I appreciate Todd selecting me to part of the AMNPS with Pitmaster pellets test. My first test was using it in my plywood smoker on cheese.
Todd sent me a AMNPS 5x8.
I was somewhat surprised at the size of the device. I had expected something much larger. I guess big things do come in small packages.
A view of the bottom:
And the profile:
Todd also sent an ample supply of Pitmaster pellets which are a mix of hickory, maple, and cherry.
Step #1 was to burn off the tool oil. I used my Smokey Joe for this.
After that, I put in enough pellets where it reached just short of the top of the dividers and lit them with a MAPP gas torch.
For this test I went with cheese as my medium since I had nothing prepared to be smoked. 10 lbs of mild cheddar, 10 lbs of provolone, 5 lbs of pepperjack, 1 lbs of habanero cheddar, and 5 lbs of cabbage. The cabbage was actually added when the pellets had burned halfway through. I also cut the blocks of cheese thicker than I normally would because I was going to test the duration of the 5x8 AMNPS.
I was very pleased with the output of smoke. It wasn't all that different than my normal hot plate method. However, I noticed a significant difference in internal temperature. The ambient temperature was 70* F outside. With my hot plate method, I would have easily been looking at close to 100* inside the plywood smoker which is much too warm for cheese. Instead, with the AMNPS the temps stayed steady at 74*F internal temperature.
I was also very impressed with how the 5x8 worked. I had no bridging issues and all of the pellets burned as expected.
And I got some great looking cheese in the process.
I will try some in about a week and half. Hopefully it isn't oversmoked from this endurance test. And speaking of endurance, I got a very impressive 12 1/2 hours of smoke from the 5x8 AMNPS.
In comparing it to my usual hot plate method here are my observations:
Todd sent me a AMNPS 5x8.
I was somewhat surprised at the size of the device. I had expected something much larger. I guess big things do come in small packages.
A view of the bottom:
And the profile:
Todd also sent an ample supply of Pitmaster pellets which are a mix of hickory, maple, and cherry.
Step #1 was to burn off the tool oil. I used my Smokey Joe for this.
After that, I put in enough pellets where it reached just short of the top of the dividers and lit them with a MAPP gas torch.
For this test I went with cheese as my medium since I had nothing prepared to be smoked. 10 lbs of mild cheddar, 10 lbs of provolone, 5 lbs of pepperjack, 1 lbs of habanero cheddar, and 5 lbs of cabbage. The cabbage was actually added when the pellets had burned halfway through. I also cut the blocks of cheese thicker than I normally would because I was going to test the duration of the 5x8 AMNPS.
I was very pleased with the output of smoke. It wasn't all that different than my normal hot plate method. However, I noticed a significant difference in internal temperature. The ambient temperature was 70* F outside. With my hot plate method, I would have easily been looking at close to 100* inside the plywood smoker which is much too warm for cheese. Instead, with the AMNPS the temps stayed steady at 74*F internal temperature.
I was also very impressed with how the 5x8 worked. I had no bridging issues and all of the pellets burned as expected.
And I got some great looking cheese in the process.
I will try some in about a week and half. Hopefully it isn't oversmoked from this endurance test. And speaking of endurance, I got a very impressive 12 1/2 hours of smoke from the 5x8 AMNPS.
In comparing it to my usual hot plate method here are my observations:
- I did not see any difference in the smoke quality. Taste has yet to be determined.
- The AMNPS definitely does a much better job of cold smoking in mild weather. Temperatures were never a concern.
- It is easier to use. Normally I would load a cast iron pan with chips and chunks, place some foil over the top, and then punch some holes in the foil. With the AMNPS, I just loaded some pellets and lit it.
