how to use a smoker that has just one pan?

[waxworm09]

I just bought an older electric smoker very cheap at a garage sale. I have never used one before, and i always thought they had two pans, one for water and one for wood chips. This smoker only has one pan, so do i put water and chips together in the pan, or how do i go about using it? It didnt come with a manual. Thanks for any tips.

[leechlake]

I don't use a water pan for smoking anything; pork shoulders, ribs, beef roasts, or fish. I don't smoke chicken very often but don't use it for that either.

Wood chips in water will not smoke. I'd use the pan for the charcoal and/or wood chips and call it good.

You may want to set up some foil or something to deflect some heat, you want to smoke most things at 225, usually go as high as 250 for a few things.

[eyeguy 54]

can you post a pic of what the smoker is like? That might help. I use the water pan for poultry, ribs and stuff. I do not use it for fish and eggs. Water in the pan, nothing else.

[DonBo]

I don't use a water pan for smoking anything; pork shoulders, ribs, beef roasts, or fish. I don't smoke chicken very often but don't use it for that either.

Wood chips in water will not smoke. I'd use the pan for the charcoal and/or wood chips and call it good.

You may want to set up some foil or something to deflect some heat, you want to smoke most things at 225, usually go as high as 250 for a few things.

Right on. Mine is also an older cheaper elect smoker with just the one pan. Fill it with chips or chunks and let it go. Just yesterday did a turkey breast and pork loin and both were excellent, very moist and tender.

[vister]

I only use a water pan when doing large pieces of meat, like butts. Not for the moisture, but I've noticed the water pan helps hold balanced smoker temps, in my electric smoker. Just use those disposable tinfoil trays. They will work for wood as well, just cover them so they aren't able to go into an open flame

[eyeguy 54]

yepper, the water pan is there to help the temp stabilize. very good to use when smoking at 225.

[Grainbelt]

The chips will need to go on the heating element or just above it to get them to smoke. You could make a tinfoil pouch for the chips and put on the heating element. The pan with or without water is a heat deflector so you're not cooking over direct heat.

[leechlake]

I'd use either chunks of wood to smoke, foil pouches, or another way to keep the chips from not just starting on fire and burning out too fast. I like having about 3 hours of smoke on my meat even if its a pork shoulder that may be on 10-12 hours. Everyone's different but you want to keep some consistent smoke on the meat.

[Walleyehooker]

A lot of small ones don't have a water pan and not really needed. I have a water pan in my bigger smoker and I do add a little water in it at times but it is more of a grease catcher than anything.

[LABS4ME]

Yep, as everyone has stated, don't worry about water, it's not there to add moisture to the meat, it's there to make the inside of the smoker 'humid', thus creating a better environment for even heat... Just like our July days... I don't have a water pan in my pit, if it's A very dry, low dew point fall/ winter day, I may fill a can with water and set off the side of the fire to add some moisture to the air inside the pit... But do not on most of my smokes.

Good Luck!

Ken