Everything taste like a camp fire

[vickyperkin]

I bought a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Friday and I have used it three times over the weekend. Every time the food has a varying intensity of a camp fire taste. I have cooked jalapeño poppers, chicken wings, pork country ribs and pork loin. Varying in temps between 225-250. The first time I had the vent half closed and then after that I opened it all the way. I have been using a mix of hickory and apple wood chips from Weber. Not sure what I am doing wrong. I was planning on cooking to big racks of baby backs tomorrow morning but don’t want to ruin them. I have been searching but haven’t been able to find any definitive answers. Any tips for a newbie would be greatly appreciated.

 

[smokerjim]

maybe just try all apple, and keep vent wide open, hickory can be a little stronger, also don't trust the factory thermometer they are known to be off, get yourself a second thermometer and double check temps.I like a lot of smoke flavor myself I mostly use straight hickory,

 

[pc farmer]

How many chips you adding? What the smoke look like coming out of the exhaust? Hickory is pretty strong.

 

[EdP]

Hickory is pretty strong.

Yeah, I used it for a while and switched to post oak. Now I'll mix in some applewood for pork, and mesquite for beef.

 

[siege]

I run my MES with the vent wide open. I don't use the water pan, and never soak the chips. Keep the drip pan clean, empty the ash pan after each use. Chips should burn for 30 to 45 minutes before adding more, and watch for that beautiful thin blue smoke.
I hope you get it figured out and start enjoying some awesome barbeque.

 

[noboundaries]

You're getting dirty smoke on your meat. Make sure it is blue, not gray or white.

 

[smokerjim]

you might want to look into the amnps tray with the mailbox mod. I used to load the chip tray, until I went to the amnps, best thing i've done for my mes 30 now I can 3-12 hours of continuous smoke. also great for smoking cheese if you get into that.

 

[BourbonBladesBarbecue]

Are the chips dry or wet when you add them to the smoker?

 

[JckDanls 07]

sounds like your adding to many chips at one time ... 9 times out of 10 that has always been the culprit in the MES's

 

[zwiller]

Lots of good points made, but also be sure to warm meat up a bit and ensure it is dry before loading into smoker. Cold moist meat forms condensate.

 

[daveomak]

Try 1/4 cup of chips ... wait until they are gone, dump the ash, reload the chips..
ALSO.... after dumping the chips, using the chip loader, pull the chip loader out1-2 inches to add more air to the smoker...

 

[TheBubbaDub]

I guarantee you are adding too many chips at one time. Don't soak the chips at all, if you have really small chips, add about two Tablespoons, if you have the bigger chips, add about 3 single chips..these will smolder for about 35-50 minutes. Don't add anymore until about 5 minutes after you stop seeing smoke. You don't want too much smoke in a MES, it's sealed very tight and doesn't have any legitimate air inlets to keep the smoke and air flowing. So just go really easy on the chips and I bet you'll start producing a way better tasting product.

 

[Dwayne&Heidi]

you might want to look into the amnps tray with the mailbox mod. I used to load the chip tray, until I went to the amnps, best thing i've done for my mes 30 now I can 3-12 hours of continuous smoke. also great for smoking cheese if you get into that.

What do u mean mailbox mod?

 

[smokerjim]

Punch in mailbox mod in the search, it's a mailbox with some dryer hose converted to like a smoke chamber that's fed into the smoker itself.I dont have a pic on my phone or I would show you.

 

[Winterrider]

Mailbox mod

Can use one of these or a tray in mailbox. Works great for smoking cheese also.

 

[Dwayne&Heidi]

Punch in mailbox mod in the search, it's a mailbox with some dryer hose converted to like a smoke chamber that's fed into the smoker itself.I dont have a pic on my phone or I would show you.

We have an electric master built. Would this still apply?

 

[Dwayne&Heidi]

Mailbox mod
View attachment 467138
Can use one of these or a tray in mailbox. Works great for smoking cheese also.
View attachment 467139

What is the lighted box on top of mailbox

 

[Dwayne&Heidi]

What is the lighted box on top of mailbox

We have a master built electric

 

[daveomak]

3" aluminum flex duct...
This is attached to my MES 30....



..... .....

 

[smokerjim]

We have a master built electric

Yeah, ya just run the flex pipe from the mailbox to the chip loader hole, ya have to remove the chip loader