# A-Maze-N-Pellet Tube Smoker review - Charcoal/Weber Kettle & Spares - Heavy Q-View!



## jjwdiver (Aug 6, 2012)

Received my package from Todd at *A-Maze-n-Products *and could hardly wait to get started with it.  I followed the directions and ran it thru a burn out to get the oils off it before actual use with food.  Having just a short time to play, I decided to do a cold smoke with cheese.  A ton of smoke when filled, kept burning long after I pulled the cheese off.  Wont get a taste for another couple of days...but the smell was incredible.

That is not the topic of this thread.  Todd wanted to know how this unit performed using charcoal, especially in a low air situation like is present in the Weber Kettle. The issues I have been having here with the AMNS and the AMNPS is that we have very high humidity and I use the Kettle. The kettle is a great grill and with wood chunks a dream to work with. When you tweak the vents to regulate temperature, it kills the amount of air needed to effectively run the smoke boxes. They will go for a while but then go out, having to relight. I have tried placement variations with the same end result.  I get great smokes, but a bit frustrating and extra work on my part. I have learned to regulate temperature by how many briquetts I place, how high, how many are lit and placed at the beginning of the row, etc.  Then I saw the new tube smoker Todd created and was excited to give it a try.













tube smoker.jpg



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






Photo from Todd's Website  (come get me Todd!)

What I have:  22 1/2" Weber Kettle with a single bottom vent and the standard single vent on the lid. I use Kingsford Briquettes, lit with newspaper and a chiminey starter.  Weber is on the deck on the west side of the house, which is blocked somewhat from winds but get full on sun.  (makes for some interesting cold smokes!)  Yesterday's temp was forecast at 94, the deck was at 100 degrees with a slight breeze most of the day.













IMG_0050.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






3 racks of spare ribs trimmed but left with a liberal amount of the thick "tip" area.  Membrane removed and rubbed 1/2 hour before placing on the Weber - used  "Jeff's Rub" recipe.













IMG_0052.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






Beer?  Wonder how that slipped in there??!!

Pitmaster's Choice pellets microwaved for 2 minutes to remove any humidity, then placed into the tube.  Lit per Todd's instructions and placed in the grill at what I thought would be a good location.  Just above 2 of the 3 bottom holes and close to the underside of the charcoal rack...braced from rolling to the center by a partial brick.













IMG_0046.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012


















IMG_0051.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






Once lit, I setup the rest of the charcoal and started the chiminey.  Then went in and organized the ribs, rack and reloaded batteries in the Maverick Thermo.  Here is where the height of my distraction began, as I was setting up some things underneath the adjoining deck above our level. Creating a dry area that I can use for when the storms happen...which they do happen here every year!  Anyways, I ended up stacking too much charcoal, which drove the temperature too high.  Getting ahead of myself here, but just sayin'.













IMG_0053.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






Tube covered with a piece of thick Alum. foil to keep any juices from getting on it.  I then set the ribs in the rack, trimmings next to it and walked away for a while.  Temp at start (Noon) was 250 degrees and had been there for a 1/2 hour.  Nice smoke coming thru the top vent which remained wide open, bottom vent wide open and never changed to allow sufficient airflow for the smoker.













IMG_0054.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






1:30 - time to check on it and see how things are progressing.  Remember I mentioned I was doing a project...well I should have been paying attention to the temps. Pulled the lid and it was 340 degrees and looked like this:













IMG_0064.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






Had these been Baby Backs, I would have been upset...but spares have a pretty good fat content and I was not panicking.  I closed up the top vent to about a quarter open, went for another 25 minutes then I pulled the ribs and wrapped them in foil, placing back on the grill for another hour at a temp holding at about 280/290 degrees.  Too high for my liking, which I blame on the amount of charcoals I placed in the minion method as mentioned earlier. I thought about picking out some of the charcoal, but just decided to spread them a bit thinner and towards what had already burned.  It worked! I removed the ribs from foil at 3:00 and ran for another 1/2 hour, but did not put the trimmings pieces back on. They stayed in the foil pan. Grill was at a steady 250 degrees and still some smoke being produced by the tube.

