Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Water Pans

Oldshad
Oldshad Posts: 10
in EggHead Forum
I've been smoking for about 15 years rather successfully.  First on an offset then the last five on our wonderful EGG. Basically I flew by the seat of my pants.  Recently I've acquired a thirst for knowledge to see if I could do better.  I've been doing a lot of reading and most of it's been very interesting.  However as things always are, questions arise and I would like to know from you guys how many use a water pan in the EGG when doing Butts and Briskets?
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Never
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hoosier_egger
    hoosier_egger Posts: 6,808
    Nope
    ~ John - Formerly known as ColtsFan  - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
    XL BGE, LG BGE, Med BGE, BGE Chiminea, Ardore Pizza Oven
    Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mEGG_My_Day
    mEGG_My_Day Posts: 1,661
    Not me - it’s not needed
    Memphis, TN 

    LBGE, 2 SBGE, Hasty-Bake Gourmet
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Never.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BugFreak72
    BugFreak72 Posts: 246
    Nope. I used to but I found making a drip pan out of aluminum foil so much easier to control temps and clean up so I stopped.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 10,227
    I did it a few times when I first got my egg, but it turned out that everybody here who says not to do it is right.

    - the way the egg cooks (small fire, little airflow, ceramic for insulation/moisture preservation) there is very little water lost

    - If you do have a water pan, as the water evaporates/boils off, the egg temp can rise dramatically if the vent settings are not changed accordingly.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lentsboy007
    lentsboy007 Posts: 416
    Nope 

    1 Large Egg, Blackstone griddle

    Belgium...........The Netherlands??

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,812
    As above not needed and as noted by @Foghorn should you want to experiment with one just realize that the water in the pan is a heat sink.  So, you need to keep water in the pan or should it all evaporate then your temp will climb to the natural no water settings due to the loss of the sink.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
    Never
    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Oldshad
    Oldshad Posts: 10
    Thanks everyone.  That's a strong consensus. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Experiment if you like. Always fun.  But the force here is strong.  Looking forward to your cooks.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    the inside of the egg is very humid without a water pan.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • AmericanFlannel
    AmericanFlannel Posts: 131
    I thought we put one so that drippings didn't burn up and cause rancid smoke to taint the flavor (true story?) 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 10,227
    AmericanFlannel said:
    I thought we put one so that drippings didn't burn up and cause rancid smoke to taint the flavor (true story?) 
    Yes, @AmericanFlannel.  Most seem to use a "drip" pan.  I do it for the reason that you stated and because the radiant heat off the platesetter can burn the bottom of your food - especially if you're cooking in the higher range for indirect cooking (300+ or "turbo").

    A pan to catch drippings is different from a "water" pan where one actually adds water to it to keep moisture high in the cooking chamber.  It can also help keep the temp from climbing too high.  This is a fairly common practice in smokers that are not insulated as well as an egg.  Weber Smokey Mountain smokers or other vertical or "bullet" smokers often come with a water pan that goes just above the fire to function as both the heat blocker and a moisture source in an environment that has a fairly high airflow that can dry out the food.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    I think you see that most of us never use a water pan in the egg. The egg is already a moist environment due to its design. I borrow a large offset at times and I ALWAYS use a water pan in it - I need a large heat sink in that particular cooker to moderate the heat and I need the additional moisture. In the egg I do use a drip pan under fatty cooks like pork butt. I have three highly specialized devices (rocks) that I put under the drip pan to elevate it above the platesetter - that keeps from burning the drippings. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,896
    The only reason I've had to put liquid in a pan while using the BGE was when I over shot my temp by more than a little bit. Adding the water helped bring down the temperature, and reasonably quickly. Other than that, adding liquid is unnecessary.
    Stillwater, MN
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GrateEggspectations
    GrateEggspectations Posts: 11,613
    StillH2OEgger said:
    The only reason I've had to put liquid in a pan while using the BGE was when I over shot my temp by more than a little bit. Adding the water helped bring down the temperature, and reasonably quickly. Other than that, adding liquid is unnecessary.
    I’ve used a water pan to maintain very low temps only. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 34,597
    only under a turkey with wine,  i like the gravy. be careful with water in the pan, the steam will burn your hand quickly opening an egg
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • HendersonTRKing
    HendersonTRKing Posts: 1,803
    Another nope -- learned early it's not necessary for moisture and only creates issues that are avoided without it (heat sink, longer cooking times, waste of good liquid in the pan). 

    I will use a drip pan with an air gap (aluminum pan on 3 copper plumber elbows) so it's off the platestetter when doing low and slows.  But that's an answer to a question you didn't ask.  #smartypants
    It's a 302 thing . . .
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MacPa
    MacPa Posts: 20
    edited July 2019
    In my Weber smoky Mtn. I use a clay Flower pot base in the water pan for a heat sink. On the egg I will use a 14 inch pizza pan sitting on an old charcoal grate as a drip pan. No water in either one. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • WesJohnson
    WesJohnson Posts: 130
    Yes, always. Everyone else is wrong.
    I used to be able to name every nut that there was. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    WesJohnson said:
    Yes, always. Everyone else is wrong.

    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories