Master Built Electric smoker

[mmaddoggy]

I have had this smoker for 4 years and my only complaint is the chip box. It does not seem to be big enough, have to constantly add chips. Any ideas?

 

[goliath]

mail box mod and an AMNPS
i have gone thru a bunch of different smoke gens in my freezer build and this is the answer... doing some cheese right now  :0)

GOLIATH

 

[GaryHibbert]

Hey

Welcome to the Smoking  forum.   You’ll find great , friendly people here, all more than willing to answer any question you may have.  Just ask and you’ll get about 10 different answers—all right.  LOL.   Don’t forget to post qviews.

Gary

 

[foamheart]

 
I have had this smoker for 4 years and my only complaint is the chip box. It does not seem to be big enough, have to constantly add chips. Any ideas?

 Yes, don't use so much. LOL

You can increase the chip/smoke time considerably my regulating your vent. As an example, using an AMAZIN  pellet tray, I know you said chips, when is advertised I believe at 12 hours of smoke, I can normally get 18+ hours simply by regulation the exhaust vent on my MES30.

Also don't start with your chip tray in the box. Optimum smoke absorption is said to be 100 to 140 Internal temperature of the meat. of course above and below do allow some smoke to be absorbed, but why waste it when its not running at the primo temp?

I fill the tray to continuously cover the bottom of the tray. Mine has a chip loader, I can add a full measure of chips twice easily and it get a complete burn. You need that complete burn, you are smoking at max efficiency getting the good smoke, but you are also clearing the old chips which will act as insulation from the chip tray causing incomplete burns.

I hear some say they use chunks or plugs, I simply have no problem with chips. Remember its a 40 degree smoke optimum smoke absorption window. The rest of the time you are just making smoke although getting little on the meat.

BTW these are only my personal observations, but I have had various electric smokers for 30+ years.

Vent regulation, time your smoke window, complete burn and reload. Unless I am cooking really hot, A chip tray and two of the reloaders are easily good for a 5/6 hour smoke. Actually longer because the meat will be too warm to take much smoke.

Welcome to the boards!

 

[gary s]

Good afternoon, looks like you already got some good advice, Welcome to the site

Gary S

 

[mmaddoggy]

Awesome info: Thanks I will have to try getting unit up to the temps before putting in my chips. I use chips dry not soaked. I have seen a few posts on using dust or pellets in this chip tray. any thoughts? As for my vent I usually leave pretty well closed, maybe opened about 1/8 of the way open. This could be one of my problems-yes?

 

[mmaddoggy]

Thank you for the welcome friend

 

[mmaddoggy]

Thanks for the welcome. I am looking forward to getting a lot of information from this forum and try to be helpful in return. Every time I smoke I learn something different.

 

[chestnutbloom]

Leave vent open 100%!!  

 

[chestnutbloom]

One downside to using the chip tray is that it will only produce smoke when the heating element is ON. This is fine for higher temps but for low and slow (jerky) you will need an alternate smoke source (amnps). 

 

[foamheart]

 
As for my vent I usually leave pretty well closed, maybe opened about 1/8 of the way open. This could be one of my problems-yes?

Could be, but about 1/4 to 1/2 open is where I usually end up. You want to keep the draft going, but the slower it pulls the slower the smolder. Chips last longer and you require less heating of the box which also help slow down the smolder.

Until you load the chip tray, there is no sense opening the vent. It will only cycle the heat more. I was always under the assumption that cycling an electric heating element was bad. Open it full when you insert the chip tray, also take your time loading and get everything right. It will allow the box to cool enough for the heater to come on once you've put in the chip tray. Think about it, it has to pull a draft thru the smoker and heat the chips. Let it get a good smoke, then regulate. You want to choke it down so you get clear smoke and not be puffing white stuff.  It will take a little time.  Usually a beer maybe two's worth. Remember now that its smoking, its electric leave that door closed.

An Amps auxiliary smoke generator makes all this a moot discussion. But I learned long before there was a AMAZIN auxiliary smoke generator.