Side note - the trimmings were never rubbed, just placed "naked" in the Weber.  I love the color they took on!!!













IMG_0065.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






1 rack was placed on top of the trimmings and covered in foil, the other 2 racks in a separate tray and covered.  Both placed in a cooler bag to take to the beach where we were scheduled for a cookout with friends.  In the meantime, after pulling the ribs I did a batch of pork candy so we could have an appetizer at the beach.  Trunk Beach...perhaps you've heard of it?













P1298725.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012


















IMG_0068.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






Wife made a batch of her "Texas" style ranch beans - we call them "Butt Beans" because it uses scraps and bark from when I do a butt.  Here is her recipe and info from a previous SMF thread for that: 

*BUTT BEANS*













IMG_0066.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






Money Shot????













IMG_0073.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012






This is the next day as I get ready to have the few leftovers for lunch.  Wasn't thinking to do a money shot and they went pretty fast at the party...plus it was dark by the time we ate.  Still, they were juicy, smokey and very well received.  Most of the people, and I'd say there were 6 couples and a few singles plus kids...took home their leftover burgers and dogs after chowing on the ribs and pork candy.

End result of the first try with the AMNPTS:   

*Worked 100-percent as advertised!  Despite the too high temps, ribs were amazing.  

*Initial placement of tube in kettle was perfect, but I will be trying several areas before claiming this is the place to have it.  

*No creosote

*Very pleased with the tube

*Extremely glad I have the Pitmasters Choice mix - spot on Todd!

Well, It's 11:40 am here in the Virgin Islands...and I'm ready for some ribs!

Thanks for looking,

John


----------



## scarbelly (Aug 6, 2012)

Hey John that is a great looking smoke- the tube is awesome for smokes like yours. Have you considered using a couple of firebricks to separate the tube from the coals?  Congrats and have another wonderful day in paradise


----------



## smokinhusker (Aug 6, 2012)

Great looking food! Sounds like the tube is a workhorse!!!


----------



## tjohnson (Aug 6, 2012)

Great Job John!!

I just love your posts, cuz you always sneak in a few pics of paradise

The Tube Smoker is working great in smokers I had never thought of

Propane Vertical Smoker

Weber Kettle

High Altitude

THX!


----------



## chef jimmyj (Aug 6, 2012)

The Ribs and Beans look good...But looking at the view from the Deck and pics of the Beach...Looks like you got it Pretty Rough out there!  Yeah right...Pretty Awesome!...JJ


----------



## jjwdiver (Aug 6, 2012)

Thanks for the comments all!  I do plan on trying several variations of placement to see what works best, and Sacrbelly...the fire brick idea is interesting. Where would you suggest they be placed?  Willing to try various ideas.  So far, I have not had any failures...if you consider failure means non-edible!!

John

here is another one for you Todd!  (and we havent had our first Tropical Storm...yet!)













IMG_0016.JPG



__ jjwdiver
__ Aug 6, 2012


----------



## raybones (Aug 20, 2012)

Looks great! What is pork candy?


----------



## dward51 (Aug 20, 2012)

Raybones said:


> Looks great! What is pork candy?


Appetizers made from a cut piece of smoked sausage wrapped with 1/2 of a strip of bacon to form a little cup above the sausage.  This cup area is then filled with a brown sugar rich rub mixture and smoked.  The bacon fat blends with the brown sugar rub to make a carmelized candy.  Simply wonderful  (use the search bar on SMF and you will find lots of info on them).

I mean come one, pork sausage wrapped with candied bacon with a candy topping.  What's not to love?

Here is one of the original threads on SMF, but there are many others (and you can also put other stuff in the cup like cream cheese & shredded pork al la ABT style, etc....)  Photo is also from that thread.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/123891/sqwibs-pork-shots-pork-candy













52bfcf09_20120623060.jpeg



__ dward51
__ Aug 20, 2012


----------



## scarbelly (Aug 20, 2012)

John - I would just try to use them to separate the smoker from the coals where ever you put the tube just make sure the bricks are next to it


----------

