Blow'n Smoke

[Damned Yankee]

Hey all, Newbie here.

I'm on my 5th smoke with a 40" MES (no window).

1st Smoke: Chicken gizzards using Oak in the stock chip tray. Total failure - too much smoke and the Oak tasted terrible.
2nd Smoke: 8# Pork Butt using AMNPS and Traeger Hickory pellets. Started before I went to bed. Made two mistakes - set cook temp to high (275) and the AMNPS went out 1/4 through the burn. Next morning lowered temp on MES and used stock tray for Mr Bar-B-Q Hickory chips. Next to Woody's (Nikki's) pork shoulder in Clinton KY, best pulled pork I ever had, but a little dry in some spots.
3rd Smoke: 6-hour Pork Belly. Totally awesome and perfectly done. Had trouble with the AMNPS going out so loaded the stock tray again with Hickory.
4th Smoke: Beef ribs. Added the MES cold Smoker attachment. Used Mr Bar-B-Q chips. Attachment spewed way too much smoke. Was able to regulate it somehow by opening lid on attachment (not the chimney). Ribs were very good.
5th Smoke: Baby back ribs. Windy day today. The attachment put double the smoke out than before. I had installed a rheostat to lower the cold smoker element temp, but with it all the way down, it still puffed like a steam engine - billows of thick white smoke. I went back to the AMNPS and Traeger Hickory pellets but have had to relight it 4 times during the smoke.

I am willing to do the mailbox mod, but not if I cannot keep the AMNPS lit. And, does anyone know the theory of how the MES Cold Smoker works? If I take off the chimney - more white smoke. Today I had filled the cold smoker with chips and when I pulled it out and emptied it (after a half-hour) all wood to the top was black and smoldering - that was at the lowest setting of the rheostat. Ugh!

So far the only true method of TBS has been the stock chip tray but it is a PIA to keep feeding it.

Ideas????

Thanks,
John

 

[gmc2003]

Welcome to the forums John, Glad to have ya join up. I'm not into electric smokers, but plenty of folks here are. I'm including a link to Bearcarver step-by-steps. He basically wrote the book on the MES.

Bear's "Step by Step" Index

Bear's "Step by Step" Index I made this index, because a lot of guys use my "Step by Steps", and I couldn't get them all in my Signature. Then I'd have to find the one I had that best suited what they were wanting to do. At times it has taken me forever to find one of my Step by Steps that...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Chris

 

[bigfurmn]

In my MES I had better luck with the oval tube than the AMNPS. My 2 cents.

 

[JckDanls 07]

Also... altitude plays a role in the process... what altitude are you at ?
The tube was made for higher altitudes..

What do you have for air intake vents .. any ??

As GMC says... Bearcarver mastered all the MES Smokers ...

 

[bauchjw]

I used Bears step by step when I first got the MES, it helps for sure! Also, when I got the cold smoke attachment for the MES I also bought a section of drainage pipe…roughly 6 foot, and connected the smoke generator to the MES using that. It cleaned up the smoke a lot.

 

[chopsaw]

Most of the white smoke you see with an MES is moisture / condensation . I never worry about it .

 

[Damned Yankee]

Thanks for the info. I read Bear's 101's and a ton of posts regarding the AMNPS dying. I forgot to mention I am only at 1,500 ft.

I was going to do the mailbox mod, but not if the AMNPS keeps going out. I bought it for a 12-hour smoke. I'm looking at figuring out how the rinky-dink MES Cold Smoker is supposed to work so I can mod it.

White smoke bothers me - especially when it billows. By relighting the AMNPS yesterday, I kept TBS flowing but it was 4 relights from the original post. The ribs were great though!

John

 

[smokerjim]

As for the mailbox mod, that will definitely help keep your tray going that is why a lot of us went to it some people have luck keeping them lit inside smoker but lots of us didn't. Do you use a independent thermometer to check your temps, 175 doesnt seem to high for butts actually a little low.

 

[Damned Yankee]

Thanks for the reply,

I will probably do that mod at some point because it is easy, cheap, and seems to work for most. I've also seen a lot of complaints about the tray going out even with the mod. Suggestions range from altitude to adding legs under the AMNPS tray to microwaving the pellets. I don't think my altitude is too high and the wife would have a fit if she saw me put what looks like dog food into the mic - I'd have to get up in the middle of the night to do that on the sneak - and I am trying to avoid the constant attention (yes, I'm lazy - sleep and imbibement are my two favorite pastimes - smoking a close third, now). Of course, I am open to the legs. I like legs.

I wonder if others have trubs with Traeger pellets? I could try another brand.

I suppose everyone has gone through this - trial, failure, victory as a Newb.

Oh, I made a typo - it was 275 - not 175 (fixed it). Double duh!

Thanks,
John

 

[JckDanls 07]

one thing I like doing... Put the tray in the smoker full of pellets UNLIT when preheating the smoker... this helps dry them as well as helps bring them up to temp for easier combustion ...

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks for the info. I read Bear's 101's and a ton of posts regarding the AMNPS dying. I forgot to mention I am only at 1,500 ft.

I was going to do the mailbox mod, but not if the AMNPS keeps going out. I bought it for a 12-hour smoke. I'm looking at figuring out how the rinky-dink MES Cold Smoker is supposed to work so I can mod it.

White smoke bothers me - especially when it billows. By relighting the AMNPS yesterday, I kept TBS flowing but it was 4 relights from the original post. The ribs were great though!

John

1500' isn't much comparing it to 3,000', but next to my 300', that's pretty high.
I would recommend the Amazing Tube smoker, if your AMNPS doesn't work in a mailbox.

Bear

 

[thirdeye]

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I know it's hard to get everything together with consistency, but learning the combination of seasoning, heat, time and smoke flavor that suits you is what makes barbecue, or grilling, or smoking so wonderful. Take your time, and keep taking notes on what works and what doesn't.

I can't offer any MES specific advice because I'm a charcoal guy, and my only electric smoker is a Big Chief box which is about 40 years old and used mainly for fish and sometimes jerky.

 

[Damned Yankee]

Keith, I'll try that. Your Username is my imbibement :).

Bear, you are the second to endorse the circular. I'll give that a go.

thirdeye, I wish I had the patience to tend charcoal.

Thanks to All!

J