Cookshack 66 User Manual

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

Operator’s
Manual

Cookshack AmeriQue
Model 066

Cookshack Model 066 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

Dear Cookshack Customer:

We appreciate having you as a customer; your new smoker will
give you years of gr eat food and fun. Reading this operator’s
manual will help you to enjoy your smoker oven while using it in a
safe and correct manner. The Model 066 smoker oven is an
electrical appliance and should be used in a safe manner. Please
read the important safeguards section to avoid using the oven in an
unsafe manner.

You must observe safe operating practices when using
the smoker. It is an electrical appliance, and is there­fore potentially dangerous! Cookshack, Inc., assumes
no responsibility for results of careless or dangerous
operation of Cookshack smokers or other products.
All warranties are null and void if the practices de­scribed in the Operator’s Manuals are not observed.

Read the following instructions thoroughly and completely before
using your smoker!! Observe the instructions carefully. Be certain
that you understand completely how it operates before attempting to
operate it.

This smoker oven is intended for use as a food smoker. It generates
heat from an electric heating element. It is not intended for any use
not specifically described in this manual. Misuse of this smoker can
result in serious injury and a fire hazard.

With those cautions in mind, enjoy your smoker and the delicious
foods it will produce.

The Folks at Cookshack

Sales & Customer Service: 580-765-3669

Toll Free Orders: 800-423-0698

24 Hr. Fax: [phone]

Cookshack Model 066 2 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

Read all instructions.

For household use only.

Do not touch hot surfaces. Use handles or knobs.

To avoid electrical shock, do not immerse cord, plugs or any part of unit in
water or other liquid.

Do not leave hot oven unattended with door open.

To turn the oven off remove plug from outlet. Allow to cool before
working on or cleaning the smoker.

Close supervision is necessary when any appliance is used by or near
children.

Do not operate any appliance with a damaged cord or plug or after the
appliance malfunctions or has been damaged in any manner. Contact
manufacturer at 580/765-3669 if repairs are needed.

The use of accessory attachments not recommended by the appliance
manufacturer may cause injuries.

Do not expose to rain.

Extreme caution must be used when moving an appliance containing hot
grease or other hot liquids.

Use caution when moving unit. Make sure all four casters rotate freely.

Do not use appliance for other than intended use.

Do not operate a wet smoker.

Do not use fuel such as charcoal briquettes with this appliance.

Store product indoors when not in use – out of reach of children.

Do not clean this product with a power washer or similar equipment.

Service should be performed by an authorized service representative only.

CAUTION—Extension cords may be used with the following restrictions
they should be as short as possible; the electrical rating should be at least as
great as the electrical rating of the oven; it should have a three-wire
grounded plug; it should be marked with suffix letters “W-A” and with a
tag stating “Suitable For Use With Outdoor Appliances”; keep the
extension cord connection dry and off the ground.

CAUTION—to ensure protection against risk of electric shock, connect to
properly grounded outlets only.

READ AND SAVE THESE SAFEGUARDS!

Cookshack Model 066 3 Ver.06.1

:

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

Setting Up

Check the contents of your smoker. You should have 2 side racks, 4 grills,
and 1 wood box. If you do not have these, call Cookshack Customer Ser­vice at 1.800.423.0698.

R

EMOVE THE STRAP THAT HOLDS THE WOOD
BOX TO THE HEATING ELEMENT BRACKET
DURING SHIPPIN G. CUT IT WITH A KNIFE OR
SCISSORS. THIS WILL FRE E THE WOOD BOX
FOR LOADING THE WOOD.

Choose a Location

Choose a dry, sheltered, and well-ventilated location. Do not expose the
Model 066 to rain. You can purchase a cover for your smoker by calling
Cookshack at 1.800.423.0698. Do not place flammable or combustible
materials on or adjacent to the smoker.

Moving the Model 066

The smoker has four swivel casters to make it easy to move. However,
caution should be used when moving the smoker over surfaces that are
uneven.

Ventilation

A small amount of smoke will escape from the vent holes in the top of the
smoker and from around the door. For this reason, operation indoors is not
recommended unless adequate ventilation is provided, such as a profes­sional quality restaurant hood. If you store the Model 066 in a garage or
storage building, it is a good idea to move it outside when smoking.

O NOT COVER THE VENT HOLES. THIS CAN

D

CAUSE THERMOSTAT FAILURE AND WILL VOID
YOUR WARRANTY.

Electrical Power Connections

Your Cookshack Smoker has a single element system which uses 120V
AC power. Connect the smoker to the power supply by plugging the power
cord into a standard, 3-prong, 120V receptacle that is protected by a
breaker or fuse rated at 15 amperes.

If using an extension cord, be sure to observe the cautions on page 3.

