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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking.


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Old 11-13-2018, 07:57 PM   #1
viodea
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Join Date: 09-09-17
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Default A few questions for Cookshack PG500 owners

I'm considering PG500 but I've heard the indirect cooking space is limited.


  • Does it fit 3 rack of St Louis ribs comfortable?
  • Does it fit a 17 lb brisket packer?
  • What's your creative way of utilize different zones?
  • How easy is reverse searing on it?
  • Is 3 years limited warranty a concern?
  • Do you need to set to low temp to get more smoke before setting to a desired temperature?



Thanks!

Last edited by viodea; 11-13-2018 at 11:18 PM..
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Old 11-13-2018, 08:12 PM   #2
Joshw
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Here is the space breakdown. Their multi zone setup, is what kept me from considering them. You might fit 3 small racks on there. You could do more with a rib rack though.

784 square inches: 10" x 18" direct cooking; 18"x18" indirect; 10"x28" top rack; warming drawer 19" x 13" x 4"
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Old 11-13-2018, 08:37 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by viodea View Post
I'm considering PG500 but I've heard the indirect cooking space is limited.
  • Does it fit 3 rack of St Louis ribs comfortable?
  • Does it fit a 17 lb brisket packer?
  • What's your creative way of utilize different zones?
  • How easy is reverse searing on it?
  • Is 3 years limited warranty a concern?

Thanks!
1) Possible but if you use zone 3 and 4 easily
2)17lb packers should be no problem
3) I like the 4 zones and would use them to my advantage
4) Couldn't imagine a reverse sear being any easier
5)No, Cookshack is a great American company that stands behind their products.
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Old 11-13-2018, 08:54 PM   #4
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I've got a PG1000 (same cooking space) and KevinJ is right on target. They make a nice rib rack that holds 7 racks. Love mine to death!
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Old 11-13-2018, 09:50 PM   #5
Bacchus2b
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You might take a look at the Cookshack Forum on their website, lots of good information there. I owned a Cookshack Amerique for seven years and right now have been using an FEC-100 for the last five years with no major issues.

These are bad arse cookers made in America from stainless steel, and most of their products are insulated. My FEC-100 doesn't care that it's 29 degrees outside right now.

David Bouska of Butcher BBQ just won The Jack cooking on a PG-500 and an FEC-100. He separates the Point and the Flat of his Brisket and cooks them on the PG-500 because he likes the draft.
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Old 11-13-2018, 10:27 PM   #6
viodea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joshw View Post
Here is the space breakdown. Their multi zone setup, is what kept me from considering them. You might fit 3 small racks on there. You could do more with a rib rack though.

784 square inches: 10" x 18" direct cooking; 18"x18" indirect; 10"x28" top rack; warming drawer 19" x 13" x 4"
I know the dimension and I actually drove the a dealer to see it in person.
Sometimes the "real" cooking space is not the same. I've read some pellet smoker you can't put meat on the very edge because those area are much hotter due to outside of the diffuser.
I'm not interested in using rib rack though.
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Old 11-13-2018, 10:31 PM   #7
viodea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sleebus.jones View Post
I've got a PG1000 (same cooking space) and KevinJ is right on target. They make a nice rib rack that holds 7 racks. Love mine to death!
Does it fit 3 racks on zone 4 without rib rack?
Do you use both zone 3 and 4 for ribs? I wonder if you have to swap them one in a while due to temperature differences.
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Old 11-13-2018, 10:33 PM   #8
viodea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KevinJ View Post
1) Possible but if you use zone 3 and 4 easily
2)17lb packers should be no problem
3) I like the 4 zones and would use them to my advantage
4) Couldn't imagine a reverse sear being any easier
5)No, Cookshack is a great American company that stands behind their products.
Do you have example of how you use 4 zones?
I can see myself using zone 4 for ribs or brisket while zone 2 and 3 for chicken wings or sausage. What's are the tips of taking advantage of that?
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Old 11-13-2018, 10:36 PM   #9
viodea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bacchus2b View Post
You might take a look at the Cookshack Forum on their website, lots of good information there. I owned a Cookshack Amerique for seven years and right now have been using an FEC-100 for the last five years with no major issues.

These are bad arse cookers made in America from stainless steel, and most of their products are insulated. My FEC-100 doesn't care that it's 29 degrees outside right now.

David Bouska of Butcher BBQ just won The Jack cooking on a PG-500 and an FEC-100. He separates the Point and the Flat of his Brisket and cooks them on the PG-500 because he likes the draft.
I thought their forum was not quite as active. I might check it out again.

What's draft? I've read people reference that a couple of times but had no idea what it means.
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Old 11-14-2018, 12:14 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by viodea View Post
I thought their forum was not quite as active. I might check it out again.

What's draft? I've read people reference that a couple of times but had no idea what it means.
Draft is the air flow that goes through your cooker. A good draft helps with a clean burn, bark formation, and a great smoke ring.
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Old 11-14-2018, 07:33 AM   #11
Burnt at Both Endz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by viodea View Post
I thought their forum was not quite as active. I might check it out again.

What's draft? I've read people reference that a couple of times but had no idea what it means.
Just ask here, there is ample advice.

My PG500 was the 20th to come off the manufacture line, I have cooked over 100 comps using it as my rib smoker. I cook three racks of St Louis cut ribs by laying them flat, flipping one time. I cook them at 275*, even have some 1st place trophies.

As far as draft....The PG500 has the pot fan run on high all the time, it produces more draft than the pellet poopers that have a variable speed fan, yes it gives it better bark, imho.

I have heard of some folks having a problem with the wields on a flame diffusor if they are using it at high temps a lot. I personally only direct grill at 325*. The temp is measured on the indirect side. I would guess it's around 475* on the direct side.

It will do a whole packer.

The different zones ie…...275* set temp zone 4, 300* zone 3, 325* zone 2, 425* direct zone. 140* warming tray. I've never run an infrared on this, just guessing at these temps, but it will give you some idea.


Yes, I have been totally happy with it. I have had to change the hot rod once, other than that, no replacement parts yet.


Only hot spot is front to back on the direct grill side and it's very little.

Last edited by Burnt at Both Endz; 11-14-2018 at 07:36 AM.. Reason: Add another line
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Old 11-14-2018, 07:54 AM   #12
sleebus.jones
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First thing...look for the "multi quote" button next to the quote button. Allows you to respond with quotes in one message. Just hit that + for each one, then then hit "quote" for the very last one and it will form up a message with all the quotes in it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by viodea View Post
I know the dimension and I actually drove the a dealer to see it in person.
Sometimes the "real" cooking space is not the same. I've read some pellet smoker you can't put meat on the very edge because those area are much hotter due to outside of the diffuser.
I'm not interested in using rib rack though.
This is the HUGE advantage of the PG500/1000 design: there is NO heat under the drip pan, (it's not a diffuser, because there's nothing to diffuse) like every other cooker on the market. That is why the indirect side is so good. You can cook right to the edge with no problem. You can cook at 600° indirect with no problem. The firepot is only under zone 1, and there is a wall between zone 1 and zone 4. Essentially you have a sear zone (zone 1) ready to go all the time, and the best indirect zone (zone 4) on the market. I throw steaks on zone 1, bacon wrapped asparagus in zone 2 a little bit early and everything gets done at the same time. Once you understand how to use it, the multi zone cooking is genius.

Also keep in mind that with the grill set to 500°, zone 1 will hit 800°. First cook (steaks) I set the grill to 600° and (over)cooked some 3/4" steaks in 4 minutes total time. I was later told that 600° usually ends up at close to 1000° in zone 1. There was a lot of red metal down there.

Not sure why you don't want to use the rib rack? It would solve all your problems. 7 racks would fit no problem in zone 4.

Quote:
Originally Posted by viodea View Post
Does it fit 3 racks on zone 4 without rib rack?
Do you use both zone 3 and 4 for ribs? I wonder if you have to swap them one in a while due to temperature differences.
I could put 3 racks of babybacks in zone 4. I have not done STL, but I think you would not fit 3 of them in there. Yep, you can use zone 3 for ribs, they'll just get done faster, and then you can throw them in the warming drawer for holding. I'd likely be buying full spares, trimming off the tips, cooking those in zone 3 while I had the others on a rack in zone 4, and the whole mess would probably finish all at the same time.

Where the temp sensor is located, I've been seeing zone 4 about 10% under the set temp, and zone 3 is about 10% over. Haven't checked zone 2 yet.

I use the warming drawer WAY more than I thought I would. Cooking chicken thighs/legs/quarters you'll always end up with ones that cook faster than the others...I just throw 'em in the drawer. The temps down there are ~50% less than the grill setpoint, and they hang out quite nicely down there. That way I can finish the cook all at the same time, rather than pulling a few pieces here and there...drop 'em in the drawer and keep on truckin'.
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Old 11-14-2018, 07:59 PM   #13
viodea
Knows what a fatty is.
 
Join Date: 09-09-17
Location: KS
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burnt at Both Endz View Post
My PG500 was the 20th to come off the manufacture line, I have cooked over 100 comps using it as my rib smoker. I cook three racks of St Louis cut ribs by laying them flat, flipping one time. I cook them at 275*, even have some 1st place trophies.
That's the temp I like to cook my ribs with. Do you use 275 all the way? How's the smoke profile? I keep hearing people say pellet grill has very little smoke flavor when using higher temp. They have to use "smoke (very low temp)" to get more smoke before setting a higher temp for cooking.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sleebus.jones View Post
First thing...look for the "multi quote" button next to the quote button. Allows you to respond with quotes in one message. Just hit that + for each one, then then hit "quote" for the very last one and it will form up a message with all the quotes in it.
Good to know, Thanks!

Quote:
Originally Posted by sleebus.jones View Post
This is the HUGE advantage of the PG500/1000 design: there is NO heat under the drip pan, (it's not a diffuser, because there's nothing to diffuse) like every other cooker on the market. That is why the indirect side is so good. You can cook right to the edge with no problem. You can cook at 600° indirect with no problem. The firepot is only under zone 1, and there is a wall between zone 1 and zone 4. Essentially you have a sear zone (zone 1) ready to go all the time, and the best indirect zone (zone 4) on the market. I throw steaks on zone 1, bacon wrapped asparagus in zone 2 a little bit early and everything gets done at the same time. Once you understand how to use it, the multi zone cooking is genius.
I didn't see a wall between zone 1 and 4. I saw a little thing more like a little barrier less than an inch tall. Is this what you are talking about?
I hope the multi-zone is as useful and not just gimmicky to cover a design issue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sleebus.jones View Post
Not sure why you don't want to use the rib rack? It would solve all your problems. 7 racks would fit no problem in zone 4.
If it doesn't have enough space for what I usually want to do, I need to add the rib rack to the total price when I compare my options.
I never use rib rack but feels like it's not as convenient when applying sauce to ribs. It can get annoying if I have to deal with it over and over. That's why I want to know if it can do 3 ribs at once laying flat.
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Old 11-14-2018, 08:02 PM   #14
viodea
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How well does it stainless handle weather?
I'm planning on leave it out in the open without cover. Any worry at all?
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Old 11-14-2018, 08:05 PM   #15
viodea
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What's something you can do on the PG500/1000 but not some other cooker?
Please convince me to get PG500. I need enough reasons to justify the price tag.
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