Masterbuilt from Cabelas

ptarmigan · Nov 4, 2015

Hey folk, new guy here from Alaska. I posted above in the roll call and now have some questions. I've lived up here for 11 yrs and always had my fish smoked for me and now it's time for me to do my own. Cabelas currently has a Masterbuilt sportsman elite 40" window smoker on sale. http://www.cabelas.com/product/mast...-window-smoker-kit/2013131.uts#tabsCollection I'm just wondering if anybody has an opinion on this or might be able to point me in the right direction. I really like the idea of using the A-MAZE-N tray for pellets as it seems to require less attention. Not sure if it would work with this smoker. Any thoughts would be welcome. Thanks!

Matt

mummel · Nov 4, 2015

Check my signature. Great setup. I love mine. Wait till it goes on sale for $350. Then buy some 20% off gift cards off eBay and stack a 10% coupon. Got mine for $275 after tax all in.

ptarmigan · Nov 4, 2015

Other than the door being glass and no BT, what other differences are there between the two? Will the AMPS tray work with it as well? I really like the idea of using pellets instead of chips. I'll have to see how others convert theirs to use them.

brickguy221 · Nov 4, 2015

The Cabela's Smoker appears to be a Generation 2.0. The Pellet tray will work in any smoker, better in some than others, but will still work. That smoker is $350. A new 40" BT with legs at Sams is $329. Don't know if you have a Sams where you live or not or what it would cost to ship it to you if you don't have a Sams.

mummel · Nov 5, 2015

Don't get the 2.5. Get the BT one.

brickguy221 · Nov 5, 2015

mummel said:
Don't get the 2.5. Get the BT one.

Did you mean 2.0 and not 2.5, because the 2.5 is the BT.

mummel · Nov 5, 2015

Brickguy221 said:
Did you mean 2.0 and not 2.5, because the 2.5 is the BT.

Yes typo! Bluetooth one all the way!

ptarmigan · Nov 5, 2015

I stopped by on my way home last night and they are running an end of season sale on their Cabelas MES 40 w/BT.

Don't know how important Bluetooth is, but they're marked down to $329 from $429 right now. Looked like a nice unit and I think it will be going home with me tonight.

hoity toit · Nov 5, 2015

I works fine with the tray, especially if you use a mail box modification on the smoker, but you dont have too. i have a 30 and a 40 and use the amaz-n tray in both with success.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/127770/mes-mailbox-mod-for-use-with-amnps

Works great check it out.

HT

mummel · Nov 5, 2015

ptarmigan said:
I stopped by on my way home last night and they are running an end of season sale on their Cabelas MES 40 w/BT.

Don't know how important Bluetooth is, but they're marked down to $329 from $429 right now. Looked like a nice unit and I think it will be going home with me tonight.

This seems like a great price.

daricksta · Nov 5, 2015

ptarmigan said:
I stopped by on my way home last night and they are running an end of season sale on their Cabelas MES 40 w/BT.

Don't know how important Bluetooth is, but they're marked down to $329 from $429 right now. Looked like a nice unit and I think it will be going home with me tonight.

A MES 40 BT (Gen 2.5) for $329? Jump on that deal!

BTW, Love your username.

ptarmigan · Nov 5, 2015

daRicksta said:
A MES 40 BT (Gen 2.5) for $329? Jump on that deal!

BTW, Love your username.

I will be doing that as soon as I get out of work. Any idea how Cabelas pellets are quality wise? I've been using that username on a bunch of forums in the last ten years. Too hard to use a different one for every forum. I do feel a bit guilty when I eat some of my brethren though!

Actually I don't, fall birds that have been fattening up on berries are too tasty to feel guilty about eating.

daricksta · Nov 5, 2015

ptarmigan said:
I will be doing that as soon as I get out of work. Any idea how Cabelas pellets are quality wise? I've been using that username on a bunch of forums in the last ten years. Too hard to use a different one for every forum. I do feel a bit guilty when I eat some of my brethren though!

Actually I don't, fall birds that have been fattening up on berries are too tasty to feel guilty about eating.

