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I was smoking a brisket for 8 hours before I noticed the steam from my water pan was washing the bark right off the meat.
A guy at the hardware store in Austin saw my sad looking photos and asked if I was running my water pan too full, which made me realize I was basically steaming it instead of smoking it.
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terryh201mo ago
Kimreed is right about the half-full pan, but I've found even that can be too much on a humid day. The real trick is to watch the bark and only add water if the surface looks dry. It turns more into a helpful tool than a set rule.
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kimreed1mo ago
Yeah I read something about that, how a super full water pan can basically ruin the bark. It creates too much steam and keeps the surface wet. I keep mine only about half full now and it makes a huge difference.
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jordan_young16d ago
Check your water source too. I switched from tap to distilled because my local Austin water is so hard it was leaving a mineral film on the meat that looked like a weird crust but peeled right off. Thought I was doing something wrong for three cooks before I put it together.
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