Pizza Pan as Heat Shield?

[whaascarson]

After reading all the water pan info I can I'm still confused. There are lots of expensive products to use either without or in combination with the water pan. Couldn't I just use a cheap 15" aluminum pizza pan ($7) on top of the water pan to keep the grease from dripping into the water creating a huge mess? Or remove the water pan completely for higher temp cooks and use the pizza pan as a heat deflector? Personally I don't like the acrid smoke created cooking chicken directly over coals. I'm probably doing it wrong admittedly.

Lining the water pan with foil makes me crazy. Round water pan, rectangular sheets of aluminum. The grease seems to always find a way under the foil.

My 18" WSM would need a shield 14.5"-15.5" in diameter by my calculations to sit on top of the water pan while still allowing enough space for the bottom grate to rest where it's designed to.

I've also seen big green egg liners that are 14.2" in diameter. They are $12/5 pack at my local shop. I'd pay for that convenience.

Thanks for the help. Still a noob.


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[bamakettles]

How about.....

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DE6NBTS/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_4?smid=A1S3P50UAKM69H&psc=1

Or this is the same replacement bowl that Cajun Bandit sells only 1/3 price:

https://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/thun-slmb009.html

Or the firedial..... I have this, but it does let the drippings through.

https://bbqsmokermods.com/review/product/list/id/1199/

I've seen some line the water pan with foil, fill with sand leaving an inch or two on the top, another layer of foil to catch drippings.  Lots of ideas out there.  Oh, also use the widest heaviest foil you can find IMO.

[HoosierKettle]

What I ended up doing was using my 26" kettle for all of my low and slow.

My wsm is only used for hanging ribs and direct top grate cooking.

The 26 is just so much easier to use for low and slow and still has good capacity.


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[HoosierKettle]

Don't get me wrong. The wsm is an awesome smoker and holds temps like a champ.


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[Mr.CPHo]

What I ended up doing was using my 26" kettle for all of my low and slow.

My wsm is only used for hanging ribs and direct top grate cooking.

The 26 is just so much easier to use for low and slow and still has good capacity.

+1. 

[JEBIV]

What I ended up doing was using my 26" kettle for all of my low and slow.

My wsm is only used for hanging ribs and direct top grate cooking.

The 26 is just so much easier to use for low and slow and still has good capacity.

+1.

Must be why I don't have a WSM that I use, I do have a 14 WSM Smithfield logo for some reason

[michaelmilitello]

I foil  the underside of the bowl and place a double sheet over the top of Reynolds HD.   The top sheets are slightly concave, so the grease will pool.   HD Reynolds is large enough to cover the bowl of the 18 wsm.    I have to change it once every few cooks. 


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[dirtfishingman]

2 thinks I do and tested them cook after cook.

1 is I dont use a water pan and hold temps perfectly

If I dont want the dripping going on the coals i use a cheap ass pizza pain with foil and have no issues

I got the fire dial as well and I used it a few time didn't even see a difference

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