PONCA CITY, OKLAHOMA, USA – September 16, 2009 As of September 16, 2009, six of the Kansas City Barbeque Society’s top ten ranked teams climbed to the top while smoking on Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack smokers.

Top-ranked Pellet Envy, Iowa’s Smokey D’s, Butcher BBQ, 4 Legs Up BBQ, I Smell Smoker, and Pork Pullin Plowboys dominated the top ten rankings. Smoke on Wheels, Smoky Mountain Smokers, and KC Can Crew placed in the top 20.

Says long-time champion Ed “Fast Eddy” Maurin, designer of the Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack smokers, “Serious competitors have made smoking with pellets a growing trend. Competitors cite consistency of results as a major factor, along with the reliability of thermostatically-controlled heat. These guys go to bed and get a good night’s sleep while others are up all night tending the fire.”

Love of cooking and competing drives teams, but the cash awards help pay the bills. Carolyn Wells, Executive Director of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, major contest sanctioning organization, estimates that prize money will total about $2.2 million in 2009.

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Cookshack Barbecue Equipment

Cookshack manufactures smoker ovens for commercial, home, and competition use under the brand names of Cookshack and Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack. Cookshack has an industry-wide reputation for its high quality products and exceptional customer service. The company has been in business for over 40 years and ships its products worldwide. Cookshack is privately held and is located in Oklahoma. Commercial equipment is NSF approved and ETL, and UL listed; most stainless steel models are USDA approved. Residential equipment is UL listed. Made in the USA.

Need an image? Visit the image gallery at www.cookshack.com for high resolution images.

Resources

www.cookshack.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2009

CONTACT: Donna Johnson - 580-765-3669

2304 North Ash Street

Ponca City, OK 74601

d_johnson@cookshack.com

http://www.cookshack.com

Barbecue Teams Competing on Pellet Smokers Dominate Pig’n in the Grove

Teams cooking on Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack smokers swept the KCBS-sanctioned Pig’n in the Grove contest with 8 of the top 12 places, including the top four rankings.

Ponca City, OK (PRWEB) September 9, 2009 -- Teams using wood pellet-fired smokers are developing a high profile on the barbecue competition circuit. Competitors cooking on Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack (FEC) smokers swept away the top four awards at KCBS-sanctioned Pig'n in the Grove barbecue contest, College Grove, TN, on September 5, 2009. In all, eight teams using FECs placed in the top 12.

Barbecue competition teams take their smoking equipment seriously. The cook-off circuit has seen a significant rise in the use of pellet-fired smokers in the past 5 years, according to Stuart Powell, CEO, Cookshack, Inc., a leader in pellet cooking technology.

While most teams compete simply because they love doing it, the cash awards help pay the bills. Carolyn Wells, Executive Director of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, major contest sanctioning organization, estimates that cash prizes will total about $2.2 million in 2009.

Winning teams at Pig’n in the Grove were Grand Champion, Smoky Mountain Smokers; Reserve Grand Champ Allgood BBQ Pit Crew, number three slot High on the Hawg, and number four Long Dawgs/Harvest Moon. Coming in at 8^th place was Que We Do, followed by Big River in 10^th place. Delta Smoke and Pit Crew came in 11^th and 12^th.

All eight teams prepared their winning ‘que on Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack FEC100 smokers, called simply FEC’s by their loyal users. The 100% wood pellet-fired smokers were developed by barbecue champion Ed “Fast Eddy” Maurin who has cooked professionally for over 20 years. Teams cooking on FEC smokers are routinely found claiming top trophies and prize money on the barbecue competition circuit.

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Cookshack Barbecue Equipment

Cookshack manufactures smoker ovens for commercial, home, and competition use under the brand names of Cookshack and Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack. Cookshack has an industry-wide reputation for its high quality products and exceptional customer service. The company has been in business for over 40 years and ships its products worldwide. Cookshack is privately held and is located in Oklahoma. Commercial equipment is NSF approved and UL listed; most stainless steel models are USDA approved. Residential equipment is UL listed. Made in the USA.

Need an image? Visit the image gallery at www.cookshack.com for high resolution images.