I'm reading a novel set in the Aleutian Islands and ptarmigans were mentioned in the story. Never heard of them before but they sure look plump and tasty!

white-tailed-ptarmigan-bruce-cyg.jpg

daricksta
Nov 5, 2015

Do you already have tray or something that smokes wood pellets? I bought the A-MAZE-N Pellet Smoker from Todd Johnson here: http://www.amazenproducts.com/

I also buy all my wood pellets from him. When I first started out I used wood chips before I bought the AMNPS. Todd includes a 2-lb. bag of his Pitmaster's Choice blend but I bought some apple wood pellets at a local store. I've been told that many commercial wood pellets have additives and other junk in them, making them less than 100% wood. All of Todd's pellets are made from 100% wood. I had a problem with pellets in a bag I bought from him over a year ago and he sent me a new bag. Todd provides outstanding customer service and products which is why you'll see many SMF members extol his praises.

We don't have plump, tasty birds where I live. All we have are rabbits. Lots and lots and lots of rabbits...

ptarmigan · Nov 5, 2015

I will be buying one when I pick up the smoker tonight. Cabelas sells the A-MAZE-N trays and tubes locally. I looked on his website and there is a disclaimer about free shipping to Continental US only. I always find that funny because we are attached to the same continent. Should read contiguous if you want to get technical. Anyways, I'll just buy locally as I won't get clipped for ridiculous shipping charges. I'm looking forward to giving the smoker a good workout. I have two large freezers filled with moose, salmon, and halibut that will be fun to work and experiment with.

jayace · Nov 5, 2015

Damn I wish I could find a deal like that in Calgary!

daricksta · Nov 6, 2015

ptarmigan said:
I will be buying one when I pick up the smoker tonight. Cabelas sells the A-MAZE-N trays and tubes locally. I looked on his website and there is a disclaimer about free shipping to Continental US only. I always find that funny because we are attached to the same continent. Should read contiguous if you want to get technical. Anyways, I'll just buy locally as I won't get clipped for ridiculous shipping charges. I'm looking forward to giving the smoker a good workout. I have two large freezers filled with moose, salmon, and halibut that will be fun to work and experiment with.

I didn't know that Todd Johnson was selling his smokers through retail outlets. That's so cool. As I've written, Todd is such a nice guy that I just order from his website when I need new supplies. For example, I've decided to buy a 2nd Maverick ET-733 and when I'm ready I'll order it through him. I buy all my wood pellets from him as well.

I guess Todd specifies free shipping within continental US only because it's all ground shipping. With Alaska it'd have to be shipped via air freight and then transferred to a UPS or FedEx distribution center to be loaded onto a truck to be delivered to you. That's got to be more costly. But continental US has always meant just the contiguous 48 states.

You've got to post some Qview of the moose and squirrel--sorry, moose and halibut because I've never seen photos of those being smoked. Gotta see what that moose meat looks like before and after.

brickguy221 · Nov 6, 2015

daRicksta said:
I didn't know that Todd Johnson was selling his smokers through retail outlets. That's so cool. As I've written, Todd is such a nice guy that I just order from his website when I need new supplies. For example, I've decided to buy a 2nd Maverick ET-733 and when I'm ready I'll order it through him. I buy all my wood pellets from him as well.

I guess Todd specifies free shipping within continental US only because it's all ground shipping. With Alaska it'd have to be shipped via air freight and then transferred to a UPS or FedEx distribution center to be loaded onto a truck to be delivered to you. That's got to be more costly. But continental US has always meant just the contiguous 48 states.

You've got to post some Qview of the moose and squirrel--sorry, moose and halibut because I've never seen photos of those being smoked. Gotta see what that moose meat looks like before and after.

One store here in OKC has his Tubes, but not the Maze

ptarmigan · Nov 6, 2015

They're sold on Amazon as well. The maze with 1lb of hickory pellets included is $28.90 with free shipping (even to AK) if you're a prime member. If I wasn't going to use it tomorrow I would have ordered from them.

daricksta · Nov 6, 2015

Brickguy221 said:
One store here in OKC has his Tubes, but not the Maze

A few stores in WA state sell his stuff but none of the stores are near me. I like to go to the source and buy from the horse anyway.

ptarmigan · Nov 7, 2015

Well I've got the smoker fired up tonight doing a "cure". Had a hiccup to start things off. When I first plugged it in nothing happened. Had to do some troubleshooting right off the bat. Opened the access panel on the bottom and found a wire that was not pushed into one of the connectors. Tragedy averted, though not without some TBS of my own. Gonna try a brine and a dry "rub" late tonight on some sockeye and coho salmon then dry it for a few hours in the morning. Hopefully I will have some palatable smoked salmon for my kids to eat by tomorrow night.

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