I've had my MES40 1 year now and even got the A-MAZE-N tray and tried different types of wood pellets in it. For some reason I can not keep the amazen tray to stay burning. I light it with a gas torch and let it burn for several minutes. get plenty of hot little coals going, fire burns to a smolder and it smolders for about 5 to 10 minutes and goes out. I have tried all of your guys suggestions. make sure the wood pellets are totally dry. tried different types and brands of wood pellets. pull the side dumper out halfway for airflow to all the way out and no difference. To keep smoke going I keep having to feed the original wood chip tray with pellets every 20 to 30 minutes. that gets old during a 12 hour smoke with a large pork butt roast or turkey. I'm tired of baby sitting it just like my old Brinkmann horizontal charcoal wood smoker. Dont get me wrong the MES40 does an amazing job smoking the meats. They came out way more tender and juicier then my old Brinkmann charcoal wood smoker could ever do. I smoked my best pork roasts, pulled pork and beef briskets i've ever done in the MES40 but had to baby sit it constantly with feeding it wood pellets or re-lighting the amazen smoking tray only to have it go out 10 minutes later.
SO, I pulled the trigger on a Traeger Pro 34 today. should be delivered next week. Wont be here in time to smoke the Thanksgiving turkey but the MES40 will have to do and i'll have to feed the side dumper every 30 minutes 1 more smoking. It will still taste amazing, i'm just not one that likes to go out every 20-30 minutes to add more pellets or wood. some of the smokings I do are over night or started wee hours of the morning and I crawl back into bed for another 4 hours. be kinda nice to crawl back into bed knowing it'll keep smoking for hours afterwards. Now i need to read up on all the tips and tricks of smoking with a Traeger. Already have a Bluetooth dual meat thermometer. what else?
SO, I pulled the trigger on a Traeger Pro 34 today. should be delivered next week. Wont be here in time to smoke the Thanksgiving turkey but the MES40 will have to do and i'll have to feed the side dumper every 30 minutes 1 more smoking. It will still taste amazing, i'm just not one that likes to go out every 20-30 minutes to add more pellets or wood. some of the smokings I do are over night or started wee hours of the morning and I crawl back into bed for another 4 hours. be kinda nice to crawl back into bed knowing it'll keep smoking for hours afterwards. Now i need to read up on all the tips and tricks of smoking with a Traeger. Already have a Bluetooth dual meat thermometer. what else?