“I use one of those orange heavy-duty extension cords. It
is 6’ long and seems to work just fine.” Donna Johnson,

Cookshack Model 066 4 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

General Instructions

The interior of your smoker needs to be “broken in” or seasoned before
you cook your first load of meat.

Remove the strap that holds the wood box to the heating element bracket
during shipping.

Place 6 ounces (3 pieces) of properly sized wood in the wood box and
close and latch the smoker door.

DO NOT use the smoker without the wood box in the proper position. The
wood box lid must close completely. The back of the wood box must touch
the back wall of the smoker.

Set the electronic controller at 200°F. (See page 9 for instructions on set­ting the controller.) Let the Model 066 smoke, without meat, for a mini­mum of 4 hours. Our sales manager seasons his unit a little differently, as
he indicates below. This is a good practice if you want to invest the time
and money.

“Find some cheap, really fat meat at the grocery store,
and put it in your Model 066. This helps to give the
smoker that black seasoned effect that we are after.”
John Shiflet, Cookshack Sales Manager

Wood Selection

CAUTION: THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF WOOD

TO BE USED IN A MODEL 066 IS 6 OUNCES. DO

OVERLOAD WOOD BOX. LID MUST

NOT

CLOSE ALL THE WAY DOWN.

As you learn how to use your Cookshack smoker oven, you will become
comfortable with choosing the amount of wood to use. At first, use only a
small amount, and increase the wood with subsequent loads until you have
the flavor you want. Personal taste dictates the amount of wood you use
hence the lack of hard and fast rules.

“I use this formula when measuring wood when smoking
food in my smoker.

• 2 chunks of wood for 20 lbs. or more meat
in my smoker

• 1 chunk for less than 20 lbs.

• No wood at all when doing fish or vegeta-

bles. Karen Lunsford, Cookshack Sales

Cookshack Model 066 5 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

Try starting with these amounts and adjust upward if you want more smoker
flavor. Two ounces of wood measures approximately 1-½" x 1-½" x 1-½".

Product Wood

Brisket 2 oz. increasing to 6 oz.

Chicken 1 oz. increasing to 2 oz.

Ribs 2 oz. increasing to 4 oz.

Fish ½ oz. increasing to 1 oz.

You may use any fruit or nut hardwood in your smoker, as long as it has
good flavoring abilities. The most popular woods for smoking are hickory,
mesquite, apple and cherry. All of these are available from Cookshack at 1-
800-423-0698. Other regional favorites are alder, beech, pecan, maple, oak,
buttonwood and mangrove. Use local woods only if chunks are selected and
sized properly.

Use only dry wood. Wet wood will release acids that will damage heating
elements and reduce their operational effectiveness.

“I’ve seen heating elements come back to us that have
bubbled up and blown out because people exposed them
to wet wood.” Tony Marlar, Cookshack Customer Service

Cookshack Model 066 6 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

Preparing the Smoker for Cooking

Line the bottom of the smoker with aluminum foil and punch a hole in the
foil corresponding to the drain hole located on the floor of the Model 066.

“I use the heavy duty aluminum foil instead of the light
weight because the light weight sticks to the wood box
and floor of the smoker.” Karen Lunsford, Cookshack

Sales

Cover the lid of the wood box with foil for easy cleaning. Discard the foil
after each cooking and replace with fresh foil.

Place a small pan beneath the drain hole located on the smoker’s floor and
in the trough at the bottom-front of the Model 066. This pan will catch
any meat drippings, and can be discarded or re-used as you choose.

Place the properly loaded wood box in the Model 066. Do not change the
wood box’s position during cooking cycle. It covers the element and
wood and prevents grease from dripping onto the heat source and creating
strong fumes.

Loading the Smoker with Meat

The maximum cooking capacity of your Model 066 is 50 lbs. of heavy
cuts of meat such as brisket or pork butt, 28 lbs. or 8 slabs of ribs, 12
chickens. Do not overload your smoker.

Keep meat approximately 1" from the back and side of the smoker walls
at all times.

Arrange load with less meat on bottom grill. Heavy loading of the bottom
grill will block heat and smoke from traveling to the top of the smoker.
This will result in undercooked meat on the upper grill.

Load only half full the first time you cook, and gradually increase to a full
load with successive batches. Monitor closely to determine what cooking
time and load amount produces the results you desire.

When the smoker is loaded according to the above instructions, close and
latch the door. Fasten latch securely.

Cookshack Model 066 7 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

Setting Cook Time and Temperature

Use the instructions and controller picture below for setting the smoker in
the proper cooking mode.

