For many new backyard pitmasters, whether or not to cook with a pan full of water in their smoker is often a source for great debate. The truth is, there are a variety of options that can be used to create the indirect cooking surface needed for low and slow BBQ, and using a water pan is just simply one of them. However, as with all things BBQ, the right way to go is really just a matter of personal preference.

Is using a water pan in your smoker really necessary?

If you’re looking for reasons to use a water pan in your smoker, there are essentially four:

• Water creates an indirect cooking surface:

Cooking over indirect heat is essential to making really good BBQ. In some smokers, notably offset smokers, such as those made by Char Broil that you find in the big box stores, the heat source is located off to the side, away from the cooking chamber. This design creates a natural source of indirect cooking without the need for additional modifications.

In popular bullet or cabinet style smokers, such as the Weber Smokey Mountain, or even homemade drum smokers, the heat source is located on the bottom, directly below the food. With this setup, some kind of heat deflection is required for slow and low cooking.

• Water aids in temperature control:

As a means for temperature control, water works the best for maintaining lower temperatures. This is because of a process known as evaporative cooling (YAY science!). As the water heats up and approaches boiling, it begins to evaporate, putting water vapor (A fancy term for “Steam”) into the air. Since the water temperature won’t ever exceed 212^o before it evaporates, this evaporative cooling helps to keep the rest of the cooking chamber operating at a lower temperature. With other methods of heat deflection, the materials will eventually rise to the temperature of the oven you’re cooking in, making it less than ideal for longer cooks at lower temperatures.

• Water evens out the temperatures in your smoker:

Another benefit to using water in your smoker is that water serves as a heat sink and evens out the temperatures in your cooking chamber. Try this- (More science!) Place a pan of water right next to a heat source and you’ll find the water temperature is consistently the same across the entire pan. This will help balance out any potential hot spots in your cooker and keep the heat distribution even, especially if you’re cooking indirectly in a kettle style grill or an off-set smoker.

Water also takes longer to rise and fall in temperature than other materials. This means the temperatures in your smoker will be less prone to fluctuation and will be more stable. Temperatures will also normalize quicker, should you need to open the cooker for any reason.

• Water helps increase the humidity of your smoker:

Anyone who’s ever set a pot of water on to boil and then forgotten about it has undoubtedly returned to find the pot with a lot less water it in. This is because water evaporates when it reaches its boiling point, releasing water vapor into the air. This water vapor, known as humidity, serves several purposes:

• Some of the water vapor condenses onto the meat, helping to cool it down while it cooks. The longer cook time allows for more connective tissue and fats to break down, providing a more tender and moist product.
• Some of the water vapor mixes with a chemical in the smoke, which then sticks to the meat and adds even more flavor.
• The water vapor helps aid in bark formation- Moisture from the meat and water vapor in smoke dissolves the water soluble ingredients in the rub, such as the salt and sugar. During the cooking process, the meat is constantly drying and re-moisturizing. This action of constant drying and moisturizing builds up the thick, flavorful crust we call bark.

Should I use anything other than water in the pan?

The quick answer is you can, but it’s pointless. There’s a common misconception that if you put beer or fruit juices in your smoker’s water pan, you’ll impart a bit of flavor to your barbecue. This is a false misconception- most of the flavor is going to come from the rub, smoke and any sauce you use. Unless you’re a super-taster, you’re not going to notice any flavor from whatever juice or beer you put in your water pan. The moral to the story: drink your beer.

Drawbacks to using water in your smoker:

• Probably the biggest argument against using a water pan is the cleanup; however this doesn’t have to be difficult. You even have a few options:
  • If you have a little used spot on your property and aren’t worried about attracting critters, then just simply dump the water out and proceed with cleaning your pan.
  • Pull the water pan out of the smoker and set it aside to cool. The fat from the meat will start to harden and float to the top. You can then skim the fat right off the top and discard it in the trash. The water can then be dumped down the drain, or out in your yard somewhere. CAUTION: Do not dump the water down a drain until you have removed all of the excess fat. Over time this fat can build up and block the sewers.
  • Use a drip pan under your food to catch the grease. This should leave your water pan relatively fat free, to allow for easier cleanup.
  • Mix the water with the cooled ashes from your fire pit, and then discard in the trash.
  • Grab a funnel and dump the water into an old milk jug and then discard in the trash.
  • You can save a bit of the water and fat from the cook to use in a sauce or roux.
  • Don’t forget to wrap the pan in foil before
• The second biggest complaint against using water in your smoker is because it’s a resource hog. Water takes longer to heat up, so you’ll use a bit more charcoal running water in your smoker than you will with any other form of heat deflection. But if your goal is to cook low and slow for a long period of time, cooking with water will be better for the long run.
• Another oft cited complaint is “You have to refill the water-pan.” Sure- every couple hours or so, you might need to add water. For most cooking sessions, you might only need to refill it once, so this really isn’t an issue.

Tl;dr: Drink your beer and cook with water in your pan.