Dare me not to change water?

[ceeuawlsune]

Well, I do, but I'm curious as to why exactly it is necessary to refresh this bowl?  Simply to maintain the humidity in the box?

Also, has anybody used an additional water pan, say with a simple mixture ( w. beer, onion, garlic, bay leaf, juniper berries, cloves, e.g.) in the BS on the bottom-most shelf while smoking?  Do you think, honestly, it made a difference?  Or is brining the only way to guarantee added juiciness?

Finally, if I use a separate water pan, will it still be necessary to change the bowl?

[West Coast Kansan]

This question is a good one to bring out the opinions. First you want a water bowl to catch and extinguish the pucks. Second, moist heat is required to cook food. Third the bowl of water if hot when initially started helps bring up the temp in tower -just some mass already warm. 

So the story goes...

Other than the first point I dont buy any of it and I would not buy the first one if I thought someday a fire would not start. The third is true more because we have only got the heat from a half dozen light bulbs to cook with. 

The spices would probably look pretty but with the smokes I have done the water does not boil away and dont to how it would effect the food.

[Gizmo]

Similar question to another thread going around about the water smokers.  Without the heat source under the water and above 212 deg (boiling point), I don't think you would generate much moisture and most here have stated to leave the vents open (especially on poultry) to keep moisutre out so there is a little opposing theory here.  Water definatly will put out the pucks and keep the fat drippings collected in an environment to keep it from starting a fire.  I believe the 2 most important aspects of the water bowl in addition to being a bit of an equalizer for the heating element temp swings.

[ceeuawlsune]

I agree...I don't see how an additional water pan could make a difference, especially at such a low temperature.  I just wanted to see if anybody had had any experience with this, as I'd read about it in several different places, some of which I feel are trusty resources.  

If I wanted any of those spices to flavor my product, I'd either include them in the brine, the rub, or the mop (if using).  Some of those spices are, in fact, in my rub.

Interesting point about the water bath acting as a hydro-aero-thermo-liason. 

Do I win in Scrabble with that?

[West Coast Kansan]

You win!

Leaving the puck burner ON after the smoke also seems to help with temp swings (though some here object to the extra wear and tear due to the 3X/hr cycles of the puck advance).

[Gizmo]

do you get points when you run off the board or is that an automatic win?

[manxman]

Well, I do, but I'm curious as to why exactly it is necessary to refresh this bowl?

Water definatly will put out the pucks and keep the fat drippings collected in an environment to keep it from starting a fire.

I think the recommended refresh is purely the time deamed by Bradley that during a typical smoke the number of pucks collected in the bowl plus the collection of fat from the V tray has reached safe operating limits, probably allowing for a reasonable safety margin.

That's good enough for me, all the others comments make for interesting discussion but a couple of folks have posted here on the forum about having their BS ignite and it clearly ain't funny! And it has always been down to not following instructions properly (eg V pan upside down), not the fault of the smoker itself.

[Habanero Smoker]

Ceeuawlsune,

I was getting worried that one of the tornadoes that touched down last Friday may have hit you. I know one or two dropped down west of Kingston and traveled through Kingston into Lake Katrine.

Here's my opinion on the topic. As I have stated in previous post, I don't believe in the moist heat theory; which is moist heat will produce meat that is more moist. The extra moisture in the BS will bring the cabinet temperature down. It takes a lot of energy to evaporate water, and that energy is taken from the hot air in the cabinet. Water evaporates at temperatures way below 212°F (sea level). It will evaporate when it is below freezing. The rate of evaporation does increase as the air temperature rises.

I agree with Manxman's post on the use of the water bowl, and why refreshing the water bowl is a good practice.

[ceeuawlsune]

The idea of leaving the smoke element on seems interesting to me. 

I'm not particularly worried about extra wear & tear on the wood puck advancing mechanism as I am about running that heating element "dry." 

Do you clean the element off after the smoke-phase is over with while still hot, or do you just let the dirty girl do her thing?

[manxman]

I clean the smoke generator when it has cooled down, using either a dry clean paint brush or canned air to get rid of bits of wood lodged around the puck delivery area and I also use a paint scrapper every few smokes to get rid of the burnt on deposits on the plate itself. Certainly doesn't need cleaning after every smoke.

Use of bubba pucks markedly reduces the burnt on deposits in the first place and are recommended, the bubba pucks can sit on the heater element safely over the additional time it takes to cook something after smoking has stopped, the smoke generator stays on the whole time I am smoking and or cooking.  :)

[Chez Bubba]

hydro-aero-thermo-liason. 

Do I win in Scrabble with that?

You win!

Moderator Veto!!!

Scrabble doesn't allow hyphenated words and you couldn't pull that together only having 7 tiles! ;) ;D ;D

Back on topic, I agree on the safety aspect of the water bowl and don't believe it contributes anything to the flavor or texture. I've seen first-hand pictures of the melted mass one can become if this is ignored.

On the other hand, if I have a lean meat that I want to keep moist, I use the bacon-drip method. Much more effective & way more flavorful. If you wanted to impart, say juniper flavor, to the meat with out actually putting it on the meat, I would suggest rubbing the bacon with it. (I've never tried it, but bet it would work, at least a lot better than in the water.)

The basis for my theory is as meat cooks, it is expelling water, not absorbing. The fat drip would be more readily absorbed into the tissue IMHO.

Kirk

[Habanero Smoker]

The basis for my theory is as meat cooks, it is expelling water, not absorbing. The fat drip would be more readily absorbed into the tissue IMHO.

Kirk

Well put.

I was trying to think of a pun for that line, but gave up on it. You remain the master in that area. :)

[iceman]

I believe the term that was coined for this process was " THERMALLY INDUCED COLLAGEN FLAVOR INFUSION".  ::) Then again, "Bacon Drippings" works for me. :D :)

[MallardWacker]

My short answer...


Me no change or refresh water nor do turn off pucker burner.

[Wildcat]

I knew there was a scientific name for all this! ;D