issues with the a-maze but only with hickory

[sbishop]

hi everyone, want to cold smoke 2 bellies with hickory but every time I've tried using hickory (pellets from smokehouse) they go out in 45-60 min or so. any other wood I don't have any issues


things I've tried:
1. clean the a-maze
2. microwave chips for 1min, stir then another 30sec
3. light it for 10 min and blow it out
4. opening up the chip tray a bit 2" in my MES-30
5. Vent is wide open

any other ideas. I just lit up a piece of charcoal brick and going to sit it on top of the pellets. Thanks

 

[gmc2003]

I've never had a problem with hickory, cherry yes but hickory no. You could try mixing in a little apple with the hickory and see if that helps(really any other flavor would suffice).

Chris

 

[browneyesvictim]

This is discussed a ton. But need some more information from you...

Brand/type/quality of pellets is important. What exactly are you using?
Try microwaving your pellets for a couple of minutes-stir-repeat to evaporate any moisture that may be in them.
What generation of MES30 do you have and where are you placing your tray? Certain generations have less air flow.
What are you vent settings? they should all be open
Pull out the chip LOADER 3" can help

 

[SonnyE]

Have you ever baked your pellets to dry them out?

I've gotten into the good habit of sterilizing my smoker after a smoke run, or before I do a smoke.
Essentially, I just set it for 275° before I plan to smoke, for 2 hours. During that time, I put my pellets in to dry them out well.
Pellets are dried out wood sawdust. So they tend to draw moisture out of the air, even in storage.
Letting them heat up and release any moisture helps them to burn consistently. o_O

Daveomak was the one I got the sterilizing idea from. Drying out my AMNPS full of pellets was something I like to do so I feel like I'm getting more for my money since the smoker heater is running anyway. ;)
Then the profile for your smoke goes as described, and your fuel smolders consistently.

Take a tray of pellets and bake them dry. Then see if they don't burn better for you. ;)

 

[sbishop]

its gen1 MES30

I updated my post, I do microwave them. I might just mix some apple in it since I never have any issues with them.

Thanks

 

[SonnyE]

its gen1 MES30

I updated my post, I do microwave them. I might just mix some apple in it since I never have any issues with them.

Thanks

Microwave does not do what slow roasting will for moisture removal. ;)

 

[Bearcarver]

The only Pellets I can't keep going has always been Cherry.
I use Hickory 90% of the time & it never goes out on me.
The main thing is "Dry Pellets", Lit real good ---Deep Cigar-like cherry---And plenty of air coming in & going out.
I gotta go, so I'll leave you in good hands with the regulars I see are helping you now!!

Bear

 

[sbishop]

i'm going to try and put them in oven instead of microware. how long would you suggest?

10 min at 300?

Thanks

 

[zwiller]

I just tried dust on cheese the first time and totally hooked. ALL my cold smokes gonna be dust from now on. On hot smokes I leave the loader out for like a half hour to give it a little more air and then put it back in to throttle it back for really TBS. Never nuke and pellets stay outside. Like Bear says, deep Cigar type cherry. If you blow on it, it should catch fire again.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Microwave does not do what slow roasting will for moisture removal. ;)

Don't listen to the "fake news". o_O
Either way will get it done. Just one way is quicker than the other depending on how much moisture is in them. I guess Im just too impatient and stubborn.
If you decide to go ahead and nuke some, you will see for yourself how much humidity comes off of them when you stir them.

 

[Winterrider]

You can bake them at about 275 for an hour and make in to dust that will burn better. You do lose a "little" time with dust. Just a thought...

 

[fivetricks]

Have you tried any other brand of hickory pellets? Idk why you'd have a problem with one type of sawdust pellet over another. Maybe buy a cheapy bag of different brand hickory pellets and burn them.

Sounds like you have a brand problem, not a type problem.

 

[SonnyE]

Don't listen to the "fake news". o_O
Either way will get it done. Just one way is quicker than the other depending on how much moisture is in them. I guess Im just too impatient and stubborn.
If you decide to go ahead and nuke some, you will see for yourself how much humidity comes off of them when you stir them.

I have.
I barely got the stench out of the house before the Admiral got home.
I listen to all news. Then I know what any enemy is up to.
Heat and air dries wood.
But hey, do what you wanna do. I do what I know works for me. ;) (And doesn't stink up the house.)

 

[smokerjim]

I use hickory pellets most of the time, I always nuke them 3 to 4 minutes, but I do use the mailbox mod,

 

[dward51]

Depending on which smoker I'm using, I often microwave the pellets for 2 minutes, load the tray with pellets and then set it inside a cold smoker on a food rack while it warms up to temp. By the time I have the meat prepped and ready, it's been 20 minutes or so, the smoker body is up to temp and any residual moisture in the pellets is long gone. Pull the pellet tray and light the pellets for a few minutes, blow it out, and you are ready to go with a hot smoker and dry tray of lit pellets. Of course this only works if you are smoking in the 225'ish range and a hotter smoke is not going to work with a pellet tray anyway.

 

[tropics]

I raised my tray up using binder clips from staples.Dry pellets a paper bag with a paper plate under it.

Pic is in my mail box but it works in the smoker also
Richie

 

[johnmeyer]

I've used the AMNPS for several years and never had a problem keeping it lit until a few months ago. It turned out that the culprit was not too much moisture, but dust that got mixed into the pellets as then broke down and came apart.

I posted about this problem here:

If Your AMNPS Won't Stay Lit, Read On

You can read that post and see if it is relevant to your problem.

 

[GaryHibbert]

I've never been able to keep my pellets burning in the AMNPS inside my MES 30 Gen 1. So I use the mailbox mod with 100% success. I always nuke my pellets for 2 goes of 2 mins each.
But....since you're able to use all other pellets except hickory, it sounds like your problem is different from mine. Have you tried a different bag of hickory?? It could just be a bad batch of pellets. I have a 10 pound bag of hickory from Amazn that simply WILL NOT stay lit.
Gary

 

[sbishop]

Thanks for all the help. I will probably get the material and try the mailbox mod. After about 30hrs at 100f.. probably 12-14 hrs of smoke I ended up with some nice looking bacon. Going to let rest till Sunday