Finally Decided to Get a 40" Bluetooth Yesterday

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brickguy221

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
May 27, 2015
614
25
Oklahoma City
Yesterday I finally decided to go ahead and get the new 40" Bluetooth Smoker. I bought it at Sams last night. Will put it together sometime today.

I looked at the one at Bass Pro Shop first and with the 6 shelves, it is indeed attractive, but the down side is it is $430  and Sams is $330 and it includes the legs, whereas Bass Pro Shop's doesn't. The only other difference I could see between the two Smokers is Bass Pro Shop's has 6 shelves and Sams has 4 shelves. I have never had a need for 6 shelves, so I couldn't justify spending $100 more at Bass Pro Shop for 2 more shelves plus if you want legs, that is another $47 for a total difference of $147 between the 2 Smokers.

I hope this BT performs more accurate than my Generation 2 has performed...... 
 
 
Yesterday I finally decided to go ahead and get the new 40" Bluetooth Smoker. I bought it at Sams last night. Will put it together sometime today.

I looked at the one at Bass Pro Shop first and with the 6 shelves, it is indeed attractive, but the down side is it is $430  and Sams is $330 and it includes the legs, whereas Bass Pro Shop's doesn't. The only other difference I could see between the two Smokers is Bass Pro Shop's has 6 shelves and Sams has 4 shelves. I have never had a need for 6 shelves, so I couldn't justify spending $100 more at Bass Pro Shop for 2 more shelves plus if you want legs, that is another $47 for a total difference of $147 between the 2 Smokers.

I hope this BT performs more accurate than my Generation 2 has performed...... 
Congrats Brickguy!!!
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I hope it's Perfect !!

You're right I would only want to 6 racks if I did a lot of Jerky or Beef Sticks.

You did Great !!

Bear
 
Yesterday I finally decided to go ahead and get the new 40" Bluetooth Smoker. I bought it at Sams last night. Will put it together sometime today.

I looked at the one at Bass Pro Shop first and with the 6 shelves, it is indeed attractive, but the down side is it is $430  and Sams is $330 and it includes the legs, whereas Bass Pro Shop's doesn't. The only other difference I could see between the two Smokers is Bass Pro Shop's has 6 shelves and Sams has 4 shelves. I have never had a need for 6 shelves, so I couldn't justify spending $100 more at Bass Pro Shop for 2 more shelves plus if you want legs, that is another $47 for a total difference of $147 between the 2 Smokers.

I hope this BT performs more accurate than my Generation 2 has performed...... 
 
 
Yesterday I finally decided to go ahead and get the new 40" Bluetooth Smoker. I bought it at Sams last night. Will put it together sometime today.

I looked at the one at Bass Pro Shop first and with the 6 shelves, it is indeed attractive, but the down side is it is $430  and Sams is $330 and it includes the legs, whereas Bass Pro Shop's doesn't. The only other difference I could see between the two Smokers is Bass Pro Shop's has 6 shelves and Sams has 4 shelves. I have never had a need for 6 shelves, so I couldn't justify spending $100 more at Bass Pro Shop for 2 more shelves plus if you want legs, that is another $47 for a total difference of $147 between the 2 Smokers.

I hope this BT performs more accurate than my Generation 2 has performed...... 
I have the MES 30 Gen 1 (as I repeatedly post) and of the 4 racks I typically use only two of them to feed about 2-6 people, depending on what I'm smoking. When I smoke cheese I typically only use the top three racks. I never use the 4th one--which the water pan hangs from--because I think it's too close to the AMNPS and I think anything on that rack will turn out oversmoked. @Bearcarver, would you agree with this?
 
 
I have the MES 30 Gen 1 (as I repeatedly post) and of the 4 racks I typically use only two of them to feed about 2-6 people, depending on what I'm smoking. When I smoke cheese I typically only use the top three racks. I never use the 4th one--which the water pan hangs from--because I think it's too close to the AMNPS and I think anything on that rack will turn out oversmoked. @Bearcarver, would you agree with this?
I'm not Bearcarver, but I do agree with you.
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 I have never used the bottom rack in my Generation 2 Smoker, so I probably will never use it in my new Bluetooth either. 
 
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I have the MES 30 Gen 1 (as I repeatedly post) and of the 4 racks I typically use only two of them to feed about 2-6 people, depending on what I'm smoking. When I smoke cheese I typically only use the top three racks. I never use the 4th one--which the water pan hangs from--because I think it's too close to the AMNPS and I think anything on that rack will turn out oversmoked. @Bearcarver, would you agree with this?
Yes, I feel the same about cold & hot smokes.

