Amazen Tube Lighting for Masterbuilt Smoker

If you are interested in using pellets in your Masterbuilt Electric Smoker (MES40, MES30 etc.) then something like the Amazen Tube is a great way to go. Here's how to get the Amazen Tube and your pellets to burn correctly so you will get good smoke and produce great food!

[@tireg47]

Thanks for sharing! Heat gun lights the pellets up good too.

[@ChrisMeirose]

Yes, a heat gun does a good job, I just happen to own a handful of torches so I use them out of convenience.

[@zachdelkus]

As embarrassing as this is, I spent a
Year and a half thinking I was lighting my pellet tube wrong, or it was the pellets or wind. I never thought to open the chip tray. I almost bought a $600 Traeger out of frustration.
Thank you!!!!

[@Chubbza5]

Same! I got a ton of creosote too. So glad this was posted, thanks man!

[@daveharmon8674]

Why are you guys using a smoke tube when your smoker comes with a smoke box?

[@zachdelkus]

@@daveharmon8674 you have to reload the box with chips every 45 mins. Pellet tubes last 6+ hours .
Masterbuilts are junk anyways. I switched to a traeger

[@daveharmon8674]

@@zachdelkus thanks

[@guybrown2339]

I cut the 1st 3 inches from a soda bottle for my funnel.

[@johnowens5207]

I’m trying this right now. I’m on the fence about the tube. I have one I’m trying right now with a hunk of bologna. But tomorrow or late tonight I’m starting a brisket. I want the pellets so I’m not having to do the wood chips every hour.

[@matthewbykowski2353]

Thanks for the video, this helped me out. Which ribs/rub did you prefer? Cheers!

[@ChrisMeirose]

Famous Dave's is my "standard". For reasonably priced and readily available rubs it is my #1.

[@ChrisMeirose]

I do use numerous others, including a couple from Meat Church. Dave's is just easy and solid.

[@jaycharles9548]

Question : I've cooked ribs in the oven a lot and they turn out Great. The advantage of an Electric Smoker is that you can add wood chips for the smoke flavor. Why do you need to have a water pan since an Electric Smoker is just an outside oven ? I've never used a water pan in my indoor oven and the results are wonderful.

[@ChrisMeirose]

For ribs, you probably won't see a whole lot of difference. But do a brisket for 18 hours and having the added moisture can/does have an impact. You have to determine if you prefer that (I do), but the water pan is by no means required.

[@djwill6077]

That's because you don't know what you're doing

[@bigced3760]

This is cool so when Im finished how do you put it out.

[@ChrisMeirose]

I let them burn out dead in the smoker generally. So at that point, it is just cold ash. But if you needed to extract while it was still burning, just use metal tongs. You could then wet them down to put them out, and then dispose of however you see fit.

[@josephleonard3922]

Can u help me? I did all this and I had a good smoke going but the smoke smell was bad. It did not smell like my wood smoker does. Do the pellets smell like that?

[@ChrisMeirose]

The smell of pellets is strong. Burns the eyes something fierce. But tastes great. Try smelling it from 20 feet away and see what you think. When I get a direct hit, it is too much for me. But if I'm on the other side of the house and the smoke drift my way it smells like heaven. The other thing could be you don't like whatever pellet you have. I have a blend of apple, cherry, pecan and hickory that I've found I really like.

[@misterb1080]

Did you have a water pan in the smoker? I couldn’t tell. If so does the humidity ever put out the smoker tubes?

[@ChrisMeirose]

The water pan sits immediately below where I put the tube. I use water 90% of the time and have never had any issues with it negatively affecting the tube. Particularly when doing a bunch of pork butts or a big brisket, there is already a fair bit of humidity in the box regardless. If you get the pellets dry to begin with, and then ensure you have good combustion going before putting it in the smoker, you should be just fine.

[@lionelt.9124]

I think I'll try this but just use a few hot coals to keep the wood chips burning.

[@ChrisMeirose]

The tubes are designed for the pellets, and I'd recommend that over the wood chips. There are some who have done the woodchips, but the flair up chance on the chips over the pellets is enough that I choose to only use pellets in the tube. I do at time use chips in the standard way (through the side on top of the heating element) but then the side tube is fully seated rather then half out to limit the air flow. The ideal is a smoulder not a flame.

[@lionelt.9124]

@@ChrisMeirose Good to know! 👍

[@kevinmcmullen6527]

you burnt half your pellets up before you got to use them

[@ChrisMeirose]

Nope, just got the first inch burning so they would smoulder well when the flame was blown out. Almost 6 hour of smoke out of the tube, so definitely nowhere near half.

[@blacklabel4u]

Grab your thongs lol 😆

[@KenDanieli]

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