# $90 off MES 30 @ Cabelas (good till Dec 3)



## JckDanls 07 (Dec 1, 2014)

I have a Christmas catalog from Cabelas and they offer the MES 30 for only $140 (reg $230)...  The picture is the Gen 1 version (controls on top in the back)....  I believe it's on the website as well.... Pretty good deal If your looking for one....


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## smokin' burt (Dec 2, 2014)

JckDanls 07 said:


> I have a Christmas catalog from Cabelas and they offer the MES 30 for only $140 (reg $230)... The picture is the Gen 1 version (controls on top in the back).... I believe it's on the website as well.... Pretty good deal If your looking for one....


I just purchased one through one of their competitor's stores because they have a price match policy. The nice thing was that it was cash and carry, no shipping or additional charges! Looking forward to using it. I've been smoking on a Brinkman Electric for years (on my second one now) so the MES will be a luxury for me.

SMB


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## daricksta (Dec 2, 2014)

This is actually an updated Gen 1 with a different controller design and an internal meat probe. For $140 I'd snap it up. In fact, if I didn't already own a MES 30 Gen 1 (original design) I'd be on my way to Cabela's right now.


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## troutter (Dec 2, 2014)

This is a killer deal and a nice little smoker to boot


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## toejam (Dec 2, 2014)

Newbie here, anxious to get my first smoker.  Lookin at the MES, will probably dive in with a 30" just to get started.  Saw the posting about the Cabela's gen 1 MES and had a question/concern: is this the model that you have to replace the entire body to replace the heating element, or do you just replace the heating element?  Thank you for your constructive replies.


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## daricksta (Dec 3, 2014)

toejam said:


> Newbie here, anxious to get my first smoker. Lookin at the MES, will probably dive in with a 30" just to get started. Saw the posting about the Cabela's gen 1 MES and had a question/concern: is this the model that you have to replace the entire body to replace the heating element, or do you just replace the heating element? Thank you for your constructive replies.


The heating element can be replaced by itself. In fact, an instruction manual is available online in PDF format and is most likely shipped with the replacement by Customer Service. You can also watch a how-to video on You Tube. I've had my MES 30 Gen 1 for over two years with no need to replace anything but that's purely my own experience. I love this smoker.


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## toejam (Dec 3, 2014)

daRicksta: Thank you for the update.  I appreciate your input and valuable experience with your MES.  I did browse the over 1000 reviews on Amazon for the MES and a common issue is that some heating elements don't last as long as yours has, and, some MES models require you to replace the smoker body with the heating element.  Masterbuilt has since fixed this issue, with the newer units having an easier element replacement strategy.  Being new to MES, I'm not sure of which gen had this original heating element issue, thus, my original inquiry.
Once again, mucho gracias for you insights.


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## chase1300 (Dec 4, 2014)

I just  purched this one from Sam's club for $140.    Is this the same one you guys are talking about?  I still haven't decided if I'm going to keep it or not.  













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__ chase1300
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Sorry not the best pic!


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## toejam (Dec 4, 2014)

Here is some text from a review on Amazon:

30" Electric Smokers
====================
> Model #20070106; sold here on Amazon.
For heating element replacement, you must replace the entire body - and the customer can do this. The cost for the new body is $60.00 plus shipping and handling.
> Model #20070110; smoker with window and meat probe
The heating element alone can be replaced by the customer.
> Model #20070910; standard 30" edition
The heating element alone can be replaced by the customer.

40" Electric Smokers
====================
> Model #20070710; smoker with window and meat probe
The heating element alone can be replaced by the customer.

Hope this helps.


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## daricksta (Dec 4, 2014)

toejam said:


> daRicksta: Thank you for the update. I appreciate your input and valuable experience with your MES. I did browse the over 1000 reviews on Amazon for the MES and a common issue is that some heating elements don't last as long as yours has, and, some MES models require you to replace the smoker body with the heating element. Masterbuilt has since fixed this issue, with the newer units having an easier element replacement strategy. Being new to MES, I'm not sure of which gen had this original heating element issue, thus, my original inquiry.
> Once again, mucho gracias for you insights.


Da nada, toejam. Just checked that pdf doc again and the instructions apply to my model, and models 20070710 and 20070810 which I also assume are Gen 1 30" models. Honestly, I probably haven't used my smoker nearly as often as many other guys which either could be why the heating element is fine or I happen to have a well-made smoker, I have no idea.

I just watched a You Tube video on replacing the element on a 40" MES Gen 2 with a window and the guy just had to take out the chip loader, unscrew 3 screws holding the wood chip tray against the side wall, removed the wood chip tray, removed the 6 screws from the element cover plate on the outside rear wall, and then pulled out the element. No new parts needs other than the element. It's real straightforward and easy. The model #20070106 is an older version of the MES 30 and I bet is no longer being produced. If you buy the basic MES 30, which is what I have, you'll get the redesign that would just require the element to be replaced without replacing the entire body. The replacement procedure appears to be consistent with both 30" and 40" Gen 1 and Gen 2 models. The MBTech Guy who can be reached by PM through this forum could provide the most accurate and up-to-date info.

If you look at the stats on this forum, most of own the MES 30 Gen 1. As I have said several times, _every_ assembly line produces a percentage of lemons. I read bad reviews on products I've purchased and continue to enjoy and use a lot. It's my opinion that a percentage of product reviewers leave out important details like what they may have done to screw up the thing. I'd say in many cases user-caused damage is the actual culprit although lemons can be shipped if people on the assembly line had a really bad day or have ceased to care about quality and the supervisors sign off on defective products just to keep their production numbers up to over above quota.

