Hi All, Does anyone have experience doing beef jerky in an Amerique (SM066)? I've never tried it but want to, although I know the Amerique's reputation (and my own experience) for being an very moist environment for smoking. For most things, (pork butt, brisket, etc) this is a good thing. For jerky, I'm thinking not so much. Any specific experience and tips welcome. Need this for Christmas gifts!! Merry Christmas!Read More...

Hey everyone, I’m a rookie and just had a quick question I’m hoping you guys can help me with. I’m cooking for a family BBQ tomorrow on my 22” kettle. I’ve got 3 racks of baby back and 1 rack of beef back ribs. Never smoked beef ribs so I’m just wondering if they take about the same time as pork ribs to cook? I have a rib rack I’ll be using to fit them all on the kettle so I’m wondering if I should put the beef ribs on first? Should they go closer to the heat or further? Like I said, rookie...Read More...

Hello all, I am fairly new to the world of smoked meats, I made some pork ribs yesterday and created a nice bark before wrapping in foil with some parkay squeezed butter and a little honey, after unwrapping i noticed the process destroyed my bark. Is there anyway to keep the bark after wrapping thanks in advanceRead More...

Recently, have experienced an issue with my Fast Eddy Cookshack FEC 500. It has been tripping the breaker. The unit allows me to make the desired setting but when I pressed the start button, it trips the breaker. It was suggested to disconnect the igniter. It still tripped the breaker. I then disconnected the main exhaust fan, and the unit worked fine. I thought I had discovered the issue but then I tested the fan independently, and the fan worked well. I also noticed, that when the fan was...Read More...

our sm 160 just stopped heating control panel works can set it properly but no heat. bought and replaced element but nothing any ideasRead More...

Hi friends, I have a 2017 model SM045 and absolutely LOVE it for brisket, chicken, pork, and more. Today the smoker is tripping the GFCI in the outlet after only rising 2-3 degrees. I reset it several times, and it continued to trip after just a couple of minutes and a warming just a couple degrees between each time the GFCI trips. I tried 4 other circuits between my shop, detached garage, house, and neighbor’s property - each of which had a GFCI that tripped just a couple minutes in.Read More...

We've blown three transformers over the last few weeks one faster than the next. We're finding the damage on the circuit board. Sent it over to an electronic technician locally to get it cleaned up and rewound properly. Does anybody have the specs on this component/coil? I'd love to send him the spec before he starts working on it. Thanks friends!Read More...

I love my Amerique and have made lots of great BBQ on it. I've been having trouble with the display on the controller and some of the digits don't show up for the probe temperature. I've had the unit for 4 years and this is my second control unit (Cookshack replaced the first one with no hassle). Is there any maintenance I can do on the controller?Read More...

I have a Super Smoker Oven Model 107 from 1986. I have a tread that just came off one of my wheels. I want to replace all 4 but I am having a hard time getting the wheels to come off. The 2 rear wheels are tack welded and the front 2 pivot. I was working on the pivot wheels but they don’t seem to be threaded in, does anyone know if they are pressure fit inside the tube steel? My smoker is from 1986 and I want to keep using this beauty! It’s an amazing piece of equipment that has stood the...Read More...

I smoked my first turkey (14.5 lbs.). 275 degrees and it took 3 hours. I used applewood and salt and pepper. The legs fell off the body when I took off the smoker.Read More...

Hello there. I am new to the world of smoking and recently got a Cookshack smoker (SM045). So far, I have had some decent results with pork shoulder and ribs, but I’m finding beef brisket a bit more challenging especially when it comes to balancing the smoke flavor. Last weekend; I smoked a 12-pound brisket using pecan wood, set the temperature to 225°F, and let it go for about 14 hours. While the brisket was tender and the bark was decent, the smoke flavor seemed a bit overpowering. It...Read More...

I am looking at purchasing the SMO45 to hold brisket similar to Goldees. Any experience you can share with me?Read More...

