I can't make my mind up

Hello Sillybubba74,
Welcome to the Cookshack forum. The #1 forum. I will say that Cookshack makes an oustanding smoker. Their smoker is quality and they stand behind their product. This smoker is one that you do not have to babysit and you will be very well pleased with the barbecue flavor. Nothing can touch it. The finished product is unbelieveable! This company is number one in my book. You will be delighted & proud to be associated with the Cookshack name. Enough said. Go for it!

quote:

Originally posted by Sillybubba74:
I've got some money to play with and I'm not sure what I want. I've been eying that stainless steel Cookshack, but some of my friends are trying to tell me to get a Weber Smokey Mountain. I have a Brinkman Smoke King right now and although I like it I am constantly tending to the fire. I like the idea of set it and forget about it, but they say that the WSM's are basically like that once you get used to your bottom vent. I guess my concerns are what is the quality like as compared to the WSM? For example, do the ribs have a solid bark or does it come out tender and looking as if it's been steamed? Of course taste depends on me, so I'll leave that alone.

Any help you have would be appreciated. FYI, I plan on buying something tomorrow so help me out.

One quick thought would be when it is Jan in MD,it is drizzlin somewhere' between ice and snow and the wind is 15-20 miles an hour ,you will need a crockpot to go with that fine cookin'WSM that is stored away in the basement for a few months.

Now on your CS,you put the butts in about 10PM out on the patio and went to bed.

About noon,someone takes them out,foils and coolers them and you pull them for dinner.

Ya look out the window at the gloom and wonder what the poor folks are doing tonight.

I'll let the others tell you that your charcoal bill for the first year on your WSM will pay for the CS difference.

Oh yeh,if you are a real man and go cook this winter on the WSM,do you think the bride is going to spend tomorrow morning cleaning it.

Right.

You guys make some good arguments. I just have to adjust my thinking from the charcoal style of cooking to electric. I trust it's all good I'm just trying to make the mental jump.

Bubba, I started out on an el-cheapo Brinkman then graduated up to an offset. I too was skeptical about using an electric smoker. I finally got tired of all the work of an offset, sold it and recently picked up a used Cookshack 08. I will attest to the fact that the Cookshack not only works, it makes better Q than I could ever produce in either of the other two smokers. And to top it off, the amount of work is practically nil. Good luck with your decision making and let us know what you finally decide.

Well you guys have been helpful. My wife just about smacked me for go after a bullet smoker that might need constant tending. Looks like I'll be getting a Cookshack! Can't wait to start slow-smoking some spares on some nice cherry wood.

quote:

Originally posted by Sillybubba74:
Well you guys have been helpful. My wife just about smacked me for go after a bullet smoker that might need constant tending. Looks like I'll be getting a Cookshack! Can't wait to start slow-smoking some spares on some nice cherry wood.

You've got one smart woman Bubba. Sounds like a keeper! Can't go wronng with Cookshack. If you don't like it you have a 30-day money-back guarantee so, whatcha waitin' for!

Good luck!

Welcome to the forum, Bubba.

Bubba,

Welcome to the Cookshack Nation. We are glad to have you here on the forum, and we will be glad to have you as a customer if you decide to buy a Cookshack. Of course, I think you should buy a Cookshack, but unlike these other folks, I work for Cookshack so I can't be trusted, LOL.

An SM008 is an excellent choice. It will be a little workhorse and turn out good 'que for you over and over with little investment of skill and time from you. If you have quite a bit more money to spend ($1,495) go for the AmeriQue. I have a new one and I love cooking with the probe. There is absolutely no guesswork.

Donna

FYI, I just made my purchase today. Thanks for all your help.

Did you get the SM008?

Here's a link to the operator's manual if you want to start brushing up. Or just read the Cookshack Smoker Owners forum.

Donna

Check out the thread in the Open Forum:

"lessons for new users"

it's a compilation of lessons learned from new owners.

It's a Sticky Post, so it's a the top of the page.

Smokin'

Yes, I got the SM008. I was hoping to find a Sooners smoker since I've been a fan for years, but as you stated they don't make them anymore. Regardless, I'm ready to break it in as soon as I get it.

Congrats on your purchase Bubba. You'll not regret it!

Way to go Bubba! You will not regret it. Your neighbors will become alot friendlier all of a sudden too!

Bubba,
You have made a marvelous decision. You didn't go wrong by ordering this unit. It will surprise you in many ways of what the SM008 will do. Let us hear from you after your first smoke.

quote:

Originally posted by Sillybubba74:
Yes, I got the SM008. I was hoping to find a Sooners smoker since I've been a fan for years, but as you stated they don't make them anymore. Regardless, I'm ready to break it in as soon as I get it.

You guys and girls are awesome! I can't wait to start. I've been working on several mops, rubs and sauces over the past couple of months and so I'll start up soon with some serious experimenting. Next, I'll have to find this nest of carpenter bees that have been buzzing around on my deck so I don't have any painful experiences this summer! You guys have any advice to get rid of bees near your smoker! Cherry wood seems to attract them.

Are they carpenter bees or bumble bees? Carpenter bees are all yellow and do not sting.

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
Are they carpenter bees or bumble bees? Carpenter bees are all yellow and do not sting.

Hippie, my friend, you are "almost" correct. The male of the species "cannot" sting. The female, tho quite docile, can and will sting if disturbed, startled or threatened.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they're carpenter bees. They've burrowed into our car port in the garage and in the wood panelling of our neighbors townhouse. I just ordered some Bee Tour which are tiny bags of some fragrance that supposedly will drive them away. Can't be harrassed while cooking!

Bubba - All these forum ringers refuse to even talk about the serious downside of getting a CS. You will never be able to get rid of your in-laws once they get a taste of the Q. And that, my friend, has some dangerous consequences.

Dave, do you think we should be required by law to notify people in advance that they are going to become overrun with friends and relatives hanging around to eat their 'que?

Donna

From a marketing standpoint you definitely want to do that Donna. Those moochers will be reading the labels on the CS smokers and be buying them as presents for everyone else they know.

Thanks neighbor. As I am hyper-sensitive to bee and wasp stings and must carry an anaphalactic kit with me this time of year, the elders in my family have always tried to educate me about the different species of bees and wasps. They all have beneficial reasons for being on this earth. I try to know which ones are most aggressive and which are most beneficial, and go from there. Some bumble bees also drill holes in wood for nests. I also would not want them drilling holes in my house or property. Red wasps and yellow jackets get annihilated without question around here.

I agree! Attach a 'moocher warning' sticker to all new smokers!

quote:

Originally posted by Wheelz:

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
Are they carpenter bees or bumble bees? Carpenter bees are all yellow and do not sting.

Hippie, my friend, you are "almost" correct. The male of the species "cannot" sting. The female, tho quite docile, can and will sting if disturbed, startled or threatened.

Ah, the old "red wasp!" Ya got to live in the south to appreciate them. Faster than an F-16, the kick of a Missouri Mule and more irritable than a woman going thru the change! Yep! They be bad news! LOL

Well, my Smokette finally arrived on Wednesday of last week and so I seasoned and prepared it for the weekend. I love ribs so I figured I'd get some spares going for about 6 hours as a trial run. I only put a couple of small chunks of cherry wood in. It was surprising how good and strong the wood smell was despite just the little bit that I placed inside. I monitored the temps with my own Tru-Temp. All in all, everything came out fantastic. My wife says these were the best spares she's ever had. She ate most of the que before I was able to tell her that if she wanted, she could add my sauce to the ribs. She didn't need to, but to make me feel good she said that was good too. I am very pleased with this smoker and can't thank you all enough for your advice. One question I have though, is how much are the temps off during the cook? I set it at around 230 and for the duration of he cook it hung out at around 200 at the grate. Of course with the spares on the top two racks and the trimmings on the bottom one, it was quite full. Does that affect the temps? At six hours the ribs were definitely done and tender, but I was just curious if anyone can provide some incite with this. I've read elsewhere that the temperature is a basically an average over the entire period of time, but it never really reached 230. When I unloaded the smoker the temp shot right up to about 240, figures! Anyway, the cook was great and I am sold on Cookshack!

A full smoker might lower the temp some, but it will be more consistent. Good job.

Hi Bubba,
Welcome to the forum and I'm glad you like your new smoker. You will have many years of good smokin now. Try some other meats in it and let us know how it goes.

Hey Bubba,

Congrats on the new cooker and a wonderful first cook.

Wait til you get a load of pork butts in there.

A very forgiving piece of meat and.....Man that's good eatin'.

How bout some smoked bumble bees? Hmmmmmm