AMNPS test #2

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daveomak

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Nov 12, 2010
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Omak,Washington,U.S.A.
I previously did a test with Turkey legs....

That test was impressive for several reasons.... 

The smoke aroma was sweet, mild and had an aroma that was, "I don"t know what that smoke is"... very mysterious aroma.... I guess "pitmasters blend is just "that"....

The flavor was smokey but not overpowering in any way, shape or fashion.....  sweet, delicious,  mild....

"So", I said, "I am going to push that smoke to see what it has".

Since I needed something for beans, I found pork neck bones at the market... Salted them and in the refer over night...

ebdc1ff5_porkneckbones.jpg


Since I had Corned Beef Flats from a few weeks backs, I rinsed them well and Old Bay was rubbed in....and in the refer overnight....

fc4680fa_Strami.jpg


I lit the 2 row end to double the smoke output.... remember, this is a MES 30 and a small smoking chamber..  I could not believe the wonderful smoke flavor from the first test... so many times the acrid, creosote flavor was ruining the taste of the meat....  I always attributed the taste to, "too much smoke"...  I have used other pellets and various wood chip varieties... 

This test of "double the smoke by burning twice the amount of chips" was to find out, "what the hey is going on".  In the AMNPS is 286 grams (2/3#) "Pitmaster Blend"..  I had to relight 1 row after the necks dripped on it....    

cf042b4e_2rowlighting.jpg


This is where I had to relight the one row.....  The unburned pellets, I do believe, are from the necks dripping on them....

70a3298a_relightpellets.jpg


The neck bones out after 5 hours of almost 2 rows smoke, (the drip problem)... the color is awesome... with salt only on them, the flavor is unbelievable.... no acrid creosote of "overly" smoked flavor.... I am impressed with the perfect smoke flavor and "Better Homes and Garden" perfect color.... Now I know the secret to smoking meat...... (later, stand by)

aef45a80_necksoutofsmoker.jpg


The strami, I had a problem..... It was sweating the first 5 hours... I mean water pouring out of it.... I have no idea how much liquid they pumped into it when it was packaged but it was probably 25%.... I should have weighed it before and after the smoke and braise....  This is after 8 1/2 hours of intense smoke...

I added an additional 166 grams "Pitmaster Blend" pellets for the last 3 hours to push the smoke on the strami..... total pellets smoked on the strami 452 grams (1#) about 8 hours....

To put this in context, with my previous smoking experiences, 2-4 hours was max depending on what I was smoking.... I know others smoke longer....

I think the size of the smoker has something to do with #'s chips burned  vs. cubic footage of the smoker....

If you burn 1# in a shoebox or a warehouse, there is a difference..... The MES 30 is small comparatively speaking.... So I'm still thinking about this idea....

8b457450_Stramioutofsmoker.jpg


Sliced the strami after removing from the smoker.... bride said it was tough and needed the oven... So double wrap in foil and onto a sheet tray with about 1/2 can of beer in it.... braised for 2 hours until the house smelled wonderful..... I did not waste the other half of the beer.....

ec226f4e_Stramioutofsmokersliced.jpg


After the 2 hour braise and 2 hour rest....  More tender and the flavor was very, very good.... I love cooking with beer.... Still no bitter, acrid creosote flavor or aroma...... 

986477a8_stramioutoftheovenwithabeerbraise.jpg


The residual ash from the 286 gram burn was 12 grams....   Should have been less but dripping neck bones caused a few pellets to not burn.... I did not reweigh the second pellet burn....

7af2a688_Pelletash.jpg


Things I learned....  "Pitmaster Blend Pellets" will provide the smoked food enthusiast with a very forgiving blend.....  The subtle flavor and aroma will please even your mother/father-in-law who still thinks you can't smoke food.... you can smoke the food for hours and there will be no acrid, creosote, bitter flavors...  You can double smoke the food and the dog will still like it and fight you for it..... 

Store bought corned beef...... At least the variety I bought might do better in a vacuum bag on a paper towel to squeeze the pumped liquid out of it.... maybe several vac and squeeze attempts to get rid of the extra liquid..... or forget the store bought corned beef and just buy brisket and do my own....

I have built several smoke generators... None compare to this AMNPS of Todd's.....

It burns clean, smooth. and makes everything taste better......

Thanks for looking
 
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nice test.......i've had sausage drip on mine and start a small fire.
 
That is great looking Pastrami and the color on the Neck Bones is beautiful! What do you put them in and do you only get flavor or is there any usable meat?...JJ
 
That is great looking Pastrami and the color on the Neck Bones is beautiful! What do you put them in and do you only get flavor or is there any usable meat?...JJ
JJ, morning....  They just went in beans a couple of days ago...  Navy beans and pork necks....  The dish was very good and the meat was better than pork hocks and more of it... No hammy flavor, just smoked pork..... The bean dish could have used some of the pork skins I smoked a few days ago.... (the skin from the picnic shoulder I made into bkfst sausage)....  The beans needed pork fat the necks didn't provide and the skin would have done that....

 
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