How Many Mes Owners Here?

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Which One Do You Have?

  • 40'

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 40' with window

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 40' 800 watt

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I like it a lot

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Where did you buy it?

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sams Club

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other please list where in a post

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    2
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I'm having a problem getting meat (brisket & pork shoulder) tender in 12 hours or so and eventually put them in my kitchen oven so I can go to bed.  Am I expecting them to cook too quickly?  Also, the smoke flavor was not as intense as we'd like.  Please tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Jana
How big of a pork shoulder and what temp did you set the MES to? Although each piece of meat will cook at its own rate and pace (people say that the meat will be done when it's done) allow at least 1 hour 45 minutes per pound @ 225. Some will cook faster and some will cook slower. Which is why a temperature probe measuring the internal temperature (IT) of the meats is critically important. The IT is really the only way to tell where in the process the meat is at (and don't panic when it stalls for hours at 150-160. many people foil it at this point since it won't take more smoke and the foiling speeds up the cook. There's a great recipe/tutorial in the pork section here). It's also important to know the temperature in the MES at the same location the meat is at since the temp can vary depending on the location in the cabinet. Also, some MES units read a little off. Mine may be the exception, but when I set it to 225, my Maverick ET372 measures the temp varying from 250 - 275.

Also, you should be able to leave the smoker running overnight and not have to bring the meat in to finish. Many of us start large cuts before we go to bed so that they're ready sometime the next day. If you're afraid the meat will get done too soon and get overdone, you can turn the temp down. Just make sure that the IT reaches 140 within 4 hours for food safety reasons. Also, depending on which part in Indiana you're in, you too could be in a cold climate and may need to preheat the MES for 30-45 minutes before putting the meat in.

For a more intense smoke flavor, the AMNPS is a great option, but until you get one, make sure you're adding chips every 30-60 minutes until the IT reaches 140. As you can tell from that, the AMNPS is a great option when meat is smoked overnight.

Good smoking to you!

Ron
 
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Thanks Yance!  I'll definitely get the pellet smoker.  Do I need another digital thermometer when the MES has one - that I double checked with my kitchen elec. thermometer?  The remote MES came with works well and matches the temps so I know the meat temp & smoker temp are correct.

Jana 
 
Thanks Ron.  I was trying to get the pork IT to 190 but it just wouldn't get that high.  I think from what I've read here that I had the smoker temp set too low.  I'll add an oven thermometer to the shelf with meat next time so I'll know the temp there for sure.  It was either a Boston butt or shoulder, but I don't remember which.  It's the one with the blade bone.  It was whole but I don't remember the weight. 

One other question I have - why do they say to put the roasts fat side down?  It seems fat said up would give better flavor or does that fat block smoke from getting in?

Thanks for the help!  I already love this forum and bought the recipes to show my thanks.

Jana
 
My pork was the 2 pack thingy from Sams club.  My weather wasn't cold when (October) I got those results - and haven't tried again because I wanted good info & instructions, first so I wouldn't get more bad results.  I planned to buy some smoker cookbooks then somehow found a link here - and am SUPER happy I did.  This forum is amazing!  Any others from the Indianapolis area on here?

Jana
 
 
Thanks Ron.  I was trying to get the pork IT to 190 but it just wouldn't get that high.  I think from what I've read here that I had the smoker temp set too low.  I'll add an oven thermometer to the shelf with meat next time so I'll know the temp there for sure.  It was either a Boston butt or shoulder, but I don't remember which.  It's the one with the blade bone.  It was whole but I don't remember the weight. 

One other question I have - why do they say to put the roasts fat side down?  It seems fat said up would give better flavor or does that fat block smoke from getting in?

Thanks for the help!  I already love this forum and bought the recipes to show my thanks.

Jana
Jana,

People who have smokers that have a lot of heat right under the meat put the fat down to protect the meat.

People who use MES should put the fat up if they use any of the top 2 or 3 shelf positions. There shouldn't be a lot of direct heat that high in the MES, and the fat on top will baste the meat.

Bear
 
 
My pork was the 2 pack thingy from Sams club.  <snip>

Jana
The ones I've gotten from Sam's have usually been a around 18 lbs for the package of 2. Assuming they were evenly sized at 9 lbs each, the earliest I would expect them to be done would be close to 16 hours of total cook time @ 225. But, like I posted earlier, each piece will cook at it's own rate. Then, throw in a minimum rest period of 1 hour and it's a long time from fridge to table.

Ron
 
My first smoker, MES 30" digital.  So far so good.  Got it at one heck of a deal!  $100 new in the box.  It did come with a dent in the side courtesy of FedEx.

So far I have done a turkey (My avatar), cheese (kind of) and Rib Eye steaks.

All of it was very tasty!  We all like smoked food, but we like light smoke, so I have to learn how much to load in it and when to get just the right amount of flavor.  SWMBO says everything smells like bacon!

I am waiting for my AMNPS to get here so I can cold smoke.  I think I just may have to mod this thing after reading many posts here.

Mel
 
They sure used a crappy assembly to show in their video. The top is domed on top and the control panel has a big gap between the control and the top due to the domed area. You would think they would have at least found one that didn't look so bad for their sales video.
 
I just bought the 30" digital from Cabelas . I wanted something to do venison summer sausage on . I'm not real sure about the smoke it generates at lower temps . The sausage came out great texture color and seasoning , but I would have liked more smoke flavor . I'm so used to doing pork butts , chicken and baby backs with clean red oak on a side fire box rig ,,, geuss its just a learning curve .
 
Thanks Bear & Ron!  Of course I have another question - how do I know which size AMNS to get?  I have the 40" glass door MES.  I measured and *think* the 6" X 8" will just barely fit but I'm not positive.  I want to get the biggest one that will fit my smoker.  Thanks soooo much for all the wonderful advice you're providing.  I'm so glad I found this forum. 

Jana in Indiana
 
 
Thanks Bear & Ron!  Of course I have another question - how do I know which size AMNS to get?  I have the 40" glass door MES.  I measured and *think* the 6" X 8" will just barely fit but I'm not positive.  I want to get the biggest one that will fit my smoker.  Thanks soooo much for all the wonderful advice you're providing.  I'm so glad I found this forum. 

Jana in Indiana
This (Below) would be the best for you. It was designed to just barely fit in the MES 30. There is plenty of room in an MES 40.

AMNPS 5x8 Produces smoke for up to 11 hours on 15 oz of A-MAZE-N-PELLETS.
Burns Pellets or Sawdust

Bear
 
Hi, I have a 40 inch. I have had it about the 3 years. Make about 7 kinds of venison sausage, ribs, poultry, fish, pork chops, Jerry and anything else I can catch. Most of the time I use hickory sawdust, produces great volume of smoke and burns very uniformly. Right now it is 8 degrees f and I have 3 racks of baby backs and an 8 lb roasting chicken smoking away. Can't wait for supper!
Leo
 
Thanks Bear! 
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  I'll get it as soon as I finish my Christmas shopping. 

Jana in Indiana
 
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