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Ditching the water pan in my smoker caused a backyard debate
I always had a water pan (thought it was needed), but cut it out recently. Now my ribs have better bark, but my brother says they're less tender. Where do you all fall on this?
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hugow306mo ago
So your brother wants a steamed rib? I mean the bark is the best part, and you can always wrap them later if you want them to fall apart more.
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harper6686mo ago
Your brother might be onto something about tenderness, but bark improvement is huge. A dry cook gives you that crisp exterior faster, especially on something like a brisket flat. The trade-off is you gotta watch internal temps closer since there's less buffer against heat spikes. Maybe try it without water for a pork shoulder but keep it for leaner cuts like chicken breast?
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