Couple smokes on mes 40

[Pilot Bird]

Started out with a chicken rubbed with salt and pepper injected with butter at 265 F. Removed when the Breast was 155 and the thighs were 170. Smoked with soaked hickory chips. Seamed like there wasn’t a much smoke at about a 1/2 hour. So I refilled the chip tray ever hour per MB Instructions. The skin was rubbery. The chicken meat was tasty.

Next, 9 lb bone in pork butt. Rubbed with Grill Mates pork rub. Injected with apple juice and a little mustard. Smoker temperature of 240 F. Used soaked soaked hickory chips. This time reloaded every 1/2 hour. I noticed at about 2.5 hours, it was difficult to get more chips in even though not getting much smoke. So I borrowed my wife’s fire place glove, don’t nobody mention this, pulling out the chip pan, (with some difficulty), and found that the pan and area around the element had a lot of charcoal, but not much ash or unburned chips. I refilled it before I put it back in, and dumped it every hour after that.
I gave up on loading it after about five hours, and let it go for a total of 10.5 hours. The internal temp was 203, and the pork was falling apart tender when I took it off the rack.
The shoulder bone came out clean. Served to friends and they raved about the pork, and wanted to know where I hide Groden Ramsey, topped off famous Dave’s BBQ sauce.

 

[PAS]

I wouldnt soak the chips, that just creates steam. I highly recommend the Amazen pellet smoker trays that can last 11-12 hours per fill. I switched over last year and its been a great improvement with my MES 30!

 

[fivetricks]

Yup. Ditch the stupid chip tray system. It's a game changer for the masterbuilt (the Amazen tray)

 

[Bearcarver]

Exactly!!
Look into getting an AMNPS (Amazing Smoker) & some Pellets & Sawdust.
It will turn your Smoking into Pure Pleasure!!

Bear

 

[Pilot Bird]

Thanks for the suggestions. My dilemma is with the pellets. I hear they do a great job, but I have access to a great deal of smoking wood (hickory,oak and apple/cherrywood). Is there any way I can use larger chunks of wood in the MES?

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks for the suggestions. My dilemma is with the pellets. I hear they do a great job, but I have access to a great deal of smoking wood (hickory,oak and apple/cherrywood). Is there any way I can use larger chunks of wood in the MES?

Yes, but believe me when I say, It's not worth the effort.
You can use the built in chip burner:
You put some chips in the drawer,
No smoke until it gets hot enough (150° to 230° depending on your unit).
Then light smoke for awhile.
Then Good smoke.
Then Heavy Smoke.
Then Smoke is too heavy.
Then good smoke.
Then no smoke.
Reload & start the cycle over again.
These cycles can run between 20 minutes & 45 minutes, depending on the chips or chunks you're using.

Or fill your AMNPS with pellets or Dust.
Get it lit properly & put it in place.
Sit back & relax with perfect smoke for up to 11 hours, without touching it.

Bear

 

[Pilot Bird]

Yes that sounds great. What I have access to is lots of trees and a chain saw, so even the MES chip tray won’t work without undue processing. Is there another way to use larger pieces of wood without going to a stick burner?

 

[Bearcarver]

Yes that sounds great. What I have access to is lots of trees and a chain saw, so even the MES chip tray won’t work without undue processing. Is there another way to use larger pieces of wood without going to a stick burner?

Hmmmm-----Here's what I've been known to do with large pieces of wood:
A Bear from Log to Finish

Bear