New guy from PA. Need some advice

[bigtoot]

Hello all, Newbie here from PA. I've always had a love for smoked foods. So I Started with a amazen pellet smoker over the summer on my gas grill. I had minor succes but obviously keeping them bellow 250 was a huge challenge. I then bought a used masterbuilt and from what I can tell a gen 1. it held temp perfect and did everything I needed. Well I then bought a Bradley smart smoker Black Friday for 500$ bucks from cabalas. That's were my problems began. From what I read you guys know what I'm going to say. I'm having temp issues. I made ribs in the mes and did the 3-2-1 method and would come out perfect at 225 degree's. Same recipe with same temp and results are very different . They just weren't cooked. Through all my testing and research the Bradley runs about a 40 degree temp swing every 30 minutes. I don't know if this is normal but has really been a challenge. I put a temp gauge fabrill or something like that in and it would be off from what the smoker was telling me by sometimes 50 degrees . I think the factory probes are off a bit also. I did a brisket 6lb on 220 and should have been done roughly 9 hours. It took 17 hours to get to 195 and when I cut it against the grain it was very dry and over cooked. I even injected it with beef broth and rub. I called Bradley and they said I may have a faulty thermostat. I still can return it to cabelas within my 90 days. I thought it might be he windy cold weather and made a insulated wind barrier. Then it was 60 degrees out when I did the brisket and had same terrible results. And especially after reading all your great info. I'm ready to return it and go back to a masterbuilt gen 1 or 2.5 and add some mods and get a good thermometer set up. With all that being said what's your input on the Bradley and if I take it back what smoker setup could I get into for 500 with mods. And I miss my amazen smoke tube
Thanks
Larry

Trying to include a pic of Bradley dropping temps and barrier inbuilt

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• bigtoot
• Jan 23, 2017

 

[bigtoot]

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• bigtoot
• Jan 23, 2017

 

[akdutchguy]

I ran a bradley 4 rack for years. Mine had some minor swings. The biggest I remember seeing was 15. The factory temp probe is way off. Mine would reliably show 45-47 degrees higher than actual. When I found that out I would take my temp up by 45 degrees and it would work. If i remember right auber instruments makes a pid for the bradley smokers that should help with the swings. It's a bummer to drop that much coin for something that needs some refinement. I put out some good eats with it. Just keep playing with it. You will get it figured out.
Jason

 

[bigtoot]

Thanks my friend, yea I just fired it up a bout 3 hours ago and doing some ribs. I'm about 40-50 degrees off. Not sure if I should just take it back and go a different route or grap a pid to see it that helps.

 

[ab canuck]

Big toot, I have 2 - 4 rack bradley's and have had good luck with them I know of people that haven't as well. If yours is out that much take it back, refund or exchange it. There is no reason it should be that much out. Cut your lose and do what you think is best while you can. Regretting sucks..... lol  Charlie

 

[Bearcarver]

Bigfoot,

Welcome PA Neighbor!! 

I'll give you my recommendation of only what I know:

I never had a Bradley, but most of the word on the Street (Smoker World) is they are Underpowered.

As for the MES, the Gen #1 MES 40 is Great, but the Gen #2.5 MES 40 is even better.

Stay away from the Gen #2 at all cost.

Here's my findings on all MES Units:

Masterbuilt Smokers (Bear's Thoughts & Findings)

MES Generation Number Recognition Pictures & Pics (Digital Units)

Bear

 

[gary s]

  Good morning and welcome to the forum from a pretty nice day here in East Texas, and the best site on the web. Lots of                        great people with tons of information on just about everything.

 Good Advice     

        Gary