12" AMNTS

[round rock dave]

Had my MES 30" for about a year now. It's done a good job for me with chops, ribs, fish fillets and brisket. I bought the 12" AMNTS hoping that would help keep smoke generating. I'm hoping to get some tips on using the tube in the MES. I bought 20lbs of pellets along with the tube. A month ago or so I got a Mavick temp set, but haven't used it yet...the 4th is coming!





Thanks, I appreciate any advice, tips on using the tube.





Dave

 

[demosthenes9]

Err, everything I have read says that you want the AMNPS (grid/tray) for use in a MES, that the tube works better with gas.  IF order hasn't shipped yet, give Todd a call and talk to him about it.  Maybe it's not too late to change if necessary ?

 

[welshrarebit]

I don't have a mes but I think the amnps was designed for the gen 1 models. If you have a gen 2 model the tube works better. I could be wrong about this and I'm sure someone with a lot more knowledge than me will be along shortly...

 

[round rock dave]

I don't have a mes but I think the amnps was designed for the gen 1 models. If you have a gen 2 model the tube works better. I could be wrong about this and I'm sure someone with a lot more knowledge than me will be along shortly...

Too late now, the tube is in residence.  Gen 1/Gen 2?  I bought the unit a year ago.  It's an analog if that is the difference.

 

[round rock dave]

No one can explain the Gen 1/Get 2 difference?

Anyway, yesterday evening I did a dry run to test the AMNTS and the Maverick temp gauge.  Lit the tube then laid it diagonally on the bottom grate and attached the temp probe at the rear of that grate.  During he next 4.5hrs I monitored the temp in the unit.  Big fluctuations on temps.....which tells me a lot about accuracy of t-stat.  Temps started off with highs in the mid-230s and low iin the 206 range.  After two hours the Highs

were reaching 250 and low in the 230s.  Finally after eventually dialing to exact Low.....ranges kept very close to 235-200.

All that time the tube was putting out plenty of smoke.  Shut the run down and smoke continued for another hours.  Next morning I opened the unit and saw the tube completely empty.  Using it is much better than dealing with chips, although with such high temps I didn't know about might have made a difference affecting chip consumption.

The dry run proved the tube works well for me and the Maverick temp gauge should be packed with the MES unit from the factory.

 

[demosthenes9]

 
No one can explain the Gen 1/Get 2 difference?

Anyway, yesterday evening I did a dry run to test the AMNTS and the Maverick temp gauge.  Lit the tube then laid it diagonally on the bottom grate and attached the temp probe at the rear of that grate.  During he next 4.5hrs I monitored the temp in the unit.  Big fluctuations on temps.....which tells me a lot about accuracy of t-stat.  Temps started off with highs in the mid-230s and low iin the 206 range.  After two hours the Highs

were reaching 250 and low in the 230s.  Finally after eventually dialing to exact Low.....ranges kept very close to 235-200.

All that time the tube was putting out plenty of smoke.  Shut the run down and smoke continued for another hours.  Next morning I opened the unit and saw the tube completely empty.  Using it is much better than dealing with chips, although with such high temps I didn't know about might have made a difference affecting chip consumption.

The dry run proved the tube works well for me and the Maverick temp gauge should be packed with the MES unit from the factory.

Round Rock,  "Gen 1" and "Gen 2" only apply to the Digital  MES's, which are the ones we run into most of the time around here.   I'm not familiar with your smoker at all, but from the looks of it, the low setting on your smoker has a target temp of about 220 and the high setting looks to be about 240 with the unit cycling ± 10 degrees, which would make for a 20 degree swing.   Honestly, that isn't a big deal at all.

Good to see that you do have a Maverick though.   They rock.  Also good to see that the AMNTS is working out so far.

 

[round rock dave]

Hi Kentucky, thanks for your response.  Drove to Churchill Downs in '98 to watch my Fathers horse run in the Mamzelle Stakes.  Had a great time seeing the insiders view of the track.  Unfortunately the filly came down with a throat problem after 4f, but she was close to if not on the lead.  Sat with Mr&Mrs Bob Lewis in the upstairs owners area.  Met an Aunt who lived in the Winchester area.  Other than the horse ailment had a great time!

I bought the MES 30" (20070612 model) for cheap at HD a little over 1yr ago.  First electric smoker and I've been pleased with it.  Read what I could on the forum about this type smoker and knew there was a lengthy learning curve.  Used a thermometer with an 8" probe thru the rear vent, to monitor the unit inside temp.  I bought the Maverick temp set because of recommendations on the forum and more to the point, I've been really tired of being a mother-hen to monitor the cooking especially dealing with brisket. With the remote set-up up/running all that is history.  I cook everything in the electric except for sausage.  Will continue using my trusty Old Smokey for dealing with those. (hard wood charcoal and dry Post Oak for them only)

I was getting frustrated with short cook times for brisket. Shooting for 10-12hr but getting 6-8.  I thought I was in the very low 200s average but the Maverick told me I was a lot hotter than I wanted  I want an average temp for brisket to be 200-210. I'd been using a Taylor electronic meat gauge but with the Maverick I get two birds with the same shell!  Old Dog/New Tricks

Dave

 

[demosthenes9]

 
Hi Kentucky, thanks for your response.  Drove to Churchill Downs in '98 to watch my Fathers horse run in the Mamzelle Stakes.  Had a great time seeing the insiders view of the track.  Unfortunately the filly came down with a throat problem after 4f, but she was close to if not on the lead.  Sat with Mr&Mrs Bob Lewis in the upstairs owners area.  Met an Aunt who lived in the Winchester area.  Other than the horse ailment had a great time!

I bought the MES 30" (20070612 model) for cheap at HD a little over 1yr ago.  First electric smoker and I've been pleased with it.  Read what I could on the forum about this type smoker and knew there was a lengthy learning curve.  Used a thermometer with an 8" probe thru the rear vent, to monitor the unit inside temp.  I bought the Maverick temp set because of recommendations on the forum and more to the point, I've been really tired of being a mother-hen to monitor the cooking especially dealing with brisket. With the remote set-up up/running all that is history.  I cook everything in the electric except for sausage.  Will continue using my trusty Old Smokey for dealing with those. (hard wood charcoal and dry Post Oak for them only)

I was getting frustrated with short cook times for brisket. Shooting for 10-12hr but getting 6-8.  I thought I was in the very low 200s average but the Maverick told me I was a lot hotter than I wanted  I want an average temp for brisket to be 200-210. I'd been using a Taylor electronic meat gauge but with the Maverick I get two birds with the same shell!  Old Dog/New Tricks

Dave

You're welcome Dave.  Churchill is a nice place.  I try to make it out there a couple times a year.  Avoid the heck out of it for Oaks and Derby Day.  Waaaaaaaay too many people for my tastes.

Have to say that you are the first person I have ever come across who was bent out of shape by briskets cooking faster than planned.    Most people would be ecstatic about that 

The Maverick has been a freaking god send, especially for monitoring chamber temps.  I love the freedom that it gives a person.

 

[round rock dave]

Used the Maverick and tube to do a brisket last week.  The Maverick is such a convenience!  The pellets I bought put a taste into the meat I wasn't expecting.  I didn't think about what kind of Oak they were.  Turns out they musta been Red Oak, not the White Oak I'm used to.  Around here White Oak is the standard.  I can buy White Oak chips by the truck-load.  Gotta figure a way to make the chips work in the tube otherwise the tube will be repurposed.  Some years ago I bought some billets of Red Oak to smoke sausage.  Such a bad taste that meat had, I could not eat them.  Lesson learned.  Smoke from Red Oak must be an acquired taste....like Scotch is.