[pbuck]

Looks great...do you shoot for an IT or just a set time/temp

Pulled them when they got over 140 IT. Most were close to 145.


2 hrs. @ 140
2 hrs. @ 160
Then 180 until IT hit 140. Took about 4 1/2 hrs.

These were pretty small fish so they didn’t take long once I bumped the temp to 180. Some were almost there after 2 hrs at 160 and I checked them every 1/2 hr. after I went to 180.

 

[12-Ringer]

Never had much luck with a dry rub...but they look good...I might have to try again

I usually use 3 cups apple juice, 2oz of apple cider vinegar, 1 cup honey powder, 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup Kosher salt, 2 tbspns Paprika

I warm the brine to be sure all sugars are dissolved , once cooled lay the fillets in and seal for 36 hours min....and then smoke with alder or apple at 160 until IT 145...

 

[joesandi]

We had our sausage fest weekend.
60# summer, 85# sticks, 25#breakfest sausage, 22.5# smoked rounds, and 6# jerky (wet weight). Over purchased pork, so made 27# brats. Ooh also made 3.5 gal of maple syrup. busy weekend. Picks are of the rounds in the smoker and slicing.

 

[pbuck]

Never had much luck with a dry rub...but they look good...I might have to try again

I usually use 3 cups apple juice, 2oz of apple cider vinegar, 1 cup honey powder, 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup Kosher salt, 2 tbspns Paprika

I warm the brine to be sure all sugars are dissolved , once cooled lay the fillets in and seal for 36 hours min....and then smoke with alder or apple at 160 until IT 145...

Curious as to why the dry brine hasn’t worked for you?

I’m no fish expert by any means. I just started smoking trout last year and I thought it turned out pretty good. The recipe I use was just a google search but it’s from The Black Peppercorn and I’ve found his stuff is almost always on point.

 

[12-Ringer]

User error...for some reason I tend to smoke them too long when I use the dry brine snd end up with fish chips (lol)...a mental thing I think

 

[nicko]

Smoking a bird for pulled chicken and 2 dozen ABTs stuffed with flat iron steak.

 

[USMC TBone]

Has anyody used a UDS (Ugly Drum Smoker)? Basically a vertical metal drum smoker grill. I've read some good things about this build your own kit.

BPS DIY Drum Smoker Kit - Starter Pack

Get the extra smoking accessories you need to get you smokin' easy with the Big Poppa Smokers DIY Drum Smoker Starter Pack. Smoking has never been easier.

www.bigpoppasmokers.com

It looks like if you put the charcoal basket at the bittom and use the food grate at the top or hang your meat you can smoke with a basket full of charcoal for about 8 - 10 hrs before needing to refill. However the con would be having to remove the food and grate pull out the charcoal basket to refill it. Unless ther was a kit to add a swing out door on the side.

If you put the charcoal basket in the middle position you can use the upper grate to grill foods hot and fast. The only other issue i can think is needing to figure out a way to add a water pan.

I have an old 55 gal drum laying around that only has a thin layer of rust on the inside, but i dont know what it actually was used for previously. I guess if i buiot a good hot fire in it and spent a good long hot burn in it th as thould help incernerste any chemial residue that might be release. Any thoughts on these types of cookers? I like the idea if the kit and it looks easy to build with all the parts. I think i could also seek out a new food grade or certified reconditioned food grade barrel woth lid as well. Sounds like they run anywhere from $20 - $80.

I do most of smoking and bbq on a Weber Kettle grill, but I'm limited on space and with they barrel i could potentially add extra grates or use a hanging kit to hang multipke hunks og meat in there. The kit would be a low cost alternative and allow me to get a quality heavy steel smoker woth larger capacity, even if i have to buy a new barrel it wpuld be cheaper than a half decent offset horizontal barrel smoker.

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[pbuck]

Some more trout just hit the MES.

 

[hokiehunter373]

My local pond just got stocked yesterday and season opens tomorrow. I won't be able to get out til Monday but man I hope I can catch a few so I can try um out like that. Although my son may not have the patience for it and I might just need to fry some up real quick haha

 

[pbuck]

This batch turned out much better than the last.

 

[Outback Man]

Made some pastrami for the first time. Got a corned beef brisket flat and a point at the store. Soaked them overnight in water and changed it out a couple times but still maybe a little salty. Prolly go a little longer next time. Smoked them for around 3 hours, then wrapped them until around 200°, then back in unwrapped for about 30 more minutes to reset the bark.

Also smoked some prim cap steaks and strips with some chips for the kids for dinner tonight and then seared them over charcoal. I ate far too much today.

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[lovetohunt93]

Well my MES 30 decided to call it quits on me after 4 years. I haven't tinkered with it yet but its reading 300 degrees and thus the heating element will not come on. Somehow I gotta find out why it thinks its 300 in there when its actually cold.

Anyway, I might be in the market for another smoker anyway. I can't decide between a pellet grill, kamado style, one of these The Harvester - Premium BBQ Smoker,
just so many options. Might even do another MES if I can't get mine up and running.

Even though charcoal can be a pain compared to an electric like the MES, I feel like the flavor is different using the charcoal. I like the versatility of the kamado but not sure about doing those long cooks on them, please help. lol

 

[tackscall]

Well my MES 30 decided to call it quits on me after 4 years. I haven't tinkered with it yet but its reading 300 degrees and thus the heating element will not come on. Somehow I gotta find out why it thinks its 300 in there when its actually cold.

Anyway, I might be in the market for another smoker anyway. I can't decide between a pellet grill, kamado style, one of these The Harvester - Premium BBQ Smoker,
just so many options. Might even do another MES if I can't get mine up and running.

Even though charcoal can be a pain compared to an electric like the MES, I feel like the flavor is different using the charcoal. I like the versatility of the kamado but not sure about doing those long cooks on them, please help. lol

Four years is a miracle for the MES


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[joesandi]

My MES 30 is 7 yrs old and going strong and the 40 is 5. So that's 3 miracles. LOL

 

[USMC TBone]

Well my MES 30 decided to call it quits on me after 4 years. I haven't tinkered with it yet but its reading 300 degrees and thus the heating element will not come on. Somehow I gotta find out why it thinks its 300 in there when its actually cold.

Anyway, I might be in the market for another smoker anyway. I can't decide between a pellet grill, kamado style, one of these The Harvester - Premium BBQ Smoker,
just so many options. Might even do another MES if I can't get mine up and running.

Even though charcoal can be a pain compared to an electric like the MES, I feel like the flavor is different using the charcoal. I like the versatility of the kamado but not sure about doing those long cooks on them, please help. lol

That Harvester smoker looks pretty sweet, but expensive. Basically it looks like a souped up UDS (ugly drum smoker) with a side access door. If you are not married to the side access door there are other cheaper well regarded UDS smokers out there in the $500 range, or if you have a 55 gal barrel/drum you can or make one with a kit for less than $200, maybe add $50 - $90 if you need to buy a drum.

I only know because I have a drum laying arpund and have been looking into doing one of the kits. Comes with all the pieces to turn a barrel/drum into a smoker. You just have to give it a good burning to char an clean off any linings or residues, then cut out the slots and drill holes for everything. Give it a coat of high temp paint (unless you want the true ugly look) and bolt all the pieces on, then you have a vertical smoker that can also be a grill depending on how you set it up. The 55 gal drums are perfect size for using Weber 22" Kettle grill grates.

Has anyone here used a vertical style drum smoker before? I'm curious how long of a cook you can get from a full basket of charcoal (because you have to remove the food and grates to refuel ), and how well they maintain their temps. Also interested in one with hooks to hang meat and have more room.

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[USMC TBone]

I think I'm gonna go for it on building an ugly drum smoker (UDS). Found a place about an hour's drive selling used food grade 55 gal steel drums for $25. Previously held pear juice. Just need to get the wife to approve my travel voucher, LOL. I think I'll keep it easy and go with the Big Poppa Smoker Starter Kit. Has all the harder needed to make a smoker out of a steel drum. I think it even comes with the needed drill bits.

BPS DIY Drum Smoker Kit - Starter Pack

Get the extra smoking accessories you need to get you smokin' easy with the Big Poppa Smokers DIY Drum Smoker Starter Pack. Smoking has never been easier.

www.bigpoppasmokers.com

Will have to let you know if I do go through with it, and share my progress/results.

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[lovetohunt93]

That Harvester smoker looks pretty sweet, but expensive. Basically it looks like a souped up UDS (ugly drum smoker) with a side access door. If you are not married to the side access door there are other cheaper well regarded UDS smokers out there in the $500 range, or if you have a 55 gal barrel/drum you can or make one with a kit for less than $200, maybe add $50 - $90 if you need to buy a drum.

I only know because I have a drum laying arpund and have been looking into doing one of the kits. Comes with all the pieces to turn a barrel/drum into a smoker. You just have to give it a good burning to char an clean off any linings or residues, then cut out the slots and drill holes for everything. Give it a coat of high temp paint (unless you want the true ugly look) and bolt all the pieces on, then you have a vertical smoker that can also be a grill depending on how you set it up. The 55 gal drums are perfect size for using Weber 22" Kettle grill grates.

Has anyone here used a vertical style drum smoker before? I'm curious how long of a cook you can get from a full basket of charcoal (because you have to remove the food and grates to refuel ), and how well they maintain their temps. Also interested in one with hooks to hang meat and have more room.

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In looking at some of those kits, I feel like I might be a fool to spend that kind of money on the Harvester (even though it is awesome looking). I kind of like they idea of possibly making my own for much cheaper and basically having them same concept.

Removing food to add in charcoal might be a pain and was a concern of mine as well with not having an access door. It seems like cutting in a door might not be too difficult though.

 

[Billy H]

Well my MES 30 decided to call it quits on me after 4 years. I haven't tinkered with it yet but its reading 300 degrees and thus the heating element will not come on. Somehow I gotta find out why it thinks its 300 in there when its actually cold.

Anyway, I might be in the market for another smoker anyway. I can't decide between a pellet grill, kamado style, one of these The Harvester - Premium BBQ Smoker,
just so many options. Might even do another MES if I can't get mine up and running.

Even though charcoal can be a pain compared to an electric like the MES, I feel like the flavor is different using the charcoal. I like the versatility of the kamado but not sure about doing those long cooks on them, please help. lol

I’ll probably always have an MES or some sort of electric smoker on hand. For doing sticks , summer sausage, jerky and the like. Love the simplicity of it. Using a pellet smoke tube with one makes a big difference. Use an offset with wood fire for everything else.

 

[pbuck]

I’ll probably always have an MES or some sort of electric smoker on hand. For doing sticks , summer sausage, jerky and the like. Love the simplicity of it. Using a pellet smoke tube with one makes a big difference. Use an offset with wood fire for everything else.

Ditto on the MES part.

 

[USMC TBone]

I still would like to aquire an MES to start trying to make my own sausages as well. If I get the vertical drum smoker set up and like it, I may have to get rid of my Weber Kettle (sniff sniff ) before getting an MES just so I have room for it.

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