Amazon tube

[Kirbygw]

I got the 12" pellet tube to use in my wimpy
Masterbuilt 30" electric. Do you folks who use the pellet tube also put chips in the smoker tray? I'm planning to try my first pork butt soon.

 

[Winterrider]

I have the 40 and before I did the mailbox mod I only used the tube inside. You could get the smoke to heavy in my opinion if used both. My problem was I couldn't get the chips smoking unless I was up to about 230°.

 

[Nefarious]

I have followed advice form @OldSmoke and I mix chips in the tube. I don't calculate, just a hand of one and then the other. I pack it down by tamping on the garage floor.

 

[bigfurmn]

Check out @Bearcarver tips. You will learn a ton from his posts about the MES.

 

[smokerjim]

I wouldn't add chips to the tray also, I tried the tube with my mes 30 and my opinion it gives off too much smoke for that but give it a shot everyone has different taste just make sure to leave your top vent wide open.

 

[chopsaw]

Do you folks who use the pellet tube also put chips in the smoker tray?

No . I use a mailbox . I have 3 tubes . 2 -12's and a 6 . I use the 6 in the 30 itself , but use the 12 in the mailbox . Depending on how it gets lit , it can give a lot of smoke .
I have been mixing the chips in with the pellets in the tube for years . Works good .
Like Jim says in post 5 . Try different ways so you can find what you like .

 

[Kirbygw]

No . I use a mailbox . I have 3 tubes . 2 -12's and a 6 . I use the 6 in the 30 itself , but use the 12 in the mailbox . Depending on how it gets lit , it can give a lot of smoke .
I have been mixing the chips in with the pellets in the tube for years . Works good .
Like Jim says in post 5 . Try different ways so you can find what you like .

Thanks for the info. I'm doing a dry run with the tube before I actually do the pork butt. Per instructions with tube, I ignited the pellets with torch. It does put out much more smoke than chips in tray. Is the main concern the food will taste too smokey? Also, if you mix chips with the pellets, does that reduce the smoke and do you soak the chips or use them dry?

 

[chopsaw]

Don't soak the chips . Adding the chips with the pellets might reduce some of what you see .

I light the tube and let it burn out .

After it goes out I blow on the pellets and take note of how many are ashed over white and glowing ( good ) and how many are still char black .

I keep blowing on the pellets until they burst back into flames .

I let it burn another few minutes , then blow it out .
Again , take note of white glowing pellets . The more the better , but at this point you should be good to go .

It looks like a lot of smoke , and a lot of what you see coming out of the smoker as white smoke is condensation . Don't get to hung up on this , you'll know if it's bad smoke . I've never had anything to smokey come out of mine .

I'm doing a dry run with the tube before I actually do the pork butt.

Use some slices of white bread to see what's going on .

 

[clifish]

I use a tube and lumberjack pellets in my mes 30 all the time, never had an oversmoke problem....would like the mailbox mod at some point though.

 

[cmayna]

If the tube is giving off too much smoke, try filling the tube so when you lay it down, it is filled only half way up. Meaning fill the tube half way vertically, flip it on its side and shake it left to right quickly.

When using the tube or AMNPS tray with pellets, I always mix a little bit of chips in with the pellet mix.

 

[OldSmoke]

I have followed advice form OldSmoke and I mix chips in the tube.

I can’t take credit for this idea. I learned it from the fine folks here who graciously share.