Hello All,
Been absorbing a lot of information in a relatively short amount of time from this website! Figured it was time to actually introduce myself and hopefully one day, be able to contribute advice as well.
As hobbies go for me, I get an idea, and then I'm pretty much all in, lol. This was no different. Although I have always had an interest in smokers and being able to produce some tasty meats for my family, I was always put off by the overwhelming-ness of all the different types of smokers and recipes.
Finally decided to research the best smoker for me, and settled on electric, for pretty much all the reasons people settle on electric. Set it and forget it. Lol. Then the next step was settling on a smoker. Decided that (after reading ALL of Bear's informative posts on the subject) that I would be more than happy with a MES 40" (Cabela's branded) Bluetooth unit, as I believe it is the Gen 2.5 (no huge slanting drip pan/tray water dish combo looking thing, but rather a large oval water pan) as I got it for a steal (IMO).
In following Bear's advice and recommendations since he was so knowledgeable on these units I also orders the AMPNS 5x8 tray, and a propane torch kit, lol. Not going to do any mods, at least at this time, as I really feel like this setup will suffice for me, for now. Not saying a mailbox mod or cold smoker attachment won't be in the cards in the future, but for now, this should do.
Knowing that the built in temp probe and thermometer on the MES units can fluctuate, and knowing the Bluetooth is no more than a good marketing gimmick, and I say that as my personal opinion, after having tried it out, and releasing just how dismal the range really is, but again, it was something I knew before purchasing the MES, so it's not a game changer. Solved that issue with a Thermapro TP-20.
Lastly, I also purchased a Cabela's jerky gun, as jerky is something I really want to dive into, and I am fully aware that a dehydrator is often the "easier" or more common method of making jerky, but when it comes to taste, smoked jerky has always had a better taste to me, so that's one of my interests.
Picked my MES up this past Saturday and built a very quick & ugly rolling cart out of some scrap OSB I had handy, having already exhausted my smoker & accessories budget, lol, there was no more room for better materials at this time, so for now, it will serve as a prototype, and if I like it, one day I will craft something a little more visually appealing. Once the cart was done, I removed my MES from the box and assembled it and finished off the night by seasoning it.
Plan on mixing up some 93/7 ground beef and some Hi Mountain seasoning and cure and making some jerky this weekend. From what I have read, a general rule seems to be around 145 degrees for four or more hours, if I am off in that at all, please let me know! Thank you!
(Sorry for the long winded introduction, lol)
Been absorbing a lot of information in a relatively short amount of time from this website! Figured it was time to actually introduce myself and hopefully one day, be able to contribute advice as well.
As hobbies go for me, I get an idea, and then I'm pretty much all in, lol. This was no different. Although I have always had an interest in smokers and being able to produce some tasty meats for my family, I was always put off by the overwhelming-ness of all the different types of smokers and recipes.
Finally decided to research the best smoker for me, and settled on electric, for pretty much all the reasons people settle on electric. Set it and forget it. Lol. Then the next step was settling on a smoker. Decided that (after reading ALL of Bear's informative posts on the subject) that I would be more than happy with a MES 40" (Cabela's branded) Bluetooth unit, as I believe it is the Gen 2.5 (no huge slanting drip pan/tray water dish combo looking thing, but rather a large oval water pan) as I got it for a steal (IMO).
In following Bear's advice and recommendations since he was so knowledgeable on these units I also orders the AMPNS 5x8 tray, and a propane torch kit, lol. Not going to do any mods, at least at this time, as I really feel like this setup will suffice for me, for now. Not saying a mailbox mod or cold smoker attachment won't be in the cards in the future, but for now, this should do.
Knowing that the built in temp probe and thermometer on the MES units can fluctuate, and knowing the Bluetooth is no more than a good marketing gimmick, and I say that as my personal opinion, after having tried it out, and releasing just how dismal the range really is, but again, it was something I knew before purchasing the MES, so it's not a game changer. Solved that issue with a Thermapro TP-20.
Lastly, I also purchased a Cabela's jerky gun, as jerky is something I really want to dive into, and I am fully aware that a dehydrator is often the "easier" or more common method of making jerky, but when it comes to taste, smoked jerky has always had a better taste to me, so that's one of my interests.
Picked my MES up this past Saturday and built a very quick & ugly rolling cart out of some scrap OSB I had handy, having already exhausted my smoker & accessories budget, lol, there was no more room for better materials at this time, so for now, it will serve as a prototype, and if I like it, one day I will craft something a little more visually appealing. Once the cart was done, I removed my MES from the box and assembled it and finished off the night by seasoning it.
Plan on mixing up some 93/7 ground beef and some Hi Mountain seasoning and cure and making some jerky this weekend. From what I have read, a general rule seems to be around 145 degrees for four or more hours, if I am off in that at all, please let me know! Thank you!
(Sorry for the long winded introduction, lol)
