brookep62•3mo agoProlific Poster

Finally nailed my brisket after switching to a water pan

For years I just ran my offset smoker dry, thinking the smoke was enough. Last month I tried putting a cheap aluminum pan full of water on the grate next to the meat. The brisket I did yesterday came out so much better, way more tender and the bark wasn't as hard. I guess that extra humidity really is a game changer for a long cook. Anyone else find a simple change that fixed a problem they'd had forever?

3 comments

3 Comments

janac593mo ago

My uncle swore by his dry smoker for twenty years before he tried a water pan. It's funny how we can stick with a method just because it's what we know. What other old school cooking rules do you think are actually holding people back?

kevin_carr21d ago

Sixteen hours for pork butt is another one. I've had great results in eight with the right temp and wrap. Your mileage may vary but I think a lot of those long cook times are just tradition, not necessity.

grant7282mo ago

So you ran it dry for years, was it just a texture issue or did you notice the meat drying out faster too?