Added another smoker - mes 30 electric need tips

[griz400]

It was bobbling around from 215 to 235 .. was set at 225, calmed down after meat started to get hotter, just used my 2 dual probe mavericks in the meat only .. noticed when I seasoned it, started without water in pan.. then added water and calmed down as well .. seems to cycle less as temps of meats rise ... like after 115 or so ...

 

[Rings Я Us]

It was bobbling around from 215 to 235 .. was set at 225, calmed down after meat started to get hotter, just used my 2 dual probe mavericks in the meat only .. noticed when I seasoned it, started without water in pan.. then added water and calmed down as well .. seems to cycle less as temps of meats rise ... like after 115 or so ...

Sounds good man.. I have heard bigger swings from people with same model. Usually 30 plus higher than what is set.

 

[tallbm]

Points to you tallbn, will definitely try out an overnight smoke.. Actually my 5 by 8 AMNPS was on porch when I got home from work .. Now the question is .. is there a certain brand of chips ?? I seen them big bags of pellets ( hickory) at Walmart .. are these good ??? I brought a torch out my toolbox from work tat I never use .. like one a plumber uses with a screw on bottle of propane ..

Oh man the answer is a little involved so here goes.

Brand does matter. The pellets to avoid are the ones that are the actual hardwood on the label and do not brands that use random hardwood and add oils for "flavor", I think Traeger does this so that is bad.

Next understand that even if the brand says it is "all hardwood" that often it is NOT all of the wood on the label and it is actually blended with another cheaper wood. For example Lousianna Grills Mesquite pellets are actually 65% Maple and 35% Mesquite even though the bag says "Mesquite". These are Blends and many brands do this. Blends aren't bad if you know how it is blended and that is what you want.

Finally, the best option are brands that are 100% of the wood mentioned on the bag. Lumberjack mostly does 100% pellets and will easily call out it's blends. In this case if you buy Lumberjack 100% Apple you get nothing but 100% Apple pellets, no blends or flavor oils, etc. The good/bad is that if you WANT a blend you then need 100% of each of the pelelts youw ant to blend and then blend at the ratios you want. I like 30% Hickory and 70% apple for a number of things and I don't mind if I have a bag of 100% Apple and 100% Hickory to blend with but this can really pile up on the pellets, but man the quality of Lumberjack pellets is goooooooood!

Let me know if this all makes sense :)

 

[Rings Я Us]

https://www.ruralking.com/traegerr-grill-pellets-20-lb.html

Place by me has lumberjack $8.99 a bag for 20#.

 

[jbfromtennessee]

you will love that amps tray. must warn you it has a learning curve, so be patient with it. mine fits perfect with very little wiggle room at the bottom left on top of the two rods that hold up the heating unit. on my first butt i loaded the tray and it lasted right at 11 hours of TBS. Good luck with it..

 

[griz400]

Thanks tallbm, look for the lumber jack or 100 percent hickory

Oh man the answer is a little involved so here goes.

Thanks rings ... johnny ... points to all 3 of you ..
Thanks jb, same inside as mine ...

you will love that amps tray. must warn you it has a learning curve, so be patient with it. mine fits perfect with very little wiggle room at the bottom left on top of the two rods that hold up the heating unit. on my first butt i loaded the tray and it lasted right at 11 hours of TBS. Good luck with it..View attachment 339803

Brand does matter. The pellets to avoid are the ones that are the actual hardwood on the label and do not brands that use random hardwood and add oils for "flavor", I think Traeger does this so that is bad.

Next understand that even if the brand says it is "all hardwood" that often it is NOT all of the wood on the label and it is actually blended with another cheaper wood. For example Lousianna Grills Mesquite pellets are actually 65% Maple and 35% Mesquite even though the bag says "Mesquite". These are Blends and many brands do this. Blends aren't bad if you know how it is blended and that is what you want.

Finally, the best option are brands that are 100% of the wood mentioned on the bag. Lumberjack mostly does 100% pellets and will easily call out it's blends. In this case if you buy Lumberjack 100% Apple you get nothing but 100% Apple pellets, no blends or flavor oils, etc. The good/bad is that if you WANT a blend you then need 100% of each of the pelelts youw ant to blend and then blend at the ratios you want. I like 30% Hickory and 70% apple for a number of things and I don't mind if I have a bag of 100% Apple and 100% Hickory to blend with but this can really pile up on the pellets, but man the quality of Lumberjack pellets is goooooooood!

Let me know if this all makes sense :)

 

[griz400]

Got a bag of B&B pellets .. 100 per cent hickory

 

[jbfromtennessee]

i got a bag of the b and b and i think it is 70/30, i will have to go check. at any rate it burns real good and a nice TBS. Good luck and as others have said there is a learning curve so keep a eye on it the first few hours of your early smokes...

 

[griz400]

The B&B brand seems to be working nicely today ... I lit it up with a propane torch and kept it there lighting from hole and on the bottom for 1 whole minute, let it burn on he charcoal grill grate, while I was loading up the mes ... let it flame up for about 10 - 12 minutes, then blew it out .. now has been burning great for 1 hr .. nice tbs ... , and has burnt about 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches in an hr ... thanks all for advice .. think by trial and error yesterday paid off ... oh, also I have the chip loader on side pulled 1/2 way out, top vent wide open and temp set at 220, and seems to only fluctuate from like 215 - 225 degrees after 1 hr ...

 

[griz400]

I am surprisingly pleased with an electric smoker and an amnps .. seems strange though ...always had an offset .. guess I will try an overnight smoke ... a butt or something ... here is a look at the amnps .. I lit with a torch for 1 solid minute, through the hole and from under .. then let it burn for about 12 minutes or just a little longer... blowing on it a little about every 5 minutes or so ... then put in smoker, blew it out and worked real nice ...

this was my last weeks cook, ribs for 5 1/2 hrs ... worked real nice ... thank you all for the helping hand comments .....
but, really like to add sticks on the offset every hour ..

 

[tallbm]

I am surprisingly pleased with an electric smoker and an amnps .. seems strange though ...always had an offset .. guess I will try an overnight smoke ... a butt or something ... here is a look at the amnps .. I lit with a torch for 1 solid minute, through the hole and from under .. then let it burn for about 12 minutes or just a little longer... blowing on it a little about every 5 minutes or so ... then put in smoker, blew it out and worked real nice ...

this was my last weeks cook, ribs for 5 1/2 hrs ... worked real nice ... thank you all for the helping hand comments .....
but, really like to add sticks on the offset every hour ..

Glad to hear it is all working out for you!
Just wait until you do an overnight smoke, you'll love being able to sleep rather then being up all night.
You can still have fun with the stick burner but now you have a set and forget option when you want to make life a little easier :)