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PainBreak posted:The problem with almost all electric smokers, is that they're designed to smolder the chips. You want combustion, thin blue smoke, not smoldering, which produces bitter, acrid white/gray smoke. That's why I bought the pellet tray. You load that guy up with 100% hardwood pellets (they're formed via pressure, not binders) and it'll let off the perfect amount of thin blue smoke for 12 hours or so, without creating much heat. I've got the same Masterbuilt box that you've got - so the pellet tray is a worthy/must-have "upgrade" for it? (And means I can do proper cold smoking too?)
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Mar 28, 2012 18:28
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GigaFool posted:Great ideas, thanks guys. Got the same setup myself - in fact I just got the AMNPS and did cold smoked salmon overnight on the weekend. A quick heads up, the AMNPS does give off some extra heat and the MES is insulated - outside temp was ~32F, inside was like 70F. Just tossed in some ice to keep it down below the critical 80F point that fish cooks at. (Cell phone pick of the end product)
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May 2, 2012 01:15
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Canuckistan posted:I've never gotten crispy skin with brine and low temp. Maybe duck is different, but if chicken and turkey are any indication you're going to have problems. By the time you blow torch at the end won't the subcutaneous fat needed to crisp skin already be rendered off? I'm just guessing here as I've never done it. I pulled it off once (obviously by luck) after doing the air drying in the fridge for 24 hours after brining. Basically if there's any moisture in the skin, it'll come out rubbery. I was also told that you can use a hair dryer (no heat!) to help out as well.
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Jul 23, 2012 13:33
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Siochain posted:Not unless I get some kind american to ship it to me, hahah. I found my 40" mastercraft at Canadian tire for 50% off ($149.98). Keep an eye out as the BBQ deals are just about to start since they want the floor space for fall goodies. (Got told when buying a cheap replacement BBQ last weekend to hold onto the receipt for price matching as a sale was coming up shortly)
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Jul 25, 2012 07:54
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Choadmaster posted:1) Everything I read says the meat doesn't really absorb more smoke after 3-4 hours (maybe less). The AMNPS can burn for up to 11 hours. Is there any point to filling it more than, say, halfway with pellets? (Pellets seem cheap enough, so I'm not too concerned will filling it anyway, just in case. But I'm curious.) You'll probably just do halfway for most smokes. Keep an eye on it the first few times you use the AMNPS until you know how it acts. It can go out for a few reasons (lack of oxygen, insufficient coals). I just did chipotle peppers - they took 36 hours, so an 11 hour smoke time is nice. quote:2) Pork shoulder is the thing to try first, correct? Should I brine it or not? quote:4) That lovely "smoke ring." Some people say you can't get it with an electric smoker. Others say they have done it. Everyone seems to say it's just about looks anyway. Should I be caring? You won't get any smoke ring - its created by carbon monoxide, which only gets made with sufficient quantity in non-electric smokers. quote:6) There are so many various instructions out there for how to set up a smoker (there are so many kinds of smokers!). There's a tray in there, foil wrap it or its hell to clean. Use liquid in it if you feel it's necessary. The AMNPS fits perfectly on the bottom left. The built in food thermometer is okay - you're better off with a remote one anyways. The box thermometer is fine. quote:
Do the established cuts (butts, ribs, etc) and recipes initially until you get used to your new toy. Also it seasons the smoker nicely. :-)
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Oct 1, 2012 03:02
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Choadmaster posted:Thanks. I made a second go at it and cut the butt in half (horizontally, just above the bone where it sort of wants to separate anyway). Got two pretty even-sized pieces and they reached 190 at about the same time. They almost fell apart on their own this time. Much better! Though the bark still wasn't "crispy" or "crunchy." Any ideas why? Does it matter? Too much moisture and/or not enough sugar in the rub. I used to always use liquid in the pan, now I rarely use any. Also trim large amounts of fat off the meat and always keep the top vent fully open. quote:I also had the AMNPS this time (that thing is surprisingly tiny) and the meat had more/better smokiness to it, too, though still not a lot that I could tell. On that note: Open the ash shelf about an inch and pull out the wood chip loader about an inch as well. Then reduce the chip loader size until the smoke is perfect. You basically want to starve the AMNPS of oxygen as much as possible without letting it go out. quote:My issue is they didn't really come out particularly tender. Pulling two ribs apart by hand was doable but not easy. The meat did not come cleanly off the bones when eating it, either. The recipe said 3-4 hours for baby backs, but using the bend test also described on that site the ribs didn't seem to be "ready" until nearly 5 hours in (they were somewhat thicker than usual so I wasn't too surprised at the time). Perhaps I should even have waited a little longer; or could the same problem be caused by overcooking them? I know it's impossible to diagnose someone's cooking issues like this but I welcome opinions anyway. Your ribs might have been water packed (were they extra juicy when you put them in? I've had one butcher do that for extra weight) but more likely you're just not used to your new smoker and butcher. A rule to remember: Your meat is never the same as the guy who wrote your recipes. Forget any twist tests and always go with your probe and meat temp.
