# Keeping Your Pellets Dry (Pellets & Dust)



## Bearcarver (Jul 11, 2016)

*Keeping Your Pellets Dry *(Pellets & Dust)

This is how I keep my Pellets & Dust Dry, and Handy for the next Smoke:
I get my Pellets & Dust from Todd, at “Amazing Smoker”.
I get what I need before I run out, but I don’t open the plastic bags he sends it in until I know I have enough Empty Jugs for all the Pellets or Dust in those Bags. That way none of the Dust or Pellets ends up picking up Humidity from setting around in unsealed plastic bags for months or years.
This time I had 3 bags of Dust here for at least 4 years, and 3 bags of Pellets for about 2 years.
So I got all my Jugs out, opened the Bags, and using a big Funnel, I emptied all the bags into the empty Jugs. My Jugs all have screw-top caps.
Then I Re-marked the Jugs that changed from one Species to another, and fixed up a couple of markings that had gotten slightly rubbed off.

Some may think you don’t have to do these things, but in 7 years, I haven’t had any problems keeping my Pellets or Dust smoking Great.
I have never Nuked any Pellets or put them in an oven, and I never needed a Mailbox, except for my Mail.

*Note: Three of the main problems with keeping an AMNPS smoking continuously are Lack of air flow, Not properly lit to begin with, and Pellets aren’t Dry enough.*
The air flow is easy to take care of, unless you are at a High Altitude.
A little patience can take care of getting the pellets lit properly.
And the above method of taking care of your Pellets can keep them Dry for many years.


Bear




Ready to fill some empty Jugs, and Re-Label a few. Note the 3 Bags of Dust & 3 Bags of Pellets on the right end:
http://s836.photobucket.com/user/Bearcarver_2009/media/Bearcarver_2009007/IMG_0309.jpg.html




Bags all Empty & Jugs all filled and Labeled:
http://s836.photobucket.com/user/Bearcarver_2009/media/Bearcarver_2009007/IMG_0311.jpg.html




All back in my Smoking Cabinet in my Garage.
9 Jugs of Hickory Pellets.
7 Jugs of Other Species of Pellets.
2 Jugs of Hickory Dust.
9 Jugs of Other Species of Dust.
http://s836.photobucket.com/user/Bearcarver_2009/media/Bearcarver_2009007/IMG_0312.jpg.html

Here's an old picture of when I first started using the AMNS. There was no AMNPS at that time.

I started with only 8 Jugs:

View media item 68424


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## SmokinAl (Jul 11, 2016)

Thanks Bear!

Down here in Florida the humidity is brutal.

I keep the pellets & dust sealed in vac bags in the A/C. 

Then before I use them I still nuke them.

Al


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## Bearcarver (Jul 11, 2016)

SmokinAl said:


> Thanks Bear!
> 
> Down here in Florida the humidity is brutal.
> 
> ...


Hmmm----No idea why they would have to be Nuked after being vac sealed & in the AC, or in a plastic Jug with the cap screwed on tight.

Bear


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## tropics (Jul 11, 2016)

Good info Bear as Usual I am agreeing with Dave the AMNPS has to be raised up.

Richie

Simple fix

Staple Spring Binder Clips













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__ tropics
__ Jul 11, 2016


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## dward51 (Jul 11, 2016)

That's a good idea.  I'm like Al and living in the hot and HUMID south.  Georgia seems to be the humidity capital of the USA in the summer so it's a loosing battle keeping pellets dry. 

I've taken to loading the pellet tray with pellets and then putting it in the wife's convection oven set to 230* for about 20-30 minutes before I need to light them.  Our convection oven actually sets the temp 30* lower than the set point as a recipe that calls for 350* actually cooks considerably faster in a convection oven.  They make that 30* lower offset to compensate for this.  If you have a convection oven and try this method you may want to check and see if your oven does a similar offset (mine is a GE).  I found it was easier to just load the tray and heat it with the pellets.  I carry it outside with an oven mitt. No pellet spillage while trying to load and coral hot pellets into a cold tray that way.

So I'm actually drying mine at 200* but with the added convection fan.  Works great and I no longer have to freak out about vacuum packing them in quart jars!


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## Bearcarver (Jul 11, 2016)

tropics said:


> Good info Bear as Usual I am agreeing with Dave the AMNPS has to be raised up.
> 
> Richie
> 
> ...


Yup---That raising never was a secret---We knew that on Day one----7 years ago, when Todd designed the AMNPS to fit on the support rods in the MES 30, so air could flow by it.

Your clips work nice!!!---Those clips come in handy for a lot of things.

My mailbox is out by the road---Mailman uses it every day.

Thanks Richie!!

Bear


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## Bearcarver (Jul 11, 2016)

dward51 said:


> That's a good idea.  I'm like Al and living in the hot and HUMID south.  Georgia seems to be the humidity capital of the USA in the summer so it's a loosing battle keeping pellets dry.
> 
> I've taken to loading the pellet tray with pellets and then putting it in the wife's convection oven set to 230* for about 20-30 minutes before I need to light them.  Our convection oven actually sets the temp 30* lower than the set point as a recipe that calls for 350* actually cooks considerably faster in a convection oven.  They make that 30* lower offset to compensate for this.  If you have a convection oven and try this method you may want to check and see if your oven does a similar offset (mine is a GE).  I found it was easier to just load the tray and heat it with the pellets.  I carry it outside with an oven mitt. No pellet spillage while trying to load and coral hot pellets into a cold tray that way.
> 
> So I'm actually drying mine at 200* but with the added convection fan.  Works great and I no longer have to freak out about vacuum packing them in quart jars!


No freaking out here---Much easier to keep them in Jugs (not vacuum packed) than Nuking, Vacuum Packing, or putting them in an oven.

All I do is dump them in the big Jugs---Done---Dry until needed.

Humidity can't get through a sealed plastic Jug, with a screw-top cap.

7 years of no Nuking or heating.

Bear


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## SmokinAl (Jul 12, 2016)

Bearcarver said:


> Hmmm----No idea why they would have to be Nuked after being vac sealed & in the AC, or in a plastic Jug with the cap screwed on tight.
> 
> Bear


Ha Ha that's because you don't realize how humid it is down here, like 100%.

You basically walk around wet from April to November.

By the time you get the pellets out of the original packaging and into the vac bags they have already picked up moisture.

I guess after having the pellets go out numerous times during a smoke I may go overboard.

But this is what works for me.

Al


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## Bearcarver (Jul 12, 2016)

SmokinAl said:


> Ha Ha that's because you don't realize how humid it is down here, like 100%.
> 
> You basically walk around wet from April to November.
> 
> ...


Not Really----Actually:
I did a search & found the average annual Humidity near my house *(Allentown, PA) is 68%.*

http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Pennsylvania/humidity-annual.php

And the average annual Humidity in *Miami is 73%.*

http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Florida/humidity-annual.php

And the average annual Humidity in Atlanta, *GA is 68%.*

Now if we're talking about Phoenix, AZ, that would be a lot different---Average annual Humidity in AZ*  is 37%.*

http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/humidity-annual.php

So AZ shouldn't need any special care, but if my method works in *PA (68%), it should be fine in FL (73%), and fine in GA (68%).*

*Bear*


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## SmokinAl (Jul 12, 2016)

Bearcarver said:


> Not Really----Actually:
> I did a search & found the average annual Humidity near my house *(Allentown, PA) is 68%.*
> 
> http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Pennsylvania/humidity-annual.php
> ...


OK Bear, whatever you say, Buddy.

Al


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## Bearcarver (Jul 12, 2016)

SmokinAl said:


> OK Bear, whatever you say, Buddy.
> 
> Al


I didn't make those figures up---The links are there.

Bear


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## gary s (Jul 12, 2016)

Not sure about all this Humidity stuff ??   I live in East Texas  Here is our  Humidity Average.      I keep my pellets in the bag they come in, in my garage Never experienced a lighting problem.
[h4]Humidity[/h4]
*Annual Average Humidity, #1190*

Tyler, TX77.10%Texas76.95%U.S.77.52%
Monthly Average HumidityTyler, TXTexasU.S. (Average of All Locations)JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec5060708090100Humidity (%)

,


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## Bearcarver (Jul 12, 2016)

gary s said:


> Not sure about all this Humidity stuff ??   I live in East Texas  Here is our  Humidity Average.      I keep my pellets in the bag they come in, in my garage Never experienced a lighting problem.
> [h4]Humidity[/h4]
> *Annual Average Humidity, #1190*
> 
> ...


Yup---It seems without being at a high altitude, as long as people keep their pellets relatively dry, the most important thing is Air Flow.

And getting it lit properly to begin with is important too.

Bear


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## ivegotmoxie (Jul 13, 2016)

Bear, Al, Gary- you are all correct in your own way.

The moisture in the air is not measured effectively by relative humidity. Relative humidity (which is the % humidity we are referring to above) is the ratio of moisture in the air to the amount if moisture the air can hold.

Why does this matter?

The amount of air the moisture can hold varies with temperature. So, if it's 95F and 80% humidity, there is _a lot_ more moisture in the air than if it's 80F and 80% humidity (guessing on FL/GA vs PA summer weather here)

In this example, at 80F and 80% humidity there are approximately 0.18 grains of moisture per pound of air. At 95F and 80% humidity, there are approximately 0.29 grains of moisture per pound of air. This is a 60% increase in the amount of moisture in the air, with the _exact same relative humidity_. I've attached the chart below so you guys can play around and see for yourselves.













psych chart.jpg



__ ivegotmoxie
__ Jul 13, 2016






So, in essence, the Southern gentlemen are correct that moisture is a problem, and Bear is correct that the relative humidity is similar.

J.D.

Source- I'm a professional engineer


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## cmayna (Jul 13, 2016)

And I'm correct that I've never had a problem lighting my pellets after they have been stored in their original ziplok bags.  Fill up the AMNTS, run my map gas torch quickly up and down the length of the tube on all sides, then light the end.  And I'm correct......(wife says  'NOT!!)


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## gary s (Jul 13, 2016)

Boy, Learned a lot this morning.  I guess the only question I have is ----   What does Todd say ?    I am thinking unless the pellets were wet, they still should light and burn.

Maybe Todd will give some input, Like I said I don't have any problem with mine

Gary


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## Bearcarver (Jul 13, 2016)

ivegotmoxie said:


> Bear, Al, Gary- you are all correct in your own way.
> 
> The moisture in the air is not measured effectively by relative humidity. Relative humidity (which is the % humidity we are referring to above) is the ratio of moisture in the air to the amount if moisture the air can hold.
> 
> ...


Exactly!!  Thanks J.D. !

That's why they call it "Relative" Humidity, and you can have the same average RH in PA as you do in FL.

However there is more often more moisture in the air in FL than in Northern States, like PA.

I made this thread to show what I've found to be the easiest way to insure that your Pellets can be kept dry, so that no Nuking or Heating will ever be needed, even in states like PA, FL, GA, etc.

If people don't believe that, they can continue to Nuke or heat their pellets. That's really up to them.

Thanks again, J.D.,

Bear


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## Bearcarver (Jul 13, 2016)

gary s said:


> Boy, Learned a lot this morning.  I guess the only question I have is ----   What does Todd say ?    I am thinking unless the pellets were wet, they still should light and burn.
> 
> Maybe Todd will give some input, Like I said I don't have any problem with mine
> 
> Gary


Although I have no problem either, I can say that it's much easier to keep an AMNPS going in a Smoker like yours, where there is plenty of air flow.

Most of the people who have problems are those who use them in small boxes with little air flow, and why some end up making a Mailbox Mod.

Although I'm sure many Mailbox Mods were made by people who just never got their AMNPS lit properly to begin with, or didn't put them in the right place in the smoker.

This is why we always tell people who are having problems keeping their AMNPS going to light it & leave it outside the smoker for awhile, and if it stays burning outside the smoker, but then goes out inside the smoker, it is the "AIR FLOW" problem, not the Damp Pellets, and not the "Not Lit Properly" problem.

Bear


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 13, 2016)

I lived in Central PA and outside of Atlanta, in Conyers, GA...There is a HELL of a lot more water in the air on any given day in GA! Came in from cutting the grass and my wife asked if I fell in the Pool?...We didn't have a Pool! Jugs work great, got that idea from Bear years ago but we don't buy or drink that much juice. Most of my pellets the last 5 years have been kept in the original zip top bags and I have a pair of wide mouth Garlic jars that I work from because the jug is easier to handle and fill the tray from. The only time I had to Nuke was a batch of pellets that seemed to be inherently more moist than usual. I left the entire bag open in the air conditioned apartment for a week and they were fine after that. Region to region can be different and require different handling. Dry pellets can get wet just being out of the bag or jar in parts of the South, just like Dry Pellets can get corrupted using the Water Pan full of water in the MES. Bears Jars are effective and a good idea if you got them, the heavy bags the pellets come in work fine, in PA at least and I can see the advantage of Vac-packing as well. All good info here. Lots of ways to skin a Cat! Has anybody actually skinned a CAT!?! Rabbit Skin comes off easy...Whoa, that train of thought nearly jumped the Track.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...JJ


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## Bearcarver (Jul 13, 2016)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> I lived in Central PA and outside of Atlanta, in Conyers, GA...There is a HELL of a lot more water in the air on any given day in GA! Came in from cutting the grass and my wife asked if I fell in the Pool?...We didn't have a Pool! Jugs work great, got that idea from Bear years ago but we don't buy or drink that much juice. Most of my pellets the last 5 years have been kept in the original zip top bags and I have a pair of wide mouth Garlic jars that I work from because the jug is easier to handle and fill the tray from. The only time I had to Nuke was a batch of pellets that seemed to be inherently more moist than usual. I left the entire bag open in the air conditioned apartment for a week and they were fine after that. Region to region can be different and require different handling. Dry pellets can get wet just being out of the bag or jar in parts of the South, just like Dry Pellets can get corrupted using the Water Pan full of water in the MES. Bears Jars are effective and a good idea if you got them, the heavy bags the pellets come in work fine, in PA at least and I can see the advantage of Vac-packing as well. All good info here. Lots of ways to skin a Cat! Has anybody actually skinned a CAT!?! Rabbit Skin comes off easy...Whoa, that train of thought nearly jumped the Track.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I used to skin the cat on the rings when I was young, but I'm too old & in too bad shape to do it now.

And yes I agree about the original bags the pellets & Dust come from Todd in.

Like I said in my original Post, "I had 3 bags of Dust here for at least 4 years, and 3 bags of Pellets for about 2 years." (You can see them in the first picture)

Since they were never opened they were fine, but as soon as I opened them they all went into Jugs.

Bear


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## Bearcarver (Jul 14, 2016)

I just added this old Picture to the original post from when I first started using my AMNS.

The AMNPS had not been invented yet.

Bear

I started out with only 8 Jugs:

View media item 68424


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## pops6927 (Jul 14, 2016)

I keep my pellets (corn cob by Best Cob - Tractor Supply, 40 lb. bag for $20.00) outside on the back porch in old plastic coffee cans with no liners or anything.  I do a mixture of corn cob pellets and a little pitmaster pellets in an empty plastic coffee can (Folger's, to be precise) and nuke them 1½ min. in the microwave while I set up my racks in the smokehouse for horizontal smoking (lay oven grates over hanging dowels and put Amaze Matz on them).  Fill up my pellet tray with the pellets, blowtorch them for a couple minutes and we're off and running!  Rarely do I have to re-light them.  I keep them outside on my back porch (out of the rain) and don't worry about them at all, the microwave cures any moisture problems and they light with no problem - easy peasy set-it-and-forget-it do-it and done.  The corn cob pellets are a little harder to light but still, with the microwave, it keeps them consistent always.  For me, it's the easiest and simplest way possible.  And yes, we get lots of spring and fall rains, 100% humidity.


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## Bearcarver (Jul 14, 2016)

Pops6927 said:


> I keep my pellets (corn cob by Best Cob - Tractor Supply, 40 lb. bag for $20.00) outside on the back porch in old plastic coffee cans with no liners or anything.  I do a mixture of corn cob pellets and a little pitmaster pellets in an empty plastic coffee can (Folger's, to be precise) and nuke them 1½ min. in the microwave while I set up my racks in the smokehouse for horizontal smoking (lay oven grates over hanging dowels and put Amaze Matz on them).  Fill up my pellet tray with the pellets, blowtorch them for a couple minutes and we're off and running!  Rarely do I have to re-light them.  I keep them outside on my back porch (out of the rain) and don't worry about them at all, the microwave cures any moisture problems and they light with no problem - easy peasy set-it-and-forget-it do-it and done.  The corn cob pellets are a little harder to light but still, with the microwave, it keeps them consistent always.  For me, it's the easiest and simplest way possible.  And yes, we get lots of spring and fall rains, 100% humidity.


Thanks Pops!
I keep forgetting to check if our local Tractor Supply carries those Corn Cob Pellets. I wonder if All "TSC" places carry them?

Like I said in my original post, I think the air flow has a lot to do with it too. 

You probably get a lot more air flow than most of the MES 30s and MES 40s.

I never have trouble with mine either, but I have to keep them dry, so I don't have to Nuke or Heat them.

I made this Thread because sometimes it seems like a full time Job helping people to get the pellets to burn in their MES.

So now I can refer them to this Thread.

Bear


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## pops6927 (Jul 14, 2016)

Yes, they should, they are horse bedding by Best Cob, and TS is their national distributor.   I heat them if, for anything, the corn cob smell emanating from them, brings back so many memories of the crushed corn cobs dad used in his smoking, so it is an enjoyment to heat them rather than a one-minute bother.  And, mixing them with the pitmaster's gives additional aromas to our kitchen; so pleasant and pleasing!













scan0002.jpg



__ pops6927
__ Jul 14, 2016






From:  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/149282/bestcob-corn-cob-pellets-for-amnps













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__ pops6927
__ Sep 20, 2013


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## Bearcarver (Jul 15, 2016)

Thanks Pops!! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Bear


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## mowin (Jul 15, 2016)

Im gonna need a LOT jugs. Just went in on a group buy of lumberjack pellets.  I've got 21 40# bags...

I lined 32 gal trash cans with a garbage bag and put 4 bags in each can then tie the bag up and cover.  Hopefully that works.  I'll find out eventually.


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## Bearcarver (Jul 15, 2016)

mowin said:


> Im gonna need a LOT jugs. Just went in on a group buy of lumberjack pellets. I've got 21 40# bags...
> 
> I lined 32 gal trash cans with a garbage bag and put 4 bags in each can then tie the bag up and cover. Hopefully that works. I'll find out eventually.


That should be fine!

The Zip bags Todd sends kept mine dry for years. I only worry about them once I open those bags.

That's why I put them all in Jugs as soon as I open those Bags, but any kind of sealing like you did should be fine.

Bear


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## pitbulmom (Jul 15, 2016)

Another way you can keep them dry is to buy some of these andput in the Coffee cans/ jugs.

I dehydrate a lot of foods, and throw one of these in with them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-PACK-5-...8886758?hash=item3aaa8417e6:g:qEIAAOSwPZ5VSZJ


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## Bearcarver (Jul 15, 2016)

PitBulMom said:


> Another way you can keep them dry is to buy some of these andput in the Coffee cans/ jugs.
> 
> I dehydrate a lot of foods, and throw one of these in with them.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-PACK-5-...8886758?hash=item3aaa8417e6:g:qEIAAOSwPZ5VSZJ


Thanks PBM,
Yup---That would work, but as long as you keep them in something sealed (Jars, Jugs, Bags, Etc), it wouldn't be needed.

Bear


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## pops6927 (Jul 17, 2016)

I got lots of those from all the drugs I buy (prescription, of course!  lol!).


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