# the lazy man smoke - less work?



## flyhigh123 (Nov 13, 2009)

OK, so i bought my MES becasue i wanted the satisfaction of perfectly smoked foods, but yet the easiness and little time it takes to manage...

I'm looking for ways to give me smoke without having to always add in more chips every hour or two..

I've looked at the smoke daddy, but that seems to give me 2 to 3 hours of smoke...

For a brisket for example, is 3 hours enough smoke and the rest of the time just letting the mes cook it without smoke???

OR I also found this link for a longer smoke:
http://www.bbqrsdelight.com/whatsnew.html

The smoke stick claims it can go 3 hours+. If I combine the smoke stick with the smoke daddy, it can go for even longer..

What are some methods you use to make it truly a set it and forget it???


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## DanMcG (Nov 13, 2009)

Wow I like the simplicity of my electric smoker for getting a couple hours of smoke, But ya still need to check it , or to at least participate a little or where's the fun ? 
I'm not knocking your idea for a hands off slow cook, but if ya get it to smoke for hours without checking it I'd be afraid it would be over smoked and there's little to fix that.


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## got14u (Nov 13, 2009)

I don't need to get any lazier...lol...that is a big stick tho


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## mballi3011 (Nov 13, 2009)

Is it really that hard to load some chips or chunks every now and then. I just cann't leave my smoker going for very long just for giggles and I like to keep an eye on things too. Something about open fire on my back porch and just the fact that I'm smoking is reason enough for me.


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## oneshot (Nov 13, 2009)

This is what I use....It's great and keeps right on smokin for hours and hours.....

http://www.traegergrills.com/?gclid=...FRcXIwodykaQ-A


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## chainsaw (Nov 13, 2009)

I have found I need not add wood more than 2-3 times to a smoke-it always boils down to your preference as far as smoke flavor. Trial & error


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## flyhigh123 (Nov 14, 2009)

its not that i'm lazy, i've been smoking lots and doing it the right way, but i'm looking for efficiency.

When i smoke, it sorta kills the whole day for me...

For example, I would love to wake up in the morning, turn on the smoker, drop in a piece of meat , go to work and come back with it done... 

or on a sunday, drop in the meat and go out for the day, whether it be the beach, hiking, or whatever, but still have the meat...

i may lose out on a little quality, er drier etc, but i get to kill two birds one stone...


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## flyhigh123 (Nov 14, 2009)

i know, i don't just leave it and run, i live with a few people, some work from home, so there is always someone home and in case of emergency, its ok, but just want to be able to leave home and let it cook... :D


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## smokemifugotem (Nov 14, 2009)

Buy a traeger


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## pignit (Nov 14, 2009)

I'd suggest smokin the way you know it's good and throw some PP or Ribs in a vacuum bag, seal and freeze it. Really easy to slam that on a grill or in a steamer and have an instant meal when you don't have the time to put into smokin that day. Other than that... probably need to find you a good BBQ joint close by and take a number at the drive through.

I have the medium smoke daddy and it will last about 4 hours on a fill up but you need to be around to make sure it's droppin the chips and smokin properly. I've left it with good results. The largest one boasts a 6 hour smoke. Unless your willing to get into more bucks for a traeger... that's about as good as it gets with an MES.


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## ronp (Nov 14, 2009)

This will give you 4 -5 hours of smoke. After that you can foil and forget.


http://www.smokedaddyinc.com/smokers.htm#kahuna


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## beer-b-q (Nov 14, 2009)

The Big Kahnuna from Smoke Daddy smokes 4-5 hrs. 
http://www.smokedaddyinc.com/smokers.htm#kahuna


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## beer-b-q (Nov 14, 2009)

Ron, Great Minds Think Alike...


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## ronp (Nov 14, 2009)

Yeppers!


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## ddave (Nov 14, 2009)

Build a UDS! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Smoke 16+ hours (if necessary) on a single load of fuel with minimal intervention.

No real need to mop or baste or flip since they are such a moist cooking environment. Of course you can if you want to but if you need to let it go unnattended it can.

Mine on several occasions has run 6 to 8 hours totally hands off at a rock steady 240ish smoking temp.

Can't beat the price and the pride of cooking on something you've built yourself.

Dave


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## scubadoo97 (Nov 14, 2009)

Well you should try it to find out.  I know folks who don't like a lot of smoke on their meat.  A light smoke is what they shoot for.  The large smokedaddy which can provide smoke for 4-5 hrs should be enough smoke for just about anything.

With the MES there are a couple of issues that must be delt with before you can walk away.  Since the heat source is in one corner you have hot spots.  Tiles over the heat source have been suggested to even out the heat.  The smoker does not have auto shut off so it is possible to over cook your food if you walk away.  Remember that no two briskets cook the same even if they have the same weight.  

I routinely walk away from my MES and run out for an hour or two but get back to add wood or check temps when needed.   

