Can't get smoke at 225 degrees

[boddman]

So, I guess low and slow WITH smoke is not an option with this MES 40" I just got.  I'm very disappointed. Masterbuilt was absolutely no help!  I can't get dry wood chips to burn unless I set it to 275. Any suggestions?

 

[pecosbobb]

Hey guys, I'm new at this.  I'm seeing a lot of advertising but no real help, this inquiry being an example.

I'm looking for some value in being part of this group..

I'm having the same problem and I'd appreciate anyone addressing the fact that an electric smoker doesn't smoke.

 

[downeast smoker]

I am new to this also, so perhaps a more experienced owner would be more help, but this is my "two bits".  When I pre-seasoned mine, I initially had a problem with the Weber chips I was using notburning much at 275, but when I adjusted the top vent (I think I closed it down almost shut) they started burning and putting off a lot of smoke, so try adjusting top vent.  Also when I started my first meat smoking this morning I pre-heated smoker to max (275) to get the chips burning real good and then lowered temp to cooking temp.  Smoke is doing good so far.  All I need to do is add chips every hour or so.

 

[uncle eddie]

I have an MES 40 (for about 4 years now) and have no problem getting the wood chips to smoke at 225F and up.  I do not soak my chips and I only use chips for very short smokes...like less than 2 hours (beer can burgers, fatties, etc.)  However, back in the day when I did soak my chips, they did smoke as well...so I am not sure what is the root cause of your problem.  I do run my MES40 with the top vent wide open - always.

HOWEVER - Over time, I got tired of feeding chips into the MES40 every 20 to 30 minutes.  I ended up switching to an A-MAZE-N pellet smoker (AMNPS)

https://www.amazenproducts.com/product_p/amnps5x8.htm

AMNPS5X8-2.gif

• uncle eddie
• Jun 13, 2017

A full AMNPS will smoke for 9-11 hours (about 3.5 hours per row).  There are a few tricks to making this work well in a Masterbilt Electric Smoker...but I love that I can set it and forget it...especially when I put a brisket in the smoker at 10 at night.

Ed

 

[cmayna]

Yes, dump the chip burning and get a  AMNPS or AMNTS.   Lots of posts using these devices in the MES.

 

[somerset]

I had no problem with smoke in mine I am thinking maybe your element is bad, I would call the company and ask for a replacement element.  

 

[mneeley490]

I'm thinking that there could be a couple of other factors here as well. 

If you live somewhere warm, and your MES is sitting in the sun, it will heat up quickly and the cycling element won't stay on as long to burn your chips. 

The other factor might be air humidity. Do you keep water in the water pan? If so, you might want to fill it with playground sand instead. If you live someplace like southern Florida, even with the vent wide open, moisture may still work against you.

 

[daveomak]

Check the chip pan...  See if it is sitting on the heating element...   You may have it in incorrectly or it may be bent.... 

The AMNPS is the way to go anyway...  10-12 hours of  unattended smoke...

HOLD ON !!!   you are in Colorado...  are you at 5,000' or above ??   the AMNPS doesn't work too well...  Not enough oxygen...    You may have to use an AMNTS or fan force air to the AMNPS to get it to burn adequately...

 

[tallbm]

I think some good input is being mentioned from the other guys.

I would also like to add that the MES smoker probe and meat probes are notorious for being off.  You may be getting a reading of 225F but in reality it may just be 200F or lower.

It seems that all of us MES owners use a 3rd party Thermometer like the dual probe ThermoPro TP20.  These 3rd party probes are way way more accurate and can tell you the reality of what the tem is in your smoker.

I mention all of this because if you are really only getting 200F then that may not be hot enough for long enough for your chips to start smoking in your MES.

As others have stated the A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker (AMNPS) and wood pellets are the way to go.  

With the AMNPS you get perfect smoke with no hassle, and you can get 9-12 hrs our smoke WITHOUT ever needing to baby sit it.  Simply set and forget.

Also many of us MES owners create what is called the mailbox mod (modification) which allows us to put the AMNPS in the little mailbox and have the smoke piped into the MES independently.  This provides cold smoking capability and helps ensure everything runs smoothly no matter if you are cold smoking (no heat or heat under 90F) or you are smoking bacon or sausage at like 165F (which the MES will not get hot enough to burn chips), or you are doing a full blown 275F brisket smoke.

This may sound dissapointing to hear but once you go with an AMNPS, wood pellets, and possibly the mailbox mod then you are set and will be rocking and rolling and making amazing set and forget smoked food that is consistent and easy to do!

Here is my MES40 with my mailbox mod and the AMNPS lit and getting ready to be inserted into the box for somking. I hope this info helps :)

33fbwvn.jpg

• tallbm
• Jan 8, 2017

 

[flyinlion]

I'm new to the group.  Hello everyone.

I'm getting older and didn't want to smoke like I used to with a barrel type smoker which burned wood and/or charcoal.

