I'm new to this smokin game and have bought myself a ProQ Excel. I've had a couple of runs with it and have had some mixed results. I've read elsewhere on the Forum that some guys use the smoker without water in the pan. I thought the idea of putting water in the pan was to keep the food moist as well as regulating the temperature. What are the advantages or disadvantages of water - no water?
I would be very grateful to hear what the general consensus is
Hi Nick Welcome to the forums. If you look for a thread called clay saucer method, this is discussed in some detail. I found that with the saucer method I had more stable temperatures and did not notice a significant moisture difference.
Try both and see which you prefer but I will stick with the clay.
Nick, I too have tried the clay method and didnt notice any difference in the moistness of the food, most water pan methods are for heat control rather than moisture (I reckon)
if you start with a pan of cold water it will take longer to reach the temp you want, you can also use sand etc
I tend to vary between water to start with, then no water (or bowl) to finish. ie, for something that I anticipate will take 3 hours, I will smoke with the water bowl for 2 hours, then remove for final hour to get a nice 'crispy' outside surface to the meat which is still moist inside.
Just my personal preference. I would experiment and develop your own.
I don't bother with water, the moisture argument doesn't hold up for me, I cook better food with a clay saucer.
I would use the clay if I were you though as it acts as a heat sink reducing the severity of temperature spikes. I've cooked with a foiled pan a few times and temperatures can be a bit unpredictable.
