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New SM020 and a blog of my adventures with it.

S skipro3Member
Day 1
Well, the smoker has arrived!
Box was in great shape except you could tell the UPS guy thought down was up as the top of the box was skidded around on the bed of the truck by the looks of the dirt on it.
Opened it up and everything seems o.k. One thing though, and I'm not sure if it's a problem or a design feature;
The box isn't square. Measuring diagonally across the front left to right/top to bottom is 25 inches. Measuring right to left/top to bottom is 25 1/2 inches. The sides are parallel to the door but the top of the door barely catches the box on the latch side. It's pretty obvious looking straight on at it that the box is a parallelogram and not square. Is that supposed to be that way? It's such a heavy unit, that there's no way it got "tweaked" in shipment and there's no marks on the box. It's like someone didn't set it in the jig right before welding it up. The tweak is enough that the door just barely covers the opening at the upper right corner, the side with the latch. I closed the door with a piece of paper in it and the paper easily slides in and out along that edge. The bottom is tight and the paper won' slide between the door and the box.
So, is my smoker defective or not? Heck, I'd tweak it back, but it would take a big sledge hammer several whacks to do that!! ha!

****EDIT****
1 1/2 hours into seasoning and there is zero smoke, so, I peeked. One of the two pieces of wood has a dark spot on it but they are no where near ready to start making smoke. I tweaked the heating element so that it touches the box holding the wood. Nothing in the instruction book even mentions the placement or proximity of the element to the wood pan. I do think I read about it somewhere here on the forum though. I wonder what someone who doesn't own a computer would do? Call cookshack I suppose, but cookshack could save themeselves the cost of a toll free phone call by making a note of this in their owner manual.
Also, there's a little light next to the temperature display that clicks on and off with a noise. I am guessing that is a lamp to inform me that the element is on or off. It stayed on when first powered up, then as it got closer to the set temperature, started to cycle. Another thing that should be in the manual.

Checked at 20 minutes after adjusting the heating element and there is smoke! However, it's coming out from the upper edge of the door and very little out the hole in the top. I shoved a damp cloth in the gap between the top of the door and the smoker lid; the space that isn't even across the top. It seems to have slowed the smoke coming out the top of the door.

I initially set the temperature for 205 and it shot up to 215. I have two temperature probes in there to check accuracy. One on the upper shelf and one on the lower shelf. The upper shelf measures 218 and the lower measured 224. Within 10 minutes the smoker temperature indicated 205 and the test probes measure 211 and 214 respectively. 5 minutes after that, the temperature had dropped to 201 and the heat cycle light started to switch on and off again. The probes measured 206 for the top shelf and 209 for the bottom.

****EDIT****
Sat for 3 hours and the wood was barely scorched. Not hardly any smoke. I suspect the duty cycle is too short without a load of meat in there to heat up. Reading around, I see where I am not the only one who's had this happen, i.e. no smoke and wood unscathed during the seasoning. Seems the secret is to fill the supplied drip pan with water to simulate the mass of a piece of meat. Just did that, so now we will see. Also reading, I should have smoke within 10 to 15 minutes, but I can't find how much I should see coming out the top and/or door seal...

****EDIT****
Within 5 to 7 minutes I have SMOKE and I mean a lot of it! That wood must have gotten hot, then by opening the door and adding the pan of cold water, the temperature dropped, kicking on the heater hard. Door leaks like crazy so I am going to leave the damp rag strip tucked in to the top of the door and force the chimney to work as designed. I know, it doesn't matter if some smoke leaks past the door, but I'm not wired that way; a door is SUPPOSED to do something!! Like, close and stay tight so the smoker design can do it's thing. Ha! I will probably design a gasket to SEAL my door.

BTW, I don't know what cookshack will say about the tweaked box, but I'm of two thoughts here;
1. Probably won't matter since I'm going to see that it stays pretty smoke tight anyway.
2. For what this thing cost me, over $500, I am sure they will make it right. Here is a photo. I'll see if I can do better tomorrow with the camera.
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S skipro3Member
Day 2
Talked to CS this morning to a most pleasant fellow named Tony. He's going to take good care of me. He's shipping me a new unit and this time I won't cut up the box to unpack it but will use the box to send the problem child back to him.
I gotta say that I am very impressed with their customer service. My hat is off to these folks! I knew I made the right choice when I selected a CookShack. THANKS!!

