MasterBuilt Assembly Question

[SmokerNovice]

I hope you guys aren't sick and tired of helping me yet - LOL. After my first smoke yesterday, I was cleaning the smoker today. Just use some warm damp cloths. Anyway, I noticed something that has me confused.. it seems all the drippings end up in the water pan, and not the drip tray. The tray that's angled, that the water pan sits under seems to catch all the drippings, and they flow directly into the water pan. I attached pix. The tray I'm pointing at, is it supposed to be an angle the way mine is? Wouldn't this pretty much direct all drippings into the water pan, and not the drip tray? Thanks! Sorry for all the posts the last couple days, I'm trying to learn as much as possible!

 

[TomKnollRFV]

It would largely, I have to admit mine doesn't have this.. I have a 2.5 gen MES 140 <I think. Actually I got the gen 2.5 water pan ..I need to ask Bear lol>. I actually -wish- mine had that..

As I learned after my first smoke, there isn't any point on using the water tray for water. Mine pretty much is to keep drippings from directly falling in my AMNPS. The drip tray on the bottom is really just there so your bottom doesn't end up caked with drippings directly on the unit. Alot of people put foil in both their water pans and over the drip tray to pull out and clean easily. Every week I take the water pan, the racks, and the tray out and put them in a plastic pool with soap and water to soak for a day in the sun and then spray them down. Then back in the smoker, I spray some oil on them, run it at 275f for an hour or two with a single load of hickory or apple chips.

But honestly; you never need water in the MES. When I did my first brisket, I had put a big throw away aluminum pan in, to collect au jus. Well, I put some water in, so the drippings wouldn't just burn, and actually get au jus. Ended up stalling out the cook for 6+ hours longer then it shoulda. The MES is -very- well insulated to say the least.

 

[SmokerNovice]

It would largely, I have to admit mine doesn't have this.. I have a 2.5 gen MES 140 <I think. Actually I got the gen 2.5 water pan ..I need to ask Bear lol>. I actually -wish- mine had that..

As I learned after my first smoke, there isn't any point on using the water tray for water. Mine pretty much is to keep drippings from directly falling in my AMNPS. The drip tray on the bottom is really just there so your bottom doesn't end up caked with drippings directly on the unit. Alot of people put foil in both their water pans and over the drip tray to pull out and clean easily. Every week I take the water pan, the racks, and the tray out and put them in a plastic pool with soap and water to soak for a day in the sun and then spray them down. Then back in the smoker, I spray some oil on them, run it at 275f for an hour or two with a single load of hickory or apple chips.

But honestly; you never need water in the MES. When I did my first brisket, I had put a big throw away aluminum pan in, to collect au jus. Well, I put some water in, so the drippings wouldn't just burn, and actually get au jus. Ended up stalling out the cook for 6+ hours longer then it shoulda. The MES is -very- well insulated to say the least.

Excellent info, thanks a bunch!

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Excellent info, thanks a bunch!

Just go look up Bearcarver's step by steps! I follow his stuff alot! He's even got identification guides for MES models! If Bear or Bear friends can't answer the question, I just assume it isn't possible now ;)

 

[Bearcarver]

I hope you guys aren't sick and tired of helping me yet - LOL. After my first smoke yesterday, I was cleaning the smoker today. Just use some warm damp cloths. Anyway, I noticed something that has me confused.. it seems all the drippings end up in the water pan, and not the drip tray. The tray that's angled, that the water pan sits under seems to catch all the drippings, and they flow directly into the water pan. I attached pix. The tray I'm pointing at, is it supposed to be an angle the way mine is? Wouldn't this pretty much direct all drippings into the water pan, and not the drip tray? Thanks! Sorry for all the posts the last couple days, I'm trying to learn as much as possible!

That pan is a "Slanted Drip Plate".
It's supposed to catch drips & they're supposed to run down the hill & into the little Water Pan.
If you read my comments on all the models, you see that pan is the main reason I tell people to avoid that model.
That slanted plate blocks the heat from rising up, and pushes the heat uphill to the right side of the smoker before it rises.
This makes the right side hotter than the left side.

If I had to use one of those Generation #2 units, I'd pull that slanted tray out, along with the little water pan.
Then I would put the bottom rack in position & set a Foil Pan on it to catch drips.

Here's more:
Masterbuilt Smokers (Bear's Thoughts & Findings)
MES Generation Number Recognition Pictures & Pics (Digital Units)

Bear

 

[SmokerNovice]

Thanks so much fellas. Bear, great info, much appreciated!!