More temperature from MES?

[Leepster]

I would like to be able to smoke poultry at 300-325 degrees. Is there a way to make the MES run hotter? thanks .

 

[DougE]

As I understand it, the insulation material used in the MES limits how hot it can be run.

 

[02ebz06]

Don't have one, so can't help with that, but Welcome to the forum Leepster.

 

[Leepster]

Don't have one, so can't help with that, but Welcome to the forum Leepster.

Thanks, been looking at this forum for years, so I don't feel new. Lol. But this is my 1st post

 

[Leepster]

As I understand it, the insulation material used in the MES limits how hot it can be run.

Well, that's disappointing, but thanks for the answer

 

[02ebz06]

You just doubled that with post # 2.

 

[bill1]

I think (can't say I know) the insulation is as good as any kitchen oven so I think you're OK to at least 400F. What kind of MES do you have? The digital ones have controllers that probably limits you to ~275F. The again this forum is full of folks that replace MES controllers.

 

[DougE]

I think (can't say I know) the insulation is as good as any kitchen oven so I think you're OK to at least 400F. What kind of MES do you have? The digital ones have controllers that probably limits you to ~275F. The again this forum is full of folks that replace MES controllers.

I believe @tallbm says 300 to 325 max with the insulation they put in the MES before it starts melting. I'll let him say.

 

[Leepster]

I think (can't say I know) the insulation is as good as any kitchen oven so I think you're OK to at least 400F. What kind of MES do you have? The digital ones have controllers that probably limits you to ~275F. The again this forum is full of folks that replace MES controllers.

I have a digital mes 30 and yes 275 is max

 

[DougE]

I have a digital mes 30 and yes 275 is max

I don't have one but read a lot of stuff on here. With a PID controller, you can get a little more out of it, but not a whole lot more.

 

[chopsaw]

The MES is designed to max out at 275 on the stock controller . The stock limit switch is set to open the circuit around the same temp .

The insulation will not with stand higher cooking temps for long periods , or short periods over time .

If you took 10 stock MES 30's or 40's and opened up the back you would find heat damage to the insulation on at least half of them , if not all of them .

Some people run them higher using a PID controller and a higher trip limit switch .
I personally don't recommend doing that , but it's your choice and can be done .

The insulation is completely different than a house oven . Try to run it at 400 and you'll have a fire before you get there .

 

[daveomak]

Put the chicken in the kitchen oven... There are electronics buried inside the cabinet... The insulation is inadequate to keep the electronics cool...

 

[tallbm]

I would like to be able to smoke poultry at 300-325 degrees. Is there a way to make the MES run hotter? thanks .

Hi there and welcome!

The short answer is, yes there is a way to make your MES run 300-325F for poultry smokes. I do this with success and no issues BUT I'm very careful and precise.

1st thing to note. The insulation in the MES is spray foam and if you look around at high temp spray foam insulations for things like an MES, they don't support operating temps that get much over 300F or so for very long.
Now, they can support some peak temps but again that is not operating temp.

Armed with that knowledge what I have done is I swapped out my safety overheat limit switch with one that goes to 350F where it will then cut power to the heating element.
I also have done the simple rewire to the MES and use a PID controller.
This allows me to set any temp I want HOWEVER I never go over 325F and only do that for quick poultry smokes and have never gone over 4 hours at that temp (smoking turkeys can take up to 4 hours).

So, if you swap or remove your safety switch (WARNING: if you remove a safety device that's on you so know what you are doing) and you rewire and use a PID, AND you watch what you are doing, you can smoke poultry in an MES at 325F no problem :)

 

[Leepster]

Thank you for all the replies, I appreciate the info.

 

[uncle eddie]

Just to look at the other temperature extreme...
I like my MES40 for the low temperature control when I make summer sausage and similar.

 

[BigW.]

Do you have a gas grill? You can always smoke for an hour or two, then put it on the grill or hot oven to crisp up the skin.

 

[zwiller]

I have an Auber PID + MES and have run chicken in it @325F. Also have run it in my Jenn air gas grill with a tube full of pellets. IMO grill and tube tasted better than MES. Chicken needs only just a kiss of smoke (think wood fired grill) and the gasser and tube nailed that. I also think the skin was better on the gasser too and think it moves more air. Here's yesterdays bird, decided to skip the smoke tube.

 

[chopsaw]

the skin was better on the gasser too

Yup . That chicken looks fantastic BTW .

I'm like @uncle eddie / I use mine for sausage and hams , but I have other options .
If you want to do chicken on an MES , lose the skin . Season up and smoke / cook at 250 or 260 until you reach the internal temp you like . At least 165 . Dark meat I like higher temps . They will make a great piece of chicken like that .
Did these thighs tonight on a Weber Genesis 310 . 2 day dry brine , grilled hot and fast . Then shut down 2 burners and basted with Italian dressing . Pulled and held in the oven at 170 for a couple hours . Final IT was 190 plus .
Fantastic .

 

[bill1]

I think (can't say I know) the insulation is as good as any kitchen oven...

I was clearly wrong. Multiple posts in this forum have noted the foam-like nature of the digital MES insulation. Bear tried 330F and had insulation failure. Sorry I didn't check into this more.

Most foams are polyurethane based and the working temps are given as 100C/200F max so 275F is pretty sporting for a commercial application (they wisely include a backup thermal switch) and the folks here (thanks tallbm) that have pushed to the requested 325F temp are right at the hairy edge.

I think there are cheaper analog vertical cabinet smokers that are just double-wall air-insulated boxes that would allow some wild west experimentation like I envisioned but a digital MES with a 275F controlled max isn't one of them.

Can't fault Masterbuilt. Their product works as advertised. Mineral wool would have added an extra $10 to the price and made their employees complain of skin irritation. My vertical Masterbuilt pellet machine has it (and goes to 350F+) but it retailed for about 2X the price.

 

[chopsaw]

275F is pretty sporting for a commercial application

Can't fault Masterbuilt. Their product works as advertised.

You're spot on . I think something people mis is the over run of these smokers . Masterbuilt was trying to find an advertised working operation and keeping in mind the extreme overruns in temps . That's why even with the Auber controller I never run mine higher than 260 . Seem funny that most of the newer models won't get over 250 ?

The insulation in these things takes a beating . Out of site out of mind for the consumer ,, until it starts to burn . Every time it over runs , or you choose to run over spec temps you take some life out of the insulation . At some point it will burn . You may be done with the cook , and the smoker shut down . That foam board will smolder for hours . The only saving grace to this situation is low oxygen in cavity .