New MES owner

[clermont]

Hello,
I'm new here from Pa.I just received an MES as a gift and am looking forward to smoking.I've already learned a lot from reading through the threads and look forward to learning a whole lot more.I plan on attempting some venison jerky shortly.Should I crank the smoker up to high temp. initially to get her to smoke ,then crank her back down?Thanks.

 

[pitrow]

Welcome from another new MES owner. So far in the couple of test runs I've done it hasn't had any problems making smoke at 155-160 degrees, with an outside temp around 35-40. I've been putting the wood chips in when it hits around 100 degrees so that I know the element is going to be on for a while and can get the chips going strong before it shuts off. Haven't had any problems yet.

You might try a few test runs to see where it'll smoke at, since you need to burn it in anyway.

 

[illini]

Hello to the new MES owners

Maintaining smoke with the MES at low temps is a little tough.
You both seem to be headed in the right direction by getting the wood to smoke and then dialing down the temp to where you want it...May have to do this 2 or 3 times to keep a little smoke going...Just run it the temp up some and when the burn starts run it back down and you will average the temp where you intend to cold smoke at.

I have approached it from another angle and you can see what I did Here http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=11744

Some MES owners pipe the cold smoke from the top vent into another box and they can maintain the temps and smoke they are looking for there in the other box....they are using the MES as a smoke generator for that purpose.

Good Luck

 

[mossymo]

clermont
Welcome to SMF from another MES owner !!!

 

[ds7662]

Welcome the the forums. Check out the free 5 day ecourse while you are looking at stuff. Its great.