MES Lack Of Smoke

[andycaree]

Hello all. I have a problem. I just smoked my 3rd Boston Butt in my 30" MES. (9 lb. butt, 200 for 11.5 hrs, then foiled wrapped it and did 275 for 2.5 hrs. Pulled it out at 205 degrees internal temp and let it rest for 1 hr).

I am getting strong smoke for the first 30-45 minutes, but then I cant get the chips to smoke anymore. My meat has NO smoke flavor after the 14 hr smoke time. The smoker is maintaining the heat (which leads me to believe the heating element is not faulty), it's just not allowing the chips to smoke beyond the first batch of chips.

I think my problem is my vent. I've been keeping it closed to keep all the smoke in so it will penetrate the meat. I'm wondering if I should keep the vent wide open during smoke time so the heating element will have to constantly work to maintain the set temperature. In doing that, it will be hot enough for the chips to continue to smoke.

Thoughts?

 

[smokerjim]

Yeah definitely leave your vent wide open, that will help your element to kick in more, also look into the amnps tray they work great and you'll get 10 to12 hours of continuous smoke on matter what temp you set your mes at

 

[andycaree]

Yeah definitely leave your vent wide open, that will help your element to kick in more, also look into the amnps tray they work great and you'll get 10 to12 hours of continuous smoke on matter what temp you set your mes at

Thanks. Something else I am trying is I removed the metal frame that the chip tray rests on, which allows the chip tray to rest directly on the heating element. I'm doing a dry run (with the vent wide open) and only wood chips (no meat). So far I've been able to get smoke for the last 1.5 hrs. Of course I still need to reload chips every 40-45 minutes.

The amnps looks intriguing though. No needing to add wood chips throughout the night for an overnight smoke. Do the pellets produce as good a smoke?

 

[smokerjim]

. Do the pellets produce as good a smoke?

I personally say absolutely, I usually use hickory pellets and most of the time I light two ends of the amnps but I like a little heavier smoke flavor you'll have to play with it to see how you like it, also some mes's have trouble keeping the tray lit inside mine being one of them in that case set up mailbox mod and that will solve your problems, but try it inside the mes first and see if ya have problems first.

 

[andycaree]

I personally say absolutely, I usually use hickory pellets and most of the time I light two ends of the amnps but I like a little heavier smoke flavor you'll have to play with it to see how you like it, also some mes's have trouble keeping the tray lit inside mine being one of them in that case set up mailbox mod and that will solve your problems, but try it inside the mes first and see if ya have problems first.

Awesome, thanks. I'm assuming your AMNPS tray wont stay lit do to lack of air in the MES?

 

[smokerjim]

Awesome, thanks. I'm assuming your AMNPS tray wont stay lit do to lack of air in the MES?

yeah that would be my guess, I tried everything and could never get it to stay lit consistently, so for a couple bucks I made the mailbox mod and never looked back. great for cold smoking things also like Cheese! even with the tray you'll still want to leave your vent wide open and no water in the pan there is enough moisture in these without the water

 

[PSU Joe]

I have had trouble with the maze in my new MES40 with pellets. Started using sawdust and works much better. I have found I can also use the tube with dust and works great. Not too much smoke with the dust. Get about 4-5 hours from the extendable tube depending on how tight I pack the sawdust. Get alittle longer with the maze but not much.

 

[fivetricks]

I've always used mailbox mod, but lately I've been doing the chip tray right on the element as well.

I've really been happy with it, but would recommend using chunks if you're going to go that way.

 

[andycaree]

I've always used mailbox mod, but lately I've been doing the chip tray right on the element as well.

I've really been happy with it, but would recommend using chunks if you're going to go that way.

My trial run of just chips yesterday (with the chip tray resting right on the heating element) seemed to work, but it is a pain adding new wood chips every 45 minutes. Definitely wont work for an overnight smoke

 

[fivetricks]

Oh no. Chips, lumps are not going to be an all night set it or forget it proposition. If you want all night smoke, you're going to have to run an amnps. But I like the chip tray in addition to mine as a supplementary source of smoke. Even if you ran lump just for the first few hours.

 

[dr k]

People at 225 say they don't get much smoke from the stock chip smoke generator and you mentioned 200. I have the pellet maze in the mailbox mod and the 12" tube smoker for the grill.

 

[dr k]

I plugged all the corners/holes in the bottom of the mailbox except the two pencil sized mounting holes closest to the mailbox door. I did drill a hole in the bottom between the two the same size. So each tray row has its own hole right below the lighting hole. I made a rack to elevate the tray and slide the tray back so the lit edge is right over its air hole. These high pressure air holes seem to go under the tray and the air coming in at the hinge goes over the tray as all air passes the tray to the top back 3" hole to the smoker chip loader hole. I put a bolt in the farthest bottom hole from the lighting hole since I use mostly 1 or 2 rows. You can rotate the tray when it rounds the 1st corner or gets to the center of the 2nd row so it burns with the draft or screw the bolt plug in the first row so the center and last row get more air for a three row smoke. Pellets burn to white ash. I wanted to try this before drilling holes in the door but no need after 3 years. This pic is before I drilled the hole between these two for the middle tray row and the bolt plug from underneath for the last row. I haven't had to rotate the tray since the first two holes are open and the last one plugged.

 

[andycaree]

I plugged all the corners/holes in the bottom of the mailbox except the two pencil sized mounting holes closest to the mailbox door. I did drill a hole in the bottom between the two the same size. So each tray row has its own hole right below the lighting hole. I made a rack to elevate the tray and slide the tray back so the lit edge is right over its air hole. These high pressure air holes seem to go under the tray and the air coming in at the hinge goes over the tray as all air passes the tray to the top back 3" hole to the smoker chip loader hole. I put a bolt in the farthest bottom hole from the lighting hole since I use mostly 1 or 2 rows. You can rotate the tray when it rounds the 1st corner or gets to the center of the 2nd row so it burns with the draft or screw the bolt plug in the first row so the center and last row get more air for a three row smoke. Pellets burn to white ash. I wanted to try this before drilling holes in the door but no need after 3 years. This pic is before I drilled the hole between these two for the middle tray row and the bolt plug from underneath for the last row. I haven't had to rotate the tray since the first two holes are open and the last one plugged.
View attachment 438224

Do you all like the smoke flavor from the pellets? Comparable to chips?

 

[andycaree]

Do you all like the smoke flavor from the pellets? Comparable to chips?

 

[dr k]

Do you all like the smoke flavor from the pellets? Comparable to chips?

Never used chips. Pellets in the tray or tube or dust in the tray with the Mes 40. Chunks in the kamado and other smokers.

 

[smokerjim]

I used chips in my mes 30 when I first got it then went to the amnps tray with pellets, pellets are just as good if not better (my opinion)