# Masterbuilt 30-Inch electric smoker for Christmas



## snot00011 (Dec 26, 2015)

I got a Masterbuilt 30-Inch electric smoker with ditital read out. So pumped to have a real smoker rather than using the BBQ. Suggestions with regards to this smoker are welcome.


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## foamheart (Dec 26, 2015)

Start your learning process with whole chickens. Cheap, easy to get, fast cooking, and probably the most eaten meat in the nation. master a chicken first then progress to another level.

Keep notes. Sounds stupid but you after the first 20 to 30 smokes forget things. Write it down and review ocassionally will keep you for saying, "Damn I new not to do that".

Sign up immediately for the E-Smoker course. Its basic but has all the things you'll need. And get a good remote thermometer. 

Aux smoke generators are nice, MES makes one for chips and shells, AMAZIN makes one for pellets and dust.I have both and both are great.


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## smokingbro (Dec 26, 2015)

I'm a week ahead of you on getting a new MES 30 digital for Christmas. Take some time to read through the forums on smoking tips, lots of expert advice here.

I jumped right into ribs for my first smoke. I did St. Louis style ribs. I followed the advice here to do 3-2-1 smoke at 225 degrees. 3 hours with smoke, 2 hours wrapped in foil, 1 hour finishing out of foil with sauce. Ribs came out fantastic. MES 30 very easy to use.

Second smoke I did a 2.6 pound Boston Butt for pulled pork. Again, followed all the advice from the forums. Smoked 225 degrees, with meat probe inserted until internal temp reached 165 degrees. Wrapped butt in foil and continued to cook at 225 until internal temp reached 205 degrees. Pulled butt out of MES with foil still on it, wrapped in towel and held in styrofoam cooler 1 hour to let juices redistribute. Then unwrapped and pulled the pork with two forks. Meat was tender and pulled right apart. I used Jeff's rub and sauce recipe on this and it tasted great.

Third smoke I did baby back ribs, but did not follow the expert advice here. The racks "looked" pretty big, so I did a 3-2-1 smoke again. Ribs came out a little dry. Expert advice here says to do a 2-2-1 smoke for baby back, because there is less fat on them. So if I did the 2-2-1 smoke on these they would have been perfect. Lesson here, don't second guess the expert advice on the forums. 

I'm still working on smoke. The first think you will realize with the MES, is loading wood chips every 30-45 minutes is a hassle. I got the AMNPS pellet smoker, but I've had problems with the placement in the MES 30 2.5. It is a very tight fit at the bottom of the MES, too close to the heating elements. So today, I'm working on the mailbox mod for the AMNPS.


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## remsr (Dec 27, 2015)

For $59.00 at Cabela's you can get the MES cold smoker that sets on the outside and smokes for 6 hours without having to fill the hopper. Foamheart can tell you how to get up to 12 hours of smoke without refilling. Here is what it looks like.













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__ remsr
__ Dec 27, 2015


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## cmayna (Dec 27, 2015)

Can you use a AMNPS in a mastrtbuilt cold smoker?


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## remsr (Dec 27, 2015)

No the unit isn't big enough, but then you don't need to eaither. You might be able to burn pellets in it,  Foam might have the answer to that. The thing is it smokes nice and clean for hours. I don't even use the wing nut assembly that came with it to connect it to my smoker. I just take the chip tray out of my smoker line up the port on the cold smoker with the chip tray port on my smoker and push it in, plug the cold smoker in, fill the hopper push the on switch and within 10 min there is smoke. The whole process to hook it up is maybe 5mln.


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## redheelerdog (Dec 27, 2015)

Snot00011 said:


> I got a Masterbuilt 30-Inch electric smoker with ditital read out. So pumped to have a real smoker rather than using the BBQ. Suggestions with regards to this smoker are welcome.


Many here would do a Mailbox mod and a AMNPS - you will be golden.

Read here: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/127770/mes-mailbox-mod-for-use-with-amnps


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## smokeymose (Dec 27, 2015)

redheelerdog said:


> Many here would do a Mailbox mod and a AMNPS - you will be golden.
> 
> Read here: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/127770/mes-mailbox-mod-for-use-with-amnps


I also highly recommend the mailbox, Snot, not just for electrics. I made one for my gasser so I could do cold & warm smokes, and it works so well I may just do away with the wood tray altogether! 2 1/2 hrs with a 6" tube....












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__ smokeymose
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__ smokeymose
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__ smokeymose
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I also second Foam's advice about chickens. Try Jeff's Maple Glazed recipe













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__ smokeymose
__ Dec 27, 2015





You'll never bake chicken in the house again!!
Enjoy your new smoker,

Dan


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## snot00011 (Jan 1, 2016)

Thanks all for the info and photos. Preseasoning it right now. Looks like time will run out for today, so will have to do something tomorrow.


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## smokingbro (Jan 1, 2016)

Completed my mailbox mod yesterday on my MES 30. Today I'm doing a 6.7 pound pork butt. Love the mailbox mod. I'm on over 7 hours on continuous TBS so far. I highly recommend the mod. 





















Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## daricksta (Jan 2, 2016)

SmokeyMose and SmokingBro, both of your stuff look excellent and deelish.


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## forgiven1 (Apr 28, 2018)

smokingbro said:


> Completed my mailbox mod yesterday on my MES 30. Today I'm doing a 6.7 pound pork butt. Love the mailbox mod. I'm on over 7 hours on continuous TBS so far. I highly recommend the mod.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





What is the reason I see people using the elbo on top of the factory vent?


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## remsr (Apr 28, 2018)

I can’t add anything to all that.
 I may do a mail box rig for my MES 40” as I sometime have trouble keeping the ANMPS lit. Nothing more agrovating than having to relite the ANMPS over and over. Most of the time it works just fine but it’s those times when it don’t that I want to eliminate.
“Hey” smokingbro what’s with the extended chimney?


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## Central PA Cowboy (Apr 28, 2018)

Test the temp. Thinking my temp may be off.


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## remsr (Apr 29, 2018)

I still want to know why the chimney extensions?

Rand,


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## dr k (Apr 29, 2018)

remsr said:


> I still want to know why the chimney extensions?
> 
> Rand,


I don't need more air flowing through the smoker just the opposite because it's a drying effect but it's good for jerky which I don't  make. If I was ducting smoke out of a garage etc I'd have a water heater hood to not draft. With my mailbox mod with no holes in the door I have to close the top Mes vent half way so my pellets don't burn so fast (3 hours/row.)


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## Bearcarver (Apr 29, 2018)

Congrats on getting the Best Generation MES Masterbuilt makes---The #2.5.

Here's a whole pile of Step by Steps to help get you going:
Just click on *"Bear's Step by Steps"*.

Bear

On Edit: OOOPS, just noticed this is an Old Thread.


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## remsr (Apr 30, 2018)

I’m trying to figure out a way to save those step by steps, lots of good stuff in ther Bear.

Randy,


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## Bearcarver (Apr 30, 2018)

remsr said:


> I’m trying to figure out a way to save those step by steps, lots of good stuff in ther Bear.
> 
> Randy,




I just use them right from where they are.
As long as this site doesn't crash, they're good as long as I need them.

Bear


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## chopsaw (Apr 30, 2018)

remsr said:


> I’m trying to figure out a way to save those step by steps, lots of good stuff in ther Bear.
> 
> Randy,


I high lite the text / direction portion . Right click , copy . Open a new word document , right click paste . 
That way you have the how to part of it .


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## remsr (May 8, 2018)

Thanks I’ll try that.
Randy,


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