Rotisserie Mod for MES 30/40 with Diagram

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I thought about this years ago, and I find no reason to put one in for any of my Smokes.

I can't think of any of my smokes being wet on the outside, so there wouldn't be any juices to run around the meat as it turns.

Might help those who do a lot of Chickens, but I never baste anything in my MES.

When I do Thighs or Drums, I don't even flip them one time any more, because it's not necessary. They get heat & smoke on ALL sides, just laying there.

My MES is made to heat the whole cabinet so the heat & smoke completely surround everything I put in there.

Seems like a waste of time & energy, and it would be in my way 100% of the time.

Not to say that somebody else might think it's a good thing.

Bear
 
I think the first clue that heat and smoke surround anything inside the smoker is that when you open the door THE SMOKER IS FILLED WITH SMOKE! And although I'm responding to you, Bear, I open up this question to everyone else in this thread: Isn't the meat you cook on the smoker racks fully cooked on both sides when you take it out of the smoker? Of course it is. And the air inside a smoker is so moist and smoky to begin with there's no need for a water-filled pan or a motorized rotisserie. For me it would be a wastejuices render of electrical energy to keep the thing running when it wasn't necessary in the first place.

The one area I differ from you, Bear, is that I do baste ribs and beef brisket at times. But that's only in the last 30-40 minutes of smoking when I've removed the foil and I'm just layering on more flavor by brushing on some BBQ sauce to also help firm up the bark.
Exactly!  That's why we low and slow cook.  This renders the least amount of liquid.  I get spots of juice here and there at 235*F smokes.  When foiled to power through a stall then juices render more being in it's own aluminum covered atmosphere.  Sometimes not.  I don't think a MES is the right tool for poultry with skin because it maxes at 275*F.  I have three rotisseries:  one for my dad's grill, my grill and my 20 year old Showtime.  I use a rotisserie to BBQ whole boneless pork loins (med high heat coals off center and the AMNTS off center on the other side.)  When you have 275*F+  to push out enough juice to use the water tension effect to baste, then rotisseries are a good set it and forget it tool.  IMHO I don't think the MES is quite there on heat output to be a rotisserie machine.

-Kurt
 
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Exactly!  That's why we low and slow cook.  This renders the least amount of liquid.  I get spots of juice here and there at 235*F smokes.  When foiled to power through a stall then juices render more being in it's own aluminum covered atmosphere.  Sometimes not.  I don't think a MES is the right tool for poultry with skin because it maxes at 275*F.  I have three rotisseries:  one for my dad's grill, my grill and my 20 year old Showtime.  I use a rotisserie to BBQ whole boneless pork loins (med high heat coals off center and the AMNTS off center on the other side.)  When you have 275*F+  to push out enough juice to use the water tension effect to baste, then rotisseries are a good set it and forget it tool.  IMHO I don't think the MES is quite there on heat output to be a rotisserie machine.

-Kurt
Kurt, I'm making this official. You're the official doctor of SMF. No else gets into the science and physics of smoking as consistently as you do. And you frequently agree with me so there's that too...

What I mind both amusing and interesting is that both you and Bear have talked about Showtime rotisseries virtually on the same day. You said yours was 20 years old. I think it's been about 20 years since I've heard, read, or seen any mention of one.
 
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Last I checked the MES isn't a convection Oven so it doesn't truly provide 100% even cooking. It is depended on a draft to have the smoke vent properly preventing the bitter taste of no draft. In addition at 225-235 as I have seen quoted here the dripping from the meat do vaporize because its above the boiling point so its drafts out the exhaust as your cooking. So you get far more drippings than you think in your smokers.

Then they have chip trays. Based on the logic of not needing it because its designed to evenly heat all the way around why do you need to replace the smoke tray that MES designed to be in there? The point being is experimenting is what this forum is about. If someone wants to give it a whirl you can give you opinion but after reading the comments several times it appears that your trying to beat your opinions into gospel for the OP. And I am sorry but that just isn't right.

Your ways are not the gospel of the smoking world. There are many ways to skin a deer and no one is the right way. To each their own. We need to remember that we are here to teach and share just like you were taught when you first got here. Please consider these before replying to people the way this thread has gone. Also remember that intent is hard to gauge in text forum but appearance is everything.
 
Brian makes good points:

I can only speak for myself, because I have no idea why others make the comments that they make.

However my thoughts on this originated when somebody came onto one of my Chicken Thigh Step by Steps, said nothing about my method or my product, other than to tell me that I should put a Rotisserie in my MES to be able to make better chicken.

So when I say I wouldn't put a Rotisserie in my MES, it's to let people know that before they get all excited & run out and buy the parts for a Rotisserie, and start drilling holes in their MES walls, IMHO, it isn't going to turn their MES into some kind of a Super Chicken Making Unit.

So I would think before I wreck my MES. 

That would be my Intent.

I believe I also said "Others may believe differently".

Bear
 
Darn it, I did it again. I'm commenting in the wrong thread. The guy I've been referring to hijacked the using wood pellets in a MES thread with posts and photos of his rotisserie cooking a chicken inside his MES. I need to unsubscribe to this thread just to end my confusion.

And again, in this thread we're talking about a guy who started it back in 2012!
 
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Jimmy, that's what I meant about being in the wrong thread. I was commenting on someone else's posts and the farther down I got in this one I didn't realize my mistake.

What's an OP? All I know is I don't like to get into old threads because the person who originated them when they were a pressing issue at the time has almost always moved on and is no longer checking it. 

As for being negative to someone's idea, well, everyone has a right to post their idea and everyone has a right to express their opinion on it. Now, the rotisserie post I thought I was commenting on was actually a hijack of the "Anyone use wood pellets in their MES?" thread. I supported it at first as another tool but the guy insisted everyone should install one in their smoker. You know as well as I that a rotisserie in an underpowered electric smoker like the MES 30/40 is a bad idea because the max 275° cooking temp is not high enough to adequately roast a ham, let alone a chicken. The chicken on the spit in the photo he posted looked unappetizing to me and even to my wife. You also know as well as I do that a ham or a chicken will cook just as well on a rack. I know there are guys who love to mod their MES units. I have no desire to drill holes in the walls of mine. I have to desire to have to remove and reinstall a rotisserie as the need may be every time I use my MES 30. I have no desire for the immense cleanup required after using a rotisserie (I saw the photos the guy posted).

I'm all for good ideas and I will and have given points to members for them. But this guy insisting to newbies and everyone the first thing they must do is put a rotisserie in their MES? It's a bad idea. I stand by what I said in that hijacked thread.
 
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After the posts below I have to share my first ever post as a newbie and Chef JimmyJ's  response to me.  I think Jimmy needs to take his own advise. I was so pissed after my first post I reported it to Administration and I am still waiting for a response from them as well as Jimmy.  The link below is the topic and the few comments that followed.  If you don't read the article make sure you read the short nine comments.   Thank you Jimmy for your warm welcome!   Oh.... and I'm still here!

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/monosodium-glutamate-msg

-Kurt
 
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After the posts below I have to share my first ever post as a newbie and Chef JimmyJ's  response to me.  I think Jimmy needs to take his own advise. I was so pissed after my first post I reported it to Administration and I am still waiting for a response from them as well as Jimmy.  The link below is the topic and the few comments that followed.  If you don't read the article make sure you read the short nine comments.   Thank you Jimmy for your warm welcome!   Oh.... and I'm still here!
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/monosodium-glutamate-msg
-Kurt

I thought this thread was about rotisseries. Let's get this thread back on track.


I like experimentation with different cooking methods and equipment. You could say I have a bit of a outdoor cooking equipment fetish. I have made bought and modified just about every piece of equipment I have. My latest experiment has been the Minitisserie.

I started with just two holes drilled I the side of the pot. As mentioned above in one of the posts this was a PITA to get the meat loaded into the smoker. I have since modified that. So now loading is a breeze. I'm not sure I'd mod a MES for rotisserie, but I have thought about doing it in a smokehouse.

Experimentation is fun. Give it a try. Worst thing you'd have to do is plug the holes again.

I mean come on spinning meat looks cool!


 
I thought this thread was about rotisseries. Let's get this thread back on track.


I like experimentation with different cooking methods and equipment. You could say I have a bit of a outdoor cooking equipment fetish. I have made bought and modified just about every piece of equipment I have. My latest experiment has been the Minitisserie.

I started with just two holes drilled I the side of the pot. As mentioned above in one of the posts this was a PITA to get the meat loaded into the smoker. I have since modified that. So now loading is a breeze. I'm not sure I'd mod a MES for rotisserie, but I have thought about doing it in a smokehouse.

Experimentation is fun. Give it a try. Worst thing you'd have to do is plug the holes again.

I mean come on spinning meat looks cool!


I agree but there is a bit of hypocrisy that needs to be addressed by Chef JimmyJ and a new thread can't be started for people to find it.  It's unfortunate that this thread was the one but it needs to be addressed and acknowledged so the thread can continue.  His comments above regarding newbies and my first post as a newbie and his comment to me, in the link in post 30 above, is so relevant it's as if God himself wanted Jimmy's hypocrisy to be exposed.  So much for serving as a good example.  Take my advice, I'm not using it!

-Kurt
 
Well Dr. K, you caught me! I too am human and make mistakes from time to time. I apologize and my posts have deleted...JJ
 
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Well Dr. K, you caught me! I too am human and make mistakes from time to time. I apologize and my posts have deleted...JJ
Thank you! I feel better and hope we all are members of the most friendly, helpful smokin meat forum on the web. Let's move on and give back this thread.
-Kurt
 
I think this would be a better Idea, if you could not drill holes in the cabinet and mount your motor, a shorter pole all inside the unit. Doing that would not mean trying to mount the meat in an already heated smoker as jsdspif said was a problem in an earlier post. I would basically be set it on mounts type of install.

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I honestly cant imagine any rotisserie surviving very long inside the smoker.
 
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