Bark - The Only Thing preventing Me fron getting a Cook Shack...

Welcome to the forum!

CookShack sells the FEC models for comp. cooks. It is fully legal

Sure you can get a good bark on them! Do a search and look for some of the pics posted.

Can you taste a smoke ring?

SkinsFan,

In addition to my CS55 I have a ceramic Grill Dome. If I want lots of bark, I use the Grill Dome, but with some meats that is not what I want. However, I have found that you can get more bark in the Cookshack if you add more sugar (brown or white) to the rub.

The elusive red ring is another matter. I have never been able to taste the difference on a BBQ or smoked piece of meat with or without the red ring. I have had guest to asked me if that red ring was blood and if the meat was cooked done. To be nice, I give them the explanation, but have found that I don't need that red ring.

As for the use of a cookshack not being allowed in some competitions, like you, I could care less. I do resent the organizations that refuse to allow the Cookshack in their competition and won't attend or support their doings.

smokemullet

Guess you would have to describe "good bark." I was admittedly disappoited at first with my ribs. They were very moist with little bark. Then I learned that opening the door once let out a little of the moisture. While the door was open I'd spritz them with a little apple juice. That process helped a bunch. As for brisket and butt, I can give you a bark that will break your teeth and still be moist on the inside!

And remember the Cookshack guarantee. Try it for 30 days. If you don't like it, send it bback. No questions asked. Give it a shot, you might (probably will) like it!!!

skins,
the smoke ring thing is not a problem on peg's sm150. although we currently use the same pellets in her sm that i use in my fec peg has found that by just manually setting the sm to a lower temp she can get a good smoke ring with either wood chunks or pellets. she learned to do this by her self and i am really proud of her!!!
after a 2 hour period she just reprograms her settings to cook and hold and away she goes!!!
for bark she does like wheelz does and just vents off some humidity.
she also will take the meat out and coat it with a glaze, run the sm up to a higher temp and put back in to set it.
myself, to be honest, i kind of looked down on the sm but the more she lets me use it the more respect i have for it and by making a few changes in my cooking style there is nothing that i can make in my fec that i can not duplicate with her sm.
hope this helps some
jack
ps. to make an acceptable smoke ring without fuss and bother just use mortons tender quick lol
pps. she got 2nd place at the super tailgate mania during the superbowl weekend here. it was an all chicken wing comp and she buried hooters,hilton,south beach grill and a few others. only sunset grill beat her and everyone was frying except her and the skin was good on those wings!!!

Congrats to Peggy! Good job!

q,
and she didn't even use tq lol (and you know how i feel bout that trick pmsl.
jack

quote:

Have done a couple searches on this site and haven't found anything yet to ease my fears. Can you guys help?

We don't need to help the CS will do all the talking that's needed!
I too was very skeptical, have 2 friends that had them they would just smile at me when I voiced my doubts.
Now I have joined them.

Okay, here's some photos, done in a CS 150.

check out the link:

Updated Pork Butt 101

So you've got two negatives in the Cookshack column. Do we need to mention the positives? And what about the negatives of the other models you're considering?

I cooked a brisket for dinner yesterday and I spent all day at work--and all night in bed asleep. The brisket was ready and waiting for me when I got home. Can't do that with other smokers. Oh, and the brisket was my best yet.

I get a very nice bark on my meat.

Skinsfan

I don't have a smoker yet...

My first 3 days on the forum friday night, saturday, sunday (after church ) I read just about every post. look above and see the search icon. You can search every forum, there are some picutres to in some posts that dhow the bark annnnnnnnnd some great explanations on smoke ring and how to get one. just expect to spend many hours. you get real hunrgy for BBQ though (honest) and you learn oh so much.

Skinsfan, I will also chime in as a new owner.. about 60 days and 12-15 smokes. I find no trouble getting a great bark on anything I have done... as good or better than the Brinkman I used for years. If I want even more bark I baste with apple juice or use a rub heavy in brown sugar.

I am in the Fairfax area so I may be close to you and would be happy to let you test drive my 55 or try some of the Q that emerges from it. Let me know....

I've been using my Smokette since December, and I have been getting great bark by following some of the advice the gang has already given you. For pork, I like a sweet-hot rub, so I just added a little extra turbinado sugar and the bark is very good. While it's probably true that the moist environment inside the Cookshack cookers isn't the best environment for bark, it really is possible, just as its possible to cook in a charcoal or wood cooker and get little or no bark. There is more than just the cooker involved.

As for the smoke ring, just add a couple of charcoal briquettes to the firebox and you'll get a smoke ring. As the other have said, i can't taste the difference, but some people don't think its Q unless it has a smoke ring.

Well SkinsFan, never heard back from you.

Did you get the information you needed?

Obviously bark and smoke ring can be solved in the CS's.

Just a little searching on the forums here will provide most all the info needed on cookshack. I woudn't sell or trade mine for the world. Cookshack has plain an simply put changed my q'ing for ever. Thank you Cookshack.


Kamots

P.S. Skinsfan buy one already, your friends an family will think you da man...hehe.

I made a 20 pound chuck roll today. It had great bark! I used the recipe from the "open forum" for the greatest brisket recipe.

What is a chuck roll ? A chuck roast? I looked at them but they didn't seem to have much fat although of course I couldn't inside for marbling.

quote:

Originally posted by KathyE:
[qb] What is a chuck roll ? A chuck roast? I looked at them but they didn't seem to have much fat although of course I couldn't inside for marbling. [/qb]

Ya know, I don't actually know much about this cut of meat. "MainelyDave", here on the forum once had a link to one he made, with all the directions.

I guess you call it a roast. It's a BIG hunk of meat. Mine had a nice amount of fat on the inside.

I made one before and liked it. So I tried it again. It was REALLY easy to cut. You could almost cut it with a spoon. And it had a nice smokey flavor.

Kathy (and others) If you've never been to Mainely Dave's website you're missing out on some great BBQ photo journalism! He walks ya through his successes and mistakes with a pic of every step he takes. Definitely worth a look! From looking at his "chuck roll" pics, I don't think it's the same as a chuck roast. The smallest he could find was 20+ lbs. That would be one heck of a chuck roast. Anyway, take a look & enjoy!

Wheelz and Bodacious, Thanks, I will look at his site. And maybe ask a butcher if I see one at the store..

I've smoked chuck rolls many times and of course love them! Get your butcher to make you one up but have him use butcher string instead of the nets they sometimes use. Reason for this is when you pull the net away all your rub goes with it.
These babies have just enough fat and a great taste!

Raider, So if I just ask the butcher for a chuck roll he will know what I want? It looks like on the pic's that the label says something about a neck..

That's all I do. I asked him once what part of the cow this comes from but my memory has deserted me at this time. The no net thing is very important! Rub that baby with your favorite or just use montrel steak seasoning. Good chewing!

I get my chuck rolls at Costco... they don't keep them out fromt but they always have them when I want them.

They don't have Costco here but I will try a couple of places. I looked at Mainelydave's site. Wow, I read through almost all of his cooks.He is funny too.

If you want to see bark on a pork butt in a smokette, just do a search for "Butt Pictures" in the Pork Shoulder/Butt/Picnic and Ham Archives.
I never opened the door during this cook and the meat was very moist.

Back to the original post... Hey SkinsFan, how are you doing on your choice of smokers? Has anything posted here convenced you to go with the Cookshack or are you still looking? Are you still out there? As three of my favorite morning friends used to say to me "speak to me! Say a few sylables!"

I must be doing something wrong, I'm trying to get less bark on my meat in my 009 smokette...lol

Stinkie -- Try cutting back on the sugar in your rubs if you are getting too much bark. I like chewy, not crusty ribs. For me, it's all in the timing - when I slap on my sauce.

This suggestion make get some funny looks from purists, but when I need a rub in a hurry, I open a package of McCormick Grill Mates Southwest Marinade and mix it (dry) with about 2-3 Tablespoons of brown sugar. One package will coat a pork butt or a slab of pork ribs. Double the amount for a large beef brisket. It's not as good as my home made rub, but pretty darn acceptable...

LL