need advice for new a-maze-on pellet smoker

[slo-dawg]

Hi, I just ordered a pellet smoker for my 30" mes & would like some advice on to set it up.

 

[no quarter bbq]

I'm gonna listen in on this as well.  In my short time with the MES 30", I've noticed that I get little to no smoke ring.  Not that I've been pouring wood chips into the smoker at every hour but everything still seems to have a lil smokiness to it without visual evidence of there being any smoke at all.  So far my smokes have been a P butt (bout 14 hours or so combined foil and no foil), some halibut (only bout 30 mins to that) and three racks of baby backs (3-2-2).  The baby backs tasted good, did not fall off the bone and seemed easy enough to bite into with a clean pull but...no smoke ring. 

 

Staying posted!

 

[foamheart]

I have a MES30 and use the AMPs, I do mine slightly different but its what I find to work the best. Most folks will say set it in the lower left corner on the two stabization rods. Its a dang tight fit ib mine. This means you've blocked one soide off against the wall already. Also best place to reamin in the air draft thru the unit is between the airs suction and the discharge. Mine is a gen1 unit abd the air in is the lower right and the air out is the upper right. The AMPs in the lower left is as far as you can get from the circulation.

What I do since I seldom ever use all the racks is, I position a rack right on top of the smoke box. Its not stationary or held in place so you must use your head to keep it from tipping over. You'll do it once, as I did, but then you pretty much remember.

Traditional lower left corner

004.JPG

• foamheart
• Aug 1, 2014

Where mine works best. on top the fire box, it has 100% cirrculation and is right in the air draft.

005.JPG

• foamheart
• Aug 1, 2014

Also I learned it worked much better not trying to over fill the tray, 1/4 inch from the top forsome reason for me starts and smokes better.

007.JPG

• foamheart
• Aug 1, 2014

Then if you'll barely crack the re-load tube so it can get better air flow,

016.JPG

• foamheart
• Aug 1, 2014

Vent full open, you need that air flow to start up. then once you've established a good smoke you can adjust the vent to your preference.

018.JPG

• foamheart
• Aug 1, 2014

After numerous uses I always check and clean my AMPs with a wire brush because from the burn it can plug some of the lower airways and the wire brush makes fast work of them.

006.JPG

• foamheart
• Aug 1, 2014

Hope that helps some.

remember to enjoy the smoke and Bon Chance!

 

[seenred]

 
Hi, I just ordered a pellet smoker for my 30" mes & would like some advice on to set it up.

That depends on which model you have.  Is the control console on the front or the back of the cabinet top?  If yours has the control console in the back (a 1st generation model), there are some stainless steel rails that run along the bottom left of the smoke chamber...this is a good spot for the AMNPS.  If your control console is located on the front of the unit (a 2nd generation model), I understand placement is a little different, although I've never used a 2nd gen model myself.  Maybe a 2nd gen owner will stop by and give their first-hand advice.

 
I'm gonna listen in on this as well.  In my short time with the MES 30", I've noticed that I get little to no smoke ring.  Not that I've been pouring wood chips into the smoker at every hour but everything still seems to have a lil smokiness to it without visual evidence of there being any smoke at all.  So far my smokes have been a P butt (bout 14 hours or so combined foil and no foil), some halibut (only bout 30 mins to that) and three racks of baby backs (3-2-2).  The baby backs tasted good, did not fall off the bone and seemed easy enough to bite into with a clean pull but...no smoke ring. 

 

Staying posted!

You're probably not gonna get a smoke ring in that MES.  As a rule electric smokers just don't do that.  But that doesn't mean you won't turn out lots of great-tasting food on that rig.  I used an MES40 with an AMNPS for years...they're a match made in heaven!  

Now if you're using chips in your chip tray/loader and you're not getting as much smoke flavor as you want, you might need to add chips more often...just add a small handful about every 30-45 minutes for as long as you want to keep adding smoke to the meat.  With a little trial and error you'll learn where your smoky sweet spot is on the amount of smoke.  But I suggest getting an AMNPS so you can stop futzing with that chip loader.

Red

 

[zx24]

My AMNPS should be coming in today. I decided to do the mailbox mod when using them. That seems to have given good results to other MES users.

 

[keoni]

Im a little confused.  Do you have your AMNPS on the lowest shelf or on the rods? Do you still put the water pan?  If so, where do you put it?  i don't see it in the pic.

 

[smokerjim]

I have a mes 30,i put amnps on the 2 rails on the bottom left, with the chip tube pulled out about 1/4 of the way,vents on top wide open with no water,i also spread my pellets in a little pan and put them on rack in smoker as it's warming up to dry them more.then i put them in the amnps and light them for 15 minutes,this works great for me,it might take alittle trial and error to see what works best for you. good luck

 

[djstight]

Just bumping this back up. I have a Gen 2 MES 30. I haven't been able to find pics of anyone using the AMPS on this model. I plan to smoke a Boston Butt this weekend. I'm planning to either put it on a rack or bottom left corner under water pan.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[keoni]

I think mine is a Gen 2 MES 30.  I put my 5x8 AMPS on the bottom left on the 2 bars.  I also take out the chip tray and open the chip loader an inch, works perfect!