# Cookshack SM 160 Thread



## motochef (May 25, 2011)

Hope you're all going to have a great summer! I'm a personal chef in the Chicago area and I was at the NRA show this last weekend and met the owner/CEO of Cookshack Stuart Powell and struck a great deal on a SM 160 that he was using at the show. The greatest thing about having the NRA show in Chicago is that vender's will strike a deal so they don't have to ship product back home. I have been using the the Masterbuilt 40" for about 5 years and the thing is being held together with tape and bubblegum but it still works. I have built a reputation for my ribs and pulled pork and made the move on this unit because I wanted a commercial smoker. After I saw the SM066 that was what I was going to get but the cost was $1800 and Stuart and I worked out a deal for the SM160 with the cold smoke kit, rib rack, seafood rack and shipping. So this is my first post with this forum and the smoker is coming this week and I thought that I would start a thread on it and post my experiences.


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## thebarbequeen (May 29, 2011)

sounds like a Sweet deal, indeed! Welcome! Looking forward to hearing more from you, and don't forget the q-view! I love my cookshack. Good luck with it!


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## fpnmf (May 29, 2011)

Welcome..

This site has tons of info.

I would suggest you spend some time reading all the different forums and the WIKIs.

Then use the handy dandy search tool for specific interests!!

The free E-Course is great!!
 
http://www.smoking-meat.com/smoking-basics-ecourse.html

Have a great day!!!

Craig

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/57139/basic-pulled-pork-smoke

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/wiki/finishing-sauce-for-pulled-pork-by-soflaquer


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## motochef (Jun 1, 2011)

Well it came today! Finally! Here are a few pictures. I seasoned it for about 4 hours with hickory empty and that's the first picture after that I loaded it up with 10 pork shoulders and set it for 225 for 13 hours.


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## thebarbequeen (Jun 2, 2011)

That's a beauty!! congrats!


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## tjohnson (Jun 3, 2011)

Great Looking Smoker!

What a way to break it in!!

How about some finished pics?

Todd


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## motochef (Jun 4, 2011)

DONE! 13 hours and they were Awesome! Did pulled pork for out Relay for Life event and my buddy asked me to make some for his sons graduation party for 100.


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## thebarbequeen (Jun 5, 2011)

Looks Great!  You're going to be very busy from here on out, I'm guessing! Congrats!


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## motochef (Jun 8, 2011)

Did some baby backs and chicken today the unit comes with a chicken/ribs preset button. It sets the temp at 225 and the time for 3 hours. I always did 225 for 4 hours. The climb in temp seemed a bit slow today. They came out a bit chewy and I finished them with a Texas crunch in a 300 degree for about an hour. I did them with hickory this time when my normal wood is cherry. My Masterbuilt has a water pan this one doesn't have one so I'm thinking of rigging a water pan in here some how. Maybe just a 1/2 sheet pan with water on the bottom rack.


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## justsmokinaround (Nov 5, 2019)

motochef said:


> Well it came today! Finally! Here are a few pictures. I seasoned it for about 4 hours with hickory empty and that's the first picture after that I loaded it up with 10 pork shoulders and set it for 225 for 13 hours.



I was wondering what you thought of the smoke flavor in the meat.  Reason for asking is i have another commercial electric smoker that I can make the meat have any smoke flavor so I am thinking of replacing it. It needs to be electric to be able to be used in my commercial kitchen.
What did you think of the meat from the SM160?
Anyone else have a review of this unit?


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## rjob (Nov 5, 2019)

justsmokinaround said:


> I was wondering what you thought of the smoke flavor in the meat.  Reason for asking is i have another commercial electric smoker that I can make the meat have any smoke flavor so I am thinking of replacing it. It needs to be electric to be able to be used in my commercial kitchen.
> What did you think of the meat from the SM160?
> Anyone else have a review of this unit?


Have the sm160. Smoke flavor is controlled by wood type and amount of wood used. Usually burn 3-4 oz of cherry. Flavor works for us. Meat texture and mositure is great. Just need to learn times and temperatures. Cooker is pretty much set and forget. Cookshack has information from commerical users on their forum.


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## justsmokinaround (Nov 5, 2019)

Ok thanks. I have been looking on Cookshack also for reviews of the SM180. My FEC100 and Treager are awesome and my sticker burners before that were great but the HD is giving me grief about the FEC in the kitchen I need to use and the cost would be way too much to get a pellet/wood smoker in there under a hood and protected but an electric would be perfect. So I bought another brand and no matter what I do, no matter how much sawdust I put in or what flavor sawdust no one can taste any smoke so I am looking to replace it but scared to spend t alot on another electric since the first one was so bad.


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## rjob (Nov 5, 2019)

justsmokinaround said:


> Ok thanks. I have been looking on Cookshack also for reviews of the SM180. My FEC100 and Treager are awesome and my sticker burners before that were great but the HD is giving me grief about the FEC in the kitchen I need to use and the cost would be way too much to get a pellet/wood smoker in there under a hood and protected but an electric would be perfect. So I bought another brand and no matter what I do, no matter how much sawdust I put in or what flavor sawdust no one can taste any smoke so I am looking to replace it but scared to spend t alot on another electric since the first one was so bad.


From our experience the smoke was over powering. Used 6oz of hickory. Began using lesser amount until settling on 3- 4 oz. All depends on your preference. Ours has the hood which is piped outside works OK.  Not great but does the job. Bought unit used - good deal with accessories and spare parts. Have had no equipment break downs. Please note we are not a commerical user. C/S forum had several daily users, might try a post there. It could take  few days to get reply. MaxQ and Tom are commerical.


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