So I just picked up a new MES 40" to replace my Duel-Fuel Pro. I liked the idea of not using an open flame for long smoking over night and also the ease of just setting a digital display to 225 and not fiddling with a knob for an hour to get it to the right temp. I guess I should've done a little more research about them before I got one but I'm stuck at this point so I'd like to make the best of it.
I will say it works pretty well stock, better than my duel-fuel pro did. I didn't think it was making enough smoke though, which I now see is a common complaint. I see a steady stream of smoke coming out of the exhaust vent, but I never get the flavor I had with the propane smoker, and never a smoke ring. I tried adding a AMNPS but it won't stay lit even with the chip tube completely removed. Also the built-in meat probe appears to be good for nothing as it always reads the same temperature as the smoker itself even when buried in a pork shoulder. That's not too bad because I still have the Maverick I was using with the DF Pro.
I see that a lot of people do this mailbox mod to get more smoke. Is there a how-to guide on that? Does it make enough smoke to get a ring on a 10+ butt smoke? My friends and family sure like my pulled pork but this first batch through the MES 40" was just blah compared to what I used to churn out of the DF Pro.
I did some sausages and robs and those both came out pretty good. I also think this will be way better for making jerky, which I'm itching to try.
Any tips would be appreciated. I have the 20070512 model.
I will say it works pretty well stock, better than my duel-fuel pro did. I didn't think it was making enough smoke though, which I now see is a common complaint. I see a steady stream of smoke coming out of the exhaust vent, but I never get the flavor I had with the propane smoker, and never a smoke ring. I tried adding a AMNPS but it won't stay lit even with the chip tube completely removed. Also the built-in meat probe appears to be good for nothing as it always reads the same temperature as the smoker itself even when buried in a pork shoulder. That's not too bad because I still have the Maverick I was using with the DF Pro.
I see that a lot of people do this mailbox mod to get more smoke. Is there a how-to guide on that? Does it make enough smoke to get a ring on a 10+ butt smoke? My friends and family sure like my pulled pork but this first batch through the MES 40" was just blah compared to what I used to churn out of the DF Pro.
I did some sausages and robs and those both came out pretty good. I also think this will be way better for making jerky, which I'm itching to try.
Any tips would be appreciated. I have the 20070512 model.