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Choosing between a water pan and a dry smoke for my last brisket
I was getting ready to smoke a 14-pound brisket last weekend and hit a wall deciding on my setup. The choice was between using a water pan in my offset smoker for a humid cook or going with a completely dry smoke chamber. I've heard the water pan helps keep things moist and stabilizes temps, but I was worried it might steam the bark instead of letting it get really crusty. I went with the dry method, keeping my fire small and steady around 250 degrees for the first 8 hours. The bark formed up dark and craggy way faster than I'm used to, and the smoke ring was a solid pink half-inch deep. I did spritz with apple cider vinegar every hour after the first four to keep the surface from burning. The flat was a touch drier than my usual results, but the flavor from that bark was insane. Has anyone else done a side-by-side test with the same cut to see the real difference?
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