- May 16, 2015
- 6
- 11
Most seem to think it won't work or needs special conditions, Airflow or some such silliness.
Got tired of feeding the chip hopper every hour during a long smoke and most of mine run four otr five hours or more and I got better things to do then check back to put some chips in the hopper.
Took some research and trial runs but between the few tips I found and trying this and that I can now reliably get a five hour traditional TBS out on one row of pellets in the A-MAZ-N with the chip drawer closed and the vent 1/4 to 1/2 open.
Some of what follows is essential some maybe not so but it works so I'm not going to dick with it.
1 - Fill number of required rows with pellets to the evenly and to the top. Pat then down a bit.
2 - Essential - Dump them out onto a plate and microwave for two minutes at 50% power make sure they are spread out. If necessay do more then one plate full.
3 - Refill rows evenly, to the top and pat down
4 - Essential - Iight the start of the first row and get it burning and LET IT BURN FOR AT LEAST TEN MINUTES.
note - getting the pellets pellets to burn to start with proved problematic. Best method I found was a brulee torch. very hot direct flame and will get the pellets going in less the two minutes. Do this outside the smoker. Best place I could find to do this is on the grate of my charcoal grill.
5 - Blow out the fire and place the grate into the still off MES
6 - Essential - placement is next too the smoker box and on top of the two bars that support it. Place it as far forward as possible while still having it stable.
7 - Give it about ten minutes then fireup the MES and it is business as usual.
Note - Food dripping could be a problem. Most ot the A-MAZ-N is covered by the water pan.for the rest if there is a danger place the bottom rack in with a three inch strip of foil front to back on the left edge and that should do the job. Haven't had the problem yet so I don't know for sure.
Note - My primary smoking wood is hickory so I have hickory pellets. I've found that if I want to add a little additional smoke flavor such as cherry or misquite dropping chips in the chip burner for the first hour or hour and a half works just fine.
MikeG
Got tired of feeding the chip hopper every hour during a long smoke and most of mine run four otr five hours or more and I got better things to do then check back to put some chips in the hopper.
Took some research and trial runs but between the few tips I found and trying this and that I can now reliably get a five hour traditional TBS out on one row of pellets in the A-MAZ-N with the chip drawer closed and the vent 1/4 to 1/2 open.
Some of what follows is essential some maybe not so but it works so I'm not going to dick with it.
1 - Fill number of required rows with pellets to the evenly and to the top. Pat then down a bit.
2 - Essential - Dump them out onto a plate and microwave for two minutes at 50% power make sure they are spread out. If necessay do more then one plate full.
3 - Refill rows evenly, to the top and pat down
4 - Essential - Iight the start of the first row and get it burning and LET IT BURN FOR AT LEAST TEN MINUTES.
note - getting the pellets pellets to burn to start with proved problematic. Best method I found was a brulee torch. very hot direct flame and will get the pellets going in less the two minutes. Do this outside the smoker. Best place I could find to do this is on the grate of my charcoal grill.
5 - Blow out the fire and place the grate into the still off MES
6 - Essential - placement is next too the smoker box and on top of the two bars that support it. Place it as far forward as possible while still having it stable.
7 - Give it about ten minutes then fireup the MES and it is business as usual.
Note - Food dripping could be a problem. Most ot the A-MAZ-N is covered by the water pan.for the rest if there is a danger place the bottom rack in with a three inch strip of foil front to back on the left edge and that should do the job. Haven't had the problem yet so I don't know for sure.
Note - My primary smoking wood is hickory so I have hickory pellets. I've found that if I want to add a little additional smoke flavor such as cherry or misquite dropping chips in the chip burner for the first hour or hour and a half works just fine.
MikeG
