Hello folks,
Newbie here, been reading the forum a little the last couple days - found a used SM008 on eBay and won it - waiting on that to arrive. I've cooked all my life and love smoked meat. Never smoked anything in my life except cigarettes and cuban cigars. LOL. Did a stint in Chef School in 1992-93 at the California Culinary Academy where we smoked some real fine meats as part of a garde manger course (classic cold food production).
So I'm really excited to try out some jerky, brisket and pulled pork. I do a fine pulled pork in the oven and am anxious to smoke a butt or two. Read a lot of this thread, saw people from all over - places I KNOW. I KNOW Pittsurg, CA. I lived in Concord, not far away. LOL
Also lived a long time in Chicago and all over the state of California - LA, Malibu, Ojai, Thousand Oaks, San Francisco, Pacifica. You name it. I worked for IBM most of my life and the old joke is IBM stands for I've Been Moved. True dat.
Really looking forward to joining the ranks and eventually will figure out where to post some of my other recipes, I do write, if that is appropriate and in the appropriate place.
Greetings Q' fans !!!!
)If I can ever figure out how to write in all BOLD I will. Ain't shouting, just have a real bad case of glaucoma, nearly blind. But oooohhhh wheee do I love to cook anyway.
Great to have ya Big Mike and welcome. When you start smokin on the 008 you will get addicted! Lookin forward to seein your recipes.
Welcome Big Mike! You're going to love it!
.Welcome BigMike. I am in NJ too. Pretty new here also. . You are gonna love it. The experts on here are so nice and helpful. Good luck. Vicki
Newbie Here - My wife Tobey and I live on an old Church Camp East of Salina, KS. I am the 13th of 15 kids. Grew up on a farm in the Salina area. When growing up we raised and harvested our own animals, and we continue that today. I have always enjoyed baking, cooking and bbq. The world of smoking was by accident after a family member bought a restaurant which had a CS 200. They did not want it so I brought it home and started playing with it. I decided if they want it back it will take a court order, ha. We have been having a hog roast yearly and sometimes more often than that. Used to use a pit in the ground, but done the last in my CS. Did not think anything could be better than a pit pig....Until tried the CS. We have been doing two pigs for a local Old Time Tractor Museum each fall for their fund raiser and will be using the CS. I did not have any guidance in using the CS, so it was great when I discovered the CS Forum.Years ago I went to the CS site but did not see the link to the forum, I found it by accident and what a wealth of knowledge I have been reading. I have been a "lurker" for some time, did not feel like I have paid the price to jump in yet, but here it goes....
COOL....I was born in Salina Ks!
I have been a "lurker" for some time, did not feel like I have paid the price to jump in yet, but here it goes....[/QUOTE]
Hey KS Q, everyone is welcome here and there are NO bad questions cause ya never know without asking and one question can always bring up another. Welcome
Hey KS Q, everyone is welcome here and there are NO bad questions cause ya never know without asking and one question can always bring up another. Welcome
Welcome KS Q. It sounds like u probably come with a wealth of knowledge to share as well. Weren't u lucky just happening upon a wonderful smoker. looking forward to hearing more. Vicki B.
I wish Forum Members would list where they are from. I find it facinating that there are Q'rs from all over North America! You can update your Profile by going to the Personal Zone.
Hey Padrefan. I saw your location on the sauce/rub Exchange Map. Is Santee, CA in the US or down on the Baja Peninsula? 
Another "newbie" here from Aurora, Illinois.
Been grilling for years and finally decided to give smokin a try. At Christmas, bought MasterForge vertical smokers for my 2 sons-in-law and my son and decided "what the heck" got 1 for myself. So far I'm the only one that's tried it. (we usually don't have good enough weather at this time of year) New Year's Day did a chicken and made the mistake of not enough coal. (I've been using hickory or mesquite charcoal from Kingsford) Had to finish the chicken on the grill. Hah - rookie mistake. Couple of weeks later did a pork butt and it was fantastic. Did another pork butt on Super Bowl Sunday (after returning from Mexico on Saturday evening) also fantastic. Then found this forum when I did my first brisket this past Sunday. Only a couple of replies but they were extremely helpful. Putting it up until the weather gets a little better and then going to try duck breast and/or trout.
Looking forward to more help.
Been grilling for years and finally decided to give smokin a try. At Christmas, bought MasterForge vertical smokers for my 2 sons-in-law and my son and decided "what the heck" got 1 for myself. So far I'm the only one that's tried it. (we usually don't have good enough weather at this time of year) New Year's Day did a chicken and made the mistake of not enough coal. (I've been using hickory or mesquite charcoal from Kingsford) Had to finish the chicken on the grill. Hah - rookie mistake. Couple of weeks later did a pork butt and it was fantastic. Did another pork butt on Super Bowl Sunday (after returning from Mexico on Saturday evening) also fantastic. Then found this forum when I did my first brisket this past Sunday. Only a couple of replies but they were extremely helpful. Putting it up until the weather gets a little better and then going to try duck breast and/or trout.
Looking forward to more help.
Welcome!
Jim, you might not get some replies because of the smoker you're using. Some people don't reply if they don't have experience.
If it's not a smoker specific question, then there is a LOT of info here.
Jump in and ask away.
Again, welcome.
Jim, you might not get some replies because of the smoker you're using. Some people don't reply if they don't have experience.
If it's not a smoker specific question, then there is a LOT of info here.
Jump in and ask away.
Again, welcome.
quote:Originally posted by Pags:
Hey Padrefan. I saw your location on the sauce/rub Exchange Map. Is Santee, CA in the US or down on the Baja Peninsula?
Sorry I missed this Pags. Fortunately for my family and friends we are still north of the U.S. border. Although there are areas of San Diego county, where I am not so sure.
Holy Smokes!
I just realized that I haven't introduced myself yet.
I'm Jim Heggeness from Fargo, ND. I got started smoking with a Weber grill and bluebill ducks. I progressed into geese and other meats. I currently use a Cook-shack Amerique. I haven't learned how to use it effectively yet. Most of my efforts come out with a bitter taste. It seems that the build up (creasote?) of a film on the inside of my smoker imparts a bitter taste to the meat. Any comments adfressing this issue will be appreciated!.
Jim
I just realized that I haven't introduced myself yet.
I'm Jim Heggeness from Fargo, ND. I got started smoking with a Weber grill and bluebill ducks. I progressed into geese and other meats. I currently use a Cook-shack Amerique. I haven't learned how to use it effectively yet. Most of my efforts come out with a bitter taste. It seems that the build up (creasote?) of a film on the inside of my smoker imparts a bitter taste to the meat. Any comments adfressing this issue will be appreciated!.
Jim
Welcome! What type and how much wood are you using? You want that buildup of smoke on the inside of the smoker. After a while, if you want just a slight smoke, you'll be able to run the smoker without any wood in it and still get some smoke flavor.
Bitter taste might mean too much wood or too much of a strong wood like mesquite.
Bitter taste might mean too much wood or too much of a strong wood like mesquite.
AndyJ,
Thanks for the response. I usually use 2-3 oz. of wood on my smokes. I have used mesquite, hickory, apple, cherry, pecan and alder. I use alder on fish and as long as I keep the total smoke time under 1-1/2 hours, it turns out good. More than that - icky!
For brisket, I have used mesquite and hickory. They usually take about 12-14 hours and seem "over" smoked.
For pork loins and pork butts, I brine and then smoke to about 170 for loins and 190 for butts. By the time I reach temperature, the meat tastes over smoked.
Any suggestions will be appreciated!
Jim
Thanks for the response. I usually use 2-3 oz. of wood on my smokes. I have used mesquite, hickory, apple, cherry, pecan and alder. I use alder on fish and as long as I keep the total smoke time under 1-1/2 hours, it turns out good. More than that - icky!
For brisket, I have used mesquite and hickory. They usually take about 12-14 hours and seem "over" smoked.
For pork loins and pork butts, I brine and then smoke to about 170 for loins and 190 for butts. By the time I reach temperature, the meat tastes over smoked.
Any suggestions will be appreciated!
Jim
quote:Originally posted by Jaques:
AndyJ,
Thanks for the response. I usually use 2-3 oz. of wood on my smokes. I have used mesquite, hickory, apple, cherry, pecan and alder. I use alder on fish and as long as I keep the total smoke time under 1-1/2 hours, it turns out good. More than that - icky!
For brisket, I have used mesquite and hickory. They usually take about 12-14 hours and seem "over" smoked.
For pork loins and pork butts, I brine and then smoke to about 170 for loins and 190 for butts. By the time I reach temperature, the meat tastes over smoked.
Any suggestions will be appreciated!
Jim
I have found in any smoker that if you pull loins at about 140 and not over 145 they will be very moist. I pull at 140 and wrap with foil and wrap with towels and put in the cooler for up to an hour or 2 and slice no more than you will serve. Then for seconds cut some more and it stay very moist. Pork has a bad rap that it needs to be cooked to a higher temp. Especially loins and tenderloins.
Hey all,my name is Chris and I'm a que addict. I know I've been to therapy and failed. Love the que. I am brand new to the art of bbq,but not the taste.Just got a sm045. Ride a VTX 1800 scooter,wife rides a 1300 VTX.We have been all over the area in search of good bbq. Finally said, self what the heck are you buying for, when you can make your own. So here I am.Couldn't be happier. Call me "Q" , peace out smoker bretheran.
Welcome Q. I still eat bbq out once in a while just to get new ideas and to size up the competition (just see whats out there really.) You are gonna have fun on this adventure. It doesnt sound like u will be too worried about asking questions. Looking forward to hearing more about your smokes!
Hello all. Cook quite a bit and grill. New to smoking. But have wanted to get into it for a while. Love BBQ of any kind. Researched smokers ad-nausium. Pellet grills, charcoal smokers, electric etc... I must say there is no shortage of people that say electric smoking is not real BBQ. That had me looking at a Backwoods smoker for a while. In the end however, I went with a cookshack SMO 45. Read nothing but rave reviews on the quality of construction (made in USA) and the quality of the food it produces. The 45 will also be about the right size for me also. I ordered mine from the Charcoal store and it showed up severely damaded (UPS shipping). I sent it back and am now awaiting a new one. I'm a little nervous about the condition the next one shows up in. So far the Charcoal store has been very good about it all. I hope I have made the right decision about the Cookshack and who I bought it from. I just want to get started smokin! Words of encouragement anyone?