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CS Operational / Design Questions

FM Former Member
I'm just using my cookshack model 50 for the first time - cooking 2 racks of spare ribs. Both are hangning from below 3rd rib w/ a temperature probe hanging at a level approximately mid way down the ribs.

I've noticed two potential issues thus far:

1) Smoke not only comes out of the top valve but also exits out the front door at the top corner and along the side of the door opposite the hinges. Is this normal or is this a potential construction flaw? I'm not overly concerned - just curious.

2) I set my CS at 225deg for my ribs and have noticed wild temperature fluctuations. 40 minutes into the cook, my internal temperature was at 282 (so I set the CS to 220). 20 minutes later I was down to 210. My question is regarding the operation of the heating element in the CS. How often does it cycle to check the temperature? How responsive can I expect the CS to be after adjusting the temperature slightly? Is it normal for the CS to balloon up so significantly in temperature after a cold start?

Appreciate any help... awaiting hopefully very nice tasting ribs.

Thx,
Scott
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T tomMember
Howdy,Scott.

The easy answer that will be correct in the end is forget about it,set your temperature and leave it alone.

That being said,the door will tighten up after a few cooks.If it didn't,it really wouldn't make much difference.

I don't know the cycle times ,but swings of up to 45� wouldn't be unheard of.

After a few cooks,I'd guess 25�would be about normal.

Pick a temp you want to cook at ,set it and leave it there.

You are working with sort of an average cooking temperature.

It will heat the box pretty quickly from cold,since it isn't cycling,and then stabilize.

It probably will still take about 25 mins.,if you leave the door open awhile,. to come back to your set cooking temperature

I'm no expert on why the oven works,but experience has shown us that design flaws are unusual.

My guess is that after a few cooks,all this will sort itself out. Cool

Hope this helps a little.
FM Former Member
Scott,
I just got my 50 yesterday and am experiencing the same problems. My temps are all over the place and as I write this I have my temp probe into a baked potato trying to "set" a position that is somewhat "stable". I know some fluctuations are going to occur but I don't feel like I'm in control of the unit which is why I wanted an electric unit instead of a traditional pit. Maybe something on the new design of the smokebox is causing problems which CS isn't aware of. I have to do a 9lb. butt for Easter dinner and am keeping my fingers crossed. Eeker
FM Former Member
To update you all, the ribs turned out very well so I am no longer concerned about any of the above issues. Talked a couple of neighbors into trying them and they raved that they were "restaurant quality."

The key seems to be in coming to grips with the fact that the CS yields an average cooking temperature. Indeed, my log proves this out. The engineer in me was having fits watching the thermometer... but results speak for themselves.

BTW - I used a mustard on one rack and not on the other prior to applying the rub. Popular vote was for the mustard-based rack...

Thx,
Scott
FM Former Member
After reading the archives as Smokie suggested I decided to relax, bought an oven thermometer for my own piece of mind which I can document when I mop, and TRUST the experience of my fellow CSers. Put the butt and brisket in about 3:30 am this morning and just checked(7:45). Oven temp was 205 and meat smelled REALLY REALLY GREAT!!! I'll keep you updated on the results. Cool
FM Former Member
Name change...Formerly pitmaster Q now Kevin T.

I think my polder pooped the bed when I checked it in ice waater this morning it was messed up. Changed the battery to no avail. Put my 701 back in and it appears to be working fine. Maybe I found part of my problem. Need to get a second probe for 701.
Kevin Cool
FM Former Member
I've had a "Kill a Watt" meter I bought for $40 at Radio Shack awhile back (great rms type power/volt/hz/amp/kva/pf/kwh meter by the way). I used it on the CS to measure kwhr.

Amazing things I observed:
(a) 1.3 kwhr to cook a pork butt (about $0.10).
(b) 0.85 krhr to cook ribs (about $0.07).

Amazing things I observed with a remote reading meat probe thermoter while cooking a rack of ribs w/o opening door:
(1) Meat temp actually dropped 5 degrees (154 to 149) with thermostat ON.
(2) Meat temp rose 5 degrees (149 to 153) after thermometer shut OFF during its cycles.

Seems the unit heats the walls and then the walls heat the air and finally the meat.

You have to make sure end of meat probe is still in ribs to get accurate temp, otherwise you end up with much higher readings of air temp instead.

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