Just some more FYI;
I put a flash light in the smoker and shut the door. I can see light, quite a bit of it, coming from that upper right corner where the door meets the box. It is a gap that won't be self healing, that's for sure!
B bacchus2bMember
You can learn a lot about these smokers by taking a couple of hours and reading through old threads, including new owner experiences.

It seems pretty typical to have some smoke leaks around the door until your smoker is really well-seasoned inside, and not a good reason to send it back. My Amerique did it when it was new, I also had a few "Pop's" AKA sonic booms, etc. and they were also no big deal. The carbon that develops on the inside seals really well with no need for a gasket. It is also typical for the temperature to vary ten degrees or so up or down for the first few hours of smoking, especially if you keep opening the door.

I hope you have better luck with the next one.
S skipro3Member
Replacement smoker is on it's way. In the meantime, I cooked a 12.5 lb brisket. It is the best BBQ I've ever had in my life! What a difference in quality. This was a cheap brisket too.

SMOKING JOURNAL

General Information
Date 5/18/09
Meat & Cut Brisket 12.75lbs
Smoking Temperature 225
Wood Type Hickory
Wood Amount 3.75oz.

Preparation
Rub, Brine, Marinade:
1. Used only the Cookshack Brisket Rub. Used 1/3 of a new shaker.
2. Put in with fat side up.
3. Rinsed meat w/water and rubbed cold.
4. Used two temperature probes; one in the point and one in the flat.



Special Comments:
1. At 7pm moved flat probe. Temp changed from 172 to 167. Wood all burned
2. At 1am moved flat probe. Temp changed from 192 to 190.
3. Pulled the brisket at 12 hours. Thermometer easily slid in and out like a hot knife in butter.
4. Wrapped in foil, towels and put into ice chest at 4am. Temps are 190.
Temperature Charting
Time Meat Temp Oven Temp ActualOven Temp Setting
4pm 43 140 225
6pm 128/152 225 225
7pm 155/172 155/167 255 225
8pm 165/170 225 225
9pm 170/173 225 225
10pm 173/176 225 225
11 pm 225 225
12am 176/187 225 225
1am 180/190 225 225
2am 182/190 225 225
3am 225 225
4am 194/198 225 225

Into the ice chest for 2 hours
4am 190/190 N/A N/A
5am
6am 165/165
Removed and carved up.
7am


Finishing Comments:
Last edited by skipro3
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by skipro3:
I'm very "technical"


Well, there are several "technical" people around, and we've had some interesting discussion over the years (like how they can hook up various devices to the smoker then monitor the temp on a min by min basis)

Basically it's more art than science.

We'll give you the correct instruction, but you'll still have to have the fun of cooking the Q.
FM Former Member
I was thinking of painting a few rooms in my house and logging the residual moisture content of the paint at 60 second intervals, then making a spreadsheet and posting it online for everyone to see and enjoy.

But on second thought I'll just paint the rooms and close the door. They'll be dry the next morning.

Not making fun of your data, just pointing out that the meat will cook either way, contrary to what my grand mother always told me; "your meat will not cook if you record data at too frequent an interval". She had some saying about water boiling too, but I can't remember that one. Smiler
S skipro3Member
I just figured so many people asked or were concerned about the plateau temperature thing and how it's handled. My post is a copy of a form I found here in the forum in a WORD document and I filled it in, adding it here for my own future reference and for anyone else to find some useful info if it's there.

