On the 18" Weber Smokey Mountain yesterday I did not use the water pan. I
replaced it with a 15" pizza pan. On top of the pan I put a wimpy pizza
stone, 14.5 inches in diameter. Both fit perfectly, with a relatively small
air space around the periphery. To my surprise this resulted in an easy to
maintain temp. of 250F. The lower vents had to be adjusted very little
throughout the cooking. I was surprised that something with this low mass
would accomplish what a lot of water and/or a lot of sand accomplishes. I'm
wondering, and the reason for this post, is that air flow around the edge of
the pizza pan at its periphery seems to control the temp above. I suspect
the temp. stability had little to do with the relatively wimpy mass stone.
Maybe you don't need a certain mass of stone to get a stable low temp. The
other thing I do that benefits, I believe, is placing a large foil drip pan
under the meat on top of the lower grate. This catches the drippings for
deglazing. As well, it's easy to add water if you want to raise the humidity
of the roasting space, as a water pan would.

As above, the brisket didn't turn out to my liking. I'm going to, however,
in the future, play with air flow and temperature control. That's what's
exciting about all of this.

Searching for someething better, always,

Kent
--
a phucking scientist constantly struggling with my level of ignorance

Kent wrote:

....snip

> As above, the brisket didn't turn out to my liking. I'm going to,
> however, in the future, play with air flow and temperature control.
> That's what's exciting about all of this.

Folks have used pizza stones, and have reported similar results in the
past.....which mimics the results if one were to use sand in the pan, same
principal but a different expense level for the same implementation.

What was it that you didn't care for about the brisket? What, if anything,
did you do to prepare the brisket prior to putting in the pit?

--
Dave
What is best in life? "To crush your enemies, see them driven before
you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." -- Conan

Dave Bugg wrote:
> Kent wrote:
>
> ...snip
>
>> As above, the brisket didn't turn out to my liking. I'm going to,
>> however, in the future, play with air flow and temperature control.
>> That's what's exciting about all of this.
>
> Folks have used pizza stones, and have reported similar results in the
> past.....which mimics the results if one were to use sand in the pan,
> same principal but a different expense level for the same
> implementation.
> What was it that you didn't care for about the brisket? What, if
> anything, did you do to prepare the brisket prior to putting in the
> pit?

Saw this post before I saw the first one you made.

--
Dave
What is best in life? "To crush your enemies, see them driven before
you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." -- Conan

"Kent" > wrote

placing a large foil drip pan
> under the meat on top of the lower grate. This catches the drippings for
> deglazing.

That's a new one for the culinary world, deglazing aluminum foil. Do
tell...

TFM®

"Dave Bugg" > wrote in message
...
> Kent wrote:
>
> ...snip
>
>> As above, the brisket didn't turn out to my liking. I'm going to,
>> however, in the future, play with air flow and temperature control.
>> That's what's exciting about all of this.
>
> Folks have used pizza stones, and have reported similar results in the
> past.....which mimics the results if one were to use sand in the pan, same
> principal but a different expense level for the same implementation.


It's a heat sink, Dave. It adds thermal mass to a cooker that has
relatively little of that.

The older and more curmudgeonly I get, the more I prefer to cook directly
over live coals, treating thermal mass as a minor factor in the cooking.
Fire management is first and foremost in the art of barbecue.

TFM®

"TFM®" > wrote in message
. com...
>
>
> "Kent" > wrote
>
> placing a large foil drip pan
>> under the meat on top of the lower grate. This catches the drippings for
>> deglazing.
>
> That's a new one for the culinary world, deglazing aluminum foil. Do
> tell...
>
> TFM®
>
More trolling.
You catch the meat drippings in a foil pan underneath what you're cooking.
Add water to the pan. Heat to a simmer to deglaze the drippings. Strain,
then remove fat in a separator funnel. Reduce deglazing liquid optionally to
degree of saltiness and/or flavor. Use as stock or braising liquid.

"Kent" > wrote in message
...
>
> "TFM®" > wrote in message
> . com...
>>
>>
>> "Kent" > wrote
>>
>> placing a large foil drip pan
>>> under the meat on top of the lower grate. This catches the drippings for
>>> deglazing.
>>
>> That's a new one for the culinary world, deglazing aluminum foil. Do
>> tell...
>>
>> TFM®
>>
> More trolling.
> You catch the meat drippings in a foil pan underneath what you're cooking.
> Add water to the pan. Heat to a simmer to deglaze the drippings. Strain,
> then remove fat in a separator funnel. Reduce deglazing liquid optionally
> to degree of saltiness and/or flavor. Use as stock or braising liquid.
>
>
>

I suppose I was wrong with my assumption that you were using foil instead of
a foil pan.

Get bent, cocksucker.

No matter what you do or say, you're the laughing stock of the group. Learn
to live with your status.

TFM® (hugs Kent by the neck until dead...)

TFM® wrote:
> "Dave Bugg" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Kent wrote:
>>
>> ...snip
>>
>>> As above, the brisket didn't turn out to my liking. I'm going to,
>>> however, in the future, play with air flow and temperature control.
>>> That's what's exciting about all of this.
>>
>> Folks have used pizza stones, and have reported similar results in
>> the past.....which mimics the results if one were to use sand in the
>> pan, same principal but a different expense level for the same
>> implementation.
>
>
> It's a heat sink, Dave. It adds thermal mass to a cooker that has
> relatively little of that.
>
> The older and more curmudgeonly I get, the more I prefer to cook
> directly over live coals, treating thermal mass as a minor factor in
> the cooking. Fire management is first and foremost in the art of
> barbecue.

Absolutely.

--
Dave
What is best in life? "To crush your enemies, see them driven before
you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." -- Conan