Resources

www.cookshack.com

Cookshack Barbecue Forum

Cookshack’s new pellet-fired charbroiler gives the cook the advantages of the consistency of a gas grill and the flavor of a wood grill, while eliminating the headaches of a wood grill.

See the charbroiler at the National Restaurant Association Show, May 16 - 19, 2009, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, Booth #1585. Ask about introductory special 10% discount.

PONCA CITY, OKLAHOMA, USA – April 9, 2009

Cookshack’s thermostatically-controlled pellet-fired charbroiler gives the cook the advantages of the consistency of a gas grill and the flavor of a wood grill, while eliminating the headaches of a wood grill.

The Cookshack Charbroiler, developed in early 2009, is the first pellet-fired charbroiler on the market. It is fueled by 100% food grade wood pellets and requires only a small amount of electricity to operate its pellet cooking system. The Cookshack Charbroiler is intended to replace traditional gas or wood charbroilers used by restaurants for preparation of grilled meats.

Most restaurants prepare grilled meats over a gas grill commonly known as a charbroiler. While this method of preparation gives consistent results, it does not add the wood smoke flavor that people love. In an attempt to solve this problem of lack of flavor, some restaurants use log-burning wood grills, but these grills are difficult to operate and results are inconsistent. Cookshack’s pellet-fired charbroiler cooks with the consistency of a gas grill and the flavor of a wood grill.

Anyone who can cook on a gas grill can cook on a Cookshack Charbroiler

Wood log grills require that the cook not only cook the food, but manage a live fire while doing it. It’s impossible to maintain a consistent temperature. As the fire dies down and new logs are added, temperature fluctuations naturally occur. If the cook has been cooking steaks at 800F and the temperature drops to 600F, the cook has to have the skill to know that this has happened and adjust cooking times accordingly. This takes experience and know-how that take time to learn. Employee turnover becomes an even bigger pain in the neck when your experienced grill cook leaves! The Cookshack Charbroiler’s thermostatically-controlled pellet-cooking system keeps the grill cooking at a consistent temperature while giving meats the desired wood grilled flavor.

The Cookshack Charbroiler is safe to use. The front loading hopper keeps the cook’s hands away from the hot grill surface while adding pellets.

No More Big Cleaning Bills

Wood pellets produce about 10% of the ash left by wood logs. Not only is surrounding air cleaner to breathe, ash is not settling on furniture and carpets, requiring expensive cleaning.

Unlike some gas grills which use lightweight cast iron grates, the Cookshack Charbroiler is equipped with heavy duty cast iron grills which distribute heat evenly, eliminating hot and spots. During test cooking, the grill surface maintained temperature at +/- 10F.

Food grade wood pellets are readily available, take up little space, and can be stored inside, unlike the big, dirty logs required by wood grills. The ash resulting from pellets is minimal and can be safely and quickly disposed of without the risks associated with large amount of hot ashes from wood logs. Employees are not in danger of being burned, and dumpster fire danger is eliminated.

Cookshack is the leader in pellet-fired cooking equipment for commercial markets. Having manufactured Cookshack brand of electric smoker ovens for 50 years and the Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack brand of pellet-fired smokers for 7 years, Cookshack has the unique expertise to develop the first pellet-fired charbroiler for the commercial cook.

Cookshack’s history of delivering quality smoke-cooking equipment for over 50 years is equaled by its customer service philosophy of solving customer problems quickly and skillfully. Customers are served by well-trained staff who know customers by name, not as “accounts”; a website with a customer-driven knowledgebase; and easy access to the company through a toll free phone number and email.

For the first time, the professional cook can grill meats over 100% wood heat and smoke with consistent results and the sought-after, well-loved flavor that the heat/smoke combination gives. Industry-leader Cookshack delivers the first 100% wood burning pellet-fired commercial charbroiler that gives the cook the capability of grilling consistently flavorful meats while completely eliminating the problems of lack of flavor, heat inconsistency, fuel storage, and ash disposal associated with other grills.

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Cookshack Barbecue & Smoking Equipment

Cookshack manufactures smoker ovens for commercial, home, and competition use under the brand names of Cookshack and Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack. Cookshack has an industry-wide reputation for its high quality products and exceptional customer service. The company has been in business for over 45 years and ships its products worldwide. Most commercial equipment is NSF approved and UL listed; most stainless steel models are USDA approved. Residential equipment is UL listed. Cookshack is privately held and is located in Oklahoma. Made in the USA.

