New addition to my smoking line up. (I have questions)

[jcollins]

Hello all,
I have aquired some new hardware an MES 30 signature series 20079015. I have always smoked with charcoal (WSM & Weber Kettle) also i am not sure what to expect out of this smoker so i am looking for any info tips or tricks to this new machine.
Thanks,

 

[SonnyE]

I'm gonna go get Bear Carver.
My suggestion is to get an AMNPS for it.
I looks very lightly used. But the racks seem warped.
I can see it has the slanted drip tray Bear don't like.
Doesn't make it bad, just means it needs some TLC to get everything you can out of it.
Nice score!

 

[oddegan]

Mailbox mod and and AMNPS. And don't trust the built in thermo. It's a terrible liar.

 

[jcollins]

Thanks.
It seems most major manufactured smokers have pretty crappy stock thermometers. i definitely want a pellet tray but im not so sure of a mailbox mod unless i plan to cold smoke

 

[mosparky]

Your choice but the Mailbox will allow you to mess with the tray if necessary without opening the door and losing the heat. There can be a learning curve with lighting the tray and the mailbox can help keep short smokes short.

 

[jcollins]

I really would like to get good with this smoker as it is before i do any major mods to it. I've never even modded my WSM i like the way she runs stock. Although i am open to the idea of mods in the future for the MES as i would love to do jerky and cheese aside from the normal meats to be smoked. Also i am wondering how well a rack of ribs would fit in the MES 30? Would they need to be cut or bent?

 

[Jeff Wright]

I have fairly recently started using a MES 30. It is not the same as yours, but in principal about the same. I would highly recommend the AMNPS, but I have not yet needed a mailbox mod. Sonny was right about Bear. Go to his profile and search for his comparisons of various MES. You will get the gist. He is very knowledgeable about them.

As for the ribs...I have yet to find a rack small enough to fit. I always cut mine in half. I inherited my MES. If I buy one later it will be a 40.

Enjoy yourself with it.

 

[jcollins]

My MES was given to me by a family member for free that just didn't want it anymore...Beggars can't be choosers i suppose. Although until i got my 22" kettle i just cut my ribs to fit my 14.5 WSM so i am no stranger to working with limited cooking space. I see a lot of recommendation for the AMNPS tray but i also see a lot of issue with getting/keeping it lit. and i know there is a tube that they make but i dont see as much talk about it on here.

 

[Jeff Wright]

I see a lot of recommendation for the AMNPS tray but i also see a lot of issue with getting/keeping it lit.

Like anything, it just takes practice. I have used my AMNPS about 10 times thus far...this weekend was my first issue, and it was that it simply jumped tracks so 2 lines burning at the same time...someone suggested overfill, which in thinking back may very well be true.

 

[link]

I have the AMNPS tray and three of the tubes. I use the tubes mostly in mine as I am not doing really long smokes. If a long smoke then I go to the tray. I have never had a issue with the tubes, just make sure you get it going well before you put it in the smoker.
I also remove my chip loader on the side completely and open the top vent all the way.

Good luck
Link

 

[jcollins]

The pellet tray will definitely be my first investment with this smoker. I also been doing a bit of digging and it seems my MES is a gen 2 and from what i can tell thats the worst one to have... also mine has the vent on top left instead of the side left? later model maybe?

 

[Bearcarver]

I'm gonna go get Bear Carver.
My suggestion is to get an AMNPS for it.
I looks very lightly used. But the racks seem warped.
I can see it has the slanted drip tray Bear don't like.
Doesn't make it bad, just means it needs some TLC to get everything you can out of it.
Nice score!

Like Sonny mentioned, the biggest problem with that Generation #2 is the slanted Drip plate.
It likes to trap the heat below it, and cause the heat to run uphill under the slanted plate, and cause the Right side of the Smoker to be hotter than the left.
It might not be as big a problem with the 30" as with the 40".
Try it and see how the right & Left side's heat compares.
If it's hotter on the right, get rid of the stupid slanted Drip plate, and the hanging water pan.
Then put the bottom rack in & a 9" X 12" Foil pan on it to catch drippings.
Then get an AMNPS & put it on the right end of that bottom Rack.
You can then pull the Chip Dumper out & in to regulate air flow to the AMNPS.

Bear

 

[jcollins]

Thanks @Bearcarver im sure i can fab some sheet metal to fix that slanted drip tray i have been looking through your index of smoking and other stuff a lot of great stuff in there.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks @Bearcarver im sure i can fab some sheet metal to fix that slanted drip tray i have been looking through your index of smoking and other stuff a lot of great stuff in there.

Thank You JC !!
It's actually much easier to just get rid of it, and do like I said above.
And what you'll have is a smoker very close to the "Gen #2.5", which is the best MES of them all.

Bear

 

[SonnyE]

I really would like to get good with this smoker as it is before i do any major mods to it. I've never even modded my WSM i like the way she runs stock. Although i am open to the idea of mods in the future for the MES as i would love to do jerky and cheese aside from the normal meats to be smoked. Also i am wondering how well a rack of ribs would fit in the MES 30? Would they need to be cut or bent?

That's OK. Mods are not necessary, just ways to make the smoker work better for you than box stock.
Always good to evolve slowly anyway. Or not at all, if that works best for you.
In my opinion, box stock, Masterbuilt's work best in 225° to 275° range in box stock configurations, and for briskets. The design is focused on that range, that meat. All else is second fiddle.
That range makes smoke, with the designed chip dumper, in a perfect world. As long as the Chinese electronics work.

In my case, I wanted my MES 30 to work for me from Ambient (AKA: Cold Smoking), up to the 275° that Masterbuilt has designed as the ceiling for these smokers.
And like Mosparky said, a "mailbox" mod allows control of the smoke separate from the smoker box itself. Which can be a nice advantage at times.
I do stuff like Nuts, Cheese, and things I would melt down with too much heat. So the "mailbox mod", and also a by-pass mode was in order for me. So I could add a tiny bit of heat and keep the temperature in the 60-70's range overnight, or higher.

But take it in steps.

 

[Bearcarver]

My MES was given to me by a family member for free that just didn't want it anymore...Beggars can't be choosers i suppose. Although until i got my 22" kettle i just cut my ribs to fit my 14.5 WSM so i am no stranger to working with limited cooking space. I see a lot of recommendation for the AMNPS tray but i also see a lot of issue with getting/keeping it lit. and i know there is a tube that they make but i dont see as much talk about it on here.

For most of us MES owners, and other small Smokers, the Tube puts out too much smoke, unless you live at a High altitude, because the Tube was invented to use at High altitudes where it's hard or impossible to get an AMNPS going.

I've used my AMNPS in 4 different Smokers for 8 years, without any problems & I never had any bad tasting smoke.

Bear

 

[jcollins]

Thanks everyone for the tips, pointers, and info. I plan to be smoking something this weekend. I also plan to use the MES just how it is for my first few smokes with it then i will mod, take away, and/or add whatever i feel necessary to get optimal use out of it.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks everyone for the tips, pointers, and info. I plan to be smoking something this weekend. I also plan to use the MES just how it is for my first few smokes with it then i will mod, take away, and/or add whatever i feel necessary to get optimal use out of it.

Great Plan!!

Bear