Both positive and negative product reviews can be phonied. However, hundreds or thousands of positive reviews can't be phonied on Amazon because of safeguards against autobot posts. Currently 1,907 users rate my MES 30 model #20070910 is rated an average 4 out of 5 stars and is the #1 best seller. I chose the MES because I wanted an electric smoker without the hassle of reloading charcoal or liquid propane. With the AMNPS smoking is virtually set it and forget it. It's not how the big boys do it but it's how most of us home smokers on a budget prefer to do it.


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## toejam (Dec 4, 2014)

Yeah, and you don't know how many competitors are putting in bad reviews as well.  The overall trend for the MES reviews are definitely positive, which is a good think for MES purchasers.  Just need to make sure you're not buying one of the known duds or units that require you to replace the entire body to replace the heating element.  As you've indicated, the Masterbuilt has addressed this issue with their newer models, you just need to verify that the model you're purchasing is not an older model stuck in someone's inventory.

I was actually about to order one of the Cookshack smokers, they have tremendously good reviews, as well as a PREMIUM price for the unit.  After sleeping on it, I realized I can buy 6 MES's for one Cookshack smoker, kicked myself in the head and went ahead and ordered a MES 30" (should be here tomorrow).  If it works out nice, I may revisit the Cookshack for my next smoker, we'll see how a year of smoking does with the MES 30".

I'm curious how your AMNPS is working for you?  I browsed the mailbox mod comments and see it as something that has mixed results.  Some folks can get it working without problems.  Others have issues keeping the AMNPS lit through an entire smoke cycle.  After all the reading, I came away with the impression that it might be a good idea, once all the kinks are worked out.  Like you indicated, I'm wanting to get in the set-it-and-forget-it mode, otherwise I'd be looking at a gas or wood smoker.  If I have to keep monitoring the AMNPS tray then it isn't really addressing my needs.  Also, $35 for a tray seems high, no matter how good it is.


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## bansai (Dec 4, 2014)

I took advantage of this sale on black Friday. They are as of today (on DEC 4) still selling these for 139, so they've extended the sale. and free shipping now for orders over 49 bucks - but, they add a surcharge for the weight / bulk of the smoker and that will add 14 dollars. The convenience was worth it as I spend that in gas alone driving out there.

It took 2 days to get to my door. I've seasoned it and used it once just for some brats so far that turned out better than expected. The temp on mine runs 7 degrees cooler than indicated with the built in thermometer. And the temp swings about 10 degrees. Example - set at 240 degrees - (is really 233) and then it swings from 235 to about 245 which isn't bad at all. I just plan on setting the temp 7 degrees higher and it's good to go.

I am very pleased so far. This weekend I have plans to do a couple of chickens that will become my daughters and my 'lunch meat' for our sandwiches next week. For my first cook I used the built in chip feeder/tray which performed spot on. I also have on hand the external cold smoke attachment for doing cheese, and in case I ever run into any issues with quality / quantity of smoke delivered by the bare bones unit.

Few pics of this, and other things I splurged on that day if I can add them below:













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__ bansai
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__ bansai
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__ bansai
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__ bansai
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## daricksta (Dec 4, 2014)

toejam said:


> Yeah, and you don't know how many competitors are putting in bad reviews as well. The overall trend for the MES reviews are definitely positive, which is a good think for MES purchasers. Just need to make sure you're not buying one of the known duds or units that require you to replace the entire body to replace the heating element. As you've indicated, the Masterbuilt has addressed this issue with their newer models, you just need to verify that the model you're purchasing is not an older model stuck in someone's inventory.
> 
> I was actually about to order one of the Cookshack smokers, they have tremendously good reviews, as well as a PREMIUM price for the unit. After sleeping on it, I realized I can buy 6 MES's for one Cookshack smoker, kicked myself in the head and went ahead and ordered a MES 30" (should be here tomorrow). If it works out nice, I may revisit the Cookshack for my next smoker, we'll see how a year of smoking does with the MES 30".
> 
> I'm curious how your AMNPS is working for you? I browsed the mailbox mod comments and see it as something that has mixed results. Some folks can get it working without problems. Others have issues keeping the AMNPS lit through an entire smoke cycle. After all the reading, I came away with the impression that it might be a good idea, once all the kinks are worked out. Like you indicated, I'm wanting to get in the set-it-and-forget-it mode, otherwise I'd be looking at a gas or wood smoker. If I have to keep monitoring the AMNPS tray then it isn't really addressing my needs. Also, $35 for a tray seems high, no matter how good it is.


First, as I wrote, all current MES models have the redesigned element and I haven't seen any retailer selling the older version. It's for this reason I would stay away from places like Ebay.

Next, the MES 30 is just what it is: a great beginner's smoker at a great price which is why I bought it. Learn how to smoke on the MES and then if you choose you can move it to the more expensive and heavy duty jobs. I've had mine for two years and feel I'm just now beginning to know what I'm doing. Yeah, I'd like to have not a Cookshack but perhaps one of those large offset pro jobs you see where guys cook "Q" at Farmers Markets or festivals or competitions but that ain't happening on my budget and in my small backyard. With my MES, I store it in my garage on a hand truck and wheel it out when I'm ready to use it.

With the AMNPS, for me it stays lit 98% of the time. The only times I've had problems has been a few times using it in cold, damp weather when I was cold smoking, or with not having sufficient airflow in the smoker, or not getting it lit properly (there's lots of advice here and videos on You Tube with tips on lighting it and getting it to stay lit). Even when the AMNPS kept going out when  I was cold smoking cheese it produced more than enough smoke to produce some great smoked cheese even though I smoked the cheeses about an hour or two too long. One time my MES was burning too hot due to my error and so the wood pellets in the AMNPS were burnt out in a couple of hours instead of 6-12. I do most of my smoking in warm weather and under those conditions it performs beautifully for me.

I don't use any mods, least of all the mailbox, because Todd designed the AMNPS for the MES 30 as a standalone without mods. For my smoker I've found inserting the lit end of the AMNPS against the back wall provides the best airflow. Based on suggestions, I've pulled out the chip loader an inch or two but I've also found it isn't necessary. According to Todd and others, the big mistake most guys make is to actually fill the water pan with water although that's what Masterbuilt recommends but MB also recommends the use of wood chips. From trial and error I've found that leaving the water pan empty and simply foiling over the top is sufficient and I've yet to have the meat dry out. The water pan produces steam which tends to smother oxygen and that's what snuffs out the AMNPS. Some guys suggest filling the water pan with clean playground sand to turn it into a heat sink. I did that a few times but saw no difference so that's why I leave it foiled and empty.

Whether the AMNPS is priced high or reasonably is per one's personal values. I've bought two of them since I made the stupid mistake of placing a hot one on top of a plastic resin table and it melted through. I thought it'd be easier to buy a new one instead of trying to melt the plastic off the AMNPS with my propane torch (I've still got that first one so I still might try that next summer). Anyway, with the purchase of the AMNPS Todd throws in a 2 lb. bag of his Pitmaster's Choice wood pellets, which is a terrific all-purpose blend.

To me, $35 is a bargain, especially since you can use it for cold smoking without buying yet another accessory. The cold smoking units that I've seen for about the same amount of money only do just that: cold smokes. Todd makes his products in his own facility; nothing is made overseas. His wood pellets are 100% wood. For all of that, the AMNPS is a bargain at $35 and Todd ships the package for free. One additional thing: what is outstanding customer service worth to you? Todd provides among the best I've ever encountered; I think he might even surpass the great customer service of Masterbuilt. Not only that, you can reach him here through a post or a PM or you can email him and he always responds quickly.

You'll find that vast majority of Todd's customers greatly admire him. A couple of guys even helped him with the R&D and QC during the early days of his company. One of them is Bearcarver and I consider him among my most valuable Masterbuilt, AMNPS (and smoking in general) resources.


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## toejam (Dec 4, 2014)

Just curious why others go through putting in the mods if the AMNPS is supposed to work flawlessly with the MES?

I still don't have my MES (coming tomorrow), so, don't know what I don't know at this time.  I'm reluctant to go the mailbox route due to all the aluminum inserted in your cooking path (mailbox+flex+elbows) and the (un)healthy affects of aluminum.  I saw where some folks recommended putting bricks in the bottom of the MES to retain heat, don't know how much room there is available for bricks.  Will get a better idea when my unit arrives (did I mention that it's coming tomorrow?).

The $35 may be justifiable, it just seems steep for a cooking tray.  Also, where do you get your pellets from?  Are they as economical as wood chips?  Can you burn wood chips in the AMNPS instead of pelletts?  What is it about the MES design that the integrated wood burner is insufficient and you need an additional $35 burning tray?

I'm full of questions at this time, but, that's because I'm a newbie.  I'll know more when my unit gets here (tomorrow).


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## daricksta (Dec 4, 2014)

toejam said:


> Just curious why others go through putting in the mods if the AMNPS is supposed to work flawlessly with the MES?
> 
> I still don't have my MES (coming tomorrow), so, don't know what I don't know at this time. I'm reluctant to go the mailbox route due to all the aluminum inserted in your cooking path (mailbox+flex+elbows) and the (un)healthy affects of aluminum. I saw where some folks recommended putting bricks in the bottom of the MES to retain heat, don't know how much room there is available for bricks. Will get a better idea when my unit arrives (did I mention that it's coming tomorrow?).
> 
> ...


Ask away; I still ask questions which is one of the ways I learn. I've noticed that we've got a lot of mechanics and electricians in the group who love to customize their MES whether it's installing an Auber controller or their own mailbox mod invention. Maybe some smokers need mods to increase airflow but to me it's all about the competition: who can come up with the best original mod. I've read there are airflow problems with the Gen 2's but on Amazon with 1,908 reviews it's rated an average 4.2 out of 5 points. How many complaints do we have about it in these forums--20? 30? This is why I don't join others in talking crap about them because I only have personal experience with the MES 30 Gen 1--and you now know how much I love mine.

I'm not the kind of guy into mods, anyway. I don't want to drill new holes in the sides and top. I don't want to go to a hardware store and buy aluminum tubing and hardware and other material to Frankenstein my smoker. I chose the MES because I could use it immediately right out of the box as is. I quickly found out wood chips were a huge hassle and some guys here turned me onto the AMNPS. If you think that $35 is a bit high for a burning tray, ask yourself this: would you prefer to spend that money for a wood pellet tray which could burn untended for up to 16 hours (according to Bearcarver) or would you rather load more wood chips every 20-30 minutes over a a 6-12 hour smoke for free? I hated dealing with the wood chips; looking outside my door at the top vent and seeing absolutely no smoke after about 30 minutes. To me it's a no-brainer because I'd rather spend my time with my ET-733 tracking ambient and internal temps, attending to what I'm cooking and not worrying about reloading the wood chip holder. For _me_, the AMNPS works just fine with my standard issue MES. I just load the burning end to the back since there seems to be better airflow back there. I think that's due to the placement of the top vent as well as the wood chip loader--but again, that's just me. I think pellets are more economical than wood chips because with the AMNPS, I rarely use more than a row and a half of pellets over 4-6 hours while I kept having to feed wood chips into the loader all that time. Even if it wasn't more economical it was sure more convenient.

In the beginning I bought some wood pellets at local retailers but now I buy them exclusively from Todd. Guys here I respect say he's got the best wood pellets (and dust) at great prices. He sells them in 2 and 5 lb bags and the thing is, he's got about every wood "flavor" imaginable, some I never heard of. I've got what I consider are the basics: hickory, mesquite, apple, pecan, oak, and alder in different sizes. I've also got about 3 bags of his Pitmaster's Choice which also includes cherry. I've read that cherry is such a hard wood it's almost impossible to keep lit so they guys here mix it with a hot burning wood like hickory. I don't have to do it myself because Todd already did it with his Pitmaster's Choice. However, I took a BBQ where the instructor claimed you couldn't tell the taste difference anyway. He also claimed that after four hours of cooking or when meat got to an IT of 160 it could absorb no more smoke. From what I've read elsewhere, both claims are wrong--but it was still a great class.

