Well I woke up nice and early today (around 4:30am) to get my fist attempts at a brisket going. Had basically everything setup ready to go from the night before. Lit my chimney, split the coals up left and right, threw the brisket on and filled my two water pans. Put my remote thermometer in the lid and sat down on the couch. Keeping an eye on the temperature waiting for it to come up to temp before shutting down the vents. After it hit about 160 (after a half hour) it started going down? which I thought maybe that’s normal having never done a brisket before.(and being half asleep)

Well I went out after 45 min and the water pans where empty? I guess when my wife cleaned them she poked some holes in them. Draining all my water onto the coals and basically putting them out. Arg is all I have to say. Well things are going well now and I just needed to vent. Thanks all I hope this brisket works out I have gotten so much info from this site it makes my mouth water every time I visit….

Hope it works out for you. Rust will also do that to a water pan.

Take your water pan to a place that has a large selection of mixing bowls the old stainless style, not the new super deep with vertical wall style. Find one that is the same size as the water pan and you'll have a quality replacement.

I've been using a clay flower pot base, and like the way it works.

quote:

Originally posted by David Lohrentz:
I've been using a clay flower pot base, and like the way it works.

What size?

I got one that just barely fits in the stock water pan, so I am using a double layer heat sink with no water. Other people use a flower base that is the same as the outside diameter of the stock water pan and use it instead.