A-Maze-N-Smoker and the MES

[bobbygee]

Hey guys..I noticed a few of our big dogs/senior members have been using the A-Maze-N-Smoker cold smoker.I'm seriously considering getting one of these bad boys to eleiminate the need of every half hour chip loads when smoking a butt.I was reading the manual on its website and it mentions not to place it above the water pan due to affecting the burning process.So..my question to the board is///Where would you put the thing if you want to smoke ribs or a butt thats not above the water pan and not in the way of any meat drippings? Thanx for all the inputs guys,you've been most helpfull.

Bobby

 

[richoso1]

Are you saying that you want to cold smoke ribs and butts? I wouldn't consider it just on the basis of the "Danger Zone". You need to reach an internal tamp of at 140° in 4 hours or less. I don't see how this can be done using a cold smoke process. maybe I misunderstood you. Please clarify for my sake.

 

[meateater]

I agree, cold smoking is a process meant for cheese, salt, flour and other items along that line. I cold smoke jerky but then remove the smoke and finish with a small pile of coals to the desired dryness. Butts and ribs I smoke over a bed of coals at 225*-250*.

 

[scarbelly]

Let me explain how I have used the A MAZE N SMOKER for Chicken which I think will answer your question on how to use it - I do not have a water pan so that is not an issue for me - I crank up the heat in my SmokinTex to the desired temp and light the AMS to generate the smoke instead of my usual smoke box -this gives me the ability to give things a great smoke without ever having to open the box.

If you have a smoker with a water pan, the issue is the water pan - it creates too much moisture for the sawdust so if you can smoke without using the water pan the AMS is for you if not it is not the correct way to use the AMS

Please let me know if I can help more

 

[deltadude]

I was a lucky beta tester for the AMNS and I use a 2 yr old 40" MES,  I have place the AMNS in two locations:

• on top of the two horz. bars that run across the cabinet from the wood chip & elect element housing.   The 6x6 will sit across the bars fine, you will have to adjust a bit because of the two runner legs under the AMNS, and have to be careful to NOT knock off the AMNS when everything is hot.  You could sit the AMNS in a shallow pan and place on the bars.  The only problem is drippings,  I tried using a pie tin turn over on top the AMNS to prevent drippings from hitting the dust, but that trapped too much heat and caused all the dust to ignite, (makes a lot of nice smoke though

).  So I try to carefully mount so as much of the water pan covers the AMNS without touching the element housing.  I'm not sure since my element is only 800 watts, but there could be a potential problem with the extra heat of the 1200 watt element and the AMNS being so close.

• I have also placed the AMNS on the bottom rack in a shallow pan.  I have done this about 3 or 4 times and no problem smoking, however I was usually doing a pork butt and the Butt was on the opposite side of the cabinet to avoid drippings getting in the dust.

There should be no problem placing the AMNS in the bottom drip pan raised of course, centered under the water pan.  The amount of drippings I get from one or two pork butts or when I do 3 racks of ribs, is not much usually.

I have to say my fav spot is on the horz bars.  though I need to go get a thin sheet of Alum and make a upside down V hood to stop any  drippings from hitting the dust.

You can't lose by purchasing the A-Maze-N-Smoker. 

 

[bobbygee]

  I wasn't planning on cold smoking the pork products but was intending to use it as the smoke source inlay of using the the chip drawer of the MES.I'm lokking for a "set and forget" solution,especially for long smokes like a butt or brisket.

  Thanx deltadude,that is the kind of info I was looking for.Oddly enough,the manual states not to place the AMNS adjacent to the heat source but I see no other place for it.

 

[bobbygee]

FYI-I got my new AMNS and it works great!.Definetely will takes care of the ongoing problem with the newer MES models not producing enough smoke.I heated it up on my gas grill to burn off any oil residue then washed it with soapy water then loaded it up with the maple sawdust just to see how it worked.Smelled great! I'll be making me some baby backs this weekend using this bad boy and anticapate nothing but good things. 

 

[Bearcarver]

FYI-I got my new AMNS and it works great!.Definetely will takes care of the ongoing problem with the newer MES models not producing enough smoke.I heated it up on my gas grill to burn off any oil residue then washed it with soapy water then loaded it up with the maple sawdust just to see how it worked.Smelled great! I'll be making me some baby backs this weekend using this bad boy and anticapate nothing but good things. 

That little thing really is amazing, isn't it!

This is the first I saw this thread, but my comment wasn't needed. Deltadude pretty much covered it. It's definitely NOT ONLY for cold smoking. It's also for people tired of fighting with "inconsistent smoke" problems, and tired of being a "feed the smoker" slave. It's a whole new world.

Bearcarver

 

[wildflower]

I'll be making me some baby backs this weekend using this bad boy and anticapate nothing but good things.

What time should I be over

  and you did say BB's and in one for you and two for me  

 

[ryanhoelzer]

So the real question is where to put it in the MES.  Take a look here.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/fo...-smoke-with-the-ams-in-the-mes-30#post_513856