No room for bricks in the MES. I think it's it's both needless and a dumb idea but perhaps they don't think so in Minnesota, the Dakotas, and the northern plains states this time of year. It's definitely not needed here on the West Coast.

The AMNPS is what its name says it is: a pellet smoker. It wasn't designed to hold wood chips. That's what the wood chip holder in the MES is for. And no one said that the integrated wood burner (as you call it) was insufficient. The design of the MES is that you plop wood chips under a heating element which heats the chips up to the smoldering point. Wood chips produce great smoke flavor in smokers and in charcoal/propane grills or in the kitchen; they definitely have their place in cooking. The whole point of the AMNPS was to produce the same or superior results using more convenient wood pellets which burn for a much longer time than chips. Have you ever used wood chips--wet or dry--on top of charcoal? You get maybe 5-10 minutes worth of smoke out of them and then they're ashes. As I wrote, I can get 4-6 hours of continuous smoke from a row and a half of the AMNPS, and there are three rows.

Please post when you get the smoker. Once you've got it all setup (and there's hardly any setup to be done) and ready to go, post it here. You are going to love home smoking--guaranteed.


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## toejam (Dec 4, 2014)

Todd should put you on his sales staff.  8-)

I got the sense that the MES could burn chips, but, as you'd said, you'd have to babysit the smoker all day.  I'm leaning toward the set-it-and-forget-it mode, so, the AMNPS may be something I'll invest in.  So, yes, $35 is ok if it saves me from yo-yo'ing to the MES every 20 minutes to load more wood chips.  

Seems like I read on another thread that the meat wouldn't absorb smoke after some temperature.  Don't know, will have to find out once I get into the swing of things.

So, what to smoke first on my new toy?  I 've got a turkey for xmas, but, that's a ways off.  It's an open slate since I've got nothing else in the freezer ready to smoke, so, will have to make a trip to the local meat house.  Let's see, my new MES gets here tomorrow, most likely late late late tomorrow.  I won't have it setup until either later tomorrow evening or Sat morn.  Need to do a seasoning run on the MES.  While it's seasoning, I can make a trip to the meat house and get some morsel for the first sacrifice to/on the MES.  What to get?  What to get?  

Decisions.  Decisions.


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## daricksta (Dec 5, 2014)

That's a funny comment, Toejam, because it's frequently crossed my mind that people might think I'm shilling for Todd (Todd, I am available for hire if you're reading this...). Truth is I strongly support all businesses that I think deserve it. That's why I also talk up Masterbuilt despite it being the only smoker I've ever owned.Todd has helped me in many ways as I'm sure he's helped his other customers. His wife is also involved in the business and she's great, too.

My advice for your new smoker is to try it out with wood chips first. You can go out to a hardware store or superstores that sell camping equipment along with food and other stuff. My local Fred Meyer (owned by Kroger) sells both wood chips and wood pellets. Costco sells HUGE bags of pellets (since they sell Traeger smoker/grills) and I think they sell wood chips. So you can have your wood chips today instead of waiting a week or so for the AMNPS and bag of wood pellets to be delivered. See firsthand how you like dealing with wood chips. If they work for you--great. But at least you have more of a basis to decide if you want to order the AMNPS (or another wood pellet burner you come across since there are quite a few others) or not. Remember, when you get further into smoking you'll want to try out cold smoking. The AMNPS is great for both hot and cold smoking and Masterbuilt sells a cold smoking attachment for the MES. The MB cold smoker has an electric motor to continuously feed chips into the MES but I don't understand why it also can't be used for hot smoking? But I wouldn't buy it for the same reason I won't buy a Bradley smoker: motorized parts can burn out or otherwise go bad. With the AMNPS no moving parts to worry about. Also Bradley requires you use their wood biscuits and why would I want to be restricted to that?

What should you smoke first? Two words: baby back ribs or St. Louis style ribs. No wait, that's more than three...anyway, I suggest you buy two racks and look up recipes here and online. I own two smoker books and quite a few grilling books--much of the grilling books are by Steven Raichlen.The grilling books have recipes for dry rubs and sauces (some people prefer wet rubs). For ribs or beef brisket what's all important is the rub, as well as mop or sauce if you choose to use one, and the cooking method. A basic bb ribs recipe is 3-2-1 cooking: 3 hours uncovered, 2 hours covered in foil, last hour uncovered while brushing BBQ sauce on it. 3-2-1 isn't set in stone; I use variations if I've forgotten to foil or unfoil or something. I've recently discovered that when it comes to rubs for ribs and beef brisket wet mustard is your friend. slather it all over the meat and then apply your dry rub. You won't taste the mustard but it sure adds to a moist end product.

You can't fit a very large turkey inside a MES 30 anyway but you also need to consider this: factoring in how long in hours it will take to heat up the internal temp of turkey outside of the danger zone. Briefly, unrefrigerated meat can't safely be kept below 140 degrees for more than 4 hours due to bacteria buildup which will poison you. Because of the size and bones and everything, whole turkeys can be very risky in a smoker BUT--turkey breasts are no problem. I smoked one a few weeks ago and it came out superbly if I do say so myself. Moist and smoky--and it was my first one. The turkey had been in our freezer for about two years.

