Smoking Bacon With My MES...Help?

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

tjohnson

Smoking Guru
Original poster
Moderator
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Insider
Dec 29, 2009
5,600
139
Savage, MN
My bacon has cured for 4 days, and tomorrow I'm planning on smoking it in my MES. Most of the threads I've read about smoking bacon say to "Cold Smoke" or smoke at low temps.

The MES does not smoke/smoke very well under 165* and I do not have an external smoke generator.

Help Please?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!


Todd
 
Yes, the MES has trouble making smoke at the lower temp settings. You have a few options though..

A) take a soup can, punch a few small holes in the side near the bottom. Put in a chunk of lump charcoal (lit of course, but not to much), and some wood on top. You should be able to put this on the bottom of the MES to the left of the heating element/chip tray. A probe thermometer in the smoker would also help you keep an accurate eye on the temps. Try not to let it go over 100.

B) Similar to A above, but get some flexible foil dryer vent hose from a home improvement/hardware store. Put the MES up on a shelf or something, and stuff one end into the hole where you normally load chips and then hang the other end over the top of the soup can that's on the ground lower than the MES. The smoke will rise through the tube but cool as it goes. You may have to fiddle with this method to get good flow though.

The best way would be to build a large 1/4" or thinner plywood box with the vent going into it, so more of the heat escapes.

I have an MES, and I'm speaking from experience the first time I made bacon. I've since built a large wood box and use a hot plate inside it to smoke the wood. :)
 
If your cold smoking you will need to do something like Bob is saying but the MES isn't made to cold smoke. If your doing some buckboard or smoking to 135 or 140 you can set your MES on 160/180 and put a little piece of lump charcoal in with the wood and if it gets too hot in the smoker just crack the door open. Won't take long to cool down and kick the burner on.
 
Thanks Guys!

This is where the old 800 watt heating element would be a good thing......

I like the box thing and easy to do.


TJ
 
My bacon has cured for 4 days, and tomorrow I'm planning on smoking it in my MES. Most of the threads I've read about smoking bacon say to "Cold Smoke" or smoke at low temps.

The MES does not smoke/smoke very well under 165* and I do not have an external smoke generator.

Help Please?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!


Todd
Todd, morning....  I think you have solved this problem... not only for yourself but for others also....... Thank you from everyone....  Dave
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Hot Threads

Clicky