Originally from Lancaster, OH but living now outside Atlanta in Buford, GA. After having a Traeger and a Pit Barrel Cooker, I now have a PG 500 that I truly love!
Florence, SC had a SM25 for 8yrs. wouldn't trade it for the world. It's perfect size for my family. Cooks everything perfect.
Hi everyone, I'm Aria! Very nice forum!
I love cooking, especially grilling and smoking 
Thanks for the add. Not new to smoking, just new to having a dedicated smoker. Thanks to a friend of mine who introduced me to Cookshack. Should arrive in the next week and hopefully break it in over the 4th! God Bless America 🇺🇸
Welcome to the forum! If you let us know what kind of smoker and what you like to cook, some people here will probably jump in to give tips and advice. We all love our CS smokers and there are some real experts here on the various types.
I ordered the SM025 directly thru Cookshack. Karen was very helpful answering a few questions. Previously did my smoking indirectly on my gas grill using a smoker box. Mainly smoking baby backs or chicken legs or wings. Looking forward to some pork butts and beef briskets, whole chickens. Looking forward to the CS smoking experience!
My Amerique will not get up to temp. Tested empty cooker in 80 degree weather today. set it for 300 and after two hours, cooker topped out at 245. Any ideas? For what it is worth, the cooker temp gauge and two different oven thermometers all agreed on the 245 temp.
Spartyon: I would call Cookshack direct. They are very good about helping out. You will be talking directly to the people that built your smoker. They will walk you through how to diagnose what the problem is. I don't know how long you have had your unit, or how clean it is. I have been running mine for a long time and need to clean it up again. There is a little probe that sticks out of the inside back of the smoker. Every time I have had any problems with temps, I either needed to clean the probe, or I had something to close to it.
I think Mike is on to something. You either have a probe problem, or a controller problem, or a heater problem . Something is telling the heater to shut down with an actual internal temp that is less than the set temp. Or, all the heat it can put out is not enough. For my AQ, I've never tried to cook as high as 300, so I can't say what my cooker's response to that is. It might be that that's the best it can do if your doors don't seal well and insulation is old. Best call CS.
Hello from the mile high city. I'm Ron. Denver seems at times to have lost it's culinary compass when it comes to bbq. I don't consider national chains to be an adequate substitute for a genuine independent que restaurant.
Welcome to the forum! I used to live in the neighborhood (northern NM) and we had a few really good places. We're here to help, so let us know what you cook, on what, and what your ideas/questions are. There are still some real experts lurking here.
Hi Jay,
I used to spend a lot of time online browsing the forums and life kind of got out in front of me for awhile, along with a desire to lose some weight, so I haven't used the smoker much. I love my SM066, but I am going to have to see how well it maintains temp now that the "bomb cyclone" blew it over onto it's face last year and bent the alignment of the hinges.
BBQ around my area seems to be Famous Dave's or Dicky Betts. There was one local independent a few years ago but I didn't care for their product. Apparently not alone in that as they lasted about six months.
Baby backs in the menu for today and gonna throw a pork butt in overnight.
Have a good weekend
Ron
Good morning, I'm Ron from Aurora, Colorado, and I started with a CS SM 045 about 10 years ago before upgrading to an SM066 several years ago. I probably don't use my smoker anywhere near as often as most customers, but when I do I enjoy it very much. I'm a 40+ year engineer in the telecom and broadband industry, and in a few years I hope to be doing a lot more Q-ing as every day will be a Saturday. Lisa and I are empty nester's who enjoy wine, cooking, travel and music.
Cheers!
Hi... have been with this forum since 2003 but not really getting the hang of this new forum. Think this is my first post in about 6 years. Have a model 55 which is built like a tank and has been working without a hitch for the last 15 years. Do most everything with it including salmon, double smoked bacon, turkey and the usual ribs and brisket. If you haven't tried it, look for the recipe for "Smokey Joe's". Very good for serving to groups. Would like to try a meatloaf but wife says she doesn't want smoke on her meatloaf. I guess that's ok but maybe I'll do one just for myself some day.
@qnorth - Smoked meatloaf is one of my absolute favorites!!! It's worth doing just for yourself... otherwise, I would happily come help you taste test it!
@AlertAler23 - Welcome! Lots of friendly folks with lots of knowledge around here. Traffic kind of ebbs and flows, but throw your questions into a post and give it a couple of days and you'll get some good replies...
Welcome back, qnorth! The new forum takes some getting used to, but It works ok. Categories don't separate easily since new posts re always on top, but you can find the original categories if you search.
Dale from East Texas. Looking to get a FE500 in the near future. Not new to smoking but new to pellet smokers. Thanks for all the good info.
cheers @Drains! Look forward to joining you in your journey! Keep us posted!
Been lurking for a while on n off, about time I surfaced and said hi,, HI.,...
Have SM 160 ( that's packed up ) will get to looking at is soon to see what the problem is.
Best Regards
Nick
Hello. I am new here. I am looking for a food processor.
Wrong site. This is Cookshack Barbeque.
Hi
Hi Ho Neighbors!
Long time no see, lost my password and the lost password link here doesn't work very well. But I finally found the elusive password. Popped in to see what's new. Not much has changed with me, FEC100 still going strong, although I'm thinking of replacing the controller. How's everyone been?
Still here after all these years!
Not a lot of action on the ole forum anymore Andy
Andyj! Welcome back! We've missed you and your iconic crazy (good) recipes!
Always happy to see someone here....
Welcome back!
Good to see some old familiar names, I've been hanging out over at The BBQ Brethren site. Now that I can login again, I'll try to visit more often, still hate this odd blog format though. 
andyj: Good to see that you are still around. I don't like this format much either but do hang around now and again.
I'm here and lurking as well. Not a fan of the forum design but good info inside.
@Jeeeensy posted:Been lurking for a while on n off, about time I surfaced and said hi,, HI.,...
Have SM 160 ( that's packed up ) will get to looking at is soon to see what the problem is.
Best Regards
Nick
HI,., Problem solved,, door switch was gunked up,, a quick spray with electrical cleaner and a pair of long nosed pliers , a few tugs on the button to release it and works perfectly now,,
Hey All, I've had a cookshack for about 15 years, but haven't been active in the forum for quite awhile. I only smoke a couple times a year. I do the usual, pork shoulder, chicken, brisket. I have recently acquired two sons-in-law that have a competitor's brand smoker that starts with a T******. They use their smokers a couple times a week for all kinds of stuff. I felt that I was being "challenged" and now am smoking more often. Love my smoker and now wonder why I let some much time go by.
Glad to see you here and reading your input. Don't let the in-laws win!!!!!!!!!!!!
Challenge is a good motivator. What is your CS model? We like to share tips and recipes.
Thanks for reaching out. I have an oldie. It is a smokette. Not sure if it is the 020 or the 025. It is in great shape. I bought a 5# prime rib to smoke for tomorrow. I have a couple friends coming over. I am going to rub it with spices tonight, wrap it, and let it sit in the fridge overnight. It is hard to find a recipe for a portion of a prime rib. After reading several posts, I think I am going to let it come to room temp, and then smoke it at 225F for about 2 hours. I will use the meat probe and pull it around 100F. Then, maybe put it in a 450 oven for about 20 min to bring the temp up to 125F. Does this sound about right? I am shooting for rare to medium rare.
I sort of do what you are talking about. I do a salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion fresh rosemary and thyme rub the night before. I don't wrap the PR while it is in the fridge. When I am ready to start it I put the cold PR in the cold smoker and set the smoker temp at 225 degrees. When the PR reaches 110 degrees internal temp I pull it out of the smoker and put it in a 375 degree oven until it reaches 125 degrees internal temperature. I pull the PR out of the oven and wrap it in foil and then into a warm cooler for an hour or more. The reason for doing the cold PR and cold smoker is to get as much time as possible in the smoke. Give this a read also: NEW 2010 Prime Rib 101 | Cookshack .
Hey Mike, thanks for the advice. Makes sense to maximize the smoke time. I think I will try it your way. Have you ever smoked mushrooms? My SIL quarters mushrooms tossed with a little oil, garli, salt and pepper. Puts them in a foil pan and smokes a couple hours. Great side for beef.
Never even thought about smoking mushrooms. Now that you mention it, they sound good done that way. The old 101's are great help when you are doing something new. They were written by Smokin Okie and have good information.
Thanks for the inspiration, guys! I think smoked prime rib is now on my menu for the holidays.