I picked up the MES 30" 20070910 a couple weeks ago. I smoked 3 racks of baby backs today for dinner. They turned out great.
I'm coming from a Weber Smokey Mountain so I'm pleased with how the ribs turned out with less work.
My process:
I used "Magic Dust" for the rub with yellow mustard to help it stick. Lined the water pan with foil and filled it with hot water. I filled the wood tray with dry apple and hickory chips.
I loaded the ribs and set the temp to 225 knowing the gauge is generally 20-25 lower than the actual temp.
I added water soaked wood chips after 2 hours and checked the ribs at hour 3. Not done.
My probe temp showed 240 give or take for the entire cook. The gauge on the smoker was all over the place. Mostly is was 20 degrees lower but a couple times it was higher than my probe. It doesn't make sense.
The ribs were done after 4.5 hours.
The biggest difference was how moist they were compared to what I would typically get from the Weber. I felt they had a good amount of smoke flavor too.
Overall I'm happy with how things turned out. The entire process is so much easier than lighting charcoal, waiting and then messing with vents. I wish the temp gauge was more accurate.
Pork butt will be the real test for me.
Finished product:
I'm coming from a Weber Smokey Mountain so I'm pleased with how the ribs turned out with less work.
My process:
I used "Magic Dust" for the rub with yellow mustard to help it stick. Lined the water pan with foil and filled it with hot water. I filled the wood tray with dry apple and hickory chips.
I loaded the ribs and set the temp to 225 knowing the gauge is generally 20-25 lower than the actual temp.
I added water soaked wood chips after 2 hours and checked the ribs at hour 3. Not done.
My probe temp showed 240 give or take for the entire cook. The gauge on the smoker was all over the place. Mostly is was 20 degrees lower but a couple times it was higher than my probe. It doesn't make sense.
The ribs were done after 4.5 hours.
The biggest difference was how moist they were compared to what I would typically get from the Weber. I felt they had a good amount of smoke flavor too.
Overall I'm happy with how things turned out. The entire process is so much easier than lighting charcoal, waiting and then messing with vents. I wish the temp gauge was more accurate.
Pork butt will be the real test for me.
Finished product: