Newbie to Smoking - MES 30 is awesome, and a big thanks to everyone on these forums

[smokingvic]

Thanks JJ , It always feels so good to know that we have someone that is willing to help , I had a boneless Turkey breast in the freezer and at this moment it is being thawed and also some burger meat being thawed , I will be doing them tomorrow , if you have any tips that I need to know on these let me know on how to do these and I will not brine since it already has 18% solution , do I need to inject it with anything .I will be using Mesquite chips , do I need to foil it and what method should I do these with .

 

[paul catt]

Hello and Welcome  I'm a newbie myself  and like you got a MES30 for Christmas ...Ive had allot of fun with it and ready to start making me some sausage to smoke :)

I had a old bullet smoker for about 20 years   but never liked re-adding the charcoal and chunk  it was kinda PITA .. and it didn't hold allot of meat

how did your chuck come out  would love to see some pics if you took any ...I got a butt getting ready to go in this Tuesday

 

[smokingvic]

My Chick did not come out as I would have expected , was my first so am trying to get some lessons from the PRO'S , I know there are too many for me to guess so I have confidence that we will get some help here at this site !!! Oh by the way let me know how your butt comes out , meant the cooking meat butt  lol !!!!

 

[mvincent42]

I have done a few of the boneless turkey breasts (butterball I think.) Be aware that if yours is in a net there could be a good reason for it. I was very surprised when I took the net off and there were 3 or 4 pieces that were formerly tied together. I like to untie it and really get some compound butter up in there. My compound butter is usually just butter, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Sometimes I will throw some italian seasoning in there just for grins.

Injecting is fun. I like honey hot sauce and will do a Cajun style compound butter if I inject that to rub all over the outside and under the skin. Its awesome for wings too.

I usually smoke mine at 225* until 175* internal temperature. If your skin isn't super crispy (which at low temp it probably won't be,) you can finish in the oven at a higher temperature.

If you're feeling frisky, make a bacon weave and wrap it in that. Best turkey breast I have ever had. Here's a link to an easy way to make the bacon weave if you've never done one:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/87072/bacon-weave-tutorial

Good luck man!

 

[smokingvic]

Thks ,  I have some burgers on there now at 225-250 and is at internal 147 , I understood to leave them to 165 internal and the smoke is looking good from the vent , I tirned the vent away from the wind , I will do the turkey at 5 AM tomorrow , any input on the burgers so far will be appreciated.

 

[mvincent42]

165* will be well done if that is what you are going for. Here is a guideline on internal temps:

http://www.ochef.com/1109.htm

I like mine more in the medium rare/medium stage.

Sorry I didn't notice your post sooner. Hope they come out the way you like them!

 

[smokingvic]

 I pulled them out at 165 but it looked like they were not done , too much pink so I put them back and set the smoker to 275 and pulled them when the internal temp reached 180 , I did calibrate my Et 732 probes and they did register at 214 in boiling water , I am very discusted with this unit so far , that is why I am trying to get some output on how to smoke with this , I will be doing the turkey breast in the morning so I guess I will have it at 275 ???

 

[mvincent42]

Dude I hope it works better for you. If not take it back. Mine is the bass pro mes 30 model 20072010 and it is idiot proof.

How did the burgers turn out finally?

 

[smokingvic]

They came out alright they were in for 1.5 hours at first to internal of 165 and than i more hour again to 180 temp. , they were well done and they had a good smoke taste and not tough in my opinion, 

 

[mvincent42]

Thats better. Good luck on the turkey man!

 

[smokingvic]

Thks , I am heating up the mes now  What smoker temp. ,  What internal temp. ,  Mesquite or Apple or hickory chips and how much , often , need water in pan , what rack 1 , 2 , 3 , or 4 from top , as you can tell from my questions I am trying to make this smoke my best , I am about to have this toy taken away from me   lol

 

[mvincent42]

I do 225* on my turkey breasts until about 175* or 180* internal temp (usually around 3 hours ish.) I fill my water pan about 1/4 of the way full to catch juices for gravy (so they don't burn to the pan.) I always use hickory chips because that's what I have. Good luck!

 

[stygshore]

Sorry missed this, SMF emails were goign to my junk mail.. the HORROR!

For the ribs, I got some st louis style ribs, trimmed the very edges that were so thin they would burn anyhow, removed the membrane from the back  <-CRITICAL STEP THERE!!!!

Melted a stick of butter and slathered both sides of 3 full racks wiht a thin coat.  Let the butter cool, hit it with a rub, wrapped them and put them in the fridge overnight.

Preheated MES30 to 260's

Changed temp to 235 and smoked for 3ish hours bone side down adding chips every 60 minutes (Dry -  1 hickory 1 apple ) - you may have overloaded the chip tray at every 30 minutes, killing a lot of the smoke.

Took them out and wrapped them in heavy duty foil, bone side up, and placed them back in the smoker for 2 hours ( no smoke - no need since they are covered )

Took them back out, unwrapped them, and placed them back in the smoker bone side down again and smoked them for 1 hour ( Dry - 1 Hickory ) <- This step may not have been needed, made a stronger smoke than the wife likes )

Took them out at 2:30 pm let them rest for about an hour, wrapped them in tinfoil and kept them cool. 

15 minutes at 250.00 in the oven was enough to get them room temp and ready to eat when I pulled them out at 9:00pm

I had plenty of smoke in mine - like I said, too much for the wifes taste even.

 

[smokingvic]

Thks ,  mvincent42 , I have the breast in at this moment is 3.5 hrs and the internal meat temp. is 163 and am doing the smoker temp. at 250-265 , FYI , the breast shape was so awkward shaped , not round as it should be so I stood this breast up like doing a beer butt chicken , I used the turkey stand that I use when I do fried turkey in a pot to have it stand up in the smoker , I hope this was a good idea ,

 

[smokingvic]

Thks ,  stygshore for the info ,  Lot of good learning material and now you pointed it out maybe I do put too many chips in the tray to choke it out , I am going out and look how much chips I have outside for my breasts , may be the same situation   STILL LEARNING HOW TO USE MY TOY  !!!!

 

[mvincent42]

Sounds like an awesome rib recipe, stygshore! I can't wait to try some.

Smokinvic, the stand sounds like a fine idea to me. Take pics when it comes out!

 

[smokingvic]

mvincent42 ,  Too Late ,  I already pulled it out with internal meat temp. at 180 , wrapped it in foil and put in a cooler for 1 hour , took it out of the cooler and my wife cut it up and would you beleive it was delicious s s s s , very moist and also the skin was moist , not rubbery , and the flavor was outstanding , I injected it with creole butter on Friday night and put it in the fridge and my wife sprinkled salt , garlic and black pepper all over the breast Saturday morning and today it went into the mes , I forgot about the Q View but I have not done anything yet worth looking at except this breast , will have to remember the Q View on my next try , I did thank my better half for helping and letting me know that this was the best that I made on this mes and especially I want to thank everyone here at this site that has helped me out with my Q and giving me guidance on how to smoke meat on this mes ,       Thank You'll 

 

[rtbbq2]

Getting a smoker for a surprise is like winning the lottery....Looks like you are hooked....Welcome.......enjoy.......

 

[smokingvic]

Thks , JJ ,   I did a turkey breast this past Sunday and it came out moist and delicious , I beleive I have my confidence back on this toy ,would you beleive that I stood it up and it came out great.