MES 30 How smoky is yours

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larrym

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Jul 22, 2011
257
11
Halfway up mountain in Tn
Just a fun little qview,, not sure how many photo's I can put up there.  I have read several threads about how to clean.  I have an older model,, 20070410.  I have done about 15 smokes in it max.  I dont get to play much :(  I have grates out and holder for water/wood chips out in the dishwasher as I am typing.  My old Weber charcoal grill,, I would brush some before using ,, this one though,, wife wants the grates kept clean,, not sure why,, any residue on there is gonna be sanitized the next time I smoke.  Anywhoo,, just for fun,, here is pic for almost virgin MES :) 

dd71a3ae_MES-20070410.jpg
 
Hi Larry!

My racks get cleaned between every smoke.

I agree with you on high heat making grates safe, like on my gas grill (400˚, 500˚, and 600˚---Brush it & fire it up), but some of my "smokes" are only at 130˚ to 170˚ smoker temp, and my hottest smokes usually only go to 230˚.

I also clean the glass in the door every time (MES 40), the internal light, the probes, the back wall around the sensors, and any little globs & build-ups that could start a fire.

Bear
 
I dont mind cleaning the grates after each use,, lil scrubby pad cleans it up nicely, especially if I remembered to spray it with non stick first.  I would love to do a low n slow cook but outside temp is now up in the low to mid 90's, I just cant seem to get any smoke from this one when I run at 170 - 190,, roughly as it is just the older thermo on the door.  It seems to smoke okay at 225 though so I am guessing, its just the thermostat doesnt want to kick in enough. But I did a 7lbs pork shoulder last weekend , took 14hours,, wife was very happy with the tenderness though not enough of a smoke ring.  I ran it at 185 the whole time.  She went out after and got me a huge 14lbs pork butt, I will need at least a 12 pack to see that one through, probably start around midnight or 10pm even ;)  She wants a better rub,, says its not the same flavor as the very first one I did,, I have no clue what reciepe I used then.  I have been going with brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili pepper, black pepper, sea salt, papirika and cayenne mixture.  She cant tell me what flavor she is looking for, I have no clue.  All I can do is cook it well enough so when she tests with the tongs, it falls apart.  The cooking part I am okay with I guess :)  The flavor is up to her as a non smoker to decide.  10 hours of smoking,, n me smoking / beer .  My taste buds are shot  lol.
 
Seems all MES are insulated so well that the element doesn't have to come on often enough to produce much smoke at lower temps. I struggled with this problem for a long time myself, as have most MES owners, and owners of many other smokers

Then one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet, from this forum, came up with an little item that has turned everyones' job of smoking meat into the easy fun it should have always been.

They are:

The "A-MAZE-N-SMOKER", which can produce 10 to 12 hours of non-stop perfect smoke, without attending it, at smoker temps of 200˚ and below (using saw dust).

And the "A-MAZE-N-PELLET-SMOKER", which can do the same thing, but can do it up to at least 275˚ smoker temp, without any problems (using wood pellets).

All kinds of info on these gizmos, all over this forum.

Bear
 
I would think though that any external type of smoker is going to require me cutting a hole in the side of this one.  The only hole in my old 30  is for the drip pan.
 
I would think though that any external type of smoker is going to require me cutting a hole in the side of this one.  The only hole in my old 30  is for the drip pan.


No the AMNPS or AMNS goes inside your smoker.

No holes to cut.

Great smoke for hours.
 
That smoker looks new compaired to mine..I do clean the grate that I put the meat on after every use...
 
I guess I havent read the forums deep enough to understand.  I thought the AMNS was an auto feed which required an outside outlet with external hookup.  If not,, what do I do an where do I get it :)  I would love to go back to 185 like I did in winter time and have a nice smoke ring. :)
 
I guess I havent read the forums deep enough to understand.  I thought the AMNS was an auto feed which required an outside outlet with external hookup.  If not,, what do I do an where do I get it :)  I would love to go back to 185 like I did in winter time and have a nice smoke ring. :)
It's ok.. There is tons of help here..

Here's the url for Todds smoker thingeee..  ( I have 2 of em)

Tell him you are a member here and he will take real good care of ya!!

http://www.amazenproducts.com/  

  Craig
 
web site is a little slow,, been 10 mins trying to load.  Without seeing this though, another stupid question.  does this just sit where the chip box I have sits on top of the elements ? I dont understand how it will make a difference with a different type of box.  Mine is just a metal box that sits in its holder and relies on the heat from element to fire it up.
 
I'm smoking bacon today

Here's what it looks like and where it goes

f304ab11_DSCF3112.jpg


Todd
 
OOPS!

Sorry Larry, posted on your thread my accident!

TJ
 
Last edited:
I use pellets in mine and I'm pretty pleased with the results.  They burn to ash easily in the retrofit smoker.  I am working on a  good cold smoker for this winter (time for sausage!)
 
okay,  I have looked at the AMNS.  It is too big to fit inside the holder tray for current chip box on my older MES.  Is anyone using it on an older style, the 20070410 ?  Should I just put a standard grate where the water/chip dish grate is, then set this and a water dish on the grate ?
 
Larry,

I started a butt this morning at 6:45.  I believe I have the same smoker as you.  I'm not sure what the model is, but my instruction manual says models 20070210 and 20070410,  It is the analog model with legs.  I always clean my grates.  Bacteria are not going to be killed at 180...maybe after several hours.  I use a Maverick probe and I also have a little PID controller for mine, so I can keep the temp pretty steady.  I looked at it a few minutes ago at 8:30 and smoke was pouring out.  But that was at 222F.  I also have a Weber Smokey Mtn Smoker and it does make some tasty Q, but I just don't have the patience to monitor the temp on that thing and it's just too hot outside these days.
 
okay,  I have looked at the AMNS.  It is too big to fit inside the holder tray for current chip box on my older MES.  Is anyone using it on an older style, the 20070410 ?  Should I just put a standard grate where the water/chip dish grate is, then set this and a water dish on the grate ?
Since it looks like your element is huge in size, you can't get it to the left or right of it.

You will have to put it above the element, but if you do that, you should have something shielding it from the intense heat, if you're using heat while using an AMNPS.

Could you put it above your empty chip box?

Or inside your empty water pan?

If not, maybe put the lowest grill rack in & put it on there?

Your picture above is without the contents (in DW), so I'm just guessing.

Where there's a will there's a way,

Bear
 
 
Yup, what Bear said....

You may need to make a cheapie heat shield out of foil, or use a disposable cake pan between the element and the AMNPS

You should not put the AMNPS or AMNS directly on the element, or it will burn up very quickly

TJ
 
okay, at work so cant post another picture.  I am looking at the picture that Todd posted.  Where the pellet dish is,, that is where my water dish sits down into the grate, then off to the right of that, is another spot for my wood chip container to sit down, it is lower and much closer to the element, off hand, would say they are both 4x6 ".  I have done some more searching and the issue may just be that the outside air temp is just too high for a low smoke.  The thermostat just doesnt fire enough.  If I fire it up to 225 - 250, which I am going to do this weekend for another test, it seems to smoke okay,, though normally the wood chips do not burn down to ash.  I have checked several stores in the area, I do not have access to pellets or dust, that would mean I have to buy them online for a steady supply,, another cost.  I am thinking about some way to chew up the wood chips that I can get from Walmart,, even if that means putting them into a baggie of some sort and pounding them with a sledge hammer :)  I will use them dry and not smoked.  I should say,, that during the winter months,, it seemed to smoke fine using the same chips.
 
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