First attemps at Smoking Chicken and Ribs on MES 30

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itali2275

Newbie
Original poster
Apr 21, 2012
12
10
Toronto Canada
Hi Guys,

So Step one is complete, I pre-seasoned my smoker yesterday and YES lots of smoke was generated. This weekend will be my first attempt at Smoking Ribs and Chicken. But I have a few questions.
  1. Do I preheat Smoker to 275 and then turn it down to 230 and add my meat?
  2. I found that when Pre-seasoning the smoker the temp said 275 on the smoker but my thermometer said 300. So what do I set the temp to?
  3. Wood chips, when I seasoned the Smoker I did 1/2 cup soaked and half dry and that lasted about half hour, how often do I add chips?
  4. Do I do all dry or all wet?
Thanks Guys

I will post pics
 
I try to set mine to my target temp to begin with, If your running 300 you need to drop the temp to your target temp, make sure your vent is wide open. Mine runs real hot with a closed vent. Dont waste your time soaking the chips, i add chips about every 40 minutes or so, just watch the thin blue smoke coming out the vent, when it quits,,,,,,,ADD more chips
 
Hi Guys,

So Step one is complete, I pre-seasoned my smoker yesterday and YES lots of smoke was generated. This weekend will be my first attempt at Smoking Ribs and Chicken. But I have a few questions.
  1. Do I preheat Smoker to 275 and then turn it down to 230 and add my meat?
  2. I found that when Pre-seasoning the smoker the temp said 275 on the smoker but my thermometer said 300. So what do I set the temp to?
  3. Wood chips, when I seasoned the Smoker I did 1/2 cup soaked and half dry and that lasted about half hour, how often do I add chips?
  4. Do I do all dry or all wet?
Thanks Guys

I will post pics
If you know that your thermometer is accurate by doing a boil test at 212°F go by your thermometer. I usually set the temp on my MES to say 250°or more if I'm smoking at 225° and go by my ET-732 thermo readings for smoker temp because I know it's accurate. Depending on outside conditions, temp, wind and how much meat is loaded into the MES, you probably want to keep the set point higher at first than your target temp because all that cold meat will knock the temp down. Then as you go along adjust the set temp to maintain a 225° smoker temp. Some people do wet others dry, I soak mine for about a half hour then dump the water. Seems to work OK for me. I haven't smoked chicken yet but I think they're smoked at a higher temp or at least towards the end the temp is set as high as the MES can go for a crisp skin, but I don't know how that would affect the ribs. I am still a rookie 
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I am by no means as experienced as many on the forum but I'll answer your questions from my own experience and someone more experienced should be along to either verify my answers or point out the correct way if mine are wrong!!!!
Hi Guys,

So Step one is complete, I pre-seasoned my smoker yesterday and YES lots of smoke was generated. This weekend will be my first attempt at Smoking Ribs and Chicken. But I have a few questions.
  1. Do I preheat Smoker to 275 and then turn it down to 230 and add my my meat? I have an MES 40 and usually preheat about an hour before and 25-30* hotter than the temp I am going to be smoking at, then turn it down to the required temp once I have it loaded. 
  2. I found that when Pre-seasoning the smoker the temp said 275 on the smoker but my thermometer said 300. So what do I set the temp to? The temp is 25* hotter than what the smoker is set at...just dial the temp on the smoker down by 25*. If you want to smoke at 235*, set the smoker temp to 210* and the cabinet temp should then be 235*.
  3. Wood chips, when I seasoned the Smoker I did 1/2 cup soaked and half dry and that lasted about half hour, how often do I add chips? I use pellets and generally have to add them hourly but since you know how long they last with the 1/2 soaked and 1/2 dry, I'd just plan on adding a few every half hour.
  4. Do I do all dry or all wet? Can't really answer this because as I said I use pellets.
Remember that if you are doing chicken and ribs at the same time to put the ribs ABOVE the chicken. You don't want cross contamination.

Thanks Guys

I will post pics
 
Hi Guys,

So Step one is complete, I pre-seasoned my smoker yesterday and YES lots of smoke was generated. This weekend will be my first attempt at Smoking Ribs and Chicken. But I have a few questions.
  1. Do I preheat Smoker to 275 and then turn it down to 230 and add my meat? I like to add the Meat then turn it down.
  2. I found that when Pre-seasoning the smoker the temp said 275 on the smoker but my thermometer said 300. So what do I set the temp to? When I seasoned my MES I dangled the probe down Though the vent about 6". This was a mistake because it was at the Hottest point, top and over the element. The MES sensor is nearer the center of the box so I try to place my meat and Maverick Probe in the center and then adjust the temps according to the MAV ( tested spot on ). I make adjustments as needed. In this case you will have Ribs over Chix so set you Smoker temp probe or therm at the Rib level and adjust to them, they are more picky about heat than Chicken.
  3. Wood chips, when I seasoned the Smoker I did 1/2 cup soaked and half dry and that lasted about half hour, how often do I add chips? Use Dry chips and plan on getting 30-40 anyway, that is about all you will get. Thin Blue or Barely visible Smoke, if it is pouring out you have too many chips or a Fire.
  4. Do I do all dry or all wet? Use dry and have Fun. Good Luck...JJ
Thanks Guys

I will post pics
 Darn Alesia! You type fast!
biggrin.gif
 
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Hi guys,

WELL first attemps was a MESS.

My Chciken got Dry and Overcooked, and the Ribs are also dry and Overcooked. I think the issue was temperature. The Thermometer I bought i think it is not that accurate, ansl alos was cold out side.

HEre are some pics, eventhough they look ok the taste is bad. Also I think I oversmoked them.

Here are my steps.
  1. Pre_heat the Smoker to 275.
  2. Put the meet in that has been resting outside for 45 min
  3. Turn down the temp to 230
  4. Add the woodchips and smoke came out after 5 minutes.
  5. Add chips every 40 min for 2 hours.
  6. Took out the chicken and the internal temp was 170
  7. After 2 hours wrap the Ribs in foil and spray with Apple juice and put back in smoker
  8. After 2 hours  in the foil I tool them out and put back in for one hour.
These are the results.

0edb7e5c_DSC01520.jpg


7badc1eb_DSC01526.jpg


c9c58e57_DSC01529.jpg


09173b99_DSC01528.jpg
 
They all look good. But they were dry? Had to be a temperature problem. I do my spares for 3 hrs, and I spritz with apple juice a couple times, then foil for 2 hrs, adding my liquid from spritzing and some butter, honey, brown sugar to both sides of the ribs, then remove from foil for about an hour and back in the smoker. did you have a pan with liquid in there too? 
 
I actually did the same as you. And no I did not have liquid in the pan except the juices running from the chicken. I jist ordered a Thermometer Maverick ET-73 hopefully this will help.
 
 
They tasted like crap, so dry!!!!
My Ribs, I Marinate them, the only thing I will say there, is Apple Juice and cider vinegar.  I say no more because those are the only components that I use constantly in my Marinades, the rest is what flavour profile I want add to the Ribs.  Many Rib Marinades exist, find one you like and use it.  Then tweak it to your likings.  Then I use rinse them off, after a 24 to 36 hour marinade, for the glue for my Rub I apply Honey, rub it all over the Ribs, then my Rub, again it differs at every cook.

Chickens, a good brine or injections, many exist of either, find one and inject or brine the Bird before smoking, will keep it moist and delicious tasting.  Folks who deep fry turkeys do that and they come out wonderful and very moist.  Deep frying takes much less time than smoking does, so a marinade or injecting something is a must.
 
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