Anyone done them in this smoker? Did you hang them or put in racks? Gonna use sheep casings not collagen casings. Made them before but not with sheep casings and not in this smoker. Any help would be appreciated! ThanksRead More...

A glossary of terms for new users (and old). Changes and additions should be added to this post and are gratefully accepted. ============================================ ABT - Atomic Buffalo Turd - a jalapeno pepper filled with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon and then smoked. Beinks or Boinks (see also Burnt Ends and Moinks) - Burnt ends wrapped in bacon, slathered with BBQ sauce and smoked till sauce is tacky. Brining - a mixture of water, salt, and sugar/seasonings to immerse poultry,...Read More...

After a successful buckboard outing I gave the belly bacon a try. Ingredients: • 2 oz. Kosher salt • 1 tsp. Cure #1 (aka pink salt, InstaCure #1, Prague Powder #1) • 1/4 C. Maple sugar or packed brown sugar • 1/4 C. Maple syrup • 5 lb. fresh pork belly (Makes enough for a 5 lb. belly) I live in the boonies but did find a frozen 1/2 slab at the local meat market, seems a little more than I see others paying but its 75 miles to the nearest Sams Club. Applying the cure: They were too long for...Read More...

Hi Folks, Anyone have tips on smoking a whole deboned turkey then rolled and tied with a lamb sausage stuffing? Is it worth it? Thanks! Thinking of about a 12 pound bird, so timing info and temps.Read More...

Does anyone have a wiring diagram for the IQ4 on an FEC120 that is in focus? i have downloaded and been sent the manual v12.1 from 2011 but the diagram on page 15 is so poor i can read anything. I have a problem with the ignitor relay not being activated after i took off the board to clean the buttons of grease. It is a used FEC120 but it was working before but not now, and i found the cable block really hard to get back on. thanksRead More...

Happy Thanksgiving, fellow CS'ers! May the smoke be with you!Read More...

Hi, I am Looking For Watering Fish Marinade Recipes. I find it on Sous vide cooking tips but not satisfied it is correct or not. can anyone tell me the recipe of Fish Marinade ? Thanks in advance. Regards, Mark.Read More...

It seems on long cooks like Ribs, and brisket my product tends to dry out and get a bit crispier on the edges than I like. I am a fan of low and slow and try to cook at 225 to 275 or so. HHT is set at 30 and I am satisfied with the temp variance ranges I see with my Smoke X4. I have always used a Large Big Green Egg, and never had a problem drying out meat. (Yes ceramic is kind of nice.) I have never used the crutch, and would prefer to avoid it although I do think I will try Malcom Reed's...Read More...

I currently have my SM066 on a heavy-duty rolling cart. I am not able to invert the top of the cart to provide a flat surface for the smoker to sit on so I have it on 2x6" pieces of wood that raise it up enough for the door to open and the pan to fit underneath. I am looking for/trying to think of a suitable flat work surface that I can lay across the cart and in front of the smoker that I can set pans on and that can catch meat and drippings from when I am pulling from the smoker. So a...Read More...

Lately I have been banning some new members for spam and hidden links. Why the caution? Some of the folks post a link that is very difficult to see, blending into the background. Many are white but today in moving my cursor to the right slowly after the last word in a recent post it went to pointer mode signifying a link. No visible sign that there was a link, invisible. But the cursor does not lie. SO, if you aren't careful, it is possible to click a link not seen. Pretty clever! Happy...Read More...

So, my wife has picked up a small, 5lb, brisket flat. I am ready with my yellow mustard and Dillo Dust, but I am wondering about time and temp in my Cookshack SM025. I'm thinking rub this thing down in the morning, let it set for an hour, then set the oven to 225 and let it smoke to 165° before the foil wrap, then to 190° or so. Then rest for a couple or three hours before eating. The last time she got one of these really small briskets, I cooked it way too much, trying to get it to 200°...Read More...

OK, I'm a broken record on this. I'm encouraging folks to try beef cheeks if they haven't already. I get mine from Sam's Club, where they come in a cryovac package of 5 - 6 lbs. I split the package in two and try to separate as much of the gristle, fat, and silverskin as I can before repackaging in foodsaver bags for later use. I usually end up with 2 - 3 lbs of cheeks (three or so cheeks per package). Freezing them trimmed makes it so much easier to use later. Today I started with a package...Read More...

Years ago Cookshack use to send me emails when they ran a sale on their products. I haven't gotten any emails from them in some time and was wondering if they just aren't running any sales now, or if they just stopped notifying me?Read More...

Posted February 14, 2011 08:19 AM Hello. Brand new to the forum. I've been reading the forum's for awhile and decided to join.. There is a lot of good advice here and I am in need of some myself. I recently purchased the 24 inch charbroiler as well as an fec 100. I'm having an issue with the broiler not heating up as well as I thought. The middle is hot but about 5 inches from both ends don't really get up to temp. I've read where people are cooking great steaks and chops on this and I just...Read More...

Life on the river is about to get a lot better. I finally got around to putting together my AmeriCue SM066. I have a BGE but I am looking forward to the simplicity of the CookShack. Today, I will season the smoker for about 6 hours at 275 with 4oz of hickory. Tomorrow, I plan to smoke some chicken thighs for the first meal.Read More...

Does anyone have any good ideas for smoking deer meat? I have BBQ'd it before and turns out great but you can't cook it very long as it is best to keep it on the rare side. I have never tried to smoke it....Read More...

I have 2 seasons on my pg 500. today I when I tried to fire it up and the igniter would not shut down. basically it was burning the pellets in a big fire. any ideas?Read More...

I have had my SM150 for some years now it is a 2001 model. Still looks great, but I do like to clean it up really good sometimes and I can never seam to get it looking really clean on the inside. Usually I spray it down with degreaser and pressure wash the inside. Do not know it that is a good idea or not but it has never seamed to affect the working of it. On the door function I have never gotten the error message that the door is open. It appears to have a magnetic type of switch. Just...Read More...

So I probably gone two or three dozen cooks on this and I know it says to be very careful with the wood but I find that 3 ounces I start with he’s already done smoking within a few hours or so and I’m only getting a decent smoke flavor from it are you adding wood throughout the smoke or starting with more than 3 ounces? I’ve looked through the forms and haven’t seen many people go over for ounces. But is that at a time or and add as it burns out or only add wood I’m beginning? ThanksRead More...

Got me a rotisserie for the birds. Anyone ever get a little smoke on them for an hour or so while they are cold then into a rotisserie ?Read More...

I have my 008.... and now it is time to get rid of using gas entirely. Looking to spend $300 - $500 on a charcoal grill... would like it to have height adjustments for the grilling irons.... Durability is a prime concern... nothing flimsy... Big enough to handle enough food for up to 12 at a time. No smoker needed as I have an 008... Thoughts? Thanks.Read More...

Everytime I smoke, I will set the Smoke for 180 and it starts out of the gate going up to 250 and then slowly trickles down to 180 over the next two hours. For something that is over $5,000, it seems like this is unreasonable. What is the remedy?Read More...

Please give me some recommendations for finding a best pellet grill. Currently, I use a gas grill quite a bit, but I'm looking for a medium-sized pellet grill (preferably under 40" wide so it can be used on the deck). I am waiting for recommendations from you guys.Read More...

The day is saved.Read More...

At the start of my barbecue career I fumbled through a few rubs before finding Mike Mill's Magic Dust recipe . There's now a mason jar full of it in my cupboard at all times. Keeping a steady rub constant allowed me to focus on how to slow-smoke a piece of meat to perfection, and after seven years, I'm now feeling pretty comfortable with that. But I'm back to playing around with rubs, and finally tried one I've always found intriguing: a coffee rub . Not a coffee drinker myself, I wasn't...Read More...

Okay, odd question. I have a model SM025. I've had it for 10 years. Probably my best outdoor kitchen appliance, have smoked hundreds and hundreds of times, all kinds. The other day I was outside cleaning my kitchen area and I noticed the cover over my unit was quite warm, warmer than a black cover should be (it's a heavy cover). I took the cover off and to my amazement, the smoker was on! I usually unplug it but sometimes I guess not. I can't imagine accidentally turning it on while putting...Read More...

Never been a really huge fan of turkey, but that may have changed. Seen several posts around the interwebs that looked DELICIOUS! Had to give it a go. Couldn't find boneless breasts anywhere, so picked up a 6lb. bone in breast from Aldi. As a bonus I received two packages of gravy that weighed in at 1lb. Deboned and ended up with about 2 3/4 lbs of boneless breasts. Good coat of Simply Marvelous Peppered Beef with some extra pepper. Figured I give the Meater a go that I picked up from Woot...Read More...

So I decided to pull out one of my Pork Butts and a couple racks of baby back ribs. They need to defrost overnight and perhaps late Sunday or early Monday I plan to start smoking them. I havent figured out what prep I'll use but it wont be complicated. Any body else smokin, or just grilling?Read More...

Wondering if anyone has done these. We had them from a caterer at a function last week and they were phenomenal. I want to try them. I have looked at several recipes and the main difference is the smoke time and temp. It ranges from 60 - 80 mins at 225 to 300F (the max for my AQ), and I want the bacon pretty crisp. Any tips would be appreciated. BTW, based on my one experience, these are worth it!Read More...

Did 35 pounds of Italian smoked sausage for church a couple of weeks ago. Began with 35 pounds of home-butchered ground beef, about 80/20. Mixed my Italian sausage recipe, the required amount of instacure #1 and some butcher packer special meet binder. Mixed completely and let set overnight in the fridge. The next day, stuffed into 35-37 Natural hog casings and tied at about 24’’ length. Put back in fridge overnight. Smoked on the FEC 100 using pecan pellets running at 160 degrees for about...Read More...

I'm getting lazy in my old age and started looking at electric smokers. I have been smoking with hardwood charcoal using a Brinkmann Smoke'N Pit for years. Is it possible to get the same great tasting Q from a electric smoker?Read More...

Hey guys. Not sure if I can post this here or not but we are having to sell our brand new full mobile kitchen complete with FEC300. Its a 24ft interior with 8' ceiling. Capable of serving 1500+ at full capacity. 2 refrigerators, one food, one beverage. 36" grill, 36" oven/6 burner range, 50 lb 2 basket deep fryer, cold well, warming oven and full function bathroom. Works awesome at festivals and would be great for competitions. Email me for more pics and price. hammerdowngrill@gmail.comRead More...

It's been a while since I smoked any almonds and I'm wanting to do a batch or two. I've listed the last two batches that I've done and am considering to repeat. I thought I'd check to see if there were any newer and or better suggestions..... Pags @ CookShackI smoke almonds quite a bit and have had success with this recipe: 4 lbs Almond 6 TB Worcestershire sauce 2 TB granulated garlic 2 tsp salt or sea salt In a large bowl and using a large serving spoon, mix the almonds with the sauce until...Read More...

Selling my 2012 SM0025 located in Bosque Farms NM 87068 $400 oboRead More...

So I'm defrosting some dino bones to smoke in a day or two... I'm looking foe suggestions for rub for them.... Currently I'm thinking of Wild Willies. What do ya think????Read More...

So, I found a nice full brisket at Winn Dixie at $3.99/lb. It was about 18 lbs untrimmed, big enough at about $75. I plan to smoke this one on my old Texas Style stick burner for the Labor Day Holiday. Last one I did came out really amazing. I expect I will just dry rub it day prior and then get it started either Sunday prior or early Monday. I know it's an all day thing so might just do it on Sunday so I can relax and enjoy it on Monday. I have Oak and Pecan wood plus some Mesquite chunks.Read More...

After switching from an FEC 100 which I used for nearly 10 years in a small seasonal restaurant I purchased a new FEC 120 for my personal use at home. The main reason for not getting another 100 was several fires in the 100 and liked the idea of getting the fire pot out of the cooking chamber. From the first cook forward the 120 has not been a good experience as it would overshoot temp settings sometimes more than 100 degrees, the hold feature would never get below about 250 even though the...Read More...

I noticed the new website lists commercial and residential only. Is Cookshack moving away from competition centric marketing/design? I know the cookers have never been really designed for competition in terms of mobility etc, but just curious if this was intentional or maybe just for simplicity sake.Read More...

used 2012 cookshack 66 2en owner selling, his family not smoke fans. Lightly used by 2en owner, weathered cover, factory grills, missing meat probe, no stand just as it came from factory. Controller seems ok, body good, new price now $2205. What it worth today????Read More...

I've been a fan of Texas Rubs for years... I have never figured how to deal with their caking problems over time. My wife's favorite is the Grand Champion but I can't keep it from caking and if I re-grind it it becomes too fine.... I've tried to contact them but have never received an answer.....(not sure if they are still operating). What is one to do?..... Can someone suggest a way to re hydrate or grind the rub so it is usable? -OR- can someone suggest a replacement for the Grand Champion...Read More...

I just got a great SM25 off Craigslist but the castors are rusted and the guy who had it before didn’t fully thread them so they are bent to hell. I saw a picture of someone using large off-road rubber castors and was wondering if anyone on here had a link as this would make wheeling it over my pavers a lot easier. Thanks in advance for all your guys help!Read More...

I;ve seen mention of it here before, but i just got my 009 tonight, plugged it in to season, and after about 10 mins it tripped the gfi. Switched to another outlet, same thing. Is this common, and what do i do? I'm not an electrictian and i didnt stay at a holiday inn express last night, so i need some help! thanks.Read More...

My name is Dan and I am new to this forum. I am in the proccess of convincing my wife that a CS smoker is the best item for us to purchase during theses hard times. I am almost there. Wish me luck. Anyway, I am in need of a supplier for various smoking woods. I see wood chunks, chip, factory seconds. What should I use and what is a good wood to meat ratio? Good to be here! DanRead More...

Additional accessories...stainless grates, cold smoke baffle. Mounted on a heavy duty Craftsmen Tool chest with ball bearing slides. Top drawer is stainless pullout table. Always stored inside. Used very little. Excellent condition. $1000 for all. Will sell for $800 without the tool cabinet. Local trade only. I'm in the Knoxville, TN area.Read More...

Hi, new to the forum. Have a model 40 mfg in 2009 but we'll cared for. It is now heating up and not stopping at my desired temp. Thermostat? Anybody else have this issue? ThanksRead More...

Tablitas, literally, little planks in Spanish. Got this recipe from a buddy down in Texas, I gather they're big down there. Basically, they're beef short ribs cut crosswise across the bones about 3/8" thick. You should be able to find them in Mexican markets, Asian markets and in some supermarkets. They might be labeled as Costilla de Res, Short Ribs or Flanken Cut Ribs. Some Mexican places might already have them marinated. It's what Koreans use to make Kalbi. A Korean friend said to use a...Read More...

Looking for a used FEC300 if anyone is aware of one for sale I'm located in Southern California Thanks, David 951 741-1884Read More...

My mom was telling me about eating one of the best pork roasts ever when she was a child. I think my grandma made it. She said they just cooked the pork roast in the oven and it had Garlic slivers and covered with Greek Seasoning like Cavender's. So I have cross hatched a Pork Butt skin up, covered with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, and Cavender's Greek Seasoning and threw it into my smoker at 275. I plan to slow cook it in there (no wood) until I get internal temps near...Read More...

I’ve successfully smoked 8-10 lb market briskets in my SM045 for years. I recently loaded in two 16-17 lb packer briskets. I gave them 16 hours at 225 degrees. One came out fine. The other was burnt to a crisp along the bottom side for about 1/4 inch into the meat. Has anyone had a similar experience? Or can offer some insight as to what might have happened? Thanks. TomRead More...

Folks, when I was installing my probe yesterday I noted that the black wire coating about 1/2 point had a little crack in it, I could see what appears to be shiny shield wire through the small crack. My smoker isn't 1 year old and I've used it maybe a dozen times. I'm very careful with my probes, wipe it down after each use, re-install the plastic protector on the tip, and coil it back in the little bag it came in. Has anyone else experienced something similar? If so what did you do? Would...Read More...