MES 40" w/Bluetooth Questions

[thebig1]

Good day everyone, I hope that all is well in everyone's lives and your smoking adventures are going amazingly.

I was fortunate enough to sell my original New Braunfels horizontal offset smoker.  Now I'm going to purchase a MES 40 and I have several questions.

When thinking about an "electric" smoker, the first thought that comes to mind is that at some point I will be able to basically set it and forget it.  So my questions are:

1. While seasoning this smoker, is this when I should do all of my initial temp readings to test air flow, etc..., etc..., etc...?

2.  Will I at some point be able to pretty much set it and forget it?  Does anyone do this?  Put something on to smoke in the morning, go to work or about your day, and come home to an amazingly smoked meal?

I'm sure that I'll have more questions but I'm hoping that others can help me along these lines.

Chad

 

[candurin]

The newest (gen 2.5) MES smokers are truly "set it and forget it". As long as you're using an AMNPS.

Using the amaze-n pellet smoker will allow a steady smoke stream of up to 14 hours (at least that's my max).

My temps don't fluctuate much at all and my entire chamber is within 5-8 degrees of my et-732's.

You can map out the temp profile of the smoker during breakin, however, you may find that it will vary under different load patterns and conditions (amount of meats, outside temp, smoker set point).

You're best bet is to just season it as per the manual (I used my AMNPS during seasoning as well) and then adjust the temps of the smoker to keep at your desired set point once you load it with food and use the temp readings of the properly placed maverick (or other suitable external therms).

You may find the smoker holds temp perfectly and is aligned with 3rd Party temp gauges (which should be checked for accuracy using the boiling water method at some point).

Air flow is very easy, keep the top vent wide open and you should get a more than adequate updraft through the cabinet. If you desire more you can move the chip loader tray out some and get a "side draft".

Hope that helps. I've been very happy with my MES 40" BT and have left it overnight many times.

 

[redoctobyr]

What sort of criteria are you using for whether it's "set and forget"?

I'm new at this, I just got a Gen1 MES30, no Bluetooth or anything. But I added an AMNPS, and a TP-20 dual-probe wireless thermometer.

This weekend I used it for a 12 hour cook. The AMNPS produced smoke for 10 hours before it finished the load of pellets. I didn't have to touch anything or open the door once, just kept an eye on the meat temperature. To me, that would seem fair to describe as "set and forget".

It got me wondering about maybe doing a cook like this overnight. The thermometer's alarm would let me know if it finished cooking earlier than expected. Though I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the idea of cooking while I'm not home at all. If I tried that, I'd feel more comfortable moving the smoker from the deck, into the yard, or the driveway, somewhere non-flammable, just to be safe.

Just to mention it, Bluetooth typically has a fairly-limited range, roughly 30 feet (may be worse if it has to go through walls, etc). So if you want to use it to monitor your temperatures from around the house as you're cooking, range could become an issue. Wireless thermometers that don't use Bluetooth can often have a longer range, my TP-20 claims 300 feet. I can't change the temperature with it, but I can monitor the meat temp, and the smoker's temp, and both probes read within 1F of 212F in boiling water.

 

[candurin]

Sounds like you're on track. When I say set it and forget it. Safety and prudence applies. I have left the house with the smoker on, but for short stints. I haven't left for work, just in case I had to tend to an alarm. Mine sits on a paver pad in my baxk yard, so I'm not worried if it spontaneously combusted (well, yeah, I'd be out a smoker and a damn good meal).

I always mop or add side dishes to my smokes as well.

Is it as forgiving as a crock pot or sous-vide? Probably not. Are you free to move on and do other things while the smoker is chugging away? Sure.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. The MES can be more "hands off" than "set and forget".

 

[thebig1]

I do have, and plan on using, the AMNPS.

You definitely answered my question as far as the "set it and forget it" idea.  Perhaps leaving it all day while at work wouldn't be prudent although something like that would be a brisket or a large butt so I wouldn't see very many problems other than the entire smoker going haywire and catching fire.  I'm sure that the meat would be just fine until I got home.  Of course as with anything else, I'd move it away from the house.

QUESTION:

This may sound silly, but when stacking meat in your smoker, and while smoking different animal meats, how would you stack them to maintain food safety?  Meaning, if I smoked a chicken, ribs/butt, and a brisket, which one would be on top and which one would be on bottom due to juices dripping onto the others?  Would I do this, I don't know but it's nice to have the information available prior to doing anything such as this.

Chad

 

[biaviian]

 
I do have, and plan on using, the AMNPS.

You definitely answered my question as far as the "set it and forget it" idea.  Perhaps leaving it all day while at work wouldn't be prudent although something like that would be a brisket or a large butt so I wouldn't see very many problems other than the entire smoker going haywire and catching fire.  I'm sure that the meat would be just fine until I got home.  Of course as with anything else, I'd move it away from the house.

QUESTION:

This may sound silly, but when stacking meat in your smoker, and while smoking different animal meats, how would you stack them to maintain food safety?  Meaning, if I smoked a chicken, ribs/butt, and a brisket, which one would be on top and which one would be on bottom due to juices dripping onto the others?  Would I do this, I don't know but it's nice to have the information available prior to doing anything such as this.

Chad

I would do ribs/butt, brisket, then chicken (starting from the top).  You should always have the chicken at the bottom.  

In my opinion, the brisket and ribs are interchangeable and your placement will depend on the rubs you are using.  For instance,  you probably wouldn't want your pork rub to drip on beef but it may be OK for the beef rub to drip onto the pork.

 

[thebig1]

Thanks Biaviian, that's the type of thing that I was wondering.

I'm sure that I'll have more questions as time goes on, I just can't think of them right now.  It seems as if it's a pretty simple smoker that doesn't take much to use.  Especially since I'll be using the AMNPS with it.  (Greatest invention in the world)

 

[candurin]

I don't stuff my smoker and i tend to keep everything inside a disposable pan (I keep meats off the bottom of the pan with small stainless racks so that smoke and heat permeate everything).

If I want to keep food directly on the smoker rack, I offset food for that reason.

But, I have no issues with pork and beef making contact, but poultry always sits on the bottom (just as biaviian stated).

 

[thebig1]

Thanks Candurin, the foil pan and cooling rack is a great idea for easy cleanup.  If I'm not mistaken, didn't Bear say that in the bottom to also cover the water pan and the drip pan with foil?

 

[candurin]

Yup. I've got foil all over the place below the bottom shelf/rack. Heating element cover, drip pan, moisture pan, etc.

Haven't changed the foil in a long time, but, I'm sure I'm due.

 

[Bearcarver]

The newest (gen 2.5) MES smokers are truly "set it and forget it". As long as you're using an AMNPS.

Using the amaze-n pellet smoker will allow a steady smoke stream of up to 14 hours (at least that's my max).

My temps don't fluctuate much at all and my entire chamber is within 5-8 degrees of my et-732's.

You can map out the temp profile of the smoker during breakin, however, you may find that it will vary under different load patterns and conditions (amount of meats, outside temp, smoker set point).

You're best bet is to just season it as per the manual (I used my AMNPS during seasoning as well) and then adjust the temps of the smoker to keep at your desired set point once you load it with food and use the temp readings of the properly placed maverick (or other suitable external therms).

You may find the smoker holds temp perfectly and is aligned with 3rd Party temp gauges (which should be checked for accuracy using the boiling water method at some point).

Air flow is very easy, keep the top vent wide open and you should get a more than adequate updraft through the cabinet. If you desire more you can move the chip loader tray out some and get a "side draft".

Hope that helps. I've been very happy with my MES 40" BT and have left it overnight many times.

Sounds like you're on track. When I say set it and forget it. Safety and prudence applies. I have left the house with the smoker on, but for short stints. I haven't left for work, just in case I had to tend to an alarm. Mine sits on a paver pad in my baxk yard, so I'm not worried if it spontaneously combusted (well, yeah, I'd be out a smoker and a damn good meal).

I always mop or add side dishes to my smokes as well.

Is it as forgiving as a crock pot or sous-vide? Probably not. Are you free to move on and do other things while the smoker is chugging away? Sure.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. The MES can be more "hands off" than "set and forget".

I don't stuff my smoker and i tend to keep everything inside a disposable pan (I keep meats off the bottom of the pan with small stainless racks so that smoke and heat permeate everything).

If I want to keep food directly on the smoker rack, I offset food for that reason.

But, I have no issues with pork and beef making contact, but poultry always sits on the bottom (just as biaviian stated).

Wow!!!

I couldn't have said any of these any better!!!

I had to look twice to make sure I didn't post these 3 Posts Myself!

Bear

 

[candurin]

As I was typing it, I had to make sure I didn't copy and past from some of our previous discussions.

Who says plagiarism isn't a form of respect...?

 

[thebig1]

Lol Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. I'm looking forward to throwing down on some tasty vittles.

 

[Bearcarver]

As I was typing it, I had to make sure I didn't copy and past from some of our previous discussions.

Who says plagiarism isn't a form of respect...?

Keep up the Great Work!!

You saved my one finger typing a lot of time with those Great Replies.

Bear

Lol Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. I'm looking forward to throwing down on some tasty vittles.

We're looking forward to Your Q-View!!!

Bear