Larger Home Model Cookshack

Hey Jeff-

While you are waiting, if look around, you can find used commercial CS smokers in that price range. I purchased a Model 150 at an auction a few weeks ago for $625. Cleaned it up, ordered new racks and hangers, almost good as new! There were others there for sale that sold for less, but they needed much more work.

Just a thought!

Matt,

What kind of an auction were you at that had multiple used Cookshacks?

Happy Trails

The new, larger home model is in R&D. The cabinet is built, the heating element is due in early January and we are marching along on the special electronics that it will require. Do not give up! In the meantime, get a Smokette and enjoy yourself.

Donna

Donna,

Can you tell me the size of the racks/grills? Any idea when it will be available. I'd be glad to be a Beta tester!LOL

Happy Trails-

It was a restaurant auction.

quote:

Originally posted by Donna:
[qb] The new, larger home model is in R&D.[/qb]

Will it have the capacity to cook at higher temps, thus eliminating the requisite second step of having to finish poultry on the grill or in the oven to achieve an edible skin (rather than the 250 deg rubber skin symdrome)?

Is there a scheduled release date you can divulge?

Will you be needing beta testers??

I think, if this is possible in the conventional CS.. it should be VERY high on the priority list as it is the ONLY issue I'm aware of in my limited experience thusfar.

As it stands, I'm now looking at buying a Primo Oval.. but not sure yet. It also holds, as I understand it, the moisture very well and can cook up to 170�+ Figure I can do the CS magic and then put on the Primo to finish..

Was thinking about getting a Weber Genesis or similar for crisping up the skins but this may be a far better idea.. but.. still thinking

WeeWilly,

I also use a Kamado #7 for smoking and high temp cooking. It is an outstanding piece of equipment and I would recommend it as a great companion to the CS.

The dilemma is, there is no perfect smoker/grill for all situations. I am upgrading from my little water smoker to a model 50 for Xmas. I want the cookshack for no brainer long cooks of briskets, butts and ribs. I also own a Weber charcoal kettle with rotisserie and Weber gas grill.

I love crispy chicken skin. For me, I don't invision doing much chicken in my cookshack. I can do an awesome rotisserie chicken in the kettle (smoke roasted at 300-350) in 1 hr.

It is nice to have different equipment for various purposes. I agree larger shelves in a home cooker would be nice.

I'm ordering a 50 also. Hopefully it can get here before X-mas, I like the line someone used in another thread= Honey, "look what I got for you for your Christmas present"
When everyone says finish up on the grill for poultry, Can it be a gas grill? with the odor problem, or does everyone use a charcoal grill for crisping up the skin?
In Taiwan we don't have lump charcoal, just the cheap chemical type (petroleum based) I'm guessing also has a strong odor at the start, but that's what all the Taiwanese use. How are the pellet grills for finishing?
Anyways, be interested to see what people prefer to use for what we call "this dilemma" crispin up the skin, and why. We don't have Sam's, Home depot, Walmart, or any of those great places to shop here in Taiwan. We do have B&Q who carry a few grills from Australia, Carrefour from France (we're not buying French even if they did have grills!!!) , we do have a Costco about an hour south, but if they have grills, it may be for 2 months of the year just before the autumn moon festival in September.
Thanks, again to everyone.
Steve in Taiwan.

Hey Willy.. this is really pretty easy to fix.. I've been doing my chicken on a stovetop grill plate.. the kind you see the "chef's" using on the cooking shows on tv.. OK OK you probably don't get Food Network.. it's like a large pancake griddle but one side has ridges to put the grilling marks on the food. It works great to de-rubber the chicken skin.. The other thing you can do is to put it into the oven under the broiler for a few minutes.. that crisps it up.. just fine and works for whole chicken and turkey.

Another thing to do is to forget about the skin.. it isn't supposed to be good for you anyhoo... I've lately been loosening the skin and applying rub under it.. then putting the skin back in place to help hold moisture.. when the chicken is done I remove the skin,, feed it to the dog.. and we eat the bird.. the dog thinks he is in hog heaven when he gets the treat.

Bill

I wouldn't worry about the skin,until someone else brings it up.

Your answer could be"oh,you eat the skin?".

It takes about 325�-375� to crisp chicken skin.

Your oven broiler,a small gas grill,a small charcoal grill ,will all suffice.

Any charcoal is fine,if you allow it to burn off any lighter residue and come to a full grey burn.

The pellet cookers can finish up around 400�+ and do a good job on poultry.

All that being said,I serve a good bit of chicken,seasoned many ways, right out of my CS.

I can't remember anyone ever saying"man this is fantastic,if only the skin were a little crisper."

Now this isn't to say I don't try lots of tricks for the "perfect" bite,sometimes.

I really think chicken should be fried,or cooked direct over high heat.

If I cooked a lot of chicken and serving it was my business,I'd probably get a dedicated flat charcoal chicken cooker and cook it quick to demand.
.

Belsen is the brand used here a lot.

Speaking of fried chicken, I love broasted chicken (pressure cooking in hot oil) and it can done at home. A special pressure cooker is needed: Fagor pressure fryer is one of two brands out there that can accomplish the task at home. Don't try it with just any pressure cooker - dangerous. Talk about crispy skin and moist interior.

Happy Trails

I love these threads.. started talking about a new model and now we're talking about crisping chicken.

Hey, I'm starting a new thread.

Your friendly, ever present moderator:

P.S. How about this new model.