Perceptions - electric vs. wood fired.

We have two large Souther Pride smokers that we do not use after we purchased a cookshack 150 over a year ago. We use this smoker 24/7 in our restaurant. An average week for us is 400 pounds of back ribs, 320 pounds of pork butt, 240 pounds of beef brisket, and 150 whole chickens. Anyone can operate this smoker with great results time after time, day after day. These other smokers require considerable more training for the operator and also the operator of the smoker must judge the smoking product all the time. We have truly found that with a cookshack "You can set it and for get it" .The cookshack runs so much cheaper. Less wood, less labor, less ruined product. Customers want a predicatable product when they dine out, this smoker will provide those results. The clean up with cookshack is simple, easy, and quick. Here in Illinois most of our customers wonder about eating pink meat.(especially poultry) Of course the cookshack doesn't produce the smoke ring like other smokers. This has proved to be just fine with us. In certain regions of the country that just the way it is, no one ever complains about no pink. My two cents worth. Chef Jerald

Thanks for the feedback. My goal is to provide consistent quality, but also consistent profit. Sounds like the Cookshack is the way to go.

chef Jer,

If you're putting that much product out, let me know where your restaurant is so i can stop by some time.

Jump into the regular forums, sounds like you've got some great background to help the beginners and others.

Thanks for jumpin' in.

mainelydave,

make sure you touch back with TopChef, he's in Vermont and runs his place there. Maybe he can give you a little more information.

Perceptions can be difficult. It's easy enough to get the product to "look" right but it will certainly be the quality and the flavor that keeps them coming back. I've help some in Texas where you can't sell Brisket if it doesn't have a smoke ring. That's easy to fix.

Good luck, always happy to help.

Smokin'

Hi All,

I've been taking some vacation time and made a promise to stay away from computers as much as possible. Tomorrow, I'll be heading back north from Daytona Beach...hopefully finding some Q along I 95.

Tried to make it down to Melbourne but time just didn't allow Any good Q joints not to far from I 95 would be appreciated.

Talk to you all soon.

Thanks.This forum is great!

Hi Folks,

Great forum you have here. I am about to embark in my own BBQ business, and have decided to use a CS smoker. I noticed above, that Okie mentioned that putting the smoke ring on BBQ is easy with a CS. Could someone please give me a little advice on doing so? Being a Texan, my Q MUST have the ring!

LockhartBBQ ~ Welcome aboard to the wonderful world of Cookshack.

Stuart, who owns the company and co-moderates this forum may want to step in on this one. It seems one can produce a smokering by adding charcoal briquettes to the wood pan. As to how many, I'm not sure as I live in Vermont and Vermonters don't care about smokerings as much as we ponder over good snow tires, good food and tasty adult beverages to get us through Vermont winters...or as we say here in Vermont...win-taas

I found this explanation about smoke rings in the archive.
http://www.cookshack.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000001.html

Also, TopChef, visited your restaurants site... awesome!!! (well, the site is ok, but the food descriptions are making me drool) I'll be up during foliage season next year.

Lockhart,

Here's another link, with photos:

Smoke Ring discussion

Simple answer. I've worked with some others in Texas who can't sell brisket without a Smoke Ring. Okay, no discussion about that, I can't change opinions. BUT...

Take some tenderquick, rub it on the underside of the brisket (the side that has the smallest amount of fat, not the deckle side). Let it sit 3 min. Rinse off. You'll get about a 4mm smoke ring.

Smokin'

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. It sounds like it is a simple fix afterall. I will be ordering a new CS smoker in the near future, and can't wait to see how all of the old favorites turn out. Almost sounds too good to be true...not having to stay up all night stoking or dousing to keep temps in the right range. Sign me up!

chef jer, I have heard a lot of good about your place. I grew up in Effingham and moved to St. Louis a few years back. The boys at Pilson Auto Center in the back shop have nothing but good to say about your restaurant. If I am in the area next time, mind if I stop buy and get the tour? Mike.

Sure, just ask for me and I will show you around. I bought a car for my wife at Pilson's. We are getting ready to make beef bacon and the buck board bacon. Tests so far with customers have been well received. I was the chef for a few years at the Keller Ramada. Maybe you have been there before.

Chef Jer,
Been making buckboard bacon for several years now,sells very well.Would like some info on beef bacon,if your willing to share.Have been playing with turkey bacon,results not good yet.I'll let you know if I come up with a turkey bacon product.
Looking foward to hearing from you,
Papa Shaka,Shaka Smoke Lodge,Little Rock,Ar.

We use beef brisket and treat it just like we do the pork butt. We smoke it for about four hours with a normal amount of wood. It has a beautiful red color, very tender and juicy, Chef Jer

Are you using flats ????
Papa Shaka