I have a brand new Fast eddy FEC 100, when I try the standard program like say #5 baby backs, the smoke starts( supposedly at 180) it goes to 300-350 then the over temp pops the unit off till it cools down, I tried a probe cook before, the oven temperature usually runs 100 degrees over , I talked to Bill Vice and he told me to shove the drip shield all the way over again the left wall to protect the oven temperature probe but this doesn't seem to keep the unit from heating back up to 300-350...Read More...

I have an FEC 120 IQ4. The temperature on the display fluctuates by over 10f in less than 10 minutes, which seems a bit odd, and a bit fast for to be actually changing. I am going to put in a probe this weekend near the cookshack thermometer to check it.Read More...

Anyone seen a chicken throne made of clay? It is a one piece item and the throne portion holds liquid in the same fashion as a beer can would in a wire throne. The bottom holds drippings like placing a pie pan under a wire throne.Read More...

I’ve purchased one of the above smokers from a site second hand I’m struggling to get it up to temperature they said it was working before I purchased it it gets up to 76f but no further I’ve left it on for 5 hours it’s set on the preset number 1 so 6 hours smoke the 10 hours cooking max temp 240f any help would be much appreciated thanksRead More...

I have a Pit Boss electric smoker grill and a stand up smoker. I need to know what other equipment is needed to make my own deer sticks with cheese. I see plenty of recipes, but don’t want to start and then not have all I need. I want to “set up” for success the first go round. Thanks for your time and sharing your knowledge.Read More...

I have a relatively new 045.... Seasoned per instructions. I was smoking pork tenderloin with apple wood CHIPS. I (unfortunately) was not near, but the ladies of the house, three of them report a very loud BOOM from the unit. They said it shook the house and there was smoke everywhere, out the door and out the hole. My intrepid wife turned it off, but did not open the door. When I came back 15 minutes later, I could find nothing wrong, so I fired it off again and continued to smoke two...Read More...

Looking to host a large event for 120. Going to cook prime rib and have a couple of questions. 1. Cost will be dinner for $35. What weight of slice should I serve? 2. Thinking of using my La Caja China to do this. Anyone else done a large scale cook of prime rib in one of those? Thank you.Read More...

I own a pg 1000 that was manufactured in late 2021. After about 6 or 7 cooks the hood started to loosen up and had more side to side movement when I open the hood. Seems like the weakness is in the way the hood is made in the front corners. Was wondering if anyone else has had this issue and what can I do to fix it? I did see the newer models have more rivets on the front under part of hood (flat piece that below the handle towards the front of hood when open). Would adding another rivet...Read More...

I need to install a new ignitor in my PG1000. How do I remove the fire pot? My fire pot has two bolts/nuts on top and several Phillip head screws in the front. The front screws will be hard to remove due to the steel wall that divides the cooking chamber. I can’t find a nut driver that will work on the two bolts on top. I have many socket and nut drivers but none seem to fit. If anyone knows that size let me know.Read More...

Anyone here have a suggestion for a new home use vacuum sealer?Read More...

Hi, I have a FEC 100 built in 2008. I recently upgraded the controller and have had good results. Today I noticed my auger motor sounding like it was straining. This went on for a few minutes then stopped. I was also experiencing temp fluctuation. I just got back from sitting with it for 20 minutes and it did not make the noise. Does anyone have an idea what might be going on? Thanks, MattRead More...

Hey guys .. what have you all done to raise the level of the Smoker to make it easier to look inside without bending or stooping .. Could you post your pictures of what you have built or used .. since then all of us could take a look at what others have done .. I saw that cookshack is selling a stand .. does any one know if it�s waterproof .. since I would love to leave my smoker outside instead of lugging it in and out of the garage � and I would not want the items inside to get wet ..Read More...

Hey everyone, I am pretty new to smoking and just got my Cookshack smoker. Super excited to dive in but I am a bit nervous about doing chicken for the first time. I have read that it can dry out quickly so I want to make sure I get it right. Any tips on things like temperature, wood choice or seasoning? Should I brine the chicken beforehand, or is that overkill?? Also do you prefer to go low and slow or crank the heat up a bit to get the skin crispy? As well, I found these resources when...Read More...

I have a smoker that is tripping my breakers. I know it says to use a non gfi outlet and run it for a while since the element might have been wet, however, we have all gfi outlets for the entire house. Any other suggestion?Read More...

