MES 3 weeks old

[bajafish]

I've had mine for about 3 weeks, the first week I tried to get it to smoke. No matter what I did, it would not smoke. Pellets, chips, dust...I would put the wood in the chip pan (even dry, the instructions would say to soak them first) and even set the temp to 300*, still no smoke after an hour. I checked the temp with a digital thermometer, and yes the tray for the water pan & chip pan was on the bottom position.

Okay...Time for Mac Gyver. Went to the dollar store and got two small baking pans, cut them up and made a double layer heat shield and installed them where the chip pan would go. the upper pan was just big enough for an "A-maze-n-pellet" smoker. I finished the modifications just as LOSF withdrawals were starting to affect me. (Lack Of Smoked Food).  Quickly before loosing corniness I put together quartered pablano chili's, a dab of cream cheese and wrapped in thin bacon, a lite sprinkle of "Bubbas Rub" and fired up the smoker. The next 2 hours were touch an go

..............Then they were ready!!!  Don't know how I made it to the smoker. I just remember laying there, smoker door open, basking in the glory that is... SMOKED FOOD!!!

 When I awoke, the chili's were gone. That smoked monkey on my back was satisfied. It's a hard life, but I do love smoked food.

 

[daveomak]

Are you looking for a cure ????  Just kidding....    We have another one that is hooked.... enjoy the long smokey ride....

About your MES....  Check to see that the heat shield, under the chip part of the slide in thing, is under the element.....   the chip pan should sit about 1/64" above the element... so the chips will smoke.....   I have noticed that things get bent....        

Dave

 

[bajafish]

I've put the heat shield above the heating element where the original chip pan went to protect the a-maze-n-pellet. This works so well I don't use the original chip pan.

 

[deltadude]

Pictures tell the story, lets see it.  Also your thread title says MES however there is no 300º setting for the MES, so a pic of your smoker would help understand what you are facing?
 

 

[jez5635]

I smoked some homemade sausage yesterday and I had the same smoke problem.  I have a MES smokehouse model 20070210.  Had the temp at about 160 but the chips were not smoking.  Any solutions??
Also what's the difference in smoking sausage, cold smoke vs hot smoke?  And do you have to cook them further after they come out of the smokehouse?  Thanks, I'm new to this MES, 1st time using it.  Bought it last week at Blain's Farm & Fleet for $139.....

 

[smokinhusker]

Happy to hear you got it going Bajafish! Like DeltaDude, said though, MES won't go to 300* and could you give us pics of your mods.

Jez, I have a problem getting my MES40 to produce smoke below 180*. DeltaDude has a solution for that, I just don't have the patience to do it. Anyway, I cold smoke kielbasa and it has Cure #1 in it, but then of course it has to be cooked. If you are hot smoking and take the internal meat temperature to 155-165* IT then it does not have to be cooked, for example Summer Sausage and snack sticks. 

 

[daveomak]

jez, morning.... The MES doesn't do well in making smoke at low temps....  I recommend the AMNPS....   A smoke generator designed and built by T Johnson... a member on this forum..... below is a link to posts.....  

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/search.php?search=amnps

 

[bajafish]

Hello

Sorry I left everyone hanging, I put up a post and went out of state for Thanksgiving.  I'll try to answer some questions and show some pics. This is a MES 30, Model #20070210. When I said earlier I set the temp to 300*, I set the dial to high, until the smoker got to 300*, then I started turning the dial down to maintain that temp. And yes this smoker will easily go to 300*.

IMG_3107.JPG

• bajafish
• Dec 3, 2012

Since I wasn't getting smoke out of the stock setup, I wanted to use a AMNPS. This was going to be used it in the old chip tray location just above the electric burner, so I needed a heat shield. Off to the Dollar Store, where I found 2 baking pans about 7" X 11". The first pan I cut off each end and one side with metal chop saw. Then fastened it onto the rack with 4 nuts and bolts, I used 4 large nuts as spacers.

IMG_3109.JPG

• bajafish
• Dec 3, 2012

The next pan I cut off one end and put in two notches, the rack fits in the notches and holds the pan still.

IMG_3110.JPG

• bajafish
• Dec 3, 2012

Here is my double heat shield, about 3/4" between the pans.

IMG_3111.JPG

• bajafish
• Dec 3, 2012

AMNPS fits nicely.

IMG_3112.JPG

• bajafish
• Dec 3, 2012

Here is the rack in position to smoke. I make a tent out of heavy foil and put it over the   AMNPS.  Am real happy with the way this setup works, have had great results. Put this in the pick-up and drove from Oregon to Southern Ca. and cooked a turkey and a ham for the relatives, sorry don't have any pics of that.

 

[deltadude]

Bahafish, you did an excellent job in taking pics and explaining the process, I am so happy it worked for you.

This is a MES 30, Model #20070210.

Sorry Bahafish, your model is NOT a MES, the MES has a side external wood chip feeder the chips are put into a tube and dumped from outside the smoke into the chip tray inside the smoker, thus not requiring the door to be open to add wood chips.  See image below, this is how MES units look inside

00687.jpg

• deltadude
• Dec 4, 2012

The MES is a digitally controlled electric smoker (using inside heat sensor to cycle heat on and off)  your is an analog control, that plus the ability to add wood chips externally are the primary differences.

That doesn't really matter though your clever fix to the problem you encountered and sharing the solution with everyone does matter and is much appreciated.

 

[old sarge]

deltadude,

Could Bajafish's smoker be the MES Cookmaster?   The photo looks like it might be. Not being a Masterbuilt owner, does MES refer only to those with digital controls or is it short for Masterbuilt Electric Smoker? Just curious.

 

[deltadude]

MES = Masterbuilt Electric Smokehouse, the smokehouse moniker has been specific to the Digital models as seen on this page, which shows digital as smokehouse. The MES acronym on SMF was specific to the Digital model/smokehouse, the main reason is that Masterbuilt produced the smokehouse/digital models for two to three years before releasing the cheaper analog models, so on SMF we always ment the digital model when discussing the MES.  However the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker ala analog model can easily be called MES since the acronym fits.   The last two years on SMF there has been a blurring among SMF members calling both models an MES.  Both smokers get the job done, however there is a vast difference between the two.

As a 6 year member of the forum I have always considered the MES the digital model, and I know over the years you can find posts of other long time members who think the same.  Maybe it's time to broaden the MES moniker to include the analog since there is now a lot more analog masterbuilt electric smoker owners?

 

[texacajun]

MES = Masterbuilt Electric Smokehouse, the smokehouse moniker has been specific to the Digital models as seen on this page, which shows digital as smokehouse. The MES acronym on SMF was specific to the Digital model/smokehouse, the main reason is that Masterbuilt produced the smokehouse/digital models for two to three years before releasing the cheaper analog models, so on SMF we always ment the digital model when discussing the MES.  However the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker ala analog model can easily be called MES since the acronym fits.   The last two years on SMF there has been a blurring among SMF members calling both models an MES.  Both smokers get the job done, however there is a vast difference between the two.

As a 6 year member of the forum I have always considered the MES the digital model, and I know over the years you can find posts of other long time members who think the same.  Maybe it's time to broaden the MES moniker to include the analog since there is now a lot more analog masterbuilt electric smoker owners?

This is some good information to most of the new owners. Some of us have only been on her for 2 years but still refer to the digital as the MES. I think RONP coined that therm.  

 

[old sarge]

Thanks for the explanation. If there is to be some sort of addition of the analog smokers, maybe something like MES/A would help avoid confusion on the part of folks like me who are new to the forum.  Many thanks.