Hello from Harnett County, NC

[Shauninnc]

As my profile note says, I aint got no cooking skills! Smoked a few things in my life. Meat in a smoker has never been one. Got me a 30” MES yesterday. Out on the back porch right now. Windy as a champ, 52°, and I’m smokin some meat. Seasoned the smoker as per instructions and then threw in some drum sticks and a rack of ribs. I figured it being cold and windy was the reason my temp just wouldn’t get up to 275° and my wood chips weren’t exactly smoking. Did a little online reading and learned I might want to open that vent thing at the top. Huh, who knew? I’m excited to learn from you all.
shaun

 

[TNJAKE]

As my profile note says, I aint got no cooking skills! Smoked a few things in my life. Meat in a smoker has never been one. Got me a 30” MES yesterday. Out on the back porch right now. Windy as a champ, 52°, and I’m smokin some meat. Seasoned the smoker as per instructions and then threw in some drum sticks and a rack of ribs. I figured it being cold and windy was the reason my temp just wouldn’t get up to 275° and my wood chips weren’t exactly smoking. Did a little online reading and learned I might want to open that vent thing at the top. Huh, who knew? I’m excited to learn from you all.
shaun

Welcome to the forum from Tennessee. I don't have an mes but I can tell you keep that exhaust wide open otherwise you are trapping stale smoke in the smoker and you will have temp troubles as well. Stick around the forum and folks will have you well on the way to tasty smoked meats

 

[SmokinEdge]

Welcome from Colorado.

 

[bauchjw]

Welcome! You’re in the right place! Yes, you definitely leave that one open. Many of us leave the chip loading tube halfway out as well to make sure there is airflow and to help the chips burn a bit.

 

[one eyed jack]

Welcome from Carteret county NC.

 

[912smoker]

Welcome to SMF from SE Ga!
Lots of MES folks here to help.

Keith

 

[Winterrider]

Welcome from ND.
I would highly recommend getting a digital thermometer ( 2/probe, preferably 4/probe ) for checking cook chamber temps and meat temps. The ones that come with the units are pretty unreliable in most cases.
Alot of very knowledgeable people on here, ask and you shall receive.

 

[bigfurmn]

Welcome from Minnesota. Winterrider is dead on. Check out Inkbird or Thermoworks or ask people here for a recommendation. The probes built into the MES were never accurate for me.

 

[JLeonard]

Welcome from Mississippi! look forward to your post and pics (we are visually oriented around here).
Jim

 

[Sven Svensson]

Welcome, from Sonoma County, California. This is the place to learn about your MES.

 

[DougE]

Welcome from Kentucky!

 

[sandyut]

Welcome to SMF from Utah.

 

[SmokinAl]

Welcome to SMF, Shaun!
Glad to have you join us!
Al

 

[fxsales1959]

Welcome to the group from S FL. (N Cuba)
as others mentioned the thermometer will be your best friend. I use an #inkbird IBBQ4-t and love it. typically one probe in the chamber and two for meat. since I am notorious for "beer naps" while smoking during a race, I set an alarm on the chamber probe about 50 degrees above the desired/set temp. I'v has issues with my MES30 going beserk and not shutting off element and roasting up to 300 degrees in chamber. alarm will wake you. as far as smoke , the others are spot on. leave top vent open and sometime leave the filler pipe pulled little. i keep an eye on smoke, and add chips while the initial batch is still moldering. Since the tray is so small it fills with ash. adding chips at end isn't alwys successful. If all else fails buy a tube nd a bag of pellets to smoke it up.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Welcome from Iowa! Glad you joined us! Lots to learn here from great people!

Ryan