Help with CS Amerique SM066

Let me try and help while more experts are waking up today.

Please try and provide more details that will be important for other problem solvers.

For example are you using a temp probe in the meat. What internal temp did you achieve? What was you cooking temp and how much time did it take? Did you open the door during the cook or leave it closed the whole time?

These are some of the questions that are going to come up.

I wonder if the grade of the meat has anything to do with it..... I don't know much about that....

I'm sure there is a simple solution.

Regards,

Richard

Auntie,

Relax, take a deep breath, we're here to help....

Richard asked good questions. Before we can help, we need to know what you did.

Also, from here on, go with times and recommendations from the forum.

And Welcome to the forum.

Hi,guys and THANKS for responding! Sorry, here's the details. The first set of briskets: I followed the CS cook book (never again). I prepared the brisket (rub, garlic), no probe, put 2 briskets in (7lb & 8lb), top shelf and center shelf; Set the cook time for 14 hours per the cook book, temp at 225 degrees - which by the way, it ran really hot, kept going up to 230 - don't know if it was because the smoker was new? Put 3 blks hickory wood, closed door and did not open until 14 hours later. Which by that time it was ruined! The second time, I prepared another brisket (7lbs) put on center shelf, set cook time for 8 hours at 200 degrees to make sure it didn't get too hot; put in Oak wood, closed door. In 3 hours, I took the meat out (which it did not have that nice "black" crust on the outside yet), wrapped in foil, and continued to smoke for the next 5 hours. Since I smoke it at night, it was on hold for 3 - 4 hours, but it tasted good, not dry, but not that nice juicy quality - you know what I mean. And, that's what I've been doing ever since, and I'm not happy with it. Should I use a probe? Should I not wrap it? I'm a native Texan living in CA - this is embarrassing - I thought cooking great BBQ was GENETIC for Texans - I am LOST with this electric smoker! By the way, Thank you for welcoming me to this forum - I'm really looking forward to chatting with folks and learning how to use my electric smoker - thank you, kindly! Oh, and I only use Choice beef - cryovac (packer's cut).

Hi AuntieGin, welcome.

Yes, I think you should use the probe and set it to 195 or so, and then to hold. I believe that is how the AmeriQue works. Maybe set the cook temp to 215? I would try leaving the door closed and trust the machine to do it's thang. When you take it out, wrap in foil with some broth or mixture of broth, wooster sauce, and fruit juice, let rest that way for an hour or so. Slice across the grain. See how you like that.

Don't give up, keep cooking in the AmeriQue and keep very good notes.

If there is one thing I've learned in the short time I've been using my 055... well more than one... that is to read read read here on this forum and keep it simple.

Do a search on briskets and read about them.

I do not put a piece of meat in without a temp probe and a target temperature.

I do not open the door for any reason until the target temp is reached.

When that target temp is reached the meat comes out and goes in foil, wrapped in towels, and sits for at least 30 minutes if not several hours in a cooler.

I don't use any cookbooks.... just ideas from this forum.. and most importantly the target temperature for that particular piece of meat.

I cook somthing in my smoker almost everyday and I don't take notes.... but that's my dysfunction

You will attain nirvana with a meat probe and become one with the universe when you meet your predestined target temperature.

Regards,

Richard

Thanks, guys. Appreciate your help. So it's: 1. Use the probe (put probe in the side of the meat vs through the top?)
2. Set Cook Temp. (200 or 215 should work?)
3. Wrap in foil when done and let sit for a while.

-Which by the way, I've got another brisket in the smoker - can't give up 'til I get it right! BTW - do you guys use 4 oz or 4+ oz (6/8) of wood blks? One of my experiments, I used like 3 chunks of OAK (I switch between hickory, oak, etc.), and the meat was bitter. I then tried 1 chunk of pecan on another brisket, and I thought it was too subtle. Any ideas? Thanks again from Tustin, CA, but born and raised in SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, home of BILL MILLER BBQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Auntie, as you read more here on the forum you will see they always recommend using a probe and cooking to a desired temp rather than using a set time. Each piece of meat has its own quirks and no two will act exactly the same. The best advice I can offer is to read Smokin's 101 guides - you have to access them from the Cookshack main page, they are under the "Community" drop down menu. After that, read as many posts/recipes here on the forum as time allows. I have a Smokette and cook most meats at 225 and poultry at 250 unless I am trying to alter the time frame by slowing things down or speeding it up. I have come to accept the fact that much of what we cook depends on the cooks individual tastes for spices, amount of wood, type of wood and desired "doneness" of the finised product so all the recipes offered here should be guidelines. The more you use your cooker, the more comfortable you will become and will be able to experiment. I have never had a bad piece of meat when I followed the recommendations here on the forum. I read what others have done and sort of combine a lot of the ideas for each different meat I have smoked. Just be sure to take good notes so you can duplicate your own successes. Let us know how the latest brisket comes out.

I AuntieGin,
There has already been good advice to follow and it sounds like you are working towards success.

I always use the probe with my AQ and in briskets, I will use a separate thermometer in each brisket. I generally probe the thick part of the flat near the point/deckle end, but not in the point (too much fat). I sometimes use multiple thermo/probes in one brisket just to see also what the point is doing. Each brisket is different, so cook to temp, not time. What is that story about briskets from the left side of the steer... a Texan should know that one for sure. LOL

It is not uncommon to see 230˚ when set to 225˚, especially in a new cooker (you could get plum sceered if you had a 055). Did you season with a pork shoulder or similar? After all your briskets, you should be there anyway.

I usually use about 3oz. wood for one whole brisket and 4oz for 2 whole briskets. Cherry and hickory are good. If using mesquite, I generally use equal amounts of apple with it. Have never got too bitter, but that is something of personal preference that only the cook and those at the table need to come to terms with.

Good luck, post more results.
Rob

Hey, thanks, guys! As soon as the brisket is done, I'll let you know how it turned out! And, I will read Smokin's 101 Guide AND keep in touch/informed via the forum. This is great - thank you all for your kind replies and advice - YOU guys are S - M - O - K - I - N !

Gin -- Welccome to thhe forum!

If brisket is your first smoke you are beginning with the hardest piece of meat to master. If this brisket doesn't work out, toss in a pork butt just to keep your sanity. Smoke that puppy at 225˚ to 195˚ internal, let it rest for a bit and pull away! Don't wear yourself out with frustration.

Do let us know how that last brisket turned out!

Thanks, Wheelz, I'll give the pork butt a shot. How many pounds do you recommend, how many blks of wood, and do you use a rub? By the way, I'm getting a little concerned. I put the latest brisket in at 9:15 AM this morning, set the temp to 200 degrees, set probe to 188 degrees, and it is now 7:43 PM PST, and it's still not done - the internal temp shows 166 degrees...does that sound right? Everything I've read on the web says 1.5 hours per pound of meat. My brisket is 6.09 lbs so it should've been done in 9.5 hours...I'm taking deep breaths....

Take a breath. It's real easy. If you are taking your meat to 195-200 degrees, you should set your temp a little higher than 200. Set it at a minimum of 215. I take my briskets to 200 and use a temp of 215 - 225, depending on when I want it done.

It's done when the probe say's it's done!

Thanks, Aggie549, I cranked it up to 215 and in a short period of time, the internal temperature went up to 177 degrees. It's now at 179 - plan on taking it out at 185 degrees. This CookShack Amerique is strange. It seems that when I set the temp to 220 it always skyrockets to 232 - 235... why does it do that?

Gin, the heating element is cycling on and off, up and down. If you check the temp every hour after an hour of preheat, it should average closer to the set temp.

Got an idea: if 3 chunks of oak are too bitter and 1 chunk of pecan is too subtle, use 1 of each and see how that is.

The more you use that wonderful hunk of metal, the more seasoning you will get in it and the more efficient it will cook. You will find you need less wood as it gets seasoned well. Definitely do a big fatty hunk of pork next for a real good seasoning. The tried and true method of seasoning a smoker is to use lots of wood only for a few hours, then the fat pork with wood until done. You know, like breaking in a new castiron skillet.

Have fun!

GLH, yeah, I guess that makes sense - I'm so used to smoking the old-fashioned way, it really is different using an electric smoker! Well thanks to you guys - I'm not going to throw my cookshack away after all! Next smoke - definitely pork butt! Thanks for your help!

Yes Mam, anytime.

Hi there. Okay, just for everyone's FYI - the brisket FINALLY came out and it was very close to what I was hoping to get! It was that beautiful dark crusty outside and not quite the perfect juicy texture inside, but close! I think I've got it now! Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and responses - I'm going to LOVE using my smoker now!

Update: Sliced the entire brisket this morning, and I was wrong - it was absolutely perfect! I am now ONE with my smoker...

Great!

Now... What did the Buddhist monk say to the hot dog vendor?
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Make me one with everything.......

Funny! I"ll borrow that one from you.

AMERICUE CORNED BEEF BRISKET!
Here we go,
First of all i was doing brisket in my Weber kettle.
Not bad at all, BS...
Too much waste on burnt pieces and wayyyyy
too much WOOD.
I bought the AMERICUE and never looked back!
I do my brisket with a chile powder from the
food networt rub. and GO ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS1
180 on the probe and you will be out of controll
A 14.5# piece took 22 hours<but guess what?
GREAT EATS.
The americue is the way to go!
I had a problem with the price at first and so did my better half.
But this is truly the best (SET IT AND FORGET IT)on the market.
2oz of wood will do 20#of your fav.
Smoke on my friends.