MES & Charcoal

[mama's smoke]

It was suggested that adding charcoal will provide a smoke ring on meat smoked in a MES. Could someone please tell me how much and when: beginning of the smoke, throughout the smoke, at the end of the smoke? Thanks again

MES arrived safely and quickly found the perfect home on our deck. I won't even need an extension cord. Did the burn in and seasoned. Meat shopping after work and happy, happy, joy, joy this weekend

 

[scubadoo97]

I haven't done it since the smoke ring to me is just aesthetics but one charcoal briquette at the beginning would sound like a good place to start.

 

[mr mac]

In my Royal Oak electric I would put a chunk or two in the tray as soon as I turned the unit on so it would be burning before adding the wood chips. It seemed to work pretty well and did add some charcoal flavor though not much.

 

[reichl]

I put three briquettes in when I start the smoker and one briquette an hour after the meat goes in.

 

[ammjr]

I'm going to have to try this now. I hope you love your MES labongio! I was skeptical at first when my wife got me mine - she was tired of the "Eau de BBQ (to coin a phrase from a friend of mine)" I had after hours with the chargriller. I grew to love the MES.

 

[deltadude]

Most MES owners on SMF has tried charcoal one time or another, but the success is either hit or miss, and really not worth the extra effort, since the smoke ring does nothing for taste.

When I first purchased my MES 20 months ago, I jumped in there with the rest of those trying briquettes, sometimes I got a small ring sometimes I didn't. Start from the very beginning of the smoke with 2 or 3 briquettes, and keep adding one every hour or maybe 45 min. If you have a newer MES with the smaller chip tray, I'm sure it will be cramped in the tray with a couple of briquettes.