If you choose brisket--you may be able to fit up to 10 lbs on a rack. If not, some guys take a big brisket and slice it in half. If the ribs or brisket are touching the sidewalls, not to worry, they're shrink over the course of cooking. A brisket should take about 6 hours but could be more; most guys smoke it to an internal temp of 185-200 degrees or so you MUST have a good and accurate therm with at least one probe. I advise you get a brisket with only the flat--not with the point attached. The point looks just like its name and is at the front of brisket. It's a different cut and texture and needs to be removed and cooked separately. Many supermarkets sell only the flat; that's the easiest way to go when cooking your first brisket. The next one I buy will have the point so I can make my first batch of burnt ends.

With ribs, first thing to do is to turn them over bone side up and remove the membrane. If you don't, you'll see this dried crinkly paper-like thing on the bones which is not tasty. The membrane also blocks smoke from permeating the meat from the bones side. There are You Tube videos showing how to remove the membrane and, warning: it can be really easy or it can be a bitch. The ribs are done when they bend on the bone but don't necessarily meat falling off done. The pros prefer a little "pull" when tugging at the meat with their teeth. But some guys like falling off the bone done so it's all personal preference. Again, get a good basic rub to start and then start researching how to make your own--they're easy. One of my favorite BBQ sauces is Stubbs (also makes among the best charcoal briquettes out there) but I also find good craft BBQ sauces on sale in local supermarkets. I only buy stuff that doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup.

I've found out with briskets that they can get "stuck" at 160 degrees IT, which means the temp stays right there for maybe an hour or so. Then miraculously you'll see the temp increase again up to the target of 185-200. Try using hickory wood chips to start; Southern smokers swear by pecan or even apple for pork but I also like that hickory. Mesquite or oak are also good for brisket. What I try to do is imagine what flavor a certain wood will impart to what I'm cooking. As you get more adventurous you can start mixing different woods together to develop different, complementary and more complex flavors. Also, for brisket, a renowned smoker from Austin named Aaron Franklin uses only a salt-and-pepper rub over his oak-smoked world famous beef brisket. People line up for hours to buy and eat his stuff.

Don't worry if in the beginning the smoked meat has a "harsh" flavor. That means it was oversmoked and I think we've all done it in the beginning. Some guys choose to stop using wood smoke maybe halfway or three-quarters into the smoke, especially while the meat is foiled. If I have wood pellets left I let them smoke until they're all ash. The great thing about the AMNPS is that it doesn't put out too much smoke; somehow Todd designed it to produce what's called TBS--thin blue smoke--over a long period of time. If it's producing too much smoke then you might adjust the top vent on the MES to reduce airflow. After two years, I've just gotten to the point where my smoked meat no longer tastes harsh. Still working on how I want the ribs to look since my son prefers the wet look to dry and barky. All this is part of the fun of home smoking.


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## toejam (Dec 5, 2014)

Guess what just arrived at my door: MES 30" + Maverick thermometer + Apple wood chips.
Time to start seasoning the big boy.


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## daricksta (Dec 5, 2014)

toejam said:


> Guess what just arrived at my door: MES 30" + Maverick thermometer + Apple wood chips.
> Time to start seasoning the big boy.


Welcome to the club, Toejam. You're a real smoker now. I've got the Maverick ET-733. Just follow the written instructions and you'll be fine. You can either choose to set up target smoker and meat temps or just let the probes do their thing and report what those temps are in real time. Now, picture yourself sitting in your favorite chair watching TV in your warm home while monitoring the smoker in the cold outside. THAT'S why I love the Maverick.

Since you got apple wood chips, I suggest going with pork ribs whether they be spare or baby back or St. Louis. OR get yourself a pork shoulder (aka boston or pork butt) and smoke yourself some pulled pork, my friend. Buy some commercial pork rub to cover the entire outside, cook it between 215-250 degrees for maybe 6-8 hours (depending on its size) and you'll be eating incredible pulled pork used in a variety of dishes over the next week. If you use Mexican spices and seasonings for your dry rub you can make it into a big batch of carnitas.


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## toejam (Dec 5, 2014)

Note to self: make sure the wood chip shelf is fully inserted before closing MES door.  Otherwise, the inserted wood gets dumped right on the heating element instead of the burn tray and your ashes are all over the bottom of the MES.

And it put out a pretty TBS trail the whole time.


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## daricksta (Dec 6, 2014)

That's one error I never made. THE worst error I made was when I used to fill the water pan with clean playground sand and then foil over the pan. After a smoke I got lazy and left the water pan inside my MES 30 when I wheeled it back into the garage on a hand truck. I thought the foil would keep the sand from spilling out; I was wrong. The next time I took the smoker out to wipe down the inside before using it I saw how very wrong I had been. There was a pile of sand, much of it damp and greasy, all along the bottom of the rear wall. Think how large the water pan is and that's how much sand had gathered back there. It was not a very pleasant cleanup job because I had to deal with getting a brush and many paper towels under and behind the wood chip tray and the heating element and the rack they sit on to get to the back of the smoker. Seemed like no matter how much I sand I brushed and wiped out of the smoker there was still all that much left to deal with.

Finally got it all done and cleaned up, and I never used playground sand again. I keep the water pan empty and foiled over for smoking.


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## smokin' burt (Dec 7, 2014)

Hello all,

My new MES 30 didn't come with a probe but I have a Weber "Style" digital thermometer with remote probe sensor and it works well as I have used it a number of times for sittin' chicken on the grill, venison bologna in the oven as well as using it to monitor the temp of whole pig we did on my Bro-in-law's trailer cooker. For my initial startup/season process, I plan to slide the probe wire through the top vent and close the vent enough so as to not pinch the wire then let the probe hang somewhere near the middle of the MES while it runs. I'm hoping this will give me a good idea of how accurate my MES digital readout is. I know the Weber is pretty accurate because I've cross checked the temp of meats I've cooked while using it with my handheld digital probe and it's always within a degree or two. I plan on using this setup to monitor the internal temp of any meats , bologna, sausage, etc. that I'm going to use this smoker for.

