I'm looking to buy a cookshack smoker.... help

Definitely wait until you can afford the model 50 or 55 (stainless steel). That's what I am doing. Much more space, it also has caster wheels to move it around easily. You won't have to use the lowest rack unless you really have a large load, so you won't be faced with the meat cooking much faster on the bottom rack.

rit1000,

There are almost a 1000 posts in this forum and your question is common. Make sure you look through all the subject and you'll find more than a few posts that give you some great answers from people with the same question. They'll also tell you why you should and the successes they have.

The forum also has a search capability.

Good luck and buy a CS!



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Smokin Okie
It's done when it's done
Cookshack BBQ Guide Page

Howdy and welcome,rti1000.I will offer the other perspective.The cs is so much fun and easy to use that I wouldn't postpone the pleasure.IMHO you could buy the smokette and see how well it suits your needs and buy a second one,if you really need it.The price will be about the same or less.You might find that you want to cook different products and this could mean different cooking times and temperatures. You can easily cook consecutive products and overnight cook without monitoring....As to the mobility of the cs,the forum will give you multiple suggestions....Most chefs don't like to exceed 12 to 14 lbs. on a turkey, and after brining it will cook much quicker than you think....AAHH cooks 4 butts at a time using only the top two racks,and that can be 25 to 30 lbs. of uncooked meat. It easily handles 4 racks of loinbacks or nearly 30 pieces of chicken....It also is comfortable with 3 nine lb. briskets.I hope this helps.

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Good Q 2 Ya,Tom.

I dunno... I got the Smokette and I would not do more than 2 briskets or 2 butts or four racks of ribs at once, on two racks... I will not use the lower of the three racks anymore because, since it's *right* on top of the heat and smokebox, I find that food on it takes a disproportionate amount of heat. So if that's enough food, great. Otherwise, I would go to the 50.

There is a lot of discussion about not using the bottom grates.

Try this next time. I cook something that can handle the higher temps down there to "crisp" up the bark. For example, I'll put Pork Butts on that level and since it's a little warmer, it helps crisp it up.

Smokin'

Smokin',good response.Maybe I don't pay close enough attention or should be more critical,but I usually rotate the three racks at each 1/2 point on long cooks and I polder on each rack and I like the extra bark on the briskets and butts.I have never done a monster turkey ,that would use the whole cavity ,but can see where that could be a problem.

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Good Q 2 Ya,Tom.

Howdy again, rti1000....Just to tag again on your earlier questions about quanity.I cooked chicken and smoked sausage this morning for one of my wife's clubs....Started at 8:00 A.M. with 33 leg quarters spread on all three racks.Polder on each rack and all came off at 179 � in 2 hrs....Refilled woodbox,dumped drain pan and added 14 bone in breast halves and 5 lbs. 0f smoked sausage. These came out at 160 � in 1hr. 20 mins. I saw no evidence of the bottom rack being too hot,since these are short cook times.This was all before noon.You could throw some butts in at bed time and take them out before the chicken goes in.....At noon you could load up with ribs and they would finish between 3 and 6P.M. I don't know how big your family is,but the little -but efficient- Smokette can produce a good amount of food with a little planning.Hope this helps.

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Good Q 2 Ya,Tom.