# MES + A MAZEN SMOKER = Great Jerky!



## marty catka (Aug 30, 2010)

My wife has been on me to make jerky for our group camping trip this Labor Day weekend.  I've been watching the threads about the AMAZEN Smoker for a while now and finally broke down and ordered one.  For all of you who have not gotten one for your smoking arsenal, get one now!  This thing works great!  I had a lot going on this weekend and couldn't spend the time to keep feeding the MES chips or small chunks for the jerky.  SUnday was the only day I could do anything, and I still had to be gone from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm. and two batches of jerky to smoke. 

Got up at 4:30 and started heating up the MES.  Got the AMAZEN smoker filled up two legs worth of hickory sawdust and fired that up.  Meat and smoke in by 5:15.  Went back to bed till 8:00. Turned and relocated meat around 10.  Done by noon.  Next batch in at 12:30  out the door by 1:00.  This time with an almost full maze of sawdust tamped down lightly.  Back at 6 and I could smell the sweet smell of smoke.  Barely a wisp of smoke coming out of the vent, but the aroma was amazing!

Sorry no pics, you can believe me or not, but this was some of the best jerky I've made yet!  You know how tough it is to get the MES to smoke below 200, and I don't want to cook my jerky as much as dry it.  This combination is awesome.


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## dale5351 (Aug 30, 2010)

Glad you liked your first go with AMNS.  We've had ours about a month and am liking it more every day.  I've done some cheese with it and really liked the result.

How did you prepare your jerky for smoking?  Any marinade? What sort of meat?


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## marty catka (Aug 30, 2010)

I used a sirloin tip roast, trimmed of all fat and sinew.  I'm not real clean with a knife, but that took my 8.8 lb roast down to 7 lbs.  I used the High Mountain Jerky cure from Gander Mountain.  7 hours at 170 for first batch and 8 hours at 160 for second batch.  Very good, if I may say so myself.


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## caprini83 (Sep 12, 2010)

Marty Catka said:


> I used a sirloin tip roast, trimmed of all fat and sinew.  I'm not real clean with a knife, but that took my 8.8 lb roast down to 7 lbs.  I used the High Mountain Jerky cure from Gander Mountain.  7 hours at 170 for first batch and 8 hours at 160 for second batch.  Very good, if I may say so myself.


I know this post is a little old, I am new to making jerky, when you make jerky do you have to cut it into strips before you smoke it or do you smoke it as a roast?


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## tjohnson (Sep 12, 2010)

Great Job Marty!

I used to soak my jerky in a brine overnight, but now coat the outside with a cure mix.  I've used High Mountain from gander, and Cabelas own brand of cure mix.  Both with good results.  I usually wait for deals on Round Roast at the local stores, and load up.

Todd


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## Bearcarver (Sep 12, 2010)

LOL---Another very satisfied customer of the AMNS!

See we weren't BSing.

Way to go Marty!

Bear


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## nwdave (Sep 12, 2010)

Cut into thin strips (generally not much more than 1/4" thickness).  Then smoke it.  Lots of info and suggestions to get you on the right path.
 


caprini83 said:


> I know this post is a little old, I am new to making jerky, when you make jerky do you have to cut it into strips before you smoke it or do you smoke it as a roast?


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## scarbelly (Sep 12, 2010)

Glad ya like the AMS as much as we do. Ya know we would even have accepted some pics of the jerky in baggies during the trip


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## marty catka (Sep 12, 2010)

Didn't think about that Scarbelly!  Well everyone loved the jerky and I came out looking good for it.  By the time I thought about pictures in the baggies, these guys (and kids) ate it all up!  Like I said, MES + AMAZEN SMOKER = GREAT JERKY!


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## mgruen2 (Aug 28, 2012)

Hi, so my question is easy. In the MES 30 where do you place the A-Mazen?


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## smokinhusker (Aug 29, 2012)

Here's a pic of the placement. If it doesn't answer your questions, send Todd a PM, he'll definitely get back to you.













500x1000px-LL-583d1492_MES302.jpeg



__ smokinhusker
__ Aug 29, 2012


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