azbohunter
Member
One of my favorites to smoke has always been salmon or kokanee and for years I used a Masterbuilt cheapo with a PID, mailbox mod and AMNPS and it always produced good results. A few months ago I acquired a used #3 which also had a PID with it, I was excited to give it a go. I did several different meats with good results but I could not get my fish to come out the way I was accustomed to and the way I like it. I had always smoked a 3 step method starting at 100 for 2 hours, 140 for another 2 hours and then 175 till fish hit internal temp of 145. I would always start this by letting my fish set after brining until a nice pellicle had formed. With this method I never got over done fish and never got albumin or white protein covering fish.
My first few attempts in the #3 were not so great. I was having a hard time getting smoke at the low temps and having a hard time controlling the temps that low.
I did AT several times following suggestions on this site and still was having trouble holding steady low temps. Out of frustration I tried a AT with #3 already up to temp and bingo..I now am a very happy camper.
Yesterday I smoked up a batch, ambient temp at start of smoke was 75 and at end of smoke it was 100 degrees (ambient not in the smoker) welcome to Arizona!!
I left the smoke box out, put a row and a half of dust in the AMNPS and set it over the intake hole, put the fish in without drying it for pellicle, set program for 3 hours at 100, 2 hours at 140 and 175 till 145 IT and off. It came out perfect! One other thing I did was add a 1 1/4" diameter fan out of computer to exhaust vent. The fan fit perfectly into a piece of 1 1/2 pvc. I don't know if that is needed but it worked.
Liking my #3 better with every use..it is so easy and cleans up so easily, the old M/B is going to have to find a new home.
ON Edit: just wanted to add that even though there was 30 degrees and less between ambient temp and smoker set temp to start...it held very close to 100 for 3 hours, of course I had it in the shade of the old orange tree!
My first few attempts in the #3 were not so great. I was having a hard time getting smoke at the low temps and having a hard time controlling the temps that low.
I did AT several times following suggestions on this site and still was having trouble holding steady low temps. Out of frustration I tried a AT with #3 already up to temp and bingo..I now am a very happy camper.
Yesterday I smoked up a batch, ambient temp at start of smoke was 75 and at end of smoke it was 100 degrees (ambient not in the smoker) welcome to Arizona!!
I left the smoke box out, put a row and a half of dust in the AMNPS and set it over the intake hole, put the fish in without drying it for pellicle, set program for 3 hours at 100, 2 hours at 140 and 175 till 145 IT and off. It came out perfect! One other thing I did was add a 1 1/4" diameter fan out of computer to exhaust vent. The fan fit perfectly into a piece of 1 1/2 pvc. I don't know if that is needed but it worked.
Liking my #3 better with every use..it is so easy and cleans up so easily, the old M/B is going to have to find a new home.
ON Edit: just wanted to add that even though there was 30 degrees and less between ambient temp and smoker set temp to start...it held very close to 100 for 3 hours, of course I had it in the shade of the old orange tree!
Did this yesterday..but it is getting to hot here, had to quit early.