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Oct 8, 2012 01:07
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Choadmaster posted:I haven't been using any liquid in the pan at all, either. I'll keep the top vent fully open next time though, and see where that gets me. Oh yeah, always keep the top vent fully open - in fact people will put a tube (metal can) to increase the draw through it. That's probably why your pulled pork bark didn't "dry out" enough. Don't worry about having dry meat, you don't lose internal moisture since you're not cooking long enough (that's 12+ hours really). You've got a slightly different version of the smoker than I do, but if I close the bottom of mine up, the AMNPS will go out after an hour or so. As for the probe on ribs, well the ribs I normally get are monster in size so there's space between bones and above them. But I cheat and just use a instant read type on them most of the time now.
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Oct 10, 2012 04:52
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Tomatoes. Smoked tomatoes make for awesome sauces!
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Oct 12, 2012 13:12
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Hit the Bbq store that's annoyingly far away and just acquired orange tree wood, black walnut, ton of maple, and finally pimento wood for that authentic jerk flavor. Now to figure out what to do with that orange and walnut wood...
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Oct 21, 2012 03:44
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Did a monster 18lb brisket this weekend - approximately 15 hours overnight in my MES with amps, none of this foiling crap or anything else - just low and slow at 225 :-). Great peppery bark and huge flavour. I'll post up pictures tomorrow.
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Dec 10, 2012 04:21
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Scott Bakula posted:How much easier are electric smokers? Whenever I eat smoked food its from my dads charcoal smoker but I'm definitely willing to put serious money for one. I get the feeling the easiness of an electric would make me smoke food more often I have a masterbuilt and it's incredibly easy to use. Set the temp, and get the AMNPS pellet tray and you get 10 hours of goodness without having to tinker. (otherwise you have to refill the wood tray every 30min). Only thing you miss is the smoke ring on your meat but the flavors are all there.
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Mar 11, 2013 04:43
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Smoked up some pork butt/shoulder Jamaican jerk style. Wet rub overnight with lots of spices with the pimento wood ready  And the final product as it came out of the smoker after 6 hours or so - took it to 180f and let it rest for an hour, then gave it a blast of heat of the grill before serving.  Final/served pictures were forgotten in our haste to eat it. But when a Trinidad girl proclaimed it the best she's ever had, you know it's good. (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
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Mar 31, 2013 02:37
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Whoops, I posted that using the betamax app that auto-resized the image to a normal size so I never saw the problem. Sorry about that folks. And here's the approximate recipe for the Jerk Rub. Note that a lot of this is to personal taste - keep sampling the rub as you make it and adjust. Many spices are of a different potency in your area! Fresh (this is a must) ingredients: 1/2 bunch scallions 3-4 scotch bonnet peppers seeded. (bonnet peppers give a nice peppery flavor that habaneros don't) 3-4 garlic cloves 2 tbps of fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp fresh ginger Spices: 2-3 tbps of allspice 2 tsp of cinnamon 2 tsp of grated nutmeg 1 tbsp of black pepper 1 tsp of salt 3-4 tbsp brown sugar Liquids: oil (peanut/canola/etc) soya sauce cider vinegar lime Instructions: - Chop/mince/whatever all the fresh ingredients together. The scotch bonnets will actually reduce in heat over time, so I find I can error on the high side for that. - Grind all the spices together and add to the fresh ingredients. Remember to taste and balance flavors if needed! - Squeeze a lime into it. Maybe a splash of dark rum if you've got some. - add the oil/soya/vinegar in equal amounts so the rub becomes "wet". Then cover the pork (I used a ~5 lb butt - but you can use any protein I guess) and bag it up overnight to get some flavor. Next day smoke it at ~225f with pimento wood (bush where allspice berries come from - so use something fragrant if you don't have it) and remove at 180f internal temp (~6 hours for me). Let it rest for an hour or so in a cooler, and before serving, give it a blast on the bbq for some extra crunch and a bit of that flame burnt flavor. Then slice and enjoy with some fried plantains and "rice and peas".
