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water pan is making alot of steam under the food. am i doing this right?

Sorry if this is answered somewhere else in the forums.  My rib setup had a 9 x 13 foil tray with about 2 inches of water, sitting on the plate setter, with legs up.  When I put the grate on top of the plate setter, the ribs were very close to the water.  The temperature at the grill was about 275.  About an hour into the cook, the water in the tray was almost boiling, and it looked like the ribs were in a steam bath.  Something didnt seem right about this, so I covered the water pan in foil and poked a few holes in it.

I am interested in how everyone else uses water pans for ribs, butts, roasts, etc.  Should the pan be steaming up the ribs above it?

Thanks!

 

Comments

  • you don't need a water pan but If you really want to use one, put it on a spacer so it does not sit directly on the platesetter. wadded up balls or rods of foil work pretty good. That will keep it from boiling.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    Ditch it
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Couple of things - if using a drip pan, with or without liquid, you need to raise it off the platesetter.  Use the little feet that came with the Egg, balls of foil, washers, pennies.  You need air flow below the pan or it will all burn up.  Secondly, with the Egg, no need for liquid in the pan.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Dang, I type too slow.  What Cen-Tex said.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Try putting some spacers between the drip pan and the plate setter. If it's right on top, the pan conducts the heat that the plate setter is absorbing from below. The spacers will create an insulative air gap. Use balls of aluminum foil. Or, just dump the water out. The egg is so well insulated it doesn't really need it.
  • Fred19Flintstone
    Fred19Flintstone Posts: 8,168
    edited March 2013
    +1 what Cen-Tex said.  I wouldn't mess with the water bath because it's not needed and a PITA.
    Flint, Michigan
  • Wow, this site and you guys are great.  Such fast answers.

    If I ditch the water pan, how do I keep the drippings from burning up when they hit the plate setter?  Or is it ok for that to happen?

  • Or should i keep the drip pan on the plate setter, just without water, but raised up off the setter?

    How high off the plate setter does it need to be?

  • BigGreenBBQ
    BigGreenBBQ Posts: 109
    edited March 2013
    Ditch the water keep the drip pan -- raise it just enough so you can see a gap btwn the pan and the platesetter.  Use the feet if you have them -- if not some stainless steel nuts, pennies... etc
  • dwillingm said:

    Or should i keep the drip pan on the plate setter, just without water, but raised up off the setter?

    How high off the plate setter does it need to be?


    This. Just an inch or so off. just enough room to get some circulation so your drippings don't scorch. Not that big of a deal with ribs but with briskets and butts and stuff like that, I recommend using them.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • SmokinDAWG82
    SmokinDAWG82 Posts: 1,705
    Spacers as everyone said but you really don't need water in an Egg
    LBGE
    Go Dawgs! - Marietta, GA
  • dwillingm said:

    Or should i keep the drip pan on the plate setter, just without water, but raised up off the setter?

    How high off the plate setter does it need to be?


    This. Just an inch or so off. just enough room to get some circulation so your drippings don't scorch. Not that big of a deal with ribs but with briskets and butts and stuff like that, I recommend using them.
    Once again, listen to Cen-Tex.  He's the voice of reason!
    Flint, Michigan
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    @Cen-Tex is the voice of a lot of things, REASON is NOT one of them X_X
  • If I am the voice of reason, it is probably a very clear sign that things are not going well for you. Might be time for a new life direction and a house cleaning of all your friends.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX