Best container…anything you wish. Cover= bulk ping pong balls available at Amazon et al. Three or four lavers deep, and no steam, no evaporation, no cutting. use your little cooler, big cooler, whatever. Plus, after you are finished, dry and put them back in the box they came in. keep a couple out for beer pong! Cooked the St. Patty’s corned beef for 60 hours with no extra water needed.