To me, a water pan is about maintaining moisture.

If I want to add some flavor with juice, I would put it inside the foil during a stage when I wrap the meat.

When I used a bullit smoker, it was impossible to regulate the temperature without water in the pan. If it ran out of water, it would usually ruin the meat if not corrected quick enough. .

glad to have another bbq'er on board. skip the mesquite with the pork tho. Go cherry or apple

Thanks man, trying to learn! Came out well considering I have a pretty cheap vertical smoker.

What are your recommendations for woods to use with what meat? I just didn't want to buy a ton of wood and Mesquite was the only one that came in a economical bulk size for not a ton of cash. Wondering where most of you get the wood you use? I got my bag of mesquite at home depot.

hickory for pork is what we use mmmmm mmmm good

this time I went hickory/apple/hickory/cherry

Fruit woods are great for pork, chicken and turkey. Hickory & mesquite for beef, although I like to mix woods for additional deapth of flavor

All right, good tips. Is there a smoking thread I should be posting this stuff in or should we just make this the official smoking thread?

Just don't smoke meats while on vacation and post those pics and you will be ok
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ROFL

I posted a pic but I wasn't on vacation. Will I be ok?

I smoked a rack of ribs on this bad boy (using the pan with about 50/50 water and apple juice) for about 7 hours on about 220 and it was damn good. A little bit of a pain in the ass but damn good.

I think so. be careful though this is important stuff.
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Pork loin with home made bbq sauce smoked with apple wood

Nice man. Any specific temperature you got that thing up to?

160. I smoked it at 250 in a foil boat to keep it moist. This one took 1 hr 45 min and I glazed it at 1 hr. Let it rest for 1/2 hr after cooking.