sxoidmal wrote:
> I read the earlier post about the Kingfisher smoker which implemented
> a side pocket of water, ostensibly to keep the food moist. I
> understand the premise of that and have replicated it with pouring
> the coals around a throw-away baking tin full of water, so the basin
> is directly beneath the meat to be grilled. Obviously one needs to
> replenish the water. I got this from a reputable grilling text, but
> I've read other texts that suggest water evaporates too rapidly to
> permeate the food, and I can imagine that happening too.

This has to be one of the biggest myths in cooking, and demonstrates the
lack of scientific knowledge and the tight embrace of old wives tales by
many purported "experts" : To wit, you can add moisture to meat during the
cooking process. External heat during the cooking process creates a high
internal pressure which drives moisture out of the intracellular spaces of a
tissue, like muscle. So how the heck does adding a beer can of water, or a
pan of water, or a tub of water create enough opposite pressure to drive
water back INTO those spaces. Answer: IT CAN'T. I wish mythbusters would
do a BBQ special on busting these kind of cook-foolery old-wives tales.

> ... The brining caused it to retain its own
> moisture so I have no idea if the basin was useful at all.

The brining adds "extra" moisture. This creates a deFacto "reserve" of
moisture which compensates for the natural loss of moisture during the
cooking, grilling, or Qing process. The result is -- ta dah -- a juicier
boid.

NO, the basin was of no use at all, EXCEPT as a heat deflector or a thermal
mass. Each of those functions are useful in their own unique ways.

--
Dave
Dave's Pit-Smoked Bar-B-Que
http://davebbq.com/