Newb question

[sketch]

Alright, apparently I'm a lot more of a newb than Id like to admit or think. But I'm having some problems smoking on my MES 30. I know its all on me, my smoker is working just fine, but I keep over smoking everything. So can someone please tell me the proper way to work these dang electric smokers? When smoking do I keep my vent shut to force all of the smoke in? Or is it just half way open or all the way open? When I want to stop smoking and just cook the food, do I have to pull the wood tray out? Thanks guys in advance!! I really appreciate it.

 

[themule69]

Smoke is all a matter of personal preference. Some like a lot of smoke. Others like very lite smoke.

Keep the top vent wide open on any smoker all of the time. When you want to stop the smoke, stop adding chips about 30 min before. Keep the door closed as well. Remember almost everything cooks to IT not by time. Use the search bar at the top of any page for your next smoke and see what others have done. Their are a lot of us that use a MES and we like to share with others.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[whatamess]

It sounds like you're probably not getting thin blue smoke from your setup? Is it more white and thick/billowing? What kind of wood are you using and is it chips/chunks/pellets/dust? And how are you burning it, I am assuming you are starting off using chips in the stock MES chip tray?

Without knowing these specific details I would say you need to put less chips in per load, like 10-12 small chips to start off with and see how that goes. You will need to refill about every 1/2 hour. Try a milder wood, pecan or alder if you have been using hickory or especially mesquite which can be very strong. I stopped using chips and went to pellets in an AMNPS and you can literally smoke for hours and hours without oversmoking because the smoke is nice and thin blue which is what you want.

 

[sketch]

Sorry for getting back so slow guys, been in the fields helping to harvest. Wow you guys are both dead on. Definitely not getting light blue smoke. Getting the thick white smoke. Using a mix of pecan and hickory, mainly pecan. Yes I am using the stock MES smoke tray.

 

[jted]

 
Sorry for getting back so slow guys, been in the fields helping to harvest. Wow you guys are both dead on. Definitely not getting light blue smoke. Getting the thick white smoke. Using a mix of pecan and hickory, mainly pecan. Yes I am using the stock MES smoke tray.

  Most folks feel pecan is a light smoke until you use the chip tray in a MES. WhataMESs correctly diagnosed the smoke problem.  Most MES owners have experienced the eye watering white smoke. The solution is a smoke generator There are a few good ones and one of the site sponsors invented one he sells. His ad is on most every page. A-MAZE-N Products check it out. . Look around the site read up on the problem and don't worry there is a solution.      Jted