What I learned from reading is now what I know from experiance;
1. Start with a cold smoker and cold meat.
2. Do not get all fancy with marinades, rubs and finishing sauces. It discguises the good taste of BBQ and won't help bad BBQ anyway.
3. Keep wood down to 4 oz or less if you are cooking under 20lbs of meat.
4. Don't open the door. If you want to monitor meat temperature, stick a couple remote thermometers in there.
5. Rest the meat in foil, towels and ice chest to finish it off and for the juices to reabsorb.
6. 40 to 50% of the meat, by weight, will be reduced during the cooking process. Plan accordingly with portion size to the # of guests you will be serving.
7. Vacuum seal meal portions for future use and reheat in boiling water to retain the fresh flavor and not get it dried out by recooking it in a pan or giving it that awful microwave flavor by reheating in a MW oven.
8. Cook fat side up.
9. For God's sakes eat something before removing the finished meat or else it won't make it to the table.
10. It's done when it's done. Never go by time, one brisket may take 20 hours and another 12 hours. Keep an eye on internal temperature and test the meat at 195+* for that hot-knife-through-butter feel with the temperature probe. Probe from the top down, not through the side.
Ha!!
Last edited by skipro3
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by skipro3:
I just figured so many people asked or were concerned about the plateau temperature thing and how it's handled. My post is a copy of a form I found here in the forum in a WORD document and I filled it in, adding it here for my own future reference and for anyone else to find some useful info if it's there.

What I learned from reading is now what I know from experiance;
1. Start with a cold smoker and cold meat.
2. Do not get all fancy with marinades, rubs and finishing sauces. It discguises the good taste of BBQ and won't help bad BBQ anyway.
3. Keep wood down to 4 oz or less if you are cooking under 20lbs of meat.
4. Don't open the door. If you want to monitor meat temperature, stick a couple remote thermometers in there.
5. Rest the meat in foil, towels and ice chest to finish it off and for the juices to reabsorb.
6. 40 to 50% of the meat, by weight, will be reduced during the cooking process. Plan accordingly with portion size to the # of guests you will be serving.
7. Vacuum seal meal portions for future use and reheat in boiling water to retain the fresh flavor and not get it dried out by recooking it in a pan or giving it that awful microwave flavor by reheating in a MW oven.
8. Cook fat side up.
9. For God's sakes eat something before removing the finished meat or else it won't make it to the table.
10. It's done when it's done. Never go by time, one brisket may take 20 hours and another 12 hours. Keep an eye on internal temperature and test the meat at 195+* for that hot-knife-through-butter feel with the temperature probe. Probe from the top down, not through the side.
Ha!!


Bingo!
S skipro3Member
I ended up with just a little bit of that stiff, jerky like stuff on the bottom of the flat. I just cut it up and used it as treats for the dog and for myself! Ha! It's good for chili, omelets, all sorts of stuff. There was so little, the dog and I had it finished off as well packaged the bulk for the freezer.

I made sure to not use the bottom shelf, just doing a single brisket. It was in the middle just above the thermometer probe.
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by skipro3:
I ended up with just a little bit of that stiff, jerky like stuff on the bottom of the flat. I just cut it up and used it as treats for the dog and for myself! Ha! It's good for chili, omelets, all sorts of stuff. There was so little, the dog and I had it finished off as well packaged the bulk for the freezer.

I made sure to not use the bottom shelf, just doing a single brisket. It was in the middle just above the thermometer probe.




Great use for the meat that didn't turn out perfectly. Bet the dog loved it, and prolly a lot better for it than anything bought at the store.
S skipro3Member
Here's my thinking on #8
As the smoker comes up in temperature and the wood starts to smoke, I want the meat, not fat, to get the brunt of the smoke. Once the smoker is up to temperature, the heating element cycling on and off, I don't think there's a difference between the top and bottom of the meat in regards to the air's temperature. The heat source isn't on long enough and there is no draw of heat up and over at that time.

To check this theory, I placed a large pan of water in the smoker, put a temperature probe under and another over the water. Once the smoker was up to temperature, 20-40 minutes, the difference between the probes was less than 5 degrees and didn't change as the heating element cycled on and off.

So, why have the fat side up? So gravity will baste my brisket. Why have the fat side down? To protect the meat from the harsh heat source. But since I've now been able to convince myself the meat isn't being blasted by heat other than the start of the smoke, and that the muscle is able to soak up the direct smoke at the start of the cook, I'll endorse the fat up theory. All my opinion and we know what it's worth when weighed against the experience of others on here; about nada! Ha!
FM Former Member
The best part is you have success with your method, and that's key for any BBQ cook, confidence in their method

quote:
Originally posted by skipro3:
So, why have the fat side up? So gravity will baste my brisket. Why have the fat side down? To protect the meat from the harsh heat source. But since I've now been able to convince myself the meat isn't being blasted by heat other than the start of the smoke,


Well, let's see HOW many briskets have you cooked? Big Grin

Hey whatever works for you, stick with it.

