AMNPS ?

[mosparky]

My boss recently gave me an AMNPS 5x8. He butchers for local farmers and found it to be vertually useless for his purposes. His wife bought it for him which was a nice gesture but his smoke house is 8x6x8 ft tall. A bit more volume than the AMNPS was meant for. I started getting interested in "TRUE" BBQ and smoking, so he gave it to me. I plan to use it everywhere I can. I have a charcoal ECB which may soon be converted to gas. At some point maybe even electric and a 22.5 Weber kettle. I have been shopping for fuel for it and reading some here.

 This is where it gets dicey for me. I get that I do not want pellets for heating. Am I to assumethat grilling pellets and smoking pellets are the same thing ?

 Also I read conversations about pellets in a MES and folks say don't do it, get an AMNPS. Can the grilling pellets not be used in an AMNPS ? Or is this just in referance to using the pellets in the chip pan of the MES as opposed to use them in an AMNPS in the MES.

 At some point I will have to add to my collection of outdoor cookers with an MPS or MES and just trying to to get prospective on how best to make use of all the toys.

 

[mowin]

The AMNPS will work with any pellet made for pellet grills. Theres not a smoking pellet or a grilling pellet, there one and the same.
To use the AMNPS properly, it need O2, so some do mods to there smokers to make it easier to stay lit. By lit I mean smoldering, no flame.

I use one in my cabinet smoker to cold smoke cheese, bacon, ect. It's not good for adding smoke at temps 150*+. For adding more smoke to hot smokes, the AMNTS is awesome.

 

[chef jimmyj]

The AMNPS will work fine for COLD Smoking in the units you have but will not work for Hot smoking. The Charcoal will consume too much Oxygen and the Pellets won't stay lit. The AMNPS will not work in Propane smokers either. You want to smoke some Cheese or Bacon, load up the units on a cold day, place the AMNPS on the bottom and have at it. For additional smoke for hot smoking, the AMNTS Tube is a better choice.

In general Smoking Pellets and Cooking Pellets can be similar. Smoking Pellets are usually 100% of whatever the label says. Buy Apple Smoke Pellets and they are all Apple. With some exceptions, Cooking Pellets are most often designed to burn Hot and efficiently and are a Blend of a hard wood like Alder or Oak and a smoke wood for flavor. Many brands of Apple Cooking Pellets are 70% hard wood and 30% Apple. They will burn in an AMNPS but the apple flavor will be much less intense...JJ

 

[mosparky]

Thanks for the great info !! I think I will save it for cold smokes and keep useing wood chunks for my hot smokes.

 I'm sure I've seen on here where some people are useing mailbox mods on propane hot smokes, now I know why the mailbox, but curious why not just use the chunks. I guess some just want to prove it can be done or want to use what they already have on hand. (of course with age and information overload, I might not remember just right)

 

[GaryHibbert]

 
Thanks for the great info !! I think I will save it for cold smokes and keep useing wood chunks for my hot smokes.

 I'm sure I've seen on here where some people are useing mailbox mods on propane hot smokes, now I know why the mailbox, but curious why not just use the chunks. I guess some just want to prove it can be done or want to use what they already have on hand. (of course with age and information overload, I might not remember just right)

If you do get a MES, the AMNPS will work great for hot or cold smoking.  As mentioned, oxygen is the biggest problem.  That's why so many people use the mailbox mod--it has its own oxygen supply, and isn't affected by lack of oxygen in the smoker.  I run my AMNPS inside my MES 30, but I'm not 100% happy with the setup and will be adding the mailbox mod.  That said, a lot of people have great success with placing the AMNPS inside the MES.

And.  Like JJ said, even though all pellets will work in an AMNPS, you're much better off using actual smoking pellets

Gary

 

[mowin]

Another reason for the mailbox mod on propane cabinet style smokers, is you wont have to keep adding chips/chunks. Opening the door to add chips results in heat loss and longer cook times.

 

[rabbithutch]

Also I read conversations about pellets in a MES and folks say don't do it, get an AMNPS. Can the grilling pellets not be used in an AMNPS ? Or is this just in referance to using the pellets in the chip pan of the MES as opposed to use them in an AMNPS in the MES.

As I understand this question, you are asking if pellets can be used in the MES chip burner tray. I don't know the answer to this but I never tried them in my MES 40. My guess it that they might burn but not well enough to give the quantity and quality of smoke you need. I bought the big AMNPS and use it in my MES 40. I pull the chip tray out a few inches to increase air flow.

Todd Johnson is a supporter and participant here. He should be able to clarify this point for you. You can look him up in the members list and PM him. He is usually very quick to respond and is a great guy to deal with.

As for the Weber kettle, the AMNPS will not work well from what I've read. I think Todd recommends the tube for use in the kettle. Ask him about this, too, if you contact him.

:sausage:

 

[mosparky]

I think I got it clear now. No need to bring Todd in on this. I have worked for engineers most of my life and some of it rubbed off. I'm sure I can use the pellets in the chip tray of either an MPS or MES, but I'm also sure I will go thru alot of pellets fast. Such a practice would tend to light all the pellets at once as opposed to the AMNPS or TS which work in more of a minion or snake method where only a few are lit at the same time.

 I have been opposed to getting an electric smoker next but now I'm seeing some advantages that just might make it the front runner in my choices. Of course already having an AMNPS doesn't hurt either.

 

[chef jimmyj]

I can't find the specific post, but I seem to remember that Pellets in an MES drawer generate a flamable gas and you get Flames. Same thing happens if the Drawer is overloaded with Chips. That one I experienced personally. I loaded a full Cup of chips and after a few minutes there was a loud Bang and my chip loader shot 3' into the yard! The MES farted a 12" flame every 30 seconds until I emptied the drawer. The AMNPS works in a Kettle Cold like for Cheese but will not burn if you are trying to Cook with Charcoal in the kettle and add smoke...JJ. 

 

[mosparky]

I know what you are talking about. Never thought of it in this application. I remember it was discussed on a Knife board when someone was attempting to make their own charcoal for forging. The wood is baked not burnt. It will gas out and that gas can be very flamable, almost explosive. Make sense it could happen here as well.

 I'll just save the AMNPS for cold and electric smokes.