Hello from an Okie Newbe

[bullsprig]

Folks I just joined after lurking for a couple of weeks.  I just got my first smoker, a MES 40" on the black Friday sales.  I have smoked Salmon and baby back ribs so far and have been surprised at how both turned out. Since I am an avid hunter and fisherman, I look forward to learning the secrets of all types of smoking.  Thanks,  Larry

 

[seenred]

Hello Larry and welcome from another Oklahoman! Congrats on that new MES and on your new pastime...you'll be hooked in no time! Remember, we like to see the food/skills of others around here, so show off some qview from time to time!

Happy Smoking!

Red

 

[bullsprig]

Red, Thanls for the warm welcome.  Iam in N.E. Oklahoma a lot in the summer at Grand Lake.  I look forward to learning about this new hobby.

Larry

 

[gary s]

  Good morning and welcome to the forum, from a cloudy, damp and cool day here in East Texas. Lots of great people with tons of information on just about  everything .

Gary

 

[bullsprig]

Thanks you Gary.  I have a MES 40 Inch.  Is there a pan of any kind to set the smoker in to catch liquid that might seep out?

Larry

 

[gary s]

I'm not a electric guy, (an old stick burner) but I am sure there is. Some of the MES guys can probably help you,

Gary

 

[themule69]

Glad you joined the group. The search bar at the top of any page is your best friend.
About anything you wanna know about smoking/grilling/curing/brining/cutting or slicing
and the list goes on has probably been posted. Remember to post a QVIEW of your smokes.
We are all smoke junkies here and we have to get our fix. If you have questions
Post it and you will probably get 10 replies with 11 different answers. That is
because their are so many different ways to make great Q...

You could get a full sheet pan from a restaurant supply. I have a MES 40 and have

Never had a problem. I do put a drip pan in to catch the drippings. I then separate

the grease from the good stuff.
Happy smoken.
David

 

[bullsprig]

Thanks, Gary.  I am already contemplating a stand and some kind of mat or pan to sit under the smoker.  Something to fiddle with.  LOL

 

[Bearcarver]

Welcome Bullsprig!!

The only place mine ever drips or runs is off the center of the bottom of the door.

I have a big sheet of aluminum with the edges turned up under mine to keep it from running out on my porch floor.

Try to get something smooth like that, whether it be metal, rubber, or plastic, because it's easy to wipe off.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Thanks, Gary.  I am already contemplating a stand and some kind of mat or pan to sit under the smoker.  Something to fiddle with.  LOL

Missed that:

I don't know how tall you are, but being 6' 3", I have my MES 40 built up on a couple Pressure treated boxes I had laying around from when I was chainsaw carving Bears.

You should either build something or buy something to save your back.

Bear

 

[bullsprig]

Bear, I am 6' 1" and I definitely need some kind of stand.  I think I will make one.  I found a couple of rubber boot trays that will make a nice pan to put under the smoker which solved one of my problems.

Thanks for the help,

Larry

 

[bullsprig]

Bear, I know this is a rookie question but what is the small box that sticks out on the bottom about 1/2 inch?  It is about 4 X 7 and it has a cover with 8 screws.  Does this little box get hot?  It is almost touching my new rubber mat.   It is not denoted in the instruction book.

Thanks 

Larry

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Bear, I know this is a rookie question but what is the small box that sticks out on the bottom about 1/2 inch?  It is about 4 X 7 and it has a cover with 8 screws.  Does this little box get hot?  It is almost touching my new rubber mat.   It is not denoted in the instruction book.

Thanks 

Larry

Not sure what box you mean.

It's outside the smoker?? Mine doesn't have one, but mine is a Gen #1 MES 40. The Gen #2 MES 40 has a drawer on the bottom of the smoker to catch grease, but no cover on it.

Are you able to post a picture of it?

Bear

 

[bullsprig]

Bear, it is on the underside of the smoker. I believe it is an access panel for something.  it is about 4 X 7 and it hangs  out the bottom about i/2 inch and has a cover with screws.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Bear, it is on the underside of the smoker. I believe it is an access panel for something.  it is about 4 X 7 and it hangs  out the bottom about i/2 inch and has a cover with screws.

OK----If it's on the back, at the bottom right, it could be the access to the wiring for the heating element.

I never looked that close at the bottom of an MES Gen #2 unit.

As for getting hot, I doubt it gets too hot, but you might want to check it out the first time or two you get the heat up high for any length of time.

Bear

 

[bullsprig]

Bear, I bet that is it.  I will ck and let you know.  Have a good weekend.  I am found a small port shoulder roast tomorrow for the weekend.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Bear, I bet that is it.  I will ck and let you know.  Have a good weekend.  I am found a small port shoulder roast tomorrow for the weekend.

Pork Shoulder??

Maybe this will help:

Pulled Boston Pork Butt  

Bear

 

[bullsprig]

Ber, Thanks for the Butt recipe.  Is there an article on the meet danger zone you refer to in your cooking instructions.  This is a gray area for me.

Larry

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Ber, Thanks for the Butt recipe.  Is there an article on the meet danger zone you refer to in your cooking instructions.  This is a gray area for me.

Larry

There's a lot of threads about the Danger Zone. Basically it is:

If you probe, inject, or puncture in any way a solid hunk of meat, you have to treat it like ground meat, which is you should get it from 40° to 140° Internal temp in no less than 4 hours, unless it is cured  properly first.

That is why I don't inject my large pieces of meat, and I don't insert my sterilized meat temp probe until it's been in my smoker for 3 hours at 200° or more. Then I don't have to worry about the whole meats, like Butts, Briskets, Chuckies, etc.

Bear

 

[gary s]

Good advice from the Bear

gary