My Rack preferences are:

First------------#2

Second-------#1

Third----------#3

And I never use the bottom one, because it's too close to the heating element, even without the AMNPS. IMHO.

Bear
 
 
I'm not Bearcarver, but I do agree with you.
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 I have never used the bottom rack in my Generation 2 Smoker, so I probably will never use it in my new Bluetooth either. 
Brickguy, I knew you weren't Bearcarver. I tagged him--or whatever it's called--in the hope that he would weigh in, which he did. You can always count on Bear!
 
 
Yes, I feel the same about cold & hot smokes.

My Rack preferences are:

First------------#2

Second-------#1

Third----------#3

And I never use the bottom one, because it's too close to the heating element, even without the AMNPS. IMHO.

Bear
Wow--these are my exact preferences too, Bear! When I cook two racks of ribs they're on racks 1 & 2. One lone brisket or pork shoulder goes on #2. When I cold smoke cheese it's racks 1, 2 & 3. And yep, you can add the close proximity of rack #4 to the heating element besides the AMNPS as a reason to make that a NO PLACING FOOD HERE ZONE.
 
 
Brickguy, I knew you weren't Bearcarver. I tagged him--or whatever it's called--in the hope that he would weigh in, which he did. You can always count on Bear!
Rick, I know that. I was only commenting that I  was in agreement with you .... 
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Wow--these are my exact preferences too, Bear! When I cook two racks of ribs they're on racks 1 & 2. One lone brisket or pork shoulder goes on #2. When I cold smoke cheese it's racks 1, 2 & 3. And yep, you can add the close proximity of rack #4 to the heating element besides the AMNPS as a reason to make that a NO PLACING FOOD HERE ZONE.
Rick, I use a rib rack and smoke 4 racks of ribs at a time on rack # 3

 
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You have heard Bo knows    Bear knows (MES)

Gary
 
 
Wow--these are my exact preferences too, Bear! When I cook two racks of ribs they're on racks 1 & 2. One lone brisket or pork shoulder goes on #2. When I cold smoke cheese it's racks 1, 2 & 3. And yep, you can add the close proximity of rack #4 to the heating element besides the AMNPS as a reason to make that a NO PLACING FOOD HERE ZONE.
You got it DOWN !!!
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Exactly the same things I do---All of them!

Bear
 
 
Rick, I know that. I was only commenting that I  was in agreement with you .... 
icon_smile.gif
Thanks, Brickguy. I wasn't sure.
 
Rick, I use a rib rack and smoke 4 racks of ribs at a time on rack # 3

Son of a gun, Brick! My wife gave me this very same rack for Father's Day two years ago! I've only used it on my Weber charcoal kettle grill. I like it but what I don't like is how hard it is to get the ribs out of it since they stick in some places. The times I've used it I've had problems leaving some meat behind on it.

I think my problem has been is that I don't spray it down with grilling spray before placing the ribs in. Do you spray yours? Do you cook your ribs using the 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 methods or variations thereof?

I also have to check out the dimensions of the rack to see if it will fit inside my MES 30.
 
 
Thanks, Brickguy. I wasn't sure.

Son of a gun, Brick! My wife gave me this very same rack for Father's Day two years ago! I've only used it on my Weber charcoal kettle grill. I like it but what I don't like is how hard it is to get the ribs out of it since they stick in some places. The times I've used it I've had problems leaving some meat behind on it.

I think my problem has been is that I don't spray it down with grilling spray before placing the ribs in. Do you spray yours? Do you cook your ribs using the 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 methods or variations thereof?

I also have to check out the dimensions of the rack to see if it will fit inside my MES 30.
Rick, I spray the rack with Pam. Probably helps a bit, but sometimes a rack that might be a bit thick will stick slightly anyhow, but not bad enough to leave meat of any amount behind other  than maybe alittle tiny piece or so 1/3  the size of a dime. I don't smoke full size slab ribs. I do either St Louis Style or Baby Back ribs, depending which might be on sale. I smoke approx 3 hrs or until I see the meat is shrunk up on the bone leaving approx 1/2 - 5/8 inch or so bone exposed. I then take them out and spray real light with water, wrap them in foil and put back in for approx 1 hr. Then remove, bring in house and let sit for approx 30 minutes and by then they are almost and sometimes are falling off the bone. I don't unwrap and put back in for an hr. Usually total time is 4 to 4 1/2 hrs. 

The time could change with my new Bluetooth. Reason is I used to set my Gen 2 Smoker at 210-215 degrees, but found out later the real temp (using an oven thermometer on a shelf for a more accurate temp)  was 235-250 degrees. The last ribs I did, I set Smoker temp at 205 and when I saw oven thermometer saying 230 degrees, I lowered the temp to 195. Took ribs out at 3 hrs and proceeded as described above. Prior to that, they were sometimes having to be taken out as early as  2 1/2 hrs, then wrapped for an hour. I enver could understand why they were getting done so fast at such a low temp until I bought an oven thermometer and used it to check and found the real temp was 35 degrees or more too high. To sum it up, my ribs have been more like 3-1-0 and not 3-2-1. 

This may all change with my new Bluetooth ... Stay tuned .....
 
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Rick, I spray the rack with Pam. Probably helps a bit, but sometimes a rack that might be a bit thick will stick slightly anyhow, but not bad enough to leave meat of any amount behind other  than maybe alittle tiny piece or so 1/3  the size of a dime. I don't smoke full size slab ribs. I do either St Louis Style or Baby Back ribs, depending which might be on sale. I smoke approx 3 hrs or until I see the meat is shrunk up on the bone leaving approx 1/2 - 5/8 inch or so bone exposed. I then take them out and spray real light with water, wrap them in foil and put back in for approx 1 hr. Then remove, bring in house and let sit for approx 30 minutes and by then they are almost and sometimes are falling off the bone. I don't unwrap and put back in for an hr. Usually total time is 4 to 4 1/2 hrs. 

The time could change with my new Bluetooth. Reason is I used to set my Gen 2 Smoker at 210-215 degrees, but found out later the real temp (using an oven thermometer on a shelf for a more accurate temp)  was 235-250 degrees. The last ribs I did, I set Smoker temp at 205 and when I saw oven thermometer saying 230 degrees, I lowered the temp to 195. Took ribs out at 3 hrs and proceeded as described above. Prior to that, they were sometimes having to be taken out as early as  2 1/2 hrs, then wrapped for an hour. I enver could understand why they were getting done so fast at such a low temp until I bought an oven thermometer and used it to check and found the real temp was 35 degrees or more too high. To sum it up, my ribs have been more like 3-1-0 and not 3-2-1. 

This may all change with my new Bluetooth ... Stay tuned .....
OK, I'm tuned but I'm still thinking. I always set my smoker at around 225-235° for whatever I'm smoking. I only smoke St. Louis or baby backs, never a rack of spareribs. Oops--I tell a lie! I bought two racks of spareribs once so I could trim them St. Louis style myself. Watched a couple of You Tube videos first and then found it was fairly easy to do. The last time I smoked ribs I didn't foil them, which convinced me to foil them from then on. Besides that I cooked them for 7 hours when I should have only cooked them for 6. Time got away from me. With grilling, it's such a hassle to get the ribs out of the rack that I haven't foiled them. The last time I grilled ribs in the rack (which was after the smoked ribs) I slightly undercooked them in about 2.5 hours or so.

As far as 3-2-1 or 2-2-1, I also include "variations thereof" because I might go 3-2.5-.5 or whatever if I'm late applying the foil and/or unwrapping the foil for various reasons. But I've read to basically use 3-2-1 for St. Louis and 2-2-1 for baby backs.

I also go by the way the ribs look which is why I knew the smoked ribs were overcooked but was surprised the grilled ribs were not done enough. It's harder to grill ribs because besides the hassling (for me) with the rib rack there's applying the mop and the finishing sauces and having to manage the heat in the BBQ using indirect heat with the lump charcoal (typically I use briquettes) in two Weber charcoal fuel holders on each side of the rib rack. When the ribs are done I just put them on a platter and bring 'em to the dining room and just let them rest for about 15 minutes.

I decided to spray the rib rack from now on. I'll use Weber Grill 'N Spray which I prefer to Pam. I'm an inveterate and compulsive label reader and I just like the ingredients used in the Weber better than other similar sprays.

OK, I'm back to staying tuned and watching this space for some BRICKGUY221 QVIEWS, BABY!!!!! Haven't seen hardly any Bluetooths in action yet.
 
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