Over a year ago I purchased a MasterBuilt Electric Smoker and had the same problem with never getting enough smoke.  It will not smoke unless the heating element is turned on because the temp is too low.  Then it only smokes until the unit reaches temp.  I no longer the use smoking device in the smoker and instead I use a pellet smoker device that I purchased from Amazon.  Buy any of the 12" units and then purchase some wood pellets of your choice thru amazon.  If you fill up the entire cavity it will actually smoke too much and make your foods taste too bitter.  So, fill it a little of half (7ounces) and spread it evenly throughout the 12" tube.  Put a propane torch to it and let it go.  It'll burn for about 4 hours or more and is all the smoke you'll need for most meats.  So, no more adding wood every hour and even at that it never smoked continuously.  Be sure to put the pellet unit on the bottom of your smoker near the heating element with foil to protect staining in your unit.  I'm a retired chef so I hope I didn't get too technical with you guys. Overall the solution to your problem is easily fixed.  Even with this device you don't always get a smoke ring but I assure you that the smoke flavor is there.  Good luck.

 

[daveomak]

 
I'm new to the group.  Hello everyone.

I'm getting older and didn't want to smoke like I used to with a barrel type smoker which burned wood and/or charcoal.

Over a year ago I purchased a MasterBuilt Electric Smoker and had the same problem with never getting enough smoke.  It will not smoke unless the heating element is turned on because the temp is too low.  Then it only smokes until the unit reaches temp.  I no longer the use smoking device in the smoker and instead I use a pellet smoker device that I purchased from Amazon.  Buy any of the 12" units and then purchase some wood pellets of your choice thru amazon.  If you fill up the entire cavity it will actually smoke too much and make your foods taste too bitter.  So, fill it a little of half (7ounces) and spread it evenly throughout the 12" tube.  Put a propane torch to it and let it go.  It'll burn for about 4 hours or more and is all the smoke you'll need for most meats.  So, no more adding wood every hour and even at that it never smoked continuously.  Be sure to put the pellet unit on the bottom of your smoker near the heating element with foil to protect staining in your unit.  I'm a retired chef so I hope I didn't get too technical with you guys. Overall the solution to your problem is easily fixed.  Even with this device you don't always get a smoke ring but I assure you that the smoke flavor is there.  Good luck.

Flyin'....  Welcome to the club !!!!!     Dave....

 

[webpoppy8]

So, I guess low and slow WITH smoke is not an option with this MES 40" I just got. I'm very disappointed. Masterbuilt was absolutely no help! I can't get dry wood chips to burn unless I set it to 275. Any suggestions?

So I'm a relative newbie also, but I'll give you what I've learned in 16 months with my MES 30. Since I have been clueless and ignorant, I'll have to start from the basics.

I want to clarify something you said first, specifically "I can't get dry wood chips to burn..." That makes me worry that you expect to see flames. So just in case... In the MES, wood does not "burn" - it smoulders. If you see flame, that is bad and damaging to the smoker. An electric smoker is essentially anaerobic. It severely limits air intake to prevent outright combustion. The net result is that your chips are reduced to a neat pile of ashes.

Another thing you should know is that you do not want thick white billowy smoke. I made this mistake several times in my first few months and my family got pretty soured on my new hobby. There's a 'good flavor' to smoke and a 'bad flavor' which is bitter and acrid and tinged with creosote. The billowy smoke, although it looks white, actually gives the latter, bitter smoke flavor. Minimize it.

You will see a lot in this site about "TBS," which stands for "thin blue smoke." This is the 'good flavor' smoke, the ideal. I have a glass front 30" and in my most delicious smokes I have been able to see clear through to the back of the smoker with only a little bit of haze. Similarly, the smoke exiting the vent should ideally be, well, thin and bluish. On a calm day the smoker will have an aroma of everything you like about smoke flavor, without the acrid nastiness. Now, whenever you open the door, the smoke will billow - no getting around that.

Another thing is that you do not need to apply smoke nonstop for six hours in most cases. It's often better to think of the MES not as a slightly odd grill that doesn't get hot, but instead as a roaster in which you generate smoke. If you load the chip tray, depending on various conditions, the chips will "burn" through to ash in 35-60 minutes and when the Masterbuilt recipe says that's enough, it really is enough. Someone here pointed out 'you can add smoke flavor, but you can't take it out.'

This is also why it is not really a problem that the smoke is only generated when the heating element is on. First of all, the smouldering continues after it shuts off, and the second is that, again, you really don't need or often want constant smoke.

So what about those many of us MES users who do want a longer smoke? There are certainly legitimate circumstances for a long near-continuous smoke, and no one wants to be feeding the chip loader every 45 minutes. Many MES owners report wonderful results with the A-MAZE-N pellet smoke generator or similar things. This operates on actual combustion and, from what I have read, you often have to remove the chip loader entirely to provide enough oxygen for them to burn. It does generate heat which you may need to manage.

Myself, I use Masterbuilt's "Cold Smoker Attachment." Properly cleaned, the cold smoker will go through a large stack of chips gradually for 8 hours or more. It also barely adds any heat to the chamber, allowing, well, a "cold smoke," e.g. for cheese or bacon. I got mine for bacon and cheese, but now I use it for many of my 'cook' 'hot' smokes as well. This has given me some really fabulous pulled pork and ribs.

Anyway, I know this is four months later but I hope that this helps you.

- Andrew Wolfe