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Apr 5, 2013 03:24
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Studebaker Hawk posted:Has anyone used the a-maze-n smokers for hot smoking? It says you can hot smoke but I am having trouble imagining getting to 200-250f. I don't have a smoker, but my building has two gas grills- I was hoping to use the amznps to get my brisket fix. The AMNPS is awesome, but doesn't generate heat (okay, only a couple of degrees). It's for smoke generation only - and does an awesome job of that for up to 10 hours. This is why you can use it for cold smoking. It was originally for using in the masterbuilt electric smoker that requires to be refilled with wood chips every 30 minutes and doesn't always make good smoke. The box did however hold heat nicely. I'd say get one, give it a try with your gas grill, and if it doesn't work out, sell it on Craigslist or sa mart. There's always a demand for it.
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Apr 9, 2013 04:12
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Let's make some Jerk Ribs! (Yes, doing a jerk sauce again) First you need some spices to make the rub - today's selection involves the following:  - allspice - mustard seed - coriander seed - black pepper - nutmeg - cinnamon - fresh thyme - fresh green onion - garlic - ginger and importantly: - a super hot habanero Dice 'em all together! You'll note that I didn't put volumes since I didn't record it - I just went by taste. (You'll be heavy on the allspice, thyme and garlic). Here's a hint: the flavors mute themselves over time, so go extra hot and extra flavour. You can't be delicate with your Jerk.  Throw some liquid in there - I recommend some citrus juice, a touch of soya sauce, cider vinegar, and oil.  Compare against some commercial seasoning (which is way more salty - never noticed until I tried side by side)  Slap on the ribs and put away over night for awesomeness.  So it's the next day and you've had a night of food dreams - it's time to toss it into the smoker at 215F for a few hours...  You'll end up with something like this:  Add some slaw and dig into happiness!  Enjoy! I know I did.
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May 16, 2013 02:25
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If you're doing a full chicken: the skin will probably come out rubbery, but don't panic, the meat is awesome. (pull it out a few minutes early and finish in the high heat oven to crisp it up) If you're doing just pieces: Go with dark meat as the fat will keep it moist.
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May 17, 2013 19:53
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It's the weekend, so time to get the smoke on! Nothing better than worrying about dinner before breakfast. Pork shoulder (~5 lbs) in a rub consisting of brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, hot pepper flakes, garlic & onion powder, ginger.  Using the awesome AMPS device and loaded it with a couple of different pellets. Black walnut in the beginning, then orange tree. We'll see if they blend together as I hope.  Verdict to be made in 10 hours.
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May 25, 2013 16:34
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Maverick - yes. MES 30/40 - yes (don't get the puck system) A-maze-n (AMPS) - yes. Wood pellets - yes. Those 4 items as a combo will give you awesome smoking experience and probably add 5lbs to your waist.
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Jun 2, 2013 02:01
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MoosetheMooche posted:e: MES 30/40 meaning a Masterbuilt Smoker? Like this one? http://www.homedepot.ca/product/electric-digital-smoker-with-window/825660 Whats A-maze-n (AMPS)? Thanks for your help dude, sorry for my ignorance!! Yes, MES is the common abbreviation used for the masterbuilt electric smoker - a very popular device. AMNPS is the aftermarket upgrade to the MES. Instead of using the built in tray and having to fill it up every 40 minutes, the AMNPS allows you to use pellets for like 8 hours straight (think overnight smokes). The AMNPS device (really just a metal mesh "maze" - hence the maze in the name) was specifically built for the MES originally and fits perfectly in the bottom. It also produces the "true blue smoke" all the time which imparts flavour and not bitterness to your food. Bonus is that you can use it for cold smoking too! Pellets are easily found, cheap and are available in many types of wood. The pucks are not. The only thing that an electric smoker will not do is produce that legendary smoke ring on meat. That requires lots of carbon monoxide, which only gets made with charcoal or wood.
