Water Pan?

[John25]

Has anyone tried using a water pan in their PBC? I'm thinking of staking my coal basket high on one side and putting a water pan on the other side. Has anyone tried this yet? Any thoughts on this idea?

[Aclarke44]

What would you want a water pan for?   Honestly, they aren't necessary in the PBC.

[smokeasaurus]

Nope. You should have gotten a WSM if you want a water pan     These types of upright barrel smokers produce moisture on their own. When I ran a 75 gallon UDS, the water would build up on the bottom of the barrel and I had to pour it out on the lawn when cleaning the barrel up.

Besides, I hate that greasy mess the next day...don't do it dude....don't do it............

[USCTrojan]

As others have said you don't need it. The Pit Barrel Cooker design creates humidity naturally.

[RG]

I wouldn't do a water pan but I do plan on putting a shelf over the coals with a diffuser (grilling steel) and a foil lined drip pan. This will stop drippings from hitting the coals and smoking up and creating that strong charcoal taste. I want to try this on chicken, probably this weekend.

[rickmort]

I wouldn't do a water pan but I do plan on putting a shelf over the coals with a diffuser (grilling steel) and a foil lined drip pan. This will stop drippings from hitting the coals and smoking up and creating that strong charcoal taste. I want to try this on chicken, probably this weekend.

I'd be interested in hearing how this goes, so if you wouldn't mind posting about it I'd appreciate it.  I love the smoke fog that the PBC gives off, part of it's charm, but despite lighting my charcoal to video specifications I seem to start running low temp after 2 hours. 

Would like to know the results of your test with the PBC temp in mind.

[Savannahsmoker]

I'd be interested in hearing how this goes, so if you wouldn't mind posting about it I'd appreciate it. 
Would like to know the results of your test with the PBC temp in mind.

+1

[USCTrojan]

I wouldn't do a water pan but I do plan on putting a shelf over the coals with a diffuser (grilling steel) and a foil lined drip pan. This will stop drippings from hitting the coals and smoking up and creating that strong charcoal taste. I want to try this on chicken, probably this weekend.

I just realized that I am addicted to that strong charcoal taste.

[RG]

I wouldn't do a water pan but I do plan on putting a shelf over the coals with a diffuser (grilling steel) and a foil lined drip pan. This will stop drippings from hitting the coals and smoking up and creating that strong charcoal taste. I want to try this on chicken, probably this weekend.

I just realized that I am addicted to that strong charcoal taste.

You know what's weird? I think that tastes change. I used to do a lot cooking using Kingsford and I think that I was fine with it back in the day but then started using lump and left briquettes behind and then went to using only Kamados to cook in (Kegs) and I get a much milder smoke flavor to the food and have adapted to that and now prefer that. Once I got the PBC and started using Kingsford again it's just so much stronger that it was kind of shocking! I can see how that taste will work on some meats but on others, I find it too much. Chicken being the main thing I want to cook in the PBC, my first time out was just "WHOA that's got some strong charcoal taste". I'll tinker with it though and post results.

[smokeasaurus]

Regular guy called it. Kingsford is probably part of my DNA by now.....I would buy 1600 lbs of it a year......used it for everything. I am kind of over to the lump side these days but yesterday I wanted the steady heat of briqs so I mixed them 50/50 with lump and had a pretty easy cook.

The PBC and UDS style of cooking will definitely wake your taste buds up.....when those food drippings hit the hot coals below you are in for a strong smokey profile.....I wonder if lump in the PBC would react the same way with the drippings hitting them??

[jjjonz]

Like some have said ...the PBC was designed to create a steam and it does.I got to the point I hated my WSM because of the messy water pan,then I read somewhere to  not use water in the pan, just wrap it with foil. I loved it again, we also started  using it like a PBC ...that was before PBC came around. Hey give it a try...you might like it.

[amshepar]

I wouldn't do a water pan but I do plan on putting a shelf over the coals with a diffuser (grilling steel) and a foil lined drip pan. This will stop drippings from hitting the coals and smoking up and creating that strong charcoal taste. I want to try this on chicken, probably this weekend.

I just realized that I am addicted to that strong charcoal taste.

You know what's weird? I think that tastes change. I used to do a lot cooking using Kingsford and I think that I was fine with it back in the day but then started using lump and left briquettes behind and then went to using only Kamados to cook in (Kegs) and I get a much milder smoke flavor to the food and have adapted to that and now prefer that. Once I got the PBC and started using Kingsford again it's just so much stronger that it was kind of shocking! I can see how that taste will work on some meats but on others, I find it too much. Chicken being the main thing I want to cook in the PBC, my first time out was just "WHOA that's got some strong charcoal taste". I'll tinker with it though and post results.

Try using Stubbs instead of Kingsford.  I along with several others on here prefer it to the Kingsford blue.  Stubbs is all natural and I think you will find the charcoal taste on food less intrusive.

[Kona]

I wouldn't do a water pan but I do plan on putting a shelf over the coals with a diffuser (grilling steel) and a foil lined drip pan. This will stop drippings from hitting the coals and smoking up and creating that strong charcoal taste. I want to try this on chicken, probably this weekend.

I just realized that I am addicted to that strong charcoal taste.

You know what's weird? I think that tastes change. I used to do a lot cooking using Kingsford and I think that I was fine with it back in the day but then started using lump and left briquettes behind and then went to using only Kamados to cook in (Kegs) and I get a much milder smoke flavor to the food and have adapted to that and now prefer that. Once I got the PBC and started using Kingsford again it's just so much stronger that it was kind of shocking! I can see how that taste will work on some meats but on others, I find it too much. Chicken being the main thing I want to cook in the PBC, my first time out was just "WHOA that's got some strong charcoal taste". I'll tinker with it though and post results.

Try using Stubbs instead of Kingsford.  I along with several others on here prefer it to the Kingsford blue.  Stubbs is all natural and I think you will find the charcoal taste on food less intrusive.

To me I don't even taste "charcoal" using stubbs, my tastebuds taste wood flavor in the foods I cook. Stubbs is my number one go to charcoal.

[RG]

I cooked these on Stubbs last week. It was less pronounced but still fairly potent overall. Huli Huli chicken is going on today and I am going to attempt to cook it diffused. We'll see how that works out

[Savannahsmoker]

To me I don't even taste "charcoal" using stubbs, my tastebuds taste wood flavor in the foods I cook. Stubbs is my number one go to charcoal.

Well maybe I should fire my old Weber with Stubbs and see how Sweetie likes something cooked on it.