Normal Cooking Mode

1. Turn On/Off switch to the on position.
The screen should display the word OFF in the probe position.

2. Cook Temperature
To set the cook temperature, press and hold the temp button until the
controller beeps twice. Press the up or down arrows to adjust the cook
temperature (arrows must be pressed within two seconds of the two
beeps).

3. Cook Time
To set the cook time, press and hold the time button for two beeps.
Press the up or down arrows to adjust the cook time (arrows must be
pressed within two seconds of the two beeps). This will change the
hours. Press the time button again or wait two seconds to change the
minutes.

4. Press the Start button to begin cooking.
The screen should display Time, Temp, and No Probe.

Probe Cooking Mode

1. Insert the probe into the probe jack, then turn the On/Off switch to the
on position.
The screen should display the word OFF in the time position.

2. Cook Temperature
To set the cook temperature, press and hold the temp button until the
controller beeps twice. Press the up or down arrows to adjust the cook
temperature (arrows must be pressed within two seconds of the two
beeps).

3. Probe Temperature
To set the probe temperature, press and hold the probe button until the
controller beeps twice. Press the up or down arrows to adjust the probe
temperature (arrows must be pressed within two second of the two
beeps).

4. Press the Start button to begin cooking.
The screen should display Temp and Probe Temp.

Cookshack Model 066 8 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

Tips For Good Smoking

• Your Model 066 does not require pre-heating.

• Try lots of different seasonings until you find the one you like the

best.

• Use a meat thermometer, following the manufacturer’s instructions, to
determine the internal temperature of smoked products.

• Your Model 066 is an excellent slow cooking oven, without wood.
Use it for slow-roasting meats and poultry. Cooking times are the
same as for smoke-cooking.

• To keep product warm for up to six hours until ready to eat, double­wrap in foil, wrap in a towel or several layers of newspaper, and place
in an ice chest. (This tip is compliments of The Smokin’ Okie, Cook-
shack Barbecue Forum Moderator, friend, and great BBQ cook.)

• Open the door of the smoker as little as possible while cooking. (Joey
Z, Forum Member.)

• “Don’t put too much wood in the wood box of your Cookshack. I
rarely use more than 4-5 oz. for a brisket or pork butt, 3-4 oz. for ribs,
and 2 oz. for turkey breast or chicken.” (Bobby Que, Forum member.)

• “Do not boil ribs in water before smoke-cooing!” (sfentman, Forum
member.)

Cookshack Model 066 9 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

Shutdown Procedure

IMPORTANT!

If oven is to be left unattended with the door open, the following steps
must be taken:

• The oven must be unplugged from the electrical receptacle.

• Carefully remove the wood box from the oven and douse the

contents with water. Brush any ash remaining on the element
onto the foil in the bottom. Remove the foil from the oven
immediately.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE I

NSTRUCTIONS

MAY RESULT IN A FIRE HAZARD!

Cleanup

ALWAYS DISCONNECT THE OVEN
FROM ITS ELECTRICAL SUPPLY BE­FORE CLEANING OR SERVICING.

Your Cookshack smoker must be kept clean. Loose grease and scale
should be removed regularly to prevent buildup, which may cause strong
fumes. It is desirable to allow seasoned coating, such as that found on a
well-seasoned cast iron skillet, to remain on the walls. For this reason, we
do not recommend attempting to restore the oven wall to a “like new”
state after each cooking. The use of detergent, chemical cleaners or oven
cleaners is not advised.

“You want the walls to turn black like an old skillet. I
wipe out my smoker with paper towels, and scrape
“chunks” off with a scraper.” Stuart Powell, Cookshack

CEO

IMPORTANT: C

MAY DAMAGE HEATING ELEMENT AND
GRILL S. USE OF OVEN CLEANERS OR OTHER
CAUSTIC CLEANERS WILL VOID THE WAR-

RANTY

ON THE HEATING ELEMENT AND

GRILL S.

AUSTIC OVEN CLEANERS

Cookshack Model 066 10 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

After Each Load

1. Disconnect oven from power supply.

2. Allow the oven to cool.

3. Remove the grills and racks; scrape and wash with soap and
water. You can put them right in the dishwasher. Do not use
any caustic oven cleaners as they will destroy t he plating on
the grills.

4. Empty wood box using extreme caution – it will be hot if your
smoker has recently been turned on.

5. Brush wood remnant ash from burner. Wood, coals and ashes
are hot—dispose with care.

6. Discard aluminum foil.

7. Remove all grease from interior of oven, using paper towels or
cloths.

8. Empty drip pan.

9. Leave door slightly ajar when oven is not in use. Refer to shut­down safety precautions mentioned in the previous pages.

10. Scrape loose grease and scale from walls with flat edge
scraper.

11. Replace racks and grills.

“About once a month I clean the bottