Masterbuild 30" electric smoker, what should I know about it and how to make it better?

[tempnexus]

I always wanted an electric smoker since I didn't want to depend on gas....way to many times I've ran out of gas halfway through a smoke...but then again I used my Gas BBQ indirect heat method so it wasn't really a smoker.

I had to throw away my 3 year old Gas BBQ since it has been through a lot...now I moved to NOVA and I want to start smoking again but could not justify the expense to my wife.  Lo and Behold Walmart had this smoker on sale for $25!!!! Yes, it was a fully assembled outside display unit but everything was there so I took it.

I just did the seasoning phase but it looks like I have issues with smoking the wood at anything below 200F, I am afraid that 200F is too high for many things and my wife hates "burnt stuff".  

I smoked chicken brests and quarters (w skin on) yesterday at 275 so I can keep the smoke going but it came out a bit charred.  Yes I am just learning this smoker but anything of help/ tips/ etc would be of value.

Thank you so much.

I don't know if it's a Gen 1 or 3 or whatever....all I know that this is the smoker I got:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Masterbuilt-30-Electric-Smokehouse/7811422

 

[redoctobyr]

I'm new here too, but welcome! It's a very helpful and knowledgeable group of people.

From the pics, yours is a Gen1 unit, it's looks like the same model I just bought, 20070910. And I was happy with my price, at $140 :) Apparently you can get some amazing end-of-season deals on smokers! Congrats.

Bearcarver is a great resource here for Masterbuilt smokers. He has an index page of some useful threads he's made, here:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/159333/bears-step-by-step-index#post_1149932

The first two have some overall info on the Masterbuilt electric units.

Common suggestions that I've picked up on, FWIW:

- don't soak your wood chips

- don't put water in the pan. Just cover it in foil, so it act like another, easy-to-clean drip pan

- you usually want the top vent fully open. This helps keep the smoke moving through the unit, so it doesn't get stale, making a bad taste

The built-in chip-burning system leave a bit to be desired, unfortunately. As you saw, it uses the air-heating element to also make the chips smoke. So at low setpoints, the chips may not smoke much at all. And you have to refill the chips about every hour, maybe more often.

A lot of people, myself included, use the A-Maze-N AMNPS pellet tray, ~$30. It's a stainless steel tray that holds wood pellets (or sawdust, but not wood chips), you light one end of the "maze", and it can generate nice smoldering smoke for about 10 hours. It was designed to fit in the spot to the left of the heater & chip area, in our units.

With it, you don't need to refill wood chips hourly. And, the pellets smoldering is no longer "driven" by the units heater, they should keep themselves burning. So you can smoke at a wider range of temperatures, while still getting proper smoke.

There is a lot of info about the AMNPS in this forum.

This is merely my own non-expert opinion, but I don't recall seeing a lot of discussion of smoking "normal" food at temps below 200F. Your wife's thoughts on "burnt stuff" aside, smoking chicken at 180F (hypothetical example) might either not work very well, or might just take a very long time. As a general thing, 225F seems to be a common minimum temperature that I see mentioned.

Have fun! I'm enjoying mine so far, though I'm still just getting started.

 

[tempnexus]

which version of the AMNPS should I purchase for my smoker and who offers the best deal.

Thanks!

I am really strapped for cash at the moment like I can barely afford the meat.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
which version of the AMNPS should I purchase for my smoker and who offers the best deal.

Thanks!

I am really strapped for cash at the moment like I can barely afford the meat.

As long as you aren't at a high altitude, the AMNPS is best for that Gen #1 MES 30.

It is about 5" X 8", and fits right on those support rods in the bottom of your smoker, to the left of the Chip Burner Assembly.

Somebody else can tell you where the cheapest Tray & Pellets are---I get all my stuff from Todd---The Inventor of the Amazing Smokers.

Bear

 

[redoctobyr]

As Bear said, the AMNPS is the model you'd want.

The names are kinda confusing. They are made by A-Maze-N Products. There is an AMNS tray, which is older, 6"x6", and only burns sawdust. Then there is the AMNPS tray, which is newer, 5"x8", and burns pellets or sawdust.

The AMNPS is what you'd want. It's $35 from A-Maze-N, with a 2lb bag of pellets:

http://www.amazenproducts.com/product_p/amnps5x8.htm

I bought mine from Amazon, $30, filled with about 1lb of their pellets:


There are a lot of choices for wood pellets. You want pellets that are meant for smokers, not for pellet heating furnaces.

However, with all this said, you can use just wood chips and the included chip tray, for now. Lots of people use the smoker as-is. And if budget is a factor, you could hold off on getting an AMNPS.

Note that there are also pellet tubes, etc, some of which are cheaper on Amazon. From what I understand, the tubes from A-Maze-N, at least, tend to produce more smoke, and aren't really meant for use in an electric smoker (they make too much for an electric). So staying with the tray is a good idea, if possible.

 

[tempnexus]

Thank you all, I will purchase one when the funds become disposable as of now I will drudge through, but I love the option!  Thank you again!

That's one thing I loved about Electric...i.e. I can smoke anytime and worry about gas level.