Pellet Smoker Teams Dominate the American Royal

Pellet smoke-cooking trend takes teams to championships at American Royal Barbecue invitational and open contests.

Ed Maurin and Joe McManus, 2008 American Royal Barbecue Invitiational Grand Champion

Kansas City, MO October 6, 2008 -- Joe McManus walked to the winner's circle at Kansas City's 2008 American Royal Barbecue invitational contest to collect $12,500 and the Grand Championship, which includes an invitation to compete for the next five years. The Naperville, IL team, Joey Mac's Smoke Stax, cooked the winning 'que on a Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack smoker. Pellet smokers have been a trend among competitors for the last 5 years as more and more teams have won contests using the smokers. Of the 106 teams competing in the Royal invitational, 20 of them cooked on pellet smokers.

"I absolutely love the Fast Eddy's by Cookshack cooker - it is a dream to use; you simply press a button and go. We all know it's a fantastic competition cooker. You get very consistent quality and there's never any question about how your product will turn out," says McManus.

The American Royal Barbecue invitational cook-off was host to 106 cooking teams from the U.S. and Canada, all contending for celebrated titles and cash prizes. Teams using pellet smokers made up 20% of the total, winning not only the Grand Championship but first place in each of the KCBS-specified categories of brisket, pork, chicken, and pork ribs. I Smell Smoke took first in the chicken category; Pork Pullin Plowboys had a first in pork, and Iowa Smokey D’s BBQ beat out everyone in brisket. Four of the top ten ranked teams cooked on pellet smokers.

Teams who make the invitation list are no slouches. American Royal rules require that each team win a qualifying state championship, signed by the governor of the state. The team must win the state championship by beating 25 other teams in a Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned cook-off. Maurin says, "When you are going head to head against those cooking in the invitational, you are cooking against the best of the best!" 

The American Royal open category included almost 500 teams, and Andy Groneman of Smoke on Wheels, using a pellet smoker, singlehandedly walked off with Reserve Grand Champion.

“The American Royal results are confirmation of a nationwide trend in the increase in wins by teams who compete with Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack (FEC) pellet cookers,” says Cookshack CEO Stuart Powell. Cookshack is USA’s leading manufacturer of pellet smokers. The company introduced the FEC cookers about five years ago, and has seen a steady increase in sales of the units. “Competitors notice who is winning with what equipment, and the word quickly got out that the pellet cookers gave the cooks an advantage that other cookers did not.”

Says Powell, “These teams are made up of great cooks, and FEC smokers allow them concentrate on cooking. They do not have to stay up all night tending the fire, so they are rested when it’s time to focus on turn-ins. The FEC’s thermostatically-controlled system gives them consistent results, so there are no ugly surprises when the meat comes out of the smoker.”

The company manufactures four different sizes of pellet smokers, ranging capacity from 100 to 750 lbs. The three largest models are rotisserie units, and can be mounted on a trailer.

While competing is fun, it is also serious business, which is why "Choosing the proper smoker is of utmost importance," according Ed (Fast Eddy) Maurin, pioneer in the pellet smoker industry. Maurin says of his product, "I've been competing since 1986 and have learned from my own experience and from other Grand Champion winners what was needed to design and create what I think are the best smoker ovens on the market."

Pellets are considered a "green" renewable fuel source as they are made of 100% wood food grade sawdust, which is compressed into the small pellets used in smoke-cooking. These clean burning pellets are carbon neutral, and add no more carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere than the trees they came from. Many team captains express pride in "going green".

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September 23, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Donna Johnson at 405-361-2196
2304 North Ash Street
Ponca City, OK 74601
http://www.cookshack.com

Oklahoma Manufacturer Cookshack Honored with Governor’s Manufacturing Leadership Award

 TULSA, OKLAHOMA, USA – September 23, 2008 Oklahoma manufacturer Cookshack was honored today with a Governor’s Manufacturing Leadership Award. The award for excellence is presented to five top Oklahoma manufacturers annually. The award was accepted by Cookshack President and CEO, Stuart Powell; Owner Donna Johnson, and Production Manager Jim Linnebur.

