Water Pan position

[anesdoc]

I just finished my first run with the #3 and had mixed results with baby back ribs and whole chicken, butterfly prep.  I prepped by autotuning the Auber PID using bricks as a heat sink and did a couple of runs empty to work out the smoke belching that I had read about.  I settled on wrapping my apple wood with foil and ramping up to 140 for 30 min then 250 for the rest of the cook.  I am a novice smoker, so I am doing everything the Myron Myxon way.  He recommends a water pan, so I tried an aluminum pan filled halfway with apple juice for flavor and moisture.  I placed this on the lowest shelf and place the chicken on a shelf directly over this.  Then I had the ribs on another aluminum pan on the top shelf.

The smoker seemed to have a hard time getting to 250 even though I autotuned with what I thought would have been a big enough heat sink.  I was concerned that the water pan was too much of a heat sink or it was causing the lower section of the smoker to be hotter than the top and allowing the #3's probe and rheostat to kick in and interfere with the Auber set temp and its wall mounted probe near the top of the smoker.  So I quickly removed the back panel and bypassed the #3's temp control, which was something that I had planned to do in the future.  That seemed to take care of the temp problem.

The chicken needed extra time but cooked well because I had temp probes in the breast and thigh (extra Maverick around).  The pork ribs were by time only and turned out a little underdone (250, 2 hours uncovered, 1 hr covered with small amount of apple juice).  Still good, had a good bark, but not fall off the bones tender (like I had before slaving over a modified offset charcoal smoker).

I know the smoke goes all throughout the smoker but is my water pan affecting the heat distribution.  It's a good sized pan that comes to within 2 inches of all sides, front, and back.  If the water pan is for moisture, can it be placed on the bottom, next to the burner in an aluminum loaf pan (and not take up valuable shelf space) or does it have to be directly over the heating element/smoker box?

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[jcboxlot]

I can't speak to the Auber, but place the "water" or juice pan on the bottom directly touching the element box.


I fill a 5 x 3 foil pan and during a 5 to 6 hour smoke they are near 1/3 to 1/4 empty.

My opine is a foil pan on a rack in the SI probably doesn't do much good.


I struggle with "off the bone" ribs, but they still turn out well.  Many times the day later on a gasser grill.   Keep testing.

[elkins20]

Hey TJ, I too have the #3, first use a aluminum bread pan half to 3/4 full of water. I have tried apple juice and also some other items in the bread pan and did not notice any added flavor. So I just use water but this is up to you. Just place it next to the wood box. Also on the ribs put them on the top shelf of the smoker. As for the chicken I am not sure as don't do them. I cook my ribs using the ramp up 1st step on the auber is 140 for 45 min. then I go up to 235 for 6 hrs. I will check them at 4.5 hr. mark and they are normally done. At this time will add sauce and back in the smoker for 30 min. I check my ribs using the tooth pick method. Sorry missed the part about the Auber. Did you install a permanent wall mount probe when you did your bypass. Also did you install a toggle switch at the time of the bypass? I agree with Super Dave, the temp. controller knob on the SI should be at zero and use the auber after the bypass for temp. control. But, your #3 should not have a problem going up to 250 for a box temp.

[SuperDave]

TJ, did you do a bypass on the SI controller?  If not, the SI controller can fight with the Auber for temperature control.  The SI dial should be turned all the way up to avoid Auber interference as much as possible.  For example, if the SI controller was set at anything less than 250, it would try its best to prevent the smoker getting to 250 even if the Auber was set higher.  Many of us disconnect the SI controller for this reason and go directly to the Auber for temp control.

[smokeasaurus]

Just to add to the water pan......pour in real hot water to your water pan. This way it will steam and infuse moisture alot faster than just tap water.............

[DivotMaker]

I am a novice smoker, so I am doing everything the Myron Myxon way.  He recommends a water pan, so I tried an aluminum pan filled halfway with apple juice for flavor and moisture.  I placed this on the lowest shelf and place the chicken on a shelf directly over this.  Then I had the ribs on another aluminum pan on the top shelf.  First thing, put your Mixon book away for future reference...he has never smoked on a SI smoker, and it's different.  Second point, about this paragraph, is placing "ribs on another aluminum pan on the top shelf;" this may be part of your temperature problem, and ribs should never be placed on a pan in an SI.  Maybe Myron's ginormous smokers, but not an SI.

So I quickly removed the back panel and bypassed the #3's temp control, which was something that I had planned to do in the future.  That seemed to take care of the temp problem.  This tells me you probably didn't have the stock controller set to 250.  It will throttle the element, if not.  Anyways, the bypass is a good thing.

The chicken needed extra time but cooked well because I had temp probes in the breast and thigh (extra Maverick around).  The pork ribs were by time only and turned out a little underdone (250, 2 hours uncovered, 1 hr covered with small amount of apple juice).  Still good, had a good bark, but not fall off the bones tender (like I had before slaving over a modified offset charcoal smoker).  3 hours, total, for ribs is at least 2 hours short.  Check out the many, many posts about how to smoke ribs, in the Pork section of this forum.  Most of us use the 5-hour (at least) "no peek" method...check it out.

I know the smoke goes all throughout the smoker but is my water pan affecting the heat distribution. No, it's not.  It's a good sized pan that comes to within 2 inches of all sides, front, and back.  If the water pan is for moisture, can it be placed on the bottom, next to the burner in an aluminum loaf pan (and not take up valuable shelf space) or does it have to be directly over the heating element/smoker box?  Water pan on the bottom, tucked up against the smoke box.

Hi TJ!  Glad to have you with us!  As you can see, I added some direct answers, above.  My recommendation is to do a little reading, in our boards, about how to use your smoker.  Following Myron's advice on recipes is fine, but don't try to on technique!  These smokers are a whole other animal.  Much easier, and many of the techniques he uses just aren't necessary to make great Q!  Embrace the "Lazy Q" lifestyle, and relax and have fun making BBQ!

We're here for you, and there are many, many great recipes on here.  Spend some time going through the boards, and find a recipe you like, then try to reproduce it!  Once you get the techniques down, you can easily modify to your liking.  Learning is half the fun!

[anesdoc]

TJ, did you do a bypass on the SI controller?  If not, the SI controller can fight with the Auber for temperature control.

Thanks SuperDave, that is exactly what I saw with the Auber sending output but the SI controller light off.  Once I saw this happen, I bypassed the SI controller by pulling off the two female ends from the manual controller, clipping off one of the female ends, and replacing with a 12 g insulated male adapter, connected the two wires and wrapped with electrical tape for good measure.

[anesdoc]

Hi TJ!  Glad to have you with us!  As you can see, I added some direct answers, above. 

Thanks DivotMaker, your advice makes sense.  I do like Mixon's flavors but I will definitely take your advice to change the techniques to fit the SI world.

[anesdoc]

Just to add to the water pan......pour in real hot water to your water pan. This way it will steam and infuse moisture alot faster than just tap water.............

Thanks, I will definitely use this tip!

[anesdoc]

Thanks for the consensus to use a bread pan on the bottom next to the smoker box.

[anesdoc]

... you're encountering the hardest part of converting from a "traditional" smoker to one of these - breaking old habits...  Drip pans between the smoke box and the meat have proven problematic, and are just best avoided.

DivotMaker, I came across this post while doing research like you suggested and it describes what I created by having a large pan of apple juice on a shelf under the meat.  I was calling it a water pan but it really turned out to be the dreaded drip pan.  I will change to loaf pan on the bottom.

[DivotMaker]

It's all a learning process, for all of us, T.J.!  Believe me, a couple of years ago, when there were less than 200 members, we were discovering new things every day!  It took awhile to figure out problems, like the drip pan issue, but we did!  Things are a bit easier for new folks, these days!

Good to have you with us!  Btw... T.J. is my son's name.

[elkins20]

Hey TJ, Web Restaurant has a good buy on through away bread pans. Here is the post that I put up. http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=3802.0