New MES 30" User - Novice Smoker - First Use Tips?

[rivertonsmoker]

I bought this yesterday: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Masterbu...ker-20070612/202904341?N=1z1412s#.Ub8rbvmcd8E

I plan on using it tomorrow to make pulled pork.

I have never used an electric smoker and I only used a charcoal one for like 10 smokes... so im pretty new to smoking in general.

Any tips for my first use with a standard MES with the link above?

I bought hickory chunks and chips.

Thanks in advance!

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Um mm... yes! BE PATIENT 

 . Get a good Thermometer

 and wait for the BLUE...TBS that is...

 .

Have fun and as always . . .

 

[4evrnyt]

I also just purchased this smoker and am interested in learning what the common mods are for it.  Also I'm having a bit of a problem getting any smoke out of it under 250 degrees.  I've seasoned it and am now tinkering with it but I notice that sub 250 there is vitrtually no smoke and very little smoke smell coming from this unit.  Any help would be appreciated.

I'm not soaking the chips and I'm only using about 1/2 a cup of them.

 

[Bearcarver]

I have used 4 different MES models, and none of them do a good job of putting out a nice light TBS (smoke).

Get yourself an AMNPS to go with your MES & enjoy your smoking life forever!!!

Bear

 

[4evrnyt]

So there is no way to get smoke from the unit under 250 without an aftermarket chip chamber?

 

[Bearcarver]

So there is no way to get smoke from the unit under 250 without an aftermarket chip chamber?

No--You can get smoke from the MES chip burner by getting the retro-fix chip burner, if your model  qualifies, but no matter what you do, you won't be able to get consistent TBS (thin blue smoke) for up to 11 hours, like you can with an AMNPS. A working MES chip burner will put out from too much smoke to just the right amount of smoke to No smoke. Then you put more chips in & start that cycle over again.

Bear

 

[rivertonsmoker]

It's strange that so many people recommend the MES but it doesn't produce good smoke? I'm confused by this... it is a smoker... wouldn't that be an important part of the smoker being a good one?

 

[markyque]

It's strange that so many people recommend the MES but it doesn't produce good smoke? I'm confused by this... it is a smoker... wouldn't that be an important part of the smoker being a good one?

I think the average consumer doesn't know what "good smoke" is.  For them the MES's will still produce decent results.  The AMNPS just makes it a much better product.

 

[rivertonsmoker]

I think the average consumer doesn't know what "good smoke" is.  For them the MES's will still produce decent results.  The AMNPS just makes it a much better product.

I will most likley buy the AMNPS but it wont be here in time for me to do my BB in 2 days... so it just worries me the way people are saying there won't be smoke and my BB might not come out smokey and tasty.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

As Trish says " Isn't there an end to needing something for that smoker?"

Answer: " No"

 When my Tejas2040CC came , I was thrilled and overjoyed . I knew I'd need some Modifications and had planned for that by visiting Junk Yards and Dumpster Diving

 Did  , O.K. , but needed some (more ) therms.  The ones on the Smoker are great and after several years of use , are still in the Ballpark for temps. However , the cheap  probes I was using soon gave up the Ghost , soooo...

I got (or begged for ) Mavericks .

Soon , I was looking at the AMNPS , then the Thermopen , and a Grill Cleaner , and this and that...

Long story short , this is an Expen$ive Hobby

 .  Sooooo, welcome to your addiction...

 .

 

[markyque]

They'll turn out great...don't dump a bunch in in the beginning and just keep the chip tray fed.  Ribs are a lot easier than butt or brisket without the AMNPS.

 

[Bearcarver]

It's strange that so many people recommend the MES but it doesn't produce good smoke? I'm confused by this... it is a smoker... wouldn't that be an important part of the smoker being a good one?

It's not really the fault of the MES. It's just the nature of the beast. Find me an Electric smoker that will put out 11 straight hours of perfect smoke (cold or hot smoke), without touching it after you light it properly & put it in the smoker.

Bear

 

[4evrnyt]

Ive ordered an AMNPS.    In the meantime would you suggest drilling a few small holes in the smoke box?  I've also read of others drilling a few extra breathing and venting holes in this model.

 

[coletrian]

It will be fine w/o mods. I smoked 2 or 3 butts with the mes30 just as it was designed. Just reload the chip tray ever 30 mins. I now have the AMNPS and love the fact that i dont have to go out there ever 30 mins to make smoke. 

 

[Bearcarver]

Ive ordered an AMNPS.    In the meantime would you suggest drilling a few small holes in the smoke box?  I've also read of others drilling a few extra breathing and venting holes in this model.

The reason yours doesn't smoke until 250* is because the chip drawer is too far from the heating element, or you might have the model that has an extra piece of metal between the element & the bottom of the chip drawer. Fixing that problem won't give you consistent TBS.

Once you get the AMNPS, if you have a lot of trouble with air flow, you may want to drill a couple on the bottom left side to allow air in to the AMNPS, but for the "No smoke under 250* " no hole drilling will help that.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

It will be fine w/o mods. I smoked 2 or 3 butts with the mes30 just as it was designed. Just reload the chip tray ever 30 mins. I now have the AMNPS and love the fact that i dont have to go out there ever 30 mins to make smoke. 

Not necessarily. If 4evrnyt isn't getting any smoke until 250*, he has a problem yours doesn't have. He may need the retrofix from Masterbuilt.

However I got mine fixed, but I still never use it. It's a waste of time fixing, because the AMNPS is the way to go.  PERIOD

Bear

 

[4evrnyt]

Some questions about the AMNPS, being larger then the stock chip box does it simply sit on top of the grate that the current one drops into?  Do I leave the current box in place or remove it?  In videos I see people pre-light their pellets with a butane torch, why is this necessary?   Is it also necessary when using the dust?

Thanks for the info.

 

[Bearcarver]

Some questions about the AMNPS, being larger then the stock chip box does it simply sit on top of the grate that the current one drops into?  Do I leave the current box in place or remove it?  In videos I see people pre-light their pellets with a butane torch, why is this necessary?   Is it also necessary when using the dust?

Thanks for the info.

It depends which MES you have. If you have the older generation, it goes on the bars to the left of the MES chip burner.

I'm not sure where peeps are putting it in the new generation MES.

No need to remove the MES chip burner parts.

You have to use a small torch to light any of them, but it takes longer to get the pellets lit properly than it does the dust.

Bear

 

[4evrnyt]

How do I tell if I have an older or newer model?  The water pan and the chip box both sit sunk in a metal grate.  The water box is rectangular and on the left side.

 

[Bearcarver]

How do I tell if I have an older or newer model?  The water pan and the chip box both sit sunk in a metal grate.  The water box is rectangular and on the left side.

That's the newest model.

Try setting your AMNPS on the floor, under the water pan on the left.

If that doesn't work good, I would try removing that little water pan, and set a foil pan on the floor under the square hole,

Then put the AMNPS on top of the square hole, and a foil pan on a shelf above the AMNPS to protect it from drippings.

Bear