Randy > wrote in message >...
> I tried sand in the water pan last week and my ribs seemed to come out
> drier than when using water. The lid temp averaged about 5 degrees
> higher than usual. Clean up is certainly much easier with sand but I
> think the water did more than just act as a heat sink. Anybody else
> tried both ways? -RP

In barbecue, the moistness of the meat comes from *inside*, when the
fat and collagen break down during low and slow cooking. Overcook the
meat, and all that moisture will get sqeezed out and the meat becomes
dry. Water vs. sand in the pan has nothing to do with it. You can
get either moist or dry meat using water, sand, or even no pan.
Depends how long the meat is cooked.

Aloha,

Nathan Lau
Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia