Going to use my MES 30 for the first time

[vartz04]

Well I'm not sure then. Maybe you just don't like smoked food. Part of the issue might have been your over use of salt I guess try again to make sure

 

[vwaldoguy]

It's all an experiment, and finding what you like and don't like.  My wife has made many meals that simply ended up in the garbage afterward because we didn't like the result. No worries.  Not every swing at bat is a home run.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
We just ate the chicken. The one that was probed at the joint, was not cooked as much as the one in the breast. I prefer the consistency of the one that was probed with the breast. However, unfortunately, I really don't like either of them. :(

Couple things I think are to blame, but I can't be certain.

1. I will not brine the next one that I do. They both came out very salty (my brine and my rub both had copious amounts of salt, like a full cup in the brine and then half a cup in the rub).
2. The smoke flavor was too rich for me. I am a bit embarrassed to say that on this forum as that probably makes me lame, but it was just TOO rich. This may be due to the brine and rub, but I am not sure.
3. The joints were still a bit bloody, but not too bad.
4. I need to learn how to properly butcher a chicken, I found myself not knowing how to do anything on it. I was simply snapping wings and legs off, slicing the breast. 

My stomach is a bit upset from the richness, so I am a bit disappointed. :( However, it was only $15 for both the birds, so I am not out much. And this is how you learn right?

canada3

As for the Smoke Flavor-----If by "Rich", you mean too strong a smoke flavor, as in licking an ash tray, I'm assuming your smoke was too heavy at times. It's hard to get nice even "Light" smoke with burning chips & chunks in the MES Chip Burner. It ranges from No Smoke to Heavy Smoke, in cycles. That's why most of us use an AMNPS with pellets, and I recommend that too, because once you get one, you fill it, light one end, and sit back and enjoy perfect, consistent, continuous smoke for up to 11 hours without touching it.

Many hours of light smoke is good, but even a short period of Heavy Smoke can be bad.

Bear

 

[GaryHibbert]

 
We just ate the chicken. The one that was probed at the joint, was not cooked as much as the one in the breast. I prefer the consistency of the one that was probed with the breast. However, unfortunately, I really don't like either of them. :(

Couple things I think are to blame, but I can't be certain.

1. I will not brine the next one that I do. They both came out very salty (my brine and my rub both had copious amounts of salt, like a full cup in the brine and then half a cup in the rub).
2. The smoke flavor was too rich for me. I am a bit embarrassed to say that on this forum as that probably makes me lame, but it was just TOO rich. This may be due to the brine and rub, but I am not sure.
3. The joints were still a bit bloody, but not too bad.
4. I need to learn how to properly butcher a chicken, I found myself not knowing how to do anything on it. I was simply snapping wings and legs off, slicing the breast. 

My stomach is a bit upset from the richness, so I am a bit disappointed. :( However, it was only $15 for both the birds, so I am not out much. And this is how you learn right?

canada3

If you rinse the chicken off real well when you remove it from the brine, you should be OK for the salt.  But, half a cup of salt in the rub seems REAL excessive to me (of course I don't know how much rub you made up).  Just me saying.  

As for "butchering a chicken" you might want to look at spatchcock chicken.

Gary

 

[mummel]

About that heavy smoke. We went camping this weekend and used our charcoal grill. Now that I've learned so much here, I thought I would smoke out my meat with a bit with beer on the coals and put on the Smokey Joe lid. It was thick white smoke and I have to admit the taste was poor. I've learned a lot of what good smoke looks like. This forum is great.

 

[vartz04]

About that heavy smoke. We went camping this weekend and used our charcoal grill. Now that I've learned so much here, I thought I would smoke out my meat with a bit with beer on the coals and put on the Smokey Joe lid. It was thick white smoke and I have to admit the taste was poor. I've learned a lot of what good smoke looks like. This forum is great.

Agree 100%. I am so glad I did a little looking around before smoking my first butt on my weber kettle. I always thought smoking meat many SMOKE. Now I feel like I get the best flavor when I can barely see the smoke at all.

Hopefully once my offset is done I can do the same kind of control (with practice of course) as I have perfected on the mini WSM and the kettle.

 

[cael]

 
We just ate the chicken. The one that was probed at the joint, was not cooked as much as the one in the breast. I prefer the consistency of the one that was probed with the breast. However, unfortunately, I really don't like either of them. :(

Couple things I think are to blame, but I can't be certain.

1. I will not brine the next one that I do. They both came out very salty (my brine and my rub both had copious amounts of salt, like a full cup in the brine and then half a cup in the rub).
2. The smoke flavor was too rich for me. I am a bit embarrassed to say that on this forum as that probably makes me lame, but it was just TOO rich. This may be due to the brine and rub, but I am not sure.
3. The joints were still a bit bloody, but not too bad.
4. I need to learn how to properly butcher a chicken, I found myself not knowing how to do anything on it. I was simply snapping wings and legs off, slicing the breast. 

My stomach is a bit upset from the richness, so I am a bit disappointed. :( However, it was only $15 for both the birds, so I am not out much. And this is how you learn right?

canada3

Hey there.

Sorry the first one wasn't a hit for you.   But my first one was only ok too.    My hubby and I don't care for too strong a taste of smoke either.    Usually only smoke for half the time on a shorter smoke, and less on a great long one.     For ribs we did 3.5/7 hours, and for this weekend's pulled pork butt(which was WONDERFUL) we smoked for 6 hours (small butt total 16 hours, large 21 hours).   We still get a smoky taste but laid back.   Asked guests on the butt and they said perfect amount of smoke, wouldn't want more.     I saw something on here about smoking for only half the time.   And knowing what we are like I took that to heart.

As well, I've done beef, chicken, and two kinds of pork.     Hubby and I agree that smoke on the chicken didn't really add anything.   In fact, we prefer without.    So maybe just like us, you don't care for it on chicken.    

If I was going to recommend something for you to try to shake off the discouragement, I would say try pork ribs next go around.    The wow factor is significant and it was the easiest thing I've done so far.     

 

[schlotz]

Everyone has their own likes.  To me, FOTB renders out a fair portion of the flavor in ribs.  I'm in a similar camp as Cael, done, tender, good clean bite but no tug necessary.

JMTC :)

 

[canada3]

 
Hey there.

Sorry the first one wasn't a hit for you.   But my first one was only ok too.    My hubby and I don't care for too strong a taste of smoke either.    Usually only smoke for half the time on a shorter smoke, and less on a great long one.     For ribs we did 3.5/7 hours, and for this weekend's pulled pork butt(which was WONDERFUL) we smoked for 6 hours (small butt total 16 hours, large 21 hours).   We still get a smoky taste but laid back.   Asked guests on the butt and they said perfect amount of smoke, wouldn't want more.     I saw something on here about smoking for only half the time.   And knowing what we are like I took that to heart.

As well, I've done beef, chicken, and two kinds of pork.     Hubby and I agree that smoke on the chicken didn't really add anything.   In fact, we prefer without.    So maybe just like us, you don't care for it on chicken.    

If I was going to recommend something for you to try to shake off the discouragement, I would say try pork ribs next go around.    The wow factor is significant and it was the easiest thing I've done so far.     

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I am thinking that I am either going to try ribs or a pork shoulder next time. I may do what you said and just do half as much smoke, rather than the whole time.

 

[canada3]

Doing ribs today, just got them rubbed. Will be throwing them in in a couple hours. What temperature for 3 2 1 ribs on the mes?

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[Bearcarver]

Doing ribs today, just got them rubbed. Will be throwing them in in a couple hours. What temperature for 3 2 1 ribs on the mes?

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If this is your first time, and you're planning on sticking to the 3-2-1 for that first time, I would recommend using a Smoker Temp of 230°.

Then adjust from there, if needed next time.

Bear

 

[canada3]

Excellent, thank you! Now as far as the smoke consistency, we want just a faint smoke not billowing, right?

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[Bearcarver]

Excellent, thank you! Now as far as the smoke consistency, we want just a faint smoke not billowing, right?

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Yes, but there's a big range that is good:

I like anything from barely able to see blue smoke all the way up to what I call "Medium-Heavy" which is when I can see quite a bit of smoke through my window glass, but it's not thick enough or heavy enough so that I can't see the meat easily through the smoke. I never had a problem if the smoke was on the white side, as long as it wasn't Heavy, Thick smoke.

Bear

 

[canada3]

How often do you typically add more chips? I think the manual said every 45 min... But that Got me in trouble last time.

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[Bearcarver]

How often do you typically add more chips? I think the manual said every 45 min... But that Got me in trouble last time.

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LOL----I actually haven't added a chip in 5 years, because I use my AMNPS for perfect smoke.

However, when I did use chips, I used to only add 3 or 4 small chips at a time, and add more when the smoke stopped coming out of my top vent, which was about every 20 to 30 minutes.

The important thing with chips is to keep it light. With an AMNPS, you just light one end & don't worry about it being too heavy.

Probably what got you in trouble was putting too many chips in at one time.

Bear

 

[canada3]

It's in now. Only downside is the ribs do not fit easily on on the rack. They are going up the side a small bit. Is there another way to do it? Cut them?

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[Bearcarver]

It's in now. Only downside is the ribs do not fit easily on on the rack. They are going up the side a small bit. Is there another way to do it? Cut them?

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I used to cut mine when I had my MES 30, but then I got the MES 40, and that added a bunch more width & height.

Bear

 

[canada3]

I probably should have done that, but they will be done in an hour. Sauced and finishing. I would post a pic soon. Hoping for the best!

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[canada3]

Well, what do ya think? I am going to cover them, wait for them to normalize and cut when we eat in about 30 min!

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[GaryHibbert]

Hey canada3.  

The ribs are looking great.  Nice color and lots of pullback. Enjoy

Gary