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Jun 4, 2013 02:21
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MoosetheMooche posted:Thanks for the tips regarding electric smokers. I gave it a great deal of thought and I think I'm going to go for a charcoal smoker after all. The electric models seem pretty pricey for someone just getting into the hobby. I know the electric sounds expensive, but it's actually a really good way to get started. The hardest part of smoking is actually temperature control for extended periods of time, which is what the MES excels at (and makes it easy for you). You'll get good food results from the beginning. You don't need the AMNPS device, it's just a nice upgrade. You can even use the built in meat probe. You just don't get things like alarms. There's lots of finicky items with a charcoal setup (vent control, heat dissipation, etc) that if you're not fully aware can make things go wrong.
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Jun 7, 2013 13:30
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jonathan posted:
No smoke ring since that's generated by carbon monoxide (generated by combustion as mentioned). Note that it still generates it, just not sufficient quantity to make that colour ring. So don't use it inside. I've used the MES down to ~5c (10f), but it takes ages to warm up. The heater isn't powerful enough at that point to warm the incoming air in time. Cold smoking is different obviously.
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Jun 8, 2013 02:22
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Don't worry about the window. After the first 30 minutes of the first smoke, you'll realize that you're attempting to look into a smoke filled chamber that's badly lit, so you can't see poo poo. Then the window gets dirty.
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Jun 16, 2013 17:17
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Being up in Canada, I've never seen tri-tip steaks available normally. (Not a common cut here) But my butcher got a whole bunch in, so I snagged one. Anyone got any recommendations for smoking it? Everything I've read so far is basically "smoke it at 225-250 until the internal temp is like 140F".
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Jul 5, 2013 20:53
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Whoa whoa whoa! You can smoke corn on the cob?? Temp and time to cook?
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Jul 7, 2013 21:23
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Jo3sh posted:That's basically what I do. A lot of people think it's an odd cut to smoke (and it kind of is, because it's tender enough to use for grilling), but I think it's delicious. I put on a Santa Maria rub overnight and then smoke it. Okay, last weekend I marinated the tri-tip in a homemade (oil, soya, red wine vinegar, spices, etc) and then smoked it for two hours to an IT of 135f - then followed by a few minutes on the grill to give it some flavour on the outside. And of course resting for 20 min. Came out amazing. I think it's my new favourite cut of beef to do from now on. It tasted like a cross between tenderloin steak and brisket.
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Jul 11, 2013 18:57
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coronaball posted:There are some parts of California where admitting this is akin to saying you boil your ribs or use lighter fluid on charcoal. I had a friend who refused to eat tri-tip that wasn't prepped with a Santa Maria rub and cooked over red oak. He was a little nuts though. Oh I won't do the same way next time. I was worried that it might be a tougher cut than it was (as this was the first time I've had it), and read a fair number of recipes that did some form of marinating. It'll be a proper rub next time with a proper hardwood. Now I just need to find a consistent source of tri-tips. :-)
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Jul 13, 2013 02:53
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Unfortunately I'm in Canada, so shipping food products across the border isn't happening. But I haven't done an exhaustive search of the butchers in my area yet, so I've got hope.
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Jul 14, 2013 02:40
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It's caribana weekend here up north, so I thought I'd make a jerk covered pork butt to celebrate with everyone else. Pic is of it in rub that it's been sitting in for almost a day and just before it hits the smoker until dinner time.
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Aug 4, 2013 17:40
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If you need or require electric, you won't go wrong with the masterbuilt and the AMNPS. It'll let you do 12 hour unattended smokes and pellets come in many flavours from multiple suppliers. There's many good recommendations for the combo in this thread.
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Aug 4, 2013 21:41
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Doom Rooster posted:Anyone have any experience with probe thermometer units that have a wireless receiver that you can take into the house? A buddy of mine is looking for one for his Bradly Electric, so a temp controller is not necessary, just the probe itself. Bonus points if you know of any that can be monitored via smart phone. I've got the following : http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-ET-71CAN-RediChek-Cooking-Thermometer/dp/B004GB2570/ref=sr_1_62?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1379989985&sr=1-62 Simple and accurate enough, works through my exterior wall, but your environment is different. It's been in the rain, dropped and cheap enough that if it breaks I'm not too worried. Any smart phone ones are probably going to be super expensive.
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Sep 24, 2013 03:39
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atothesquiz posted:Do you guys brine your turkey (whole or just breasts) before you smoke them? Always! It's the best way to make sure you've got a nice juicy bird after all the cooking.
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Nov 13, 2013 03:48
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For those that haven't seen this - you can get dumpling steamers cheaply from your local asain supply that fit a Weber kettle bbq and turns it into a smoker. A picture of it: http://instagram.com/p/h1OKLPEExX/
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Dec 18, 2013 06:05
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Pagan posted:I've got a question that I haven't seen answered anywhere. You smoke meat to an internal temp of 205°, right? Isn't that really really high? Steak and Pork are done around 150°. Is there a scientific reason why you heat meat in a smoker so high? If you take it to 205 you'll generally have "pulled" whatever (pork, beef, etc). You don't have to take it that high,it just depends on what you want. I'll often take pork to 190 so it slices up nicely. Your also thinking of cuts like steaks, where you don't want to take it high. Smoking meat is about taking the crappy tough cuts (brisket, shoulders,etc) and cooking them low and slow so the meat becomes nice and tender. If you cook them like a steak, it would taste horrible and be tough as leather.
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Dec 22, 2013 04:49
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BraveUlysses posted:Fully agree on this--I'm surprised how often people think that tri-tips would be good to smoke--they just plain aren't good for it. I love to smoke it for like 2 hours to an internal temp of like 120 (rare) to give it some lovely smoke flavour, then blast is for a couple of minutes on the grill for a touch of char. Totally awesome after resting for a bit and then sliced for service.
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Dec 31, 2013 03:23
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Faithless posted:I've been brining a beef Brisket in my fridge for the past two weeks and I'm about to pull it out to smoke and turn into pastrami. My question is how long should I soak the salt out of the beef with fresh water before I start smoking? A day/overnight kind of time frame. At least that's what I did last time and it came out great. I also let the pepper rub stay on for 2 days as well for maximum flavour before smoking it. They are right about the letting it cool and steam it the next day for true Awesomeness, but don't let that stop you from sampling it when it's finished in the smoker.
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Jan 4, 2014 05:33
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Faithless posted:thoughts... It's a little too on the peppery side, and my rub was mostly pepper/juniper berries, so I plan to use a little less of the pepper. Second its a little chewy. I know it hasnt been steamed (which I plan to do with the other part of the meat) but I was wondering if theres any way to ensure the meat is more tender after smoking/before steaming. I plan to make a lot more of this and its mostly gonna be used for sandwiches. More coriander seed, less pepper (although I like lots of pepper) in the rub, and maybe reduce the length of time in the rub before smoking it. But for more tender, take that beauty up to like 190 and then let it cool down as a whole piece. I'd recommend steaming it before slicing for immediate consumption, but that probably means you won't have any leftover for lunch slices. Also, thinner slices will give it a more tender mouth feel on your sandwich.
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Jan 9, 2014 02:52
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jonathan posted:What is the best way to clean the MES 30 ? Remove grates spray over cleaner, hose out ? If you can take it out, clean those items (grates, water and dip pans), otherwise leave it get nice and dark with the smoke seasoning. Clean the gasket (rag/water?) on the door if you're feeling like you must, but otherwise there's very little to do. The insides of mine are black as night now!
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Jan 14, 2014 04:39
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Smoke 'em if ya got 'em! (beef ribs in some random rub mix I did on a whim.)
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Apr 26, 2014 19:16
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Sagnid posted:A family member just gifted me a Masterbuilt electric smoker. Does anyone have experience with seasoning this brand of smoker, or any other stainless steel smoker? Is it even required? They recommend blasting it at max heat for a few hours to blow out any kind of residue coating there might be on the metal from manufacturing. Then just do some BBQ! After that, look at buying the AMPS pellet burner which was specifically designed for it. Pretty well the first/only thing to do.
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Sep 3, 2014 03:44
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coronaball posted:How long do turkey legs take and at what temp should thry be cooked? Im reading all kinds of different temps, 225, 250, 325...... poultry muscle (meat) doesn't really break down like read meat, so low'n'slow doesn't really apply to it. Basically the longer (at lower temp) it's in, the more smoke flavour it gets. If you want crispy skin, generally that means high heat (as it needs to dry out). Or at let finish them in the broiler.
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Sep 27, 2014 02:42
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