Over filling a smoker...

[indaswamp]

When I had my MES30 first gen. I came up with a handy ratio for the max. pounds of meat I could warm smoke. I could put 12.5# of sausages in my MES30 and it was the optimum pounds of meat. The ratio is 0.2024. I have used this ratio for larger smokehouses and it seems to hold true. Simply take the pounds of meat/sausages you will be warm smoking (120*~170*) and multiply it by 0.2024 and it will give you the minimum cubic feet of space needed without over crowding your smokehouse.

I realize that there are lots of variables like flue size and air draft turnover, as well as smokehouse construction, but as a handy general ratio, it works.

Has anyone else worked out a ratio for the optimum pounds of meat your smoker will smoke efficiently?

 

[daveomak]

Inda, morning.... Cool... so, 10#'s of sticks or brats, about 2 cu. ft. is the minimum size smoker... OR, if my smoker is 2 cu. ft., about 10#'s is the max amount of meat to smoke in it...
Sounds like a good number to me... Very interesting concept....
So, If I try this with my smoker, what are the indicators that I have put too much meat in it ?? What let you know it was too full of meat ??
This could be valuable when explaining to someone why their smoker did whatever... Dave

 

[indaswamp]

Dave, you watch your temps top and bottom. When you get to the point where the links start evaporation cooling, normally the top temp. drops a little. When your smoker is too full, the drop is more pronounced. You will also notice it takes significantly longer for that batch of sausage to finish them being you are trying to heat up a larger volume of meat. You keep playing with your ratio until you it the magic number for your unit.

 

[bluewhisper]

I haven't figured out a ratio but overloading hasn't been a problem for me since I'm not cooking for many people. I have ~800 square inches of grate on the offset and that's more than enough for my needs.

I did get a laugh out of a picture of an offset like mine, loaded for an advertisement. It was FULL of all kinds of foods, all looking perfectly cooked, completely filling the grates including the swinging top grate.

I credit my sister for saying: "It has to be big to show up on television." Kind of like the commercials for fried chicken where the bucket is always loaded far above the rim - you could never put the paper lid on that. Sure looks inviting, though.

 

[hank2000]

I’ve never thought about over loading my MES ether but I only cook for three people most of the time and smoke 5 pounds of sausage at a time. So it’s never been problem but I can see that it could be a problem some. Thanks for the info

 

[Rings Я Us]

Bunch of moisture in my smoker when the jerky covers 2 racks up completely. Jerky dries faster than the bulky cuts however.. temps swing up fairly quickly.:)

 

[wild west]

When I had my MES30 first gen. I came up with a handy ratio for the max. pounds of meat I could warm smoke. I could put 12.5# of sausages in my MES30 and it was the optimum pounds of meat. The ratio is 0.2024. I have used this ratio for larger smokehouses and it seems to hold true. Simply take the pounds of meat/sausages you will be warm smoking (120*~170*) and multiply it by 0.2024 and it will give you the minimum cubic feet of space needed without over crowding your smokehouse.

I realize that there are lots of variables like flue size and air draft turnover, as well as smokehouse construction, but as a handy general ratio, it works.

Has anyone else worked out a ratio for the optimum pounds of meat your smoker will smoke efficiently?

How did you load your links in the mes. I drape on dowels in six link lengths but cant get that much in without them touching. Im thinking of going back to laying on the racks to fit more. I do agree on the 12.5 lbs though.

 

[daveomak]

Good idea... I used to check temps top to bottom.. I gave up on worrying about it.. However, your point is well taken.. Something to really consider.. When you have 1 butt in the smoker, evaporative cooling only affect the 1 butt... when the smoker has 20-30 sausage links all adding moisture and cooling the smoker, It really makes sense to consider lightening the smoker load.. I'm positive the sausage results, for quality, will definitely improve..
Thanks for doing that research and sharing it... Just goes to show.. there is a vast amount of knowledge to be shared and to learn from... if one is willing to learn...

 

[indaswamp]

Bunch of moisture in my smoker when the jerky covers 2 racks up completely. Jerky dries faster than the bulky cuts however.. temps swing up fairly quickly.:)

Probably restricting draft air flow up through the smoker.....

 

[indaswamp]

I'll have to find a pic. but I added aluminum angle 3" from the top of the MES and used dowels. 3 dowels I believe... (2) 12~14" links twisted and draped over the dowels. line them up with 1" air gap.

 

[indaswamp]

And Dave- I'm looking forward to making the modification on my new smokehouse with larger vents so I can load it up with 120# of sausage to smoke. Will have a better feel for the ratio on my new smokehouse after that.

 

[hank2000]

How did you load your links in the mes. I drape on dowels in six link lengths but cant get that much in without them touching. Im thinking of going back to laying on the racks to fit more. I do agree on the 12.5 lbs though.

I have an MES 40. I lay them on the racks can lay them fairly close just not touching

 

[daveomak]

And Dave- I'm looking forward to making the modification on my new smokehouse with larger vents so I can load it up with 120# of sausage to smoke. Will have a better feel for the ratio on my new smokehouse after that.


On a larger smokehouse, your number may change with air flow.. Air flow is dependent on BTU's.. So, using an electric element will require less air flow to maintain heat.. An LPG burner will allow for more air flow due to the BTU output of the burner.. Just saying...

 

[SonnyE]

I would say if the smoke can't get out, you may have overloaded it....

(Ducks... Runs....)

 

[indaswamp]

On a larger smokehouse, your number may change with air flow.. Air flow is dependent on BTU's.. So, using an electric element will require less air flow to maintain heat.. An LPG burner will allow for more air flow due to the BTU output of the burner.. Just saying...

True that Dave. airflow is also dependent on flue dia. and length. I do not have to worry about length because I just have holes in the side of the smokehouse. I will definitely have more airflow when I increase the hole size.

 

[myownidaho]

With a Bradley, I can’t. Ambient temperature plays too big of a role. I smoked two eight pound butts on Wednesday and the smoker didn’t get over 225 for six hours. In the summer, I can do twice that amount and have no problem getting the smoker to 275.

 

[indaswamp]

So, using an electric element will require less air flow to maintain heat..

True, but you still need draft to remove moisture on a large volume of meat, otherwise it condenses on the walls and ceiling of the smoker and drips creosote on the meat.