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Smokers, Grills, Pitts & More => Pro Q's => Topic started by: joe2chillo on July 24, 2011, 11:32:38 am

Title: Water or Sand
Post by: joe2chillo on July 24, 2011, 11:32:38 am
I have a Pro-Q Excel 20 water smoker. Now some of you have told me to simply not use water and just leave my pan empty and my fuel will not have to work so hard to keep my temps. I have done this with some good results. I have also heard people use sand instead of water in there pans and cover it with foil. This helps hold some good steady temps. However being that we are in the desert and have almost no humidity does using water have the benefit of keeping some humidity in the smoker. So what are your thoughts? Water, Sand, or empty pan? Why and what are the pros and cons of each?
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: Mike (AZBarbeque) on July 24, 2011, 11:46:30 am
I moved this to the Pro Q section as it directly relates to that cooker..
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: joe2chillo on July 24, 2011, 02:37:01 pm
I was thinking it was more general to all water smokers but any input is appreciated.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: Bam Bam on July 24, 2011, 02:49:52 pm
I cook on two WSM's and I just foil the water pan and that's it. I wouldn't waste time with sand or water. I don't think the water has any sort of moisture benefit.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: rgomez99 (Glazed and Confused in Gilbert) on July 24, 2011, 03:15:33 pm
I have a WSM and ProQ and I just foil the pan. I have not seen any difference in moisture and it is alot easier to clean up.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: Mark on July 24, 2011, 04:41:41 pm
If your cooker is over 212 degrees the water is creating a steamy environment. Whether you get any benefit is in the tastebuds of the beholder. One thing I know. It does make it a heckuva lot harder to clean the next day. Invariably, I bump into something and spill. What a mess. :-[
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: Mike P in Tucson on July 24, 2011, 04:55:24 pm
I have used water and sand in my Excel 20, but I switched to using a 14 inch clay saucer (like you would put under a flower pot).  I  foil the water pan and the saucer and put the saucer in the water pan.  My view is that water, sand and saucer all act as a heat sink and make it easier to control the temperature.  I switched to the saucer because it is lighter than the sand.  Plus, drippings always seemed to get into the sand, even with foil over it, so you either have to keep replacing the sand or it becomes very yucky.

I haven't noticed any difference in the moisture of the meat using sand or saucer instead of water.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: Mark on July 24, 2011, 05:50:01 pm
The saucer sounds like a smart solution, Mike. In Kamados, people use a pizza stone as a baffle. I had one, but it cracked early on and I'm was hesitant buy another one. Now, I just use disposable turkey roasting pans with water or soda pop in them. By the end of the cook it has pretty much dried out into sludge so it's easy to toss the next day after it cools.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: joe2chillo on July 24, 2011, 06:42:41 pm
Thanks for the input all. I will go with the foil pan for now. I ma try the saucer but I seem to get better heat control and use less fuel without water. Love this site!
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: glenntm on July 24, 2011, 07:48:49 pm
Lava rock with foil over the top. 
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: grizmt on July 25, 2011, 05:06:11 am
I would use a heat treated rock, like the rocks they put in the bottom of pits for hog cooking. The benefits are it maintains the same temp as the cooker for long periods so if something goes bad and you lose heat temporarily it should maintain temps at least for a while. Just my two cents...
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: bucaguy on July 25, 2011, 06:17:27 am
Lava rock with foil over the top. 
I was wondering if that would work
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: glenntm on July 25, 2011, 10:03:38 am
The lava rocks are used to help stabilize the temps.  These are the rocks you will find in a gasser.  Not users for maintaining temps but just to help control.  7lbs per water pan. 
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: bucaguy on July 25, 2011, 07:18:00 pm
The lava rocks are used to help stabilize the temps.  These are the rocks you will find in a gasser.  Not users for maintaining temps but just to help control.  7lbs per water pan. 

