providing moisture to the grilling area, you can avoid drying out your meats and poultry and never have someone mistake your food for a rock!
Moist Environment = Smoke Attraction
Water pans are a means of introducing valuable moisture into the cooking environment which has immense value when grilling and smoking.
Tom doesn’t realize that a water pan actually aides in attracting the smoke vapor to the food since smoke sticks to moist surfaces. Just remember to use water in the pan and not other liquids such as juice or alcohol. Here is a tip when you fill the water pan: use a teapot to fill the pan while it is in place so you don’t take the chance of spilling hot water on surfaces or you. Remember, water evaporates while other liquids do not which is the main reason to only use water.
Say Good-bye to Over Cooked Foods!
Tom hits on two benefits of the water pan: regulating temperature and producing humidity. But if you like to do direct cooking, the water pan can act as a repellent for the flame giving your foods a chance to survive without becoming a blackened, dried out, former piece of food.
Make Your Own Water Pan
Bert knows a water pan often is included when smoking equipment is purchased, but you can easily make your own for a grill or smoker using a disposable foil pan. Just find one that fits comfortably in your equipment. For those with a vertical style unit, be sure to use a separate drip pan from the water pan. Otherwise, oil from the drippings will mix with the water and prevent evaporation needed for a moist environment.
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