I did two pork shoulders today. I did them hot and fast method. They came out very nicely. Took about 5 hours total. This was a) my first cook on my FEC 100, and b) my first hot and fast on pork shoulders. My weird experiences were that the internal probe registered 71 degrees for well over an hour from the moment I put it in the meat. I know it was colder in the meat than that at first. But it finally got working a couple of hours into the cook. The other strange thing is all the ash that...Read More...

Had one from a hardware store but it has worn out it's welcome. Any ideas?Read More...

The other day I decided to do a rack of St. Louis spares. Just for grins I looked in my notes about my previous smokes. I discovered that I had started with Smokin’ Okie's 101 on how to do ribs then some time in the years following I have moved to just throwing them into the smoker bone side down, until done 4- 6 hrs. here at 7200 ft. I smoke at 225 deg. with a chunk of cherry or apple depending on my mood. So, I decided to give the 101 a try that is: 2 hrs. bone side up flip and spritz with...Read More...

Hey y'all. Anyone on here using the SM360 to smoke salmon? Trying to use ours to make some hot smoked and having a little trouble getting that deep red/orange/brown color without drying out the outside. Would love any reccomendations.Read More...

Food / Beverage menu about 90% finished. Rest of food menu will be completed once we move into actual kitchen. I'm sure a few items will change, plus we'll update/change after 60-90 days. This menu has the ability to be printed/updated couple of times per month. Comments welcome. PS. Actual size is 11 x 17Read More...

I wanna know in your opinion what smoker and or brand would be best for all year round use. We live in the norther part of the US and get plenty snow and wanted to continue to smoke during those snowy months.Read More...

Hello there, I am new to using my Cookshack smoker and could really use some advice from the seasoned veterans in this community. I recently bought a Cookshack SM025; and I am planning to smoke a beef brisket this weekend for a family gathering. I have had some decent success with ribs and chicken; but brisket feels like a whole new challenge; and I want to make sure I get it just right. When choosing a brisket, do you have any recommendations on the ideal size or cut for smoking in the...Read More...

Hi everyone! I'm finally the very proud owner of a 2009 SM025! I started with a Weber Smokey Mountain 18", then moved to a Traeger, and now I've got the Cookshack. Did the first cook on it this weekend, 3 pack of Costco BB ribs. After reading quite a few posts, I settled on 235 temp and a 3oz chunk of apple wood. I'm used to using a 3-2-1 method on ribs, but this time ran them the whole time just on the rib rack, no foil. I check on them at 3.5hrs, and when I opened the door I lost all the...Read More...

My new fec120 was delivered Monday, 9/16. I was so excited and did a test run of a couple racks of Baby Backs that night. Turned out great. I purchased the 120 to cook for a fund raiser to raise money for repairs to an old community center. That’s what I told my wife anyway. I’ve had several fec smokers including a fec750 and are accustomed to large cooks. My mission was to cook 270# of butts and 80 racks of baby backs in two days. The five rib racks that I ordered didn’t get delivered until...Read More...

I have 2 iq5's that i am fixing for a friend that have been in storage for a while. Hank starts up and i can start a cook program, all the fans are going, 240v is going to the ignitor but thats not heating utp. But i have replaced lots of ignitors before, and it is getting 240v. But the auger motor is not moving and i cannot measure any voltage accross it. Can anyone suggest the first place to start? These are my first IQ5's to fix. The 2nd iq5 Patsy she starts, and i can start a program,...Read More...

Do you need to rotate rib racks on a fec120 like you do on a fec100. Cooking 40 rack using 5 rib racksRead More...

Let's get this forum moving again! I'll start... Picked up a nice rack of short ribs at the local store. On sale for $3.99/lb. Gave them a good coat of Tatonka Dust & 407BBQ rub. Into the FEC they go. Two hours at 200 for some extra smoke then up to 250 for the remainder of the smoke. But they were taking a while, so near the end I cranked it up to 350 to get them done. Damn things took close to nine hours. Longest they've ever taken. Usually it's six to seven hours. Never know which way...Read More...

Had done beef ribs a couple times with variable results. Impulse buy at grocery store for some good looking beef back ribs. Came home to read up on the forum and found some folks discouraged beef back ribs due to lack of meat and difficulty removing the membrane. Membrane was difficult to get started but came off relatively easy once it was started. Rubbed with Mccormicks garlic pepper and Butchers premium rub. Same basic combo I use for brisket. Into cold AQ smoker set to 225 with hickory...Read More...

I'm seeing St. Louis ribs being offered in weight categories such as 1.5Lb, 2Lb, 2.5Lb, 3Lb and3.5Lb. I've always thought 2.5Lb was pretty much normal. What would you choose and why? TNX, mmRead More...

Anybody built or had built an outdoor kitchen around a pg500? I'm searching for ideas. Thanks!Read More...

Got a PM asking about Wet Aging and so thought I'd bring it here to discuss as we've got a thread going for Dry Aging. Aging ONLY applies to beef, not chicken or pork Wet aging has really grown in use by Restaurants over the last 10 years for one reason; less waste. WHY? Aging is supposed to intensify the flavors SHOULD I AGE? Ah, good question grasshopper. I find, that the more complicated the recipe the less important it is. If you're going to cover the beef in complicated rubs and sauces...Read More...

I've got to brine a few turkeys next month, I'm thinking the number will turn out to be 150-200 14-15lb'ers. My questions are: 1)What is the minimum time in the brine to get acceptable results? Will 12 hours be enough, or do I need to plan on 24 or more? It would be great if I could more or less match the brine time to the cook time so I can push these turkeys out quick, but quality is my priority. 2)Can I reuse the brine? I'm expecting to do 3-4 batches of turkeys back to back. I could add...Read More...

I’m doing a big cook for the local community center this weekend. Serving 15 butts and 20 racks of St Louis ribs Saturday and again on Sunday. Planning on 5 hours @ 250 for ribs and 12 hours at 250 for butts. Cook times seem reasonable? I’ve got 4 rib racks and planned on 5 ribs per rack. Reasonable? Never used the racks before. I owned a fec100 and are used to rotating the meat. However I bought the fec120 to keep from rotating. Is rotating necessary? Any pointers greatly appreciated ThanksRead More...

I was watching the video below and nooticed that the chicken was put in the smoker without preheat. Is this correct? Doesnt this expose the meat to the "early" smoke which Ive read is more harsh in flavor. I've preheated for all my smokes so far. Thanks for any thoughts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDovya1Ixs0Read More...

Formerly used a Big Chief for smoking brined salmon. At 65F ambient, interior temperature would max out at 165F. Technique was to use three pans of alder chips (2 hours smoking) and then 3-4 hours with no smoke to finish drying process. Perfect results. Have never been able to duplicate this in my SM066. Temperature is hit in about 40 minutes and smoke stops. Results at 5-6 hours has same doneness and little smoke flavor. I've tried the cold smoke baffle (no ice) and get about an hour of...Read More...

How many butts can you cook in a FEC120? I need to cook 16 butts 2 nights in a row.Read More...

First time for Pork Butt on a CS. What do most people inject their Pork Butt with? Or do you inject at all? Thanks from a new comer. Don BRead More...

Ok, so I thought I did enough homework to justify buying the FEPG over a Traeger Crapco roadshow Chinesium special. Well I am at about 10 cooks in. the FEPG is a good grill above 300 degrees. I can't get it to go low and slow, e.g 170-180. Tried the factory set 10-50, and changed that to 10-30. Got 6o degree overshoots on 170 degress turned some $15/lb wild salmon into Jerky. Low and slow is important to me..... Any suggestions are appreciated. The other problem I have is bridging, Running...Read More...

Has anyone successfully upgraded one of their electric smokers to use an off the shelf available Thermostat controller. I love that I can go as low as 100 deg to do things like jerky etc. But i would also like to go as high as 500 deg so i can use this to bake with. Having the ability to take a pie or any type of baked goods to the next level with some smoke flavor is what I'm looking to achieve. would the heating element need to be upgraded as well?Read More...