Masterbuilt Smokers (Bear’s Thoughts & Findings)

[Fishawn]

Good catch, Fishawn! Brain fade on my part. I meant to say charcoal or wood, not electric, which they do allow.

Great to hear! You will still be smoking

[strength_and_power]

Hi there, sorry for the delay in replying! I'm looking at the MES 40 inch electric smoker because I'm returning to the States, well have returned to the States at this point. The apartment complex where I will hang my hat for the next couple of years does not allow (brain fade: op said electric) charcoal or wood fired smokers/BBQ at all.

So it is either electric or propane for the next while. I have some medical issues that really limit what I can carry so a smoker I can roll around without carting a propane tank too is my preference. I won't have to take empty tanks and trade them. I can simply pull the plug and roll it into the storage shack.

I would go for the AMPS smoker setup for cold smoking but I'm a bit worried about their "no wood fires" thing. With a manufacturer's cold smoker setup, I am pretty sure I can smooth any concerns if one of my neighbors should complain.

I plan to be back to charcoal and AMPS down the road, but will have to wait until my wife and I can get a house. That isn't a huge ways off but not in the near future. Until then, I will learn to smoke with an electric setup, learn more about cold smoking. particularly bacon, and enjoy being back in the USA.

I doubt you will have an issue with the AMPS unless you are right next to the apartment office. The neighbors are more apt to complain about loud music and parties.

[Tatoosh]

I may test the water on the AMPS down the road. I had one of the round, pellet versions in the Philippines. And while I will do hot smoking and Q in my Masterbuilt, cold smoking bacon is my primary focus. So I am very tempted by the cold smoker Masterbuilt sells as an add-on.

In terms of imparting a smokey flavor, I've had more luck with chips than pellets. that is probably because of my much more limited experience with pellets vs chips. Also, I'm a bit worried about being able to control the amount of smoke that the add-on cold smoker produces. I need a consistent, thin amount, not a cloud bank. And if I step over to smoking cheese and fish, I need to keep the temps down - in the sub 80F area.

I've read elsewhere that some folks have used chimney pipe to tailor a stand-off for the cold smoker unit. Some have even run the pipe through a small ice chest so they can cool the smoke even further before it arrives in the Masterbuilt. I'm a bit intrigued by that idea.

Richard P. Tichard had a post over on FB about cold smoking cured salmon. While I'm not a great fan of salmon, it is a majorly popular item in the Northwest and I'd like to ba able to do it for friends. So between chasing my EQ bacon grail and the salmon, something I can plug in to the wall, monitor stretched out on the couch, and still produce the sort of depth of flavor I love sounds very appealing.

[Bearcarver]

I may test the water on the AMPS down the road. I had one of the round, pellet versions in the Philippines. And while I will do hot smoking and Q in my Masterbuilt, cold smoking bacon is my primary focus. So I am very tempted by the cold smoker Masterbuilt sells as an add-on.

In terms of imparting a smokey flavor, I've had more luck with chips than pellets. that is probably because of my much more limited experience with pellets vs chips. Also, I'm a bit worried about being able to control the amount of smoke that the add-on cold smoker produces. I need a consistent, thin amount, not a cloud bank. And if I step over to smoking cheese and fish, I need to keep the temps down - in the sub 80F area.

I've read elsewhere that some folks have used chimney pipe to tailor a stand-off for the cold smoker unit. Some have even run the pipe through a small ice chest so they can cool the smoke even further before it arrives in the Masterbuilt. I'm a bit intrigued by that idea.

Richard P. Tichard had a post over on FB about cold smoking cured salmon. While I'm not a great fan of salmon, it is a majorly popular item in the Northwest and I'd like to ba able to do it for friends. So between chasing my EQ bacon grail and the salmon, something I can plug in to the wall, monitor stretched out on the couch, and still produce the sort of depth of flavor I love sounds very appealing.

I know of a couple guys who like the Masterbuilt Cold smoker attachment, but I don't get around that good myself, and don't want something that gets in the way for covering it, and don't want another thing to plug in on my front porch.
Plus I don't have much room for any more toys on that porch.

I've been using my AMNS and my AMNPS for nearly 7 years, and still love them.
I quit Cold Smoking Bacon years ago, because I found I can get the same product, if not better, in much less time by using "Warm Smoke" (Between 100° and 130°).
As for the flame with the AMNPS, it's only about 2" high & that's only while you're lighting it. It's only smoke during the entire smoking session. You blow the flame out, before you put it in the Smoker.

Bear

[Tatoosh]

Interesting that you mentioned the warm smoke approach. That is what I shifted to, perhaps slightly warmer than yours, but pretty much the same range a few years back.

I would smoke the bacon at 185F or so - until I got to an internal temperature of 135F or 140F tops. Then I'd pull it and heat finish to 150F in my kitchen oven on a pan with a cooling rack inside to capture all the bacon grease. That bacon grease was pure gold!

Because of my own health and since I was sharing my bacon with older folks, I always went for safety and did the heat finish. But now that I'm back in the USA I am a bit less concerned and none of the old Philippine expat crowd to share with. So it's all for me and mine at this point.

Luckily I have a roll in storage shed on my patio. I plan to put the Masterbuilt 40 on cart of some sort. The dual plug thing is a problem, though I may not bother plugging the main smoker in when cold smoking. Just plug the cold-smoker attachment in to my exterior plug and use a Thermoworks or Maverick bluetooth or wifi probe.

I have a very experienced British butcher friend that is an avid old school charcuterie guy and he does a number of bacon types, most of which are cold smoked sharing recipes. I want to learn what I can from him and see how close I can get to his stuff. I may fall short and it may be a lot of effort compared to the quicker warm smoke approach, but when I am setup, i will try.

And the cold smoke for fish - my wife loves smoked fish and really wants me to get into that. I dare not say no!

[Bearcarver]

Interesting that you mentioned the warm smoke approach. That is what I shifted to, perhaps slightly warmer than yours, but pretty much the same range a few years back.

I would smoke the bacon at 185F or so - until I got to an internal temperature of 135F or 140F tops. Then I'd pull it and heat finish to 150F in my kitchen oven on a pan with a cooling rack inside to capture all the bacon grease. That bacon grease was pure gold!

Because of my own health and since I was sharing my bacon with older folks, I always went for safety and did the heat finish. But now that I'm back in the USA I am a bit less concerned and none of the old Philippine expat crowd to share with. So it's all for me and mine at this point.

Luckily I have a roll in storage shed on my patio. I plan to put the Masterbuilt 40 on cart of some sort. The dual plug thing is a problem, though I may not bother plugging the main smoker in when cold smoking. Just plug the cold-smoker attachment in to my exterior plug and use a Thermoworks or Maverick bluetooth or wifi probe.

I have a very experienced British butcher friend that is an avid old school charcuterie guy and he does a number of bacon types, most of which are cold smoked sharing recipes. I want to learn what I can from him and see how close I can get to his stuff. I may fall short and it may be a lot of effort compared to the quicker warm smoke approach, but when I am setup, i will try.

And the cold smoke for fish - my wife loves smoked fish and really wants me to get into that. I dare not say no!

Here's my Favorite "Bacon Step by Step":
http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19027


Bear

[Bearcarver]

Bumping this up, because there seems to be a few Guys interested in getting an MES.

My original Post (on this Thread) tells much of what I know about MES Digital Units.

Bear

[AJ]

Did the version #2 ever come with Bluetooth? I see a couple on CL locally and might have to buy one for the cabin. The pics don't show me enough to tell if it is 2.0 or 2.5.

[Bearcarver]

Did the version #2 ever come with Bluetooth? I see a couple on CL locally and might have to buy one for the cabin. The pics don't show me enough to tell if it is 2.0 or 2.5.

Hi AJ,
I don't think the Gen #2 ever came Bluetooth.

The easiest way to tell is the Gen #2 has a stupid slanted drip plate, just above the heating element. It is higher on the right than the left, and there is a small water pan hanging from the left end of the plate.

The Gen #2.5 doesn't have that Drip plate, and it has a centered, regular width water pan with a split level bottom (deeper on the left) to clear the chip burner unit.


Bear

[AJ]

Gotcha thanks Bear. The photos on CL did not show the exhaust or the drip pan. The model number the guy listed says #2.5 though.

[Bearcarver]

Gotcha thanks Bear. The photos on CL did not show the exhaust or the drip pan. The model number the guy listed says #2.5 though.

I gave up on tracking Model Numbers.
There are too many---Some have a special Model number just because of which store they go to. Some for 4 racks & some for 6 racks.
I go by the designs, especially the interior.

And like I said, the most important thing to avoid is that slanted Drip Plate in the Gen #2.


Bear

[TKOBBQ]

Is this a good deal or are there better deals out there?

[SmokinOutBack]

^

That's exactly the one I bought and the one you want. I even bought it from Sam's Club as well because of the free shipping. Had it in 4 days I think from Texas. I've used it 3 times now and it couldn't work any better.

[Bearcarver]

Is this a good deal or are there better deals out there?

That's the Great one!!

If you waited long enough, there could be a sale with a better price, but you might have to wait a long time (often just before Christmas).

If it was me, I'd snap it up at that $329.

Bear

[zombini]

Where I bought mine and same price...Love it so far...made another batch of sticks in it today.
z