Thanks for the info I am going to give this a try
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: joe2chillo on July 30, 2011, 10:58:07 pm
So I am trying the lava rocks. I put a bag of them in the water pan and covered them with foil. I am trying to maintain a temp of 275 for a few hours. So far I am having trouble maintaining the temp. I get it up to where I want it and try to turn down the air flow and it drops too much. I have been playing with it for a couple of hours and I am either too hot or too cool. Due to my constant watch over it, it has not got out of control to where it is going to mess up my food but I do need to figure out how to stabilize it soon so I can go to bed. That digital guru sure is sounding nice about now.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: Bam Bam on July 30, 2011, 11:03:59 pm
Hey Joe,

I meant to post today on this.  I went and bought some ceramic briquettes from Lowes and saw a substantial difference with the WSM's.  I use the Guru Cyber Q but with wind or direct sunlight I still have spikes that shoot over the set temp by 10 or 15 degrees.  With the ceramic I never varied more than 3 degrees from the set temp.  I think I remember you saying the you live close by, youre more than welcome to give the guru a shot on a cook, youll just need the adapter for your cooker.   
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: joe2chillo on July 31, 2011, 09:59:28 am
Bam Bam,

Thanks. I may take you up on that. I have a Pro Q so not sure where I would get the adapter but it should be almost the exact same as the WSM. I too got some lava rocks and put them in my water pan last night. Temps were really good. Too hot if anything. I had to almost close all the vents and it was still getting warm. The temp held a goo 275 over night which is what I was looking for. This morning as the coals were dying down it started dropping. I added more coal but that it was getting too hot and I had trouble getting it down. I think once I get used to the lava rocks this is the way to go. Still the Guru sounds so awesome. Maybe we can meet up one night for a beer and say hi. Before long we can be doing some BBQs together. I need a BBQ buddy. All my friends just look at me with glazed over eyes and nod there heads when I start talking about it but they seem to like the food.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: Bam Bam on August 02, 2011, 12:31:02 am
LOL!! Anytime man! You need to come up to these mini comps.  All we do is talk BBQ. :)
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: joe2chillo on September 10, 2011, 01:03:22 pm
Wanted to give an update. I have been using the lava rocks for a while now and have got the hang of it now. I can really maintain good temps with much less fuel now. My coal is lasting much longer and my temps stay very steady. Thanks for the help everyone. Bam Bam let me know when one of those mini comps is going on.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: Bam Bam on September 10, 2011, 01:53:07 pm
Nice man!  Will do! Come cook at the boo bash in Oct.  It would be a great comp for your first time.  Everyone will be there, and you can get tons of help and advice.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: c5rulz on October 25, 2011, 06:58:23 am
So I am trying the lava rocks. I put a bag of them in the water pan and covered them with foil. I am trying to maintain a temp of 275 for a few hours. So far I am having trouble maintaining the temp. I get it up to where I want it and try to turn down the air flow and it drops too much. I have been playing with it for a couple of hours and I am either too hot or too cool. Due to my constant watch over it, it has not got out of control to where it is going to mess up my food but I do need to figure out how to stabilize it soon so I can go to bed. That digital guru sure is sounding nice about now.

The temp on the cooking grates is quite a bit higher than the temp indicated on the smoker dome.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: bucaguy on November 13, 2011, 05:37:23 pm
I have been trying new ways of using lava rocks for the last few months.. lately I have been mixing them with the Charcoal and it is working great.. Today I fired the Q up at 7am It is 530 and it is is still at running at 235! I did not have to add anything else during the cook expect a little more wood.   All the charcoal will but out and I can just shake the lava rocks clean.. I have never had this smoker hold that temp for this long.. 

On a side note.. it is easily the best brisket I have ever done.
Title: Re: Water or Sand
Post by: bucaguy on November 14, 2011, 12:49:12 am
My Pro Q went 14.5 hours and stayed right at 230-235 the whole time on one batch of charcoal.I am very pleased about this.. loving my lava rocks