Any thoughts or input from my fellow smokemates is deeply appreciated.

SMB


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## JckDanls 07 (Dec 7, 2014)

Burt.... sounds like a good game plan...  my only suggestion would be to leave the top vent wide open....  this is the position you want it to be when your actually smoking..  so leave it that way while seasoning... you can put the probe through the racks and hold it that way....


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## daricksta (Dec 7, 2014)

Burt, I agree with JckDanls 07 because I was going to suggest the same thing. I always run the probe wire(s) down the top vent, which I leave open. If you leave the vent closed the interior temp will read higher than it would for actually smoking and that will give you the wrong temp reading.

I used to use a Taylor/Food Network therm with one probe but then I bought a Maverick ET-733 with two probes because while it's important to accurately monitor the smoker temp it's more important to monitor the food's internal temp.


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## toejam (Dec 7, 2014)

Regarding the Maverick thermometer.  I'd like to have two meat probes, instead of a meat and grill probe.  Do they sell a spare meat probe?  I tried looking on Amazon, but, didn't find one.


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## daricksta (Dec 7, 2014)

toejam said:


> Regarding the Maverick thermometer. I'd like to have two meat probes, instead of a meat and grill probe. Do they sell a spare meat probe? I tried looking on Amazon, but, didn't find one.


There's only two probes on a Maverick ET-732 and 733. Some guys buy two sets for the very reason you're talking about. You could also buy a good quality single probe therm as well. Maverick,ThermoWorks, CDN, and others make some good ones.


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## smokin' burt (Dec 7, 2014)

JckDanls 07 said:


> Burt.... sounds like a good game plan... my only suggestion would be to leave the top vent wide open.... this is the position you want it to be when your actually smoking.. so leave it that way while seasoning... you can put the probe through the racks and hold it that way....


JckD,

I was under the assumption that the top vent was not only there for smoke to vent, but to control heat as well. If it's expected to be left wide open all the time while one's smoking, why is it adjustable?

SMB


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## bansai (Dec 8, 2014)

The general consensus is that if you close the vent, you'll end up with creosote flavor in your food. Most of us run them full open, all the time, but not everyone.

Being an electric smoker, opening and closing the vent has little bearing on internal temp regulation, which are regulated in this case by the heater element controller. It will only trap more smoke inside, which in my experience so far is not welcomed. Some people do close the vent when initially getting the smoker up to temp to minimize heat loss during that fairly brief period. For wood burners, the vents play a much larger role.

~Mark


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## daricksta (Dec 8, 2014)

I agree with Bansai Mark. Leaving the top vent closed or partially closed will trap in the smoke. And he's right about the top vent not regulating heat when you think about it except for, in my opinion, holding the interior temp at your set point. If heat can't escape via the top vent, then the smoker should remain longer at the set point which will means the controller will not cycle as much. But then you've got all the smoke and creosote building up at the same time and the food will tasted harsh and overly-smoked. I just keep my top vent fully open. Bansai gave the reason why some people (not me) close the top vent when heating up the smoker. The only time I've seen advice to partially close it is if your wood chips or pellets are burning too hot and quickly, then you'd perhaps want to closed the vent halfway just to reduce airflow. With the AMNPS inside the MES 30 or 40, though, you want all the airflow you can get.


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## smokin' burt (Dec 8, 2014)

First and foremost...

I would like to thank all who have responded so far. Bear with me fellas, I've never had anything that has an adjustable heat range. I've smoked a lot of goodies on my Brinkman electrics but there was a lot of learning curve as to what I could or should not do. I appreciate the info I've been given so far, and I'm hoping the learning curve will be much shorter with the new MES 30. I will do as suggested and leave the top vent wide open when I do my seasoning run ( and smoking for that matter) while using my Weber remote digital for a corresponding temp, that should at least give me a good idea of how accurate the unit's temp sensor is. I have not ran the unit or seasoned it yet, I've left it sitting with the door open the last few days to help get rid of the nasty smell of all that foam and plastic they wrapped the parts with for shipping. Anyone have any suggestions as to what I should wipe down the inside of the cabinet with? Maybe white vinegar?? I'm going to wash and dry the racks, water pan, and chip tray and dry them prior to my seasoning run.

I'm thinking my first smoke/cook is gonna be venison bologna or summer sausage in fibrous casings 2.75" diameter. I'm thinking I'll run the MES at 185-190 degrees until I reach the internal target temp of 160... Not sure if I should smoke during the entire process, or just the first few hours. From all I've read, fibrous casings will allow smoke to permeate. Should I initially run the unit at a low temp like 135-140 degrees for an hour or so to allow the casings to dry a bit and then apply smoke when I raise the temp? I do use liquid smoke in the recipe because that was suggested for cooking it in the oven. Any suggestions/comments?

AND... I don't have an AMNPS yet, but I'm considering purchasing one. I want to smoke some cheese, nuts, etc. for Christmas and I could always us it in my Brinkman (unplugged of course) to make some cold smoked goodies! 

SMB


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## uncle noon (Dec 10, 2014)

Thanks JckDanis for the advice.  I went to Cabela's right after reading your post and got one.  You saved me mucho dinero.


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## daricksta (Dec 11, 2014)

Chase1300 said:


> I just purched this one from Sam's club for $140. Is this the same one you guys are talking about? I still haven't decided if I'm going to keep it or not.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Chase, this is indeed the MES 30 Gen 1 under discussion with the extra added bonus of legs! The standard issue MES 30 comes with two round front feet and two rear adjustable ones. I place my MES 30 on an old child's card table so that I don't have to bend down to tend to it. Since yours is on legs you wouldn't have that issue or need to buy a stand for it.

