This is my first post, so be nice.
I'm new to the MES and am rigging one for my oldest son, who has worn out 2 of my FrankenBrinkmann Mods. I can't fix 'em anymore since the company is now Kaput. I went on Craigslist to find a used WSM but couldn't find one locally. But I ran across a MES 30 and built a Mailbox for the Expandable Tube Version of The A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker that I LOVE....and of course it works beautifully! 6 (SIX!) STEENKING hours of beautiful, effortless, reliable, billowing smoke! (Almost too much smoke even!)
BUT!
During my practice runs, I'm not getting enough heat to consistently do Chicken Thighs without cooking them far too long. I probe them with my ThermaPen and aim for 190, since The Queen is paranoid about pink ANYWHERE near the bone, especially on the actual meat. By the time I hit the target the skin is shoe leather. My Smokey Mountain can get them done much faster, perserving the skin, and much more of the juices.
This rig is for payment for some pickup truck wrenching my son has scheduled for me, since he won't ever let me pay him $$$$$. (Turd) And my shakedown runs on it have hit this pretty significant heat snag. A setting of 275 oughta do it, but it won't get there, since the weather has cooled some. 240 indicated, was about where it sat yesterday, making a 24 PC Thigh Run go WAAAAAAY over 4 hours!
Any help?
(P.S. I'm handy. I don't mind hacks and such, and would consider a Kiln Controller or other solution.)
I'm new to the MES and am rigging one for my oldest son, who has worn out 2 of my FrankenBrinkmann Mods. I can't fix 'em anymore since the company is now Kaput. I went on Craigslist to find a used WSM but couldn't find one locally. But I ran across a MES 30 and built a Mailbox for the Expandable Tube Version of The A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker that I LOVE....and of course it works beautifully! 6 (SIX!) STEENKING hours of beautiful, effortless, reliable, billowing smoke! (Almost too much smoke even!)
BUT!
During my practice runs, I'm not getting enough heat to consistently do Chicken Thighs without cooking them far too long. I probe them with my ThermaPen and aim for 190, since The Queen is paranoid about pink ANYWHERE near the bone, especially on the actual meat. By the time I hit the target the skin is shoe leather. My Smokey Mountain can get them done much faster, perserving the skin, and much more of the juices.
This rig is for payment for some pickup truck wrenching my son has scheduled for me, since he won't ever let me pay him $$$$$. (Turd) And my shakedown runs on it have hit this pretty significant heat snag. A setting of 275 oughta do it, but it won't get there, since the weather has cooled some. 240 indicated, was about where it sat yesterday, making a 24 PC Thigh Run go WAAAAAAY over 4 hours!
Any help?
(P.S. I'm handy. I don't mind hacks and such, and would consider a Kiln Controller or other solution.)