My neighbor's kid just asked me why I always use a water pan in my smoker

I was setting up my offset for a brisket yesterday when his 10-year-old son wandered over. He pointed at the pan and said, 'My dad says that's just for steam, but you told me you like a dry bark.' I had to stop and think, because I've been doing it for years without really questioning it. I realized I was just copying a guy from a TV show I saw once. So I tried a cook without it, and the bark was way better. Has anyone else ditched the water pan after a long time using one?

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tara_williams17mo ago

Oh wow, I read that water pans can actually lower your cooking temp.

10

mark6766mo ago

Actually water pans can help keep temps more stable. The steam creates a buffer so your grill doesn't spike as high. I've seen it hold a steady 225 for hours when smoking ribs. That moisture stops the heat from swinging all over the place.

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michaelwright7mo ago

Check the humidity too, @tara_williams1.

3