Cookshack has been a national barbecue industry leader, manufacturing smokers that help people make great barbecue at home, in commercial foodservice, and on the barbecue competition circuit, for almost 50 years.

Cookshack, manufacturer of smoker ovens for barbecue, has adopted Lean Manufacturing and the Eureka! Winning Ways product development program, with the backing of the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance. With the assistance of Manufacturing Extension Agents Doug Taylor and Clay Buford, Cookshack has implemented the programs, which have resulted in increased production capacity and the development of three new products.

Says CEO Powell, “We are pleased to be recognized with this award. Our goal is to make the highest quality products and services to our customers. We have worked closely with the Alliance and it has paid off for us. With Lean Manufacturing we have realized significant cost savings and increased our production capacity. We have done this without increasing staff or the size of our factory. The new products that we have developed are innovations in the barbecue industry and we expect a very positive response from our customers when the products are released in the next 90 days.”

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Cookshack Barbecue Equipment

Cookshack manufactures smoker ovens for commercial, home, and competition use under the brand names of Cookshack and Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack. Cookshack has an industry-wide reputation for its high quality products and exceptional customer service. The company has been in business for over 40 years and ships its products worldwide. Cookshack is privately held and is located in Oklahoma. Made in the USA.

Resources
www.cookshack.com
Cookshack Barbecue Forum

Click here to download an Adobe .pdf cookbook of all of the recipes submitted to the Creative Q'ing contest.

• Nouvelle Q: Mai Tai Chicken from Bad Bobs Barbecue Restaurant in Dyersburg, TN.
• Un-Q: Smoked Rib Steak with Mushrooms and Onions from Apple Creek Cafe in Edgewood, WA.
• Sides: This was a close one, but our winner was the Savory Herbed & Smoked Brisket Brie from Papa Russ's BBQ in Aiken, SC.
• Smoked Desserts: Easy Barbecue Contest Cheesecake Bars from Smokin' B's Barbecue in Lee's Summit, MO.

• 10 Chicken Thighs  (skin on)
• Cookshack Spicy Chicken Rub

• 48 ounces orange tangerine juice or orange pineapple juice
• 2 ounces Parrot Bay Mango Rum
• 1 ounce grenadine
•  ½ ounce lime juice

• 1 lb sausage
• 1 tub Philadelphia cream cheese

Un-Q:

• 2 lb. rib steak ( cut from the center of the roast with bone in) about 3" to 4" thick
• 1 teaspoon course Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
• Sliced red onion for an edible garnish, optional

• 1/4 lb. sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoon un-salted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives or green onion tops

Sides:

• 2 lb. Wheel of brie
• 1 sheet frozen puffed pastry
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dreid rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 3 oz. smoked chopped brisket
• 1 egg, lightley beaten

Smoked Desserts:

• 1 cup sweetened coconut
• 1 stick butter
• 4 ounces crushed graham crackers, chocolate wafers, or vanilla wafers
• 1 cup finely chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or pecans)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
•  ½ cup white chocolate chips
•  ½ cup butterscotch chocolate chips
•  1- 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tub of Philadelphia Brand Ready-to-eat Cheesecake Filling (Regular or Chocolate)

Fast Eddy's by Cookshack Teams Win Grand and Reserve at Wauchula

J Mack Cookers - Grand Champions!

HomeBBQ.com - Reserve Grand Champions

Cookshack manufactures smoker ovens for commercial, home, and competition use under the brand names of Cookshack and Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack. Cookshack has an industry-wide reputation for its high quality products and exceptional customer service. The company has been in business for over 40 years and ships its products worldwide. Cookshack is privately held and is located in Oklahoma. Made in the USA.Need an image? Visit the image gallery at www.cookshack.com for high resolution images.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2007

CONTACT: Cayley Armstrong at 580-765-3669
2304 North Ash Street
Ponca City, OK 74601
c_armstrong@cookshack.com
http://www.cookshack.com

PONCA CITY, OKLAHOMA, USA – November 1, 2007

As we approach the 2007 Thanksgiving holiday, thoughts turn to family and friends, and the food that brings them together. With tables groaning under the weight of families’ favorite home made holiday foods, the center of the array is the big golden brown turkey, savory and succulent. With each passing year more people are adding “smoky” to that description by serving admiring guests a turkey smoked to perfection in a Cookshack smoker oven.

