An old timer in Memphis showed me his brisket trick with a hotel pan

Ruby Barnes · 2026-08-12T02:05:29.367586+00:00

I was at a competition in Memphis last fall, just walking the pits and talking to folks. One guy, must have been 70, was tending a brisket that looked like glass. I asked how he kept the bark so clean and he just pointed at a hotel pan with a few inches of water in it, sitting under the grate. Said he's been doing that for 30 years, no spritzing, no wrapping until the stall. I tried it on my next cook at home and the moisture evened out better than anything I've done with apple juice. Has anyone else messed with a water pan under the meat instead of spritzing?

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An old timer in Memphis showed me his brisket trick with a hotel pan | BBQ Pitmasters - The Community Guide