Masterbuilt + AMNPS, plus a few generic pellet questions

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cavediver

Newbie
Original poster
Jan 6, 2013
10
10
Buford, Ga
Hello all,

Last year I received one of the Masterbuilt 2-door propane smokers as a gift.  We cooked up a bunch of good stuff, but I was rarely happy with the smoke flavor; even after I switched to a cast iron skillet and foil pouches, I had a ton of flare-ups and a lot of bitter smoke flavor.

As I'm an occasional smoker at best, I'm done messing with that side of things and want a simpler method.  Enter the AMNPS :)

I've read in a number of places that the tube units are better for use inside a propane smoker.  I'd take one of those and keep it simple, but I'm thinking I'd like to have a longer burn time than they offer, so I'm considering the AMNPS and a mailbox mod, bringing the smoke into the unit through the existing side vent. 

Cold smoking, if there is such a thing in Georgia, is an added bonus.

Is this going to end well for me?  :)

Are there any reasons I should skip this idea and use different gear or a different method?

Thank you!
 
You will be fine with the AMNPS and the Mailbox Mod. Your thinking is correct that you would need a Tube for smoke " in " a propane smoker as there is not enough fresh air in a Gasser to keep the AMNPS lit. The Mailbox takes care of that problem. With Cure, you can smoke any kind of meat you wish at Georgia summer temps. However, you will only be able tto smoke Cheese when the temps drop below 70 to 80° tops...JJ
 
yeahthat.gif
  The mailbox mod is a very handy mod!
 
Good deal.  Thanks!

And since I forgot to type my pellet questions...  :)

I've read that it can be difficult to keep fruit woods smoking, and that a blend of fruit woods with something like hickory is recommended.  is this going to be a problem, or do the pellet smokers not suffer from that issue?

If I do need to blend woods, can you guys give me a recommendation or two?  So far it seems like I prefer apple, cherry, and oak flavors.  Hickory is OK in small doses, and I plan on keeping some on hand, but I'd really like to find a more subtle alternative.

Thanks again!
 
 
Good deal.  Thanks!

And since I forgot to type my pellet questions...  :)

I've read that it can be difficult to keep fruit woods smoking, and that a blend of fruit woods with something like hickory is recommended.  is this going to be a problem, or do the pellet smokers not suffer from that issue?

If I do need to blend woods, can you guys give me a recommendation or two?  So far it seems like I prefer apple, cherry, and oak flavors.  Hickory is OK in small doses, and I plan on keeping some on hand, but I'd really like to find a more subtle alternative.

Thanks again!
Apple will burn fine in the AMNPS but cherry has trouble staying lit on its own. If you put down a small layer of good burning pellets like oak or hickory then put the cherry pellets on top the good burning pellets will keep a good bed of "coals" going to keep the cherry burning for you. As you said hickory is strong but oak is a lot more neutral & works great. Wine barrel & corn cob pellets can also be hard to keep lit on their own...
 
The AMNPS is now on order, along with another 10lbs of pellets in apple, cherry, oak, maple and pecan.

It's time to get to work on finding aluminum duct elbows and a suitable burn chamber. 

Thanks guys!
 
 
The AMNPS is now on order, along with another 10lbs of pellets in apple, cherry, oak, maple and pecan.

It's time to get to work on finding aluminum duct elbows and a suitable burn chamber. 

Thanks guys!
Here is one choice for the duct - it holds shape nicely & can be stretched up to 8 feet if you need it - 9 something at Lowes...

View media item 312319
 

I have the 18" & the 12" AMNTS Tube Smokers and they work great in my gas smoker to temps up to about 285. After that the pellets ignite. I made the mailbox mod for the tube. Works great. Here it is hooked up to my mini. I can also hook it up to my UDS and I can hook it up to my propane GOSM. I use use it for hot and cold smokes on the propane smoker. Works great.
 

Drilled a hole in the door just bigger than the tube. Leave the tube just sticking out when burning.


This is the adapter I use for attaching the mailbox to the mini and the UDS when cold smoking. Just a series of PVC reducers and a threaded fitting. Not glued makes it easier to screw into the valve.
 
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