While performing my due diligence about cookstack (one of the smokers on my list is Model SM025) I’ve read that the meats have a “boiled” or a “steamed” flavor – not smoked. What are your thoughts?
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Not sure where you would have read that,but you might look at the person posting,and what the context was.
They quite obviously knew absolutely nothing about bbq,or cooking it.
They quite obviously knew absolutely nothing about bbq,or cooking it.
I think if you brined or marinated a roast for a long time, and maybe went a little heavey on water and low on salt or acid and did not pat it dry before smoking and maybe used a high temp. You might get a boiling or steaming effect???
I agree with Tom; the product I get from my CS does not seem to be steamed. The following quote is from a discussion comparing pellet coookers to CS.
"Ok Jim,here I go. About a year ago I bought a Cookshack 055 model. I got it to use in my restaurant. It is a small unit but it fit what we were trying to do at the time. I had been using a traditional offset smoker(Lang). I have now had the Cookshack for over a year. For the first 6 months of my restaurant being open,I used the Cookshack everyday. I used it with the wood tray,hickory most of the time. I have found that the cooker is built very well. I have never had one problem with the costruction of the unit. It does not give off ambient heat. The temps hold very well.It is fairly easy to clean. Customer service at Cookshack was wonderful.
Now for the way it cooks meat. Notice,I said "Cooks". I stopped using it because the food was not to the level I wanted to serve to my customers. The texture of the ribs was much like steamed meat. The ribs did not have the smokey flavor I was used to with my offset. I used different amounts of wood many times trying to get it right. It never worked,the ribs were bellow standard. The chicken was just ok, on its best day. Pork butts are hard to mess up so they were good and I still use the Cookshack for butts. My favorite type of BBQ is brisket. The brisket that came out of the Cookshack was very close to pot roast. The texture was ok but the flavor of a Electric cooked brisket versus a wood smoked brisket is not even close. I NEVER cook brisket in the Cookshack any more. I still have the cookshack in my restaurant but only cook butts with it and even then,not often. I use my lang and my customers LOVE the product it produces.
Electric Cookshack versus an offset. Offset EVERY time. No comparison!!
_________________
sales@smokeyjcafe.com"
"Ok Jim,here I go. About a year ago I bought a Cookshack 055 model. I got it to use in my restaurant. It is a small unit but it fit what we were trying to do at the time. I had been using a traditional offset smoker(Lang). I have now had the Cookshack for over a year. For the first 6 months of my restaurant being open,I used the Cookshack everyday. I used it with the wood tray,hickory most of the time. I have found that the cooker is built very well. I have never had one problem with the costruction of the unit. It does not give off ambient heat. The temps hold very well.It is fairly easy to clean. Customer service at Cookshack was wonderful.
Now for the way it cooks meat. Notice,I said "Cooks". I stopped using it because the food was not to the level I wanted to serve to my customers. The texture of the ribs was much like steamed meat. The ribs did not have the smokey flavor I was used to with my offset. I used different amounts of wood many times trying to get it right. It never worked,the ribs were bellow standard. The chicken was just ok, on its best day. Pork butts are hard to mess up so they were good and I still use the Cookshack for butts. My favorite type of BBQ is brisket. The brisket that came out of the Cookshack was very close to pot roast. The texture was ok but the flavor of a Electric cooked brisket versus a wood smoked brisket is not even close. I NEVER cook brisket in the Cookshack any more. I still have the cookshack in my restaurant but only cook butts with it and even then,not often. I use my lang and my customers LOVE the product it produces.
Electric Cookshack versus an offset. Offset EVERY time. No comparison!!
_________________
sales@smokeyjcafe.com"
Yes that is the review I read! I’d like a really authentic smoky flavor – does not happen with the model I am looking at?
I would use my traditional CS for comp briskets ,if allowed.
I agree that Langs can lay on very heavy smoke,and you have to be careful.
We cook against cooks that do a fine job with Langs,but are very careful.
All that I personally know ,in the SE have converted over to CS cookers.
There are guys with stickburners that cook butts and briskets in paper bags,or bedsheets-to prevent oversmoking.
Yep,a real bad taste problem.
Maybe,the guy has gotten used to the taste,and thinks it is normal?
I haven't eaten his cooking,so I can't comment.
I can say,all our team are nationally certified,Master Barbecue Judges,on the pro circuit.
We are also a cook team with state championships in butts and briskets,as well as others.
No brag,but I think we have the experience to speak to different products.
Maybe you should look at who the poster is,and the quality of his product?
Just a thought.
I agree that Langs can lay on very heavy smoke,and you have to be careful.
We cook against cooks that do a fine job with Langs,but are very careful.
All that I personally know ,in the SE have converted over to CS cookers.
There are guys with stickburners that cook butts and briskets in paper bags,or bedsheets-to prevent oversmoking.
Yep,a real bad taste problem.
Maybe,the guy has gotten used to the taste,and thinks it is normal?
I haven't eaten his cooking,so I can't comment.
I can say,all our team are nationally certified,Master Barbecue Judges,on the pro circuit.
We are also a cook team with state championships in butts and briskets,as well as others.
No brag,but I think we have the experience to speak to different products.
Maybe you should look at who the poster is,and the quality of his product?
Just a thought.
I would agree with Tom. I am no expert, but have smoked for many years and have done a lot of BBQ catering jobs in the past and my Cookshack is the easiest and best unit I have had. You can lay as much smoke as you would want or need with it. Read and look at the many many other posts than just the one from this person.
quote:Originally posted by Bassin49er:
While performing my due diligence about cookstack
It's Cookshack, you will be wishing you had one when your stick burner goes out in the rain and your meat really starts to steam!
the issue isn't "steam" it's moisture.
If you keep reading, you'd find my response.
The DESIGN of the CS is to keep it as moist an environment as possible. The reason is for most people, they have dry meat when they cook (and why other cookers add a water pan).
It's there to help.
However, you can do what I do and it's to open the door and let the moisture out. Now, that does two things, one it releases the moisture inside the cabinet. BUT... (cause and effect) it will increase the cooking time because you've let heat out with the moisture.
As for smoky foods in the post. He just has unrealistic expectations and is probably used to oversmoked foods, it's not sold as a replacement for Offsets. You can load any of the units up with TOO much wood, so much so that you get creosote.
And that's okay. I wouldn't push ANYONE into buying a CS. Tell me your needs and I'll tell you my advice. I'd rather you trust me to teach you BBQ than think I'm pushing CS (which I don't, as I do this forum as a volunteer, I don't work for CS).
But he made the right decision, go with what you need. For a restaurant, if he didn't like the product, he could have adjusted his recipes, but I don't think he came to us.
Will a CS exactly duplicate an Offset? depends on how you use both of them. An offset will be more dry heat and more dry air/smoke because of logs burning.
Also, keep in mind, there is a money back guarantee.
But CS isn't for everybody, there are just so many options, it's hard to fit everyone's needs or even their perceptions/taste profiles.
Me, I think the FEC's for restaurants are perfect.
If you keep reading, you'd find my response.
The DESIGN of the CS is to keep it as moist an environment as possible. The reason is for most people, they have dry meat when they cook (and why other cookers add a water pan).
It's there to help.
However, you can do what I do and it's to open the door and let the moisture out. Now, that does two things, one it releases the moisture inside the cabinet. BUT... (cause and effect) it will increase the cooking time because you've let heat out with the moisture.
As for smoky foods in the post. He just has unrealistic expectations and is probably used to oversmoked foods, it's not sold as a replacement for Offsets. You can load any of the units up with TOO much wood, so much so that you get creosote.
And that's okay. I wouldn't push ANYONE into buying a CS. Tell me your needs and I'll tell you my advice. I'd rather you trust me to teach you BBQ than think I'm pushing CS (which I don't, as I do this forum as a volunteer, I don't work for CS).
But he made the right decision, go with what you need. For a restaurant, if he didn't like the product, he could have adjusted his recipes, but I don't think he came to us.
Will a CS exactly duplicate an Offset? depends on how you use both of them. An offset will be more dry heat and more dry air/smoke because of logs burning.
Also, keep in mind, there is a money back guarantee.
But CS isn't for everybody, there are just so many options, it's hard to fit everyone's needs or even their perceptions/taste profiles.
Me, I think the FEC's for restaurants are perfect.
The cooking method was not mentioned.
I'm wondering if some how "Foil" might have entered into the equation. Lots of stick burners tend to use it.
I'm wondering if some how "Foil" might have entered into the equation. Lots of stick burners tend to use it.
I'm pretty sure it was about the model itself, not the foil.
My comments weren't about the pellet (FEC) but about the CS in general, the comments made actually confuse the FE vs the other CS that's why I tried to clarify. The title of his orginal post were about FE's but then they started talking about electric CS models.
I've NEVER heard anyone complain the FE's steam the food. Ever.
It's a good question, and in ten years of the forum, I've heard it before. it's how the cooker is built, its moist on purpose.
My comments weren't about the pellet (FEC) but about the CS in general, the comments made actually confuse the FE vs the other CS that's why I tried to clarify. The title of his orginal post were about FE's but then they started talking about electric CS models.
I've NEVER heard anyone complain the FE's steam the food. Ever.
It's a good question, and in ten years of the forum, I've heard it before. it's how the cooker is built, its moist on purpose.
The model I'm curious about is: Model SM025. Will this still provide an authentic great smoked BBQ?
Keep in mind that CS has a 30 day money back guarantee. Talk with CS about it.
quote:Originally posted by Bassin49er:
The model I'm curious about is: Model SM025. Will this still provide an authentic great smoked BBQ?
I personally think it will provide better tasting authentic smoked BBQ than you have ever eaten from a stick burner. My 009 cooks pork butts better than my 36" offset. I have not used my ofset in 3 years since I don't have to tend to the fire anymore and I hate trying to regulate a temp.The Cookshack does it all for you. But if you like spending $10 on charcoal and $10 on wood everytime you cookout, then I say an offset is for you.
Here is a pic of my retired smoker.
