The only thing is that it won't fit where my 5x8 AMNPS fits in my MES 30 Gen 1 smoker--on the double rails next to heating element box. I need to place it on the bottom rack which means the food above it on the 3rd rack is subjected to heat generated by the tray. Halfway through the smoke I switched positions with the 1st and 3rd racks to compensate for it. I also had to adjust the controller heat downward by about 20°F from my set point of 160°. But for me I'm sold on the AMNS for cold smokes because it's so much easier to use than the separate MB Cold Smoker unit or building a mailbox mod. My MES sits on a smallish card table
Anyway--onto the making of the beef jerky. I use only London Broil (top round), either a roast or steaks, whichever's on sale) and slice it myself on my Nesco Food Slicer. I won a vacuumed meat tumbler in an A-MAZE-N giveaway contest last year and it's proven perfect for marinating beef. I've made my own teriyaki marinade but have settled on this as both easy and perfect for teriyaki beef: https://www.mezzetta.com/product/10306220.html?Search=kona coast. It's Mezzetta Kona Coast Island Teriyaki Marinade & Grilling Sauce, made in good 'ol American Canyon, CA! This time I made two 2 lbs. batches of sliced top round, tossing one batch and one bottle of marinade into the tumbler.
I've already written about the smoke. Just to add to it, not only switched the two racks a the 3-hour mark but turned the sliced meats over at the same time. The meat turned out exactly the way my family prefers it, meat candy: soft and chewy. I think it's the best I've ever made.