I think you can only make an informed decision as to whether to keep it or not after using it at least 3 times. If this is your first smoker, the first time you're just learning the smoker and some basic smoking techniques while perhaps smoking some pork ribs. The second time you know a bit more about the smoker and you can try a beef brisket. The third time out you can build on the experience and knowledge of the first two smokes and try a turkey breast, perhaps. If you find out you like smoking and are good at it, then you can look into how to cold smoke with the MES.

My MES 30 Gen 1 remains my first and only smoker and it remains one of the best buying decisions I ever made.


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## JckDanls 07 (Dec 11, 2014)

Uncle Noon said:


> Thanks JckDanis for the advice.  I went to Cabela's right after reading your post and got one.  You saved me mucho dinero.



Glad to hear...  Uncle..  enjoy ...


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## smokin' burt (Dec 16, 2014)

SMOKIN' BURT said:


> First and foremost...
> 
> *I have not ran the unit or seasoned it yet, I've left it sitting with the door open the last few days to help get rid of the nasty smell of all that foam and plastic they wrapped the parts with for shipping. Anyone have any suggestions as to what I should wipe down the inside of the cabinet with? Maybe white vinegar??* I'm going to wash and dry the racks, water pan, and chip tray and dry them prior to my seasoning run.
> 
> ...


Anyone have anything to suggest as far as this is concerned?

SMB


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## JckDanls 07 (Dec 17, 2014)

Sure.. wipe it down with vinegar if you like... Then I would run it wide open (HOT) for a couple of hours with NO SMOKE...  After it cools a little wipe the whole interior down with veggie oil (some use PAM, I personally like oil).. grates and all...  then do a 2 hr "seasoning" w/smoke (@225)...  If you have a set of digital thermometers, by all means use them during these "test's"....



As far as running low temps for cooking the venison bologna and summer sausage...  that would depend on if there is cure #1 in them or not ?  "*I cannot assume there is cure #1 used *and therefor would advise against cooking at low temps....


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## daricksta (Dec 17, 2014)

SMOKIN' BURT said:


> First and foremost...
> 
> I would like to thank all who have responded so far. Bear with me fellas, I've never had anything that has an adjustable heat range. I've smoked a lot of goodies on my Brinkman electrics but there was a lot of learning curve as to what I could or should not do. I appreciate the info I've been given so far, and I'm hoping the learning curve will be much shorter with the new MES 30. I will do as suggested and leave the top vent wide open when I do my seasoning run ( and smoking for that matter) while using my Weber remote digital for a corresponding temp, that should at least give me a good idea of how accurate the unit's temp sensor is. I have not ran the unit or seasoned it yet, I've left it sitting with the door open the last few days to help get rid of the nasty smell of all that foam and plastic they wrapped the parts with for shipping. Anyone have any suggestions as to what I should wipe down the inside of the cabinet with? Maybe white vinegar?? I'm going to wash and dry the racks, water pan, and chip tray and dry them prior to my seasoning run.
> 
> ...


Start with the easy answer first. Just as you said, the recipe calls for liquid smoke since you'd be cooking it in an oven. You bought a smoker so that you could infuse real wood smoke flavor into the meat so need for the liquid stuff, which I also use in the _kitchen_.

Burt, Burt, Burt....the whole reason behind seasoning your MES is to get rid of any nasties inside the smoker, which just means burning off any packing oils and such. This goes for the wood chip loader and the tray. Don't bother to season the removable stuff like the racks, water bowl, drip pan and the rear grease tray. Just wash those in hot water and soap and let them air dry. They will be fine. As for as washing the inside of the smoker with white vinegar to sanitize it? Burt---YOU BOUGHT A SMOKER NOT A SOMETHING TO PERFORM HEART SURGERY WITH. Remember that, with rare exceptions, food borne bacteria are killed off in cooking temperatures 140° and above. The lowest temp you'll hot smoke at will be 215°. I've cold smoked in my MES 30 Gen 1 with absolutely no problems. In fact, many of us here never clean the inside of our smokers (I do a little) because that just adds to the seasoning. Look at the pros who smoke on TV cooking shows. The insides of their smokers, whether a metal box or an entire room, are covered with smoke residue. Do you know what will happen if you clean the inside with white vinegar before you smoke. Everything in your first smoke will have the smell and taste of vinegar mixed in with the smoke and your seasonings. Keep the white vinegar in the kitchen as well.

Your MES came with an owners manual which tells you exactly how to season it before your first smoke. Please read it.

As far as cooking the sausage between 185-190° to get an IT of 160°, you may reach that target IT someday but it will days past dinnertime. You want to shoot for 225-250°. You should reach the target IT in just a few hours.

Good luck!


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## smokin' burt (Dec 19, 2014)

Thanks fellas,

I guess I should have been a little more specific. I AM a newbie to using the MES. I'm NOT a newbie to smoking and safe practices for such. I had no intention to wipe down the inside of the cabinet with straight white vinegar. The manual suggests a wipe down with a damp cloth, I was thinking of maybe a tablespoon of WV to a quart of water to initially help alleviate some of the plastic odor from the packing materials. I fully intend to wash and dry my racks, water pan, and other removables prior to use. As far as the manual, yes I did read it and also highlighted certain areas of interest.

JckDnls 07,

I like your prescribed method of seasoning...2 hour run/no smoke, cool and wipe down with veg oil followed by a 2 hour run with smoke vs the manual's suggested 45 min. with smoke. I'm also not an advocate for the use of Pam. I give all of my grinder plates, knives, auger, etc. a wipe down with mineral oil after each use and cleanup. As far as later cleanup of the MES, I'll just wash and dry my racks (and drip pan if necessary) and leave the cabinet alone.

daRicksta,

As far as the use of liquid smoke, you know as well as I do that there's NO WAY that the smoke will penetrate to the center of a 2.5" log of Bologna during the normal allotted time for smoke cooking or hot smoking as you say.  So the liquid smoke just enhances the flavor. A number of the processors in my area use it and they don't get any complaints. I DO use instacure #1 in the prescribed amount for the recipe. The reason I asked about starting at a low temp initially is to help dry the casing to allow the smoke to permeate once the temp is raised to the cooking stage. Everything I've read in the number of books I have on smoking like those put out by Rytek Kutas or the Marianskis state that smoke will repel from a wet or damp surface and not penetrate. I will agree that the higher temp will cook the product in much less time. The first time I cooked Bologna in my oven at 180 it took a long time to reach my target temp of 160 internal. However, I don't want it to come out too dry to be palatable, so I'm skeptical about cooking at too high a temp. I'm expecting somewhat of a learning curve with the MES so I definitely appreciate all the help and guidance I'm offered by you good folks.

Thanks again and I'll keep ya'll posted on how my first smoke turns out.

SMB


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## driedstick (Dec 19, 2014)

Looks great and a smokin deal for 140 I  just purchased one without the legs for 160 at sportsmans guide, free shipping - no cabelas close to me so good enough deal, I had it within 3 days or so. 

A full smoker is a happy smoker

DS


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## daricksta (Dec 19, 2014)

SMOKIN' BURT said:


> Thanks fellas,
> 
> I guess I should have been a little more specific. I AM a newbie to using the MES. I'm NOT a newbie to smoking and safe practices for such. I had no intention to wipe down the inside of the cabinet with straight white vinegar. The manual suggests a wipe down with a damp cloth, I was thinking of maybe a tablespoon of WV to a quart of water to initially help alleviate some of the plastic odor from the packing materials. I fully intend to wash and dry my racks, water pan, and other removables prior to use. As far as the manual, yes I did read it and also highlighted certain areas of interest.
> 
> ...


SMB,

I'm now up to speed on what you're doing; perhaps I read past it in our post. I thought you were a newbie to smoking but I was obviously wrong. You're making your own bologna? What did you mean by" the allotted amount of time" for hot smoking. How much time is recommended to smoke bologna?

I hope to make my own sausage next year if I can pick up a stuffer at a reasonable price. I know of a couple of good how-to websites but have no books on it so you're way ahead of me. I'd like to start out making some smoked sausage to see how it goes. Wouldn't be 2.5" thick so it should only take a few hours.

Again, I really enjoy using my MES 30 Gen 1.


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## smokin' burt (Dec 27, 2014)

daRicksta said:


> SMB,
> 
> I'm now up to speed on what you're doing; perhaps I read past it in our post. I thought you were a newbie to smoking but I was obviously wrong. You're making your own bologna? What did you mean by" the allotted amount of time" for hot smoking. How much time is recommended to smoke bologna?
> 
> ...


daRicksta,

Yes I've been processing my own game for years and I've been making my own sausage and bologna for a long time. Mostly "fresh sausage" but I have smoked some in my Brinkman and while it's OK, it's not stellar because the Brinkman electric runs at a constant 220-240 degrees so the cook time is pretty quick, much like baking it in your oven. I usually hung the sausage in a cool area and let the casing air dry for a few hours prior to putting it in the Brinkman smoker so it would absorb more smoke. Good books on smoking are paramount to doing things correctly and while I haven't got a smoker large enough to do all the things I'd like to do. I eventually plan on building a homemade smoker from an old upright freezer (steel lined) that I was given so I read as much as possible and absorb the info in an effort to lessen the learning curve and have a good working knowledge of what the do's and don'ts are. I have most of the equipment I need to set myself up a nice little shop where I could do things year around if I want. The Mrs. and I have been experiencing some "economic hard times" so to speak, having both lost our full time manufacturing jobs due to outsourcing, and we're currently surviving on part time jobs so my dream of building a small shop has been put on hold 'til our ship comes back in... fingers crossed!!

You can make the small diameter "cracker bologna" quite easily and you wouldn't need a large stuffer for that. A good quality 5lb stuffer  would be fine.

SMB


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## daricksta (Dec 27, 2014)

SMOKIN' BURT said:


> daRicksta,
> 
> Yes I've been processing my own game for years and I've been making my own sausage and bologna for a long time. Mostly "fresh sausage" but I have smoked some in my Brinkman and while it's OK, it's not stellar because the Brinkman electric runs at a constant 220-240 degrees so the cook time is pretty quick, much like baking it in your oven. I usually hung the sausage in a cool area and let the casing air dry for a few hours prior to putting it in the Brinkman smoker so it would absorb more smoke. Good books on smoking are paramount to doing things correctly and while I haven't got a smoker large enough to do all the things I'd like to do. I eventually plan on building a homemade smoker from an old upright freezer (steel lined) that I was given so I read as much as possible and absorb the info in an effort to lessen the learning curve and have a good working knowledge of what the do's and don'ts are. I have most of the equipment I need to set myself up a nice little shop where I could do things year around if I want. The Mrs. and I have been experiencing some "economic hard times" so to speak, having both lost our full time manufacturing jobs due to outsourcing, and we're currently surviving on part time jobs so my dream of building a small shop has been put on hold 'til our ship comes back in... fingers crossed!!
> 
> ...


Burt, very sorry to read about the lost jobs for you and your wife. My wife opened a home daycare in our home 11 years ago and, with me unemployed since 2011, it's keeping us going. Even after business expenses we have enough to pay our bills and live OK.

That upright freezer would make a dynamite smoker. How would you work drilling a hole for an air vent?

I saw online a couple of very reasonably priced stuffers so one of those may be my Father's Day present next year. I've ground meat for making bulk sausage but never stuffed one into a casing. I own a Masterbuilt electric smoker that can cook low and slow and I could hang sausage from the top racks or just lay them on the racks. Hopefully next year if we can afford it.


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