If you really want to walk out and come back when it's done consider a Cookshack.  The upper end models have probes to monitor meat temp and shut down to warming temp when set finsihing temp is reached.   They are more effecient than the MES on wood and the heat source is in the center so there it better heat distribution.   They are also built like a tank and their electrical system is far superior to the MES.


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## bassman (Nov 14, 2009)

You may want to consider the Bradley digital.  It's pretty much hands free.


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## flyhigh123 (Nov 16, 2009)

thanks guys for the responses...

first, i'm looking at a food saver... this will be great for bbq cravings..

second, i think i will try smoking for a few hours and then letting the rest cook, and the final few hours come back and foil...

third, if i can't make it, i'll teach the GF what to do... haha


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## Bearcarver (Nov 16, 2009)

Then again if you're pressed for time, you can try this old stand-by:


http://media.photobucket.com/image/m...me_Thrower.jpg



BC


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## blue (Nov 16, 2009)

I thought about buying some smokestix before because I wanted to get some flavors that aren't readily available to me.  Never got around to it...let me know how they are if you get some.


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## richoso1 (Nov 16, 2009)

I think this can be applied to any type od smoker. It's all in the taste buds.


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## marty catka (Nov 16, 2009)

New to forum here, and I did just buy an MES from Cabela's. Not sure if I am happy with it though. Made some jerky as my first kill. Trouble getting smoke at low temps. Had to crank it up to 210 and leave door open to regulate temp. I get it, the element doesn't stay on long enough to smoke at this temp once preheated. I've also found that even at higher temps, once unit was up to temp, it was hard to get smoke. Got through first time though, can't say it was easy. After looking at posts here and on other sites, I was intrigued at the idea of generating smoke outside of box for low temp or cold smoking. Looked at Smoke pistol and SmokeDaddy, but my financial advisor said no to more toys until after Christmas. So for less than $15.00, I got some flexible and rigid duct pipe and with a little ingenuity I managed a fairly good operating external smoke generator. (I've since added a steel 3 gallon pail that the rigid duct sets in with about 1/2" to 3/4' of water for draft control- attached). I do like the idea of fiddling and tending to the cooking, to a degree, but if I have to smoke externally I may as well return this unit and get me horizontal with a SFB. Been reading alot about them on this forum too.


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## pantherfan83 (Nov 16, 2009)

I have a 40" SS model from Sam's and I have no problem generating smoke at low temps (130F - 170F).  One thing you might do is put a couple lumps of Royal Oak in when you are pre-heating.  The charcoal will keep the chips/chunks smoking even when the element is off.  Add another lump every hour or two (depending on how fast they burn for you).


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## marty catka (Nov 16, 2009)

I have tried to do that.  Even prelit the charcoal before dropping it in the loader.  Dry chips, small dry chunks, chips and chunks with and with out the prelit charcoal.
If I have to take it back, it won't be for an exchange.  I know a lot of you have had success with this unit, that is one of the reasons that I went with it.  You know, 10,000 people can't be wrong!


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## kurtsara (Nov 16, 2009)

I have put a brisket or pork butts on the Traeger at 9:00 at night and slept all night to wake up to meat that almost done and I'm not tired.

That being said, I went out and bought a used Lang so I can baby sit the fire for awhile.


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## igolf2 (Nov 16, 2009)

I have used the Smoke Stix and have been pleasantly surprised - easy to store - less mess - long smoke times - and best of all I could not tell the difference between the Stix and wood chunks/chips.

I will be placing another order soon.


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## Bearcarver (Nov 16, 2009)

Don't feel alone. I'm still trying many of the suggestions with my MES. It wants to do exactly like you say. It smokes great on the way up, but once it levels off, and the element doesn't come on much, it doesn't want to burn the chips. I have a Big Kahuna, but I'm still trying to get my MES to work right on it's own. It seems to be doing better now that it's colder out, but Below 150* is still a problem. Many of others on here say they don't have a problem, but I'm with you. I love it in every other way. Maybe you could try a Bradley---They have a seperate element for the smoking, but then you have to pay a lot for the disks---$20 for every 16 hours of smoke.
Just my 2 cents.

BC


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## marty catka (Nov 17, 2009)

I had considered the Bradley, but they've got with their proprietary disks for smoking.  I'm going to give it another couple chances before I make any rash decisions.  Probably should done more research in the first place.  If I truly wanted set it and forget it, I would have saved up my pennies for a Traeger.


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## coyote-1 (Nov 17, 2009)

Where's the fun in that??


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## pantherfan83 (Nov 17, 2009)

I just looked at Trager's website.  I don't see where they can be set low enough to smoke sausage without rendering all the fat out (even the commericial units) anyone have any experience?


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## springer (Nov 25, 2009)

That way you can brew a big ole batch of beer while the brisket is cooking!


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