However, since you're into the details, let speak about details so the lurkers can have more info too. We've actually discussed this a few times on briskets.

Both theories work, fat up or fat down and there is no wrong answer. I've just been cooking them since the 60's so I'm going on a little more experience, but they're just my theories/experience.

1) fat bastes the meat Well, this is a popular theory, actually I'd call it an old pit masters tale (not an old wives tale) similiar to you have to have a SR to have good BBQ. I've never found one food science article that can explain/prove/validate it. It's not the fat on top basting the meat, it's the intramuscular fat that is. At some point during the process, the meat seizes up and it won't let ANY liquid from the outside, top, bastes, mops, etc get into to. I'm still trying to figure out the specifics of that, when during the process.

quote:
Originally posted by skipro3:
The heat source isn't on long enough and there is no draw of heat up and over at that time.

To check this theory, I placed a large pan of water in the smoker, put a temperature probe under and another over the water. Once the smoker was up to temperature, 20-40 minutes, the difference between the probes was less than 5 degrees and didn't change as the heating element cycled on and off.


2) blast of heat I'm not sure a pan of water will react quick enough and doesn't similar a piece of meat at all. the issue of the "blast" is the effect of drying out the exterior, too much. Not the variations of temp you tested. The CS is a great unit and the variance isn't the issue, it's the direct temp at issue. Actually there is a blast of heat every time it cycles. And I don't put my brisket in a cold smoker anyway, I want the initial smoke to clear up a bit. Elements come on and the heat rises. It's not an absolute, in the Electric CS's it's not a big variation as it is in the FE or stick burners, but it does cycle quite a bit.

No worries, go with what works for you. Oh and if you start fat side down, don't forget to add time when you open the door.


Maybe I need to start a "old pitmaster tales" list:

Smoke Ring is the only good BBQ
Fat up or fat down
Smoke stops penetrating at 140
Foil (not sure about this)
....
I'll think of a few more
Last edited by Former Member
S skipro3Member
quote:
All my opinion and we know what it's worth when weighed against the experience of others on here; about nada! Ha!

That is why I added this disclaimer. I am no expert.

You asked how many briskets I've done? In a Cook Shack, just the one. All total? Just one. (Ha! Bet you thought I'd claim to make a bunch!!)

I am satisfied with fat up. Maybe someday I'll experiment with a fat down and be a "born-again" BBQ convert. But starting with a warm smoker?! That's just crazy talk! HaW!! Cheers!
FM Former Member
Well, as I said, if it works for you, that's great; fat up, fat down, flip, don't flip, it's all good.

I knew you hadn't cooked a bunch based on your statement, and I'm not trying to disagree, just want the readers to know a little bit more about this beast called brisket.

SOME people like to cook in foil and it works for them, that's good too.

You did a great job with the notes and that will be real helpful for some needing the details.

What's the next experiment?
P pagsMember
I've always grilled/smoked(water smoker) my meat fat side up until I got the Cookshack and recently got into a discussion with Smokin and Todd about fat side down. I've been doing a lot of salmon, ribs, beans, chicken wings and jerky lately, but will flip my next hunk of meat so the fat is down.

Seems like I should at least try what the experienced folks recommend as we move towards barbecue nirvana. Afterall, they're recommending it for a reason. At least, when we try both ways we can make our own decisions about what we like best. I wouldn't be surprised if I wind up doing it their way when all is said and done. But I've got to try it fat down to see what it's like.

I started late in this Cookshack smoking joyride and want to expand my knowledge as quickly as possible since I won't have 40 years to gain the experience. Don't get me wrong, I'm learning from the experienced folks as well as other newbies. For example, in this thread I learned from Skipro that my notes aren't detailed enough and probe from the top down not the side(don't know why yet). From Smokin/Todd to try the fat down. From Todd again, he's still histerical.

Doing tri tip and salmon tonight for the out of towners. Cheap man's surf and turf. PB for pulled pork tomorrow. Want to get more experience with brisket before I lay it on friends and relatives.

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