Anyone use wood pellets in their MES?

[novegan007]

With the mes, pellets are perhaps the best choice, try using a small amount of a specific wood "i prefer fruit wood " and use small amounts of different types every hour or so. The results can be wonderful. Always experiment, that is the joy in cooking. If 25% is successful and 75% isn't you are on the right path. The joy is in the discovery

 

[smokincotto]

Have been successfully using my AMNPS in my MES40 for some time but have not attempted to smoke with water in the tray for fear that the condensation will put out the pellets. Pretty temperamental these AMNPSs. Anybody have any adverse experiences with condensation in this regard?

 

[daricksta]

 
I see a lot of talk here about using the AMPS in an MES 30/40.  Out of curiosity where do you guys position the AMPS in the MES ? I've got an MES 30 and more often than not i'll have the drippings get into the AMPS and either put it out, or ruin the pellets so they don't start.  I'm clearly doing something wrong as it seems like a lot of people are having a lot of success with the AMPS + MES combo.

It depends on which generation MES 30 you have. In a Gen 1 the AMNPS sits on the two rails to the left of the wood chip tray/heating element box. I don't cover my AMNPS because I haven't had much problem with drippings falling onto it, just a little bit but not enough for me to foil the tray. With the Gen 2 and 2.5 smokers some people have had to improvise on where to place the tray. Quite a few use the mailbox mod since lack of adequate airflow appears to be a problem with those generations.

 

[texasjason]

I see a lot of talk here about using the AMPS in an MES 30/40.  Out of curiosity where do you guys position the AMPS in the MES ? I've got an MES 30 and more often than not i'll have the drippings get into the AMPS and either put it out, or ruin the pellets so they don't start.  I'm clearly doing something wrong as it seems like a lot of people are having a lot of success with the AMPS + MES combo.

I have a MES 30 2nd gen and have to sort of wedge the amnps right next to the heating element unit. There are no rails to put it on and wanted it up off the bottom to help with air flow. It's a tight fit but works well.

 

[Bearcarver]

I have a MES 30 2nd gen and have to sort of wedge the amnps right next to the heating element unit. There are no rails to put it on and wanted it up off the bottom to help with air flow. It's a tight fit but works well.

It seems the best place to put the AMNPS in the Gen #2 is:

Remove the little water pan from the slanted drip plate. (Nobody puts water in their water pan in an MES anyway)

Place your AMNPS over the hole left after removing the water pan. (This way air coming up through that hole will help burn the pellets)

If you get a lot of drips running down that slanted drip plate, set a foil pan on the floor under the hole, to catch the drips.

Bear

 

[butchdon]

I have a 30" MES and mainly use the Traeger pellets. Mine smokes way longer the 1 hour, at least two. I did buy an AMZN smoker to do cheese, and love it. After reading the posts here, I will try it in my MES. I tried it to do cheeses in the MES (turned off), but the temp still was too high. So I smoke cheese in my Weber gas grill (turned off), and it's perfect.

 

[theboyler]

quoted from another member in another thread!

Actually with the MES 40 BT the mailbox mod is not needed, nor is elevating the AMPS or even pulling out the chip loader. All of those were done to get the AMPS to work the the gen 2 models and since they worked people just did them with the new 2.5 BT models as well. I even started out by raising the AMPS and pulling out the chip loader and did it my first few smokes. Then thought I'd see how it did without doing anything other than putting the amps on the bottom and closed the chip loader. There was no difference and the AMPS performed flawlessly. So that's what I've done ever since.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
quoted from another member in another thread!

Actually with the MES 40 BT the mailbox mod is not needed, nor is elevating the AMPS or even pulling out the chip loader. All of those were done to get the AMPS to work the the gen 2 models and since they worked people just did them with the new 2.5 BT models as well. I even started out by raising the AMPS and pulling out the chip loader and did it my first few smokes. Then thought I'd see how it did without doing anything other than putting the amps on the bottom and closed the chip loader. There was no difference and the AMPS performed flawlessly. So that's what I've done ever since.

True---None of those things are necessary with the MES 40 Gen #1 or Gen # 2.5----At my house.

However different smokers (same models) and different locations have different results.

Bear

 

[scooby]

I have an AMNPS and I absolutely LOVE it. Won't use anything else.

 

[theboyler]

 
At my house.

However different smokers (same models) and different locations have different results.

Bear

get out of town!

 

[manmeat]

My A-MAZE-N Pellet Smoker  never stays lit. I don't use the water tray. I have tried opening the vent on top and the side chip loader 1.5 inches. Still it dies out. I light the pellets with a torch for 5 mins and they burn with a flame then I blow it out. After 10 minutes the pellets are out. What could be the cause? It worked the first time I bought the A-MAZE-N Pellet Smoker  pre filled with hickory pellets. I now have Treager cherry pellets and they don't stay lit.

 

[brickguy221]

 
My A-MAZE-N Pellet Smoker  never stays lit. I don't use the water tray. I have tried opening the vent on top and the side chip loader 1.5 inches. Still it dies out. I light the pellets with a torch for 5 mins and they burn with a flame then I blow it out. After 10 minutes the pellets are out. What could be the cause? It worked the first time I bought the A-MAZE-N Pellet Smoker  pre filled with hickory pellets. I now have Treager cherry pellets and they don't stay lit.

Get the Tube from Todd at  amazen products and it should stay lit. I had the same problem with the tray, so switching to the Tube solved the problem. However, I ordered the Vortex Smoker to see if it will sty lit plus put out more smoke than the tube, should I want more smoke.

 

[manmeat]

Why would the tube work better? 

Also where can I see this Vortex?

Thanks

 

[brickguy221]

 
Why would the tube work better? 

Also where can I see this Vortex?

Thanks

Tube has more and bigger holes, thus allowing more oxygen which makes the pellets burn better.

View Vortex here ....

http://www.smokedaddyinc.com/products/wood-pellets/item/103-vortex-blend-pellets.html

 

[novegan007]

Try this, i use mine in a very high capacity. One of the down sides of the mes is that the smoke chamber retains too much humidity so i roast my pellets in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 275 degrees. Next i only use abut 2 ounces at a time an ad small amounts (1 ounce) as needed. I think you will find you get ample smoke flavor. .make sure your meat is completely dry. No water in drip pan. I hot smoke 15 hams per week. It works

 

[smoke n brew]

I don't own an MES I have the XL, but I wonder why you guys are using chips instead of chunk wood? I had always used chips in the past and I had the same results as some of you have; they burn up quickly. I currently average between 3 and 4 hours on one chunk depending on if the wind is blowing gently or at gale force speed. I put foil over my wood pan and put a hole in the foil on the side away from the heat and have been getting predictable results for quite a long time.

 

[brickguy221]

 
I don't own an MES I have the XL, but I wonder why you guys are using chips instead of chunk wood? I had always used chips in the past and I had the same results as some of you have; they burn up quickly. I currently average between 3 and 4 hours on one chunk depending on if the wind is blowing gently or at gale force speed. I put foil over my wood pan and put a hole in the foil on the side away from the heat and have been getting predictable results for quite a long time.

Hmmm ... Using a chunk might give a lighter smoke for a longer time like the Pellets do and not flood the MES like chips do, depending on the size of the chips with heavy smoke and then no smoke 10-15 minutes later. I never thought of trying that before switching to Pellets. I could still try it, but I now have too much money invested in Pellets and 3 different type smokers to to try.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
I don't own an MES I have the XL, but I wonder why you guys are using chips instead of chunk wood? I had always used chips in the past and I had the same results as some of you have; they burn up quickly. I currently average between 3 and 4 hours on one chunk depending on if the wind is blowing gently or at gale force speed. I put foil over my wood pan and put a hole in the foil on the side away from the heat and have been getting predictable results for quite a long time.

Is your smoker Electric or Propane?

Bear

 

[butchdon]

Novegan007: I tried your drying out  in the oven technique yesterday, while I worked in the yard. It had no meat in it. Except I did it with the water pan filled with boiling water to provide humidity.

It smoked perfectly without a hitch. In fact, before I blew the flames out at the start, the adjacent row of pellets was starting to light. It was a little breezy, so maybe the wind was at fault for that.

 

[brickguy221]

I nuke mine in my micro wave for 2 minutes per time for 2 times on most woods except fruit woods, and on fruit woods 3 times. and it works perfectly for me.