New MES 30 - 11 hour smoke and no smoke taste

[smoking in ft. collins]

Pulled the pork butt and rested it.  Shredded it and there is very little smoke flavor.

I soaked the chips (per the Masterbuilt instructions) but once I read to NOT do that I replaced them with dry chips.

Still no smoke flavor.

Suggestions?

Thanks, John

 

[redneck69]

i use dry chips on my MES 40 or my AMPS which uses saw dust...normally you won't get a very "strong" smoke flavor with an electric smoker...if you can see thin blue smoke exiting your exhaust vent on the top of the smoker..you are getting smoke to the meat...certain woods will produce a bit stronger flavor than others but it won't over power by any means..

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/50439/woods-for-smoking

hope this helps out

 

[smoking in ft. collins]

I helps and I have been smoking with a side box charcoal smoker but wanted to get an electric for temp control.

Will the AMPS do a better job of getting smoke to the meat?

Thanks, John

 

[geerock]

Did you replenish chips the whole time? Dried chips sometimes are so dried out they are like tinder and produce little flavor. I use small chunks in my mes and can get all the smoke flavor I can stand. Try hickory, oak, or even some mesquite (careful) chunks and you should be able to obtain decent flavor.

 

[redneck69]

http://www.amazenproducts.com/

these are great products!!!  they will help with long smokes so you don't have to add chips every 45 min to your MES

 

[smokinhusker]

Good suggestions you received from others but keep in mind the AMNPS has difficulties operating at higher altitudes (yes this is something that Todd does mention for those at higher altitudes). So you need to inquire about that before purchasing. I don't have one simply because I live at over 8500 ft. 

Make sure you have checked the smoker temp with the actual temp with a good calibrated thermometer. They are notorious for being off (either hotter or cooler). I have a Gen 1 MES 40 and depending on what I set the temp at, mine runs 25-50° cooler. If yours is running cooler, there is a possibility that it just wasn't hot enough to get those chips smoldering. The temp needs to be higher than 180-190° for the chips to start smoldering, until you have some hot ash in the chip pan. 

I primarily use Smokehouse Pellets in mine and they work very well. I only use wood chips in flavors that I can't get the pellets in and then mix the wood chips with the pellets when smoking.