Anyone can smoke a turkey to please the most discriminating palate at the table. Cookshack’s 45+ years’ experience in the barbecue and smoked foods industry is behind its easy-to-use smokers, its delicious sauces, spices, and rubs. By calling on the support of Cookshack’s experiencec customer service team, its information-packed website, and its active forum with extensive archives, anyone can put a bird fit for a king on the table this year.

Cookshack’s website (www.cookshack.com) features turkey recipes, from the first bite to the last leftover. Visitors can learn how to brine a turkey for exceptional flavor, moisture, and texture. More turkey recipes can be found on the Cookshack Barbecue Forum Favorites Recipe Archives.

Cookshack's Old-Fashioned Smoked Turkey Technique

Ingredients

Turkey
Oil
Salt
Cookshack RibRub or Cookshack Spicy Chicken Rub

Method

Rub with mayonnaise, vegetable oil, butter or margarine. Salt turkeys inside and out before cooking. Season with Cookshack RibRub and/or Cookshack Spicy Chicken Rub. 

Load smoker's wood box with hickory wood, apple wood, or a combination of both woods. (Consult your smoker's Operator's Manual for correct amount of wood.)

Set birds in foil roasting pans, and place on smoker's grills, or set turkeys directly on smoker grills.

Smoke-cook to internal temperature of 180°. Takes about 10 hours for a 12 lb.turkey, at 180 - 200°.
Remove from smoker and serve, or cool down and refrigerate or freeze.

Smoked Turkey Breast

Rub with mayonnaise and season with Cookshack RibRub or Cookshack Spicy Chicken Rub. Smoke-cook bone-in turkey breasts at 200°, one hour per pound. Turkey breasts are dense, and an additional 30 - 60 minutes cooking time may be required, for both boneless and bone-in breasts. For higher humidity, use a Cookshack Flavor Infusion Reservoir (optional accessory).

Recommended wood: apple and hickory

Smoked Turkey Wings

Season wings with Cookshack Spicy Chicken Rub. Smoke 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 200°. Serve with Cookshack Spicy Barbecue Sauce,

Turkey Smoking Tips

It takes 10 - 12 hours at 180 - 200° to smoke a load of 12 lb. turkeys. Always use good quality (Grade A) birds.
It takes about twice as long to slow-smoke a load of turkeys in a Cookshack smoker at 200� as it does to cook turkeys in a conventional oven.

Rub inside and out with butter, vegetable oil, liquid margarine, or mayonnaise before seasoning to help reduce dryness of skin.

Salt turkeys inside and out before cooking. Sprinkle with Cookshack RibRub or Spicy Chicken Rub.

Smoke turkeys in foil pans to preserve the drippings or for freezing. ,Sweet, mild woods, such as hickory and apple are best with turkey.

Basted vs. Non-Basted Turkeys which have been injected with a basting solution tend to cook more slowly than turkeys which have nothing injected. For example, it takes about 10 - 12 hours to cook a 10 lb. basted turkey, and 9 hours for the same size unbasted bird.

To Freeze Set turkeys in foil roasting pans. Smoke-cook as usual. Remove from smoker, and wrap immediately in heavy duty aluminum foil. Cool to room temperature. Freeze in pans with drippings. To reheat, set pan containing frozen turkey in 200° oven and heat for 8 hours.

Smoking Woods
What kind and how much wood you use for flavoring is a matter of personal taste. Hickory is a traditional favorite for turkey. Mesquite is also a popular turkey smoking wood.

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Cookshack Barbecue Equipment

Cookshack manufactures smoker ovens for commercial, home, and competition use under the brand names of Cookshack and Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack. Cookshack has an industry-wide reputation for its high quality products and exceptional customer service. The company has been in business for over 40 years and ships its products worldwide. Cookshack is privately held and is located in Oklahoma. Commercial equipment is NSF approved and UL listed; most stainless steel models are USDA approved. Residential equipment is UL listed. Made in the USA.

Need an image? Visit the image gallery at www.cookshack.com for high resolution images.

Resources
www.cookshack.com
Cookshack Barbecue Forum