Cold Smoking Temps in My MES w/Auber

[mr_whipple]

OK... maybe this should go in the electric smoker forum... I don't know/ Move as necessary.

I've been trying a few things since I modded an MES 40 to be a cold / low temp smoker. Auber 1510H with an ammo can and AMNPS maze. I have a few questions and will get to those, but the one I would like to address first is this: I want to cold smoke bacon and I haven't tried running the ammo can without heat on in the smoker yet so I don't know how it will operate, but I've read enough to see many people doing exhaust stack modes and fans etc etc.... I don't want to fiddle around with making a fan to either push or venturi it out the exhaust but in the end if necessary a fan isn't off the table. So here's what I was thinking, please tell me if I'm on the wrong side of this idea). My Auber spec sheet says minimum control temp is 9 degrees F above ambient (smoke gen off) so if my ambient temp is say somewhere between above freezing to the low 50's could I set the auber to simply heat the chamber above ambient to keep it somewhere between 60-70 degrees? I'm thinking this would keep the smoke flowing nicely and also maintain consistent low temps. Thoughts? Has anyone posted on this before?? I've been looking but didn't see anything.

I have a few more things to talk about and will sit down later to address those, but they deal with creosote and my ammo can... thinking of lengthening the hose to the MES, and also the TSC cob bedding I used to do a trial smoke with the other day.
Thanks for looking and I look forward to any input.

 

[smokerjim]

I make smoked cheese in my mes 30 and mailbox with no heat and it works just fine, but if you have trouble getting a draft it wont hurt to turn your heat on a little like you mentioned. As long as your bacon is cured properly.

 

[wild west]

I usually go without heat also. Just need to start with heat for the first few minutes to get a positive air flow going through the smoker.

 

[pushok2018]

I make smoked cheese in my mes 30 and mailbox with no heat and it works just fine

Ditto! Never raised temperature while smoking cheese... Just cold smoke.

 

[cmayna]

I would first try as is with your current setup, no fan, etc. Also assuming you are using pellets, consider using dust in an AMNS for cold smokes. Puts off less heat and smaller amount of smoke.

 

[GaryHibbert]

When I'm cold smoking anything, I always add a bit of heat in my MES. Enough heat so it is above ambient temp. I generally set my PID somewhere in the 70 to 90 degree range. That creates enough air flow out of the MES to get great smoke circulation. Any meat I'm smoking is well cured, so it's not a problem--I do my belly bacon this way all the time.
Gary

 

[mr_whipple]

I would first try as is with your current setup, no fan, etc. Also assuming you are using pellets, consider using dust in an AMNS for cold smokes. Puts off less heat and smaller amount of smoke.

I am using pellets, and plan to try the dust. I did a hot smoke on some thighs the other day to test the cob bedding pellets. Came out good, but just a touch too smoky. I'm going to lengthen my aluminum vent hose to the mes to cut down as much creosote as possible. I'm also thinking of using a bigger ammo can. I am going to try it out as is just to see how the air flow works out. I just don't want the smoke to pile up in the box and get nasty tasting bacon or cheese.

When I'm cold smoking anything, I always add a bit of heat in my MES. Enough heat so it is above ambient temp. I generally set my PID somewhere in the 70 to 90 degree range. That creates enough air flow out of the MES to get great smoke circulation. Any meat I'm smoking is well cured, so it's not a problem--I do my belly bacon this way all the time.
Gary

That's what I wanted to know. The 10 day forecast has highs in the 50's and lows in the 30's so I'll have a few good days to test this out.

 

[GaryHibbert]

That's what I wanted to know. The 10 day forecast has highs in the 50's and lows in the 30's so I'll have a few good days to test this out.

FYI I don't smoke cheese, so I don't know how my temps work it.
Gary

 

[mr_whipple]

Gotcha. Cheese will probably be one of the last things I try again after the mad failure of my initial try some time ago. I'm more curious about the bacon. That and eventually I want to do sausages and snack sticks etc, but thats not a cold smoke. I've had the sausage making idea in my head for some time.