Not bacon, but like the guidance I get from here

[carlbq]

Does anyone use a masterrbuilt electric smoker on here?
Not just for cold smoking bacon, but to bbq and smoke for ribs, brisket, etc?
Seems like cheating to me, I use a bug green egg, but am interested in one for ease. Wal mart has great deals that include a stand too.
Input from those that have experience with them please.

 

[SmokinAl]

The MES is probably the most popular smoker on here.

Use the search & check out "Bears step by steps", everything he does is on a MES.

Al

 

[wade]

There is nothing cheating with using an electric smoker. It is the taste/quality of the resulting food that is important and how it gets there should not be important. Otherwise where would you draw the line at cheating? ... A computer controlled pellet smoker? A thermostatic controller on your charcoal BBQ? If the end result tastes great then that is what counts.

 

[carlbq]

Well I work with a big green egg, only thing electronic is my maverick remote thermometer.

 

[wade]

Well I work with a big green egg, only thing electronic is my maverick remote thermometer.

Well... I know someone who would even consider the use of a digital thermometer as "cheating". He thinks that you should just be able to tell instinctively when something is ready.

Me, I have a bank of thermometers and am never embarrassed to embrace technology whenever I smoke. 

 

[sirsquatch]

The concept of "cheating" when it comes to smoking food just boggles my mind. Unless you're in a competition you can't cheat at this. Just do what you enjoy, make good food and have a good time.

 

[worktogthr]

I agree...I have tons of different cookers.   And I love the food that comes off of all of them. Granted there are subtle differences in the end product but they all produce great food.  The MES equipped with an A-MAZE-N pellet tray is such a great cooker because of its ability to produce great food at all different cooking temps.  You can warm smoke sausages in the 120-170 range, cold smoke cheese with the unit off, do low and slow BBQ at 225-275.  You will definitely like it!  If you can get a good deal on it you should jump at it.  I have two MES 30s, partially because I am nuts and partially because its  great unit.  Read some of Bearcarver's posts about the generation/model as some are better than others.

 

[link]

As the rest have said it is not cheating (at least to me). I think many here also have different smokers for different things. I have a OK Joe (stick burner) and a Kamodo ceramic Grill I use all summer long but once the temps drop and the snow is on the ground in Michigan I use my MES 30" all winter. Not because I like one more than the other just because it is easier in the winter to use the electric.

I say use use what you are comfortable with and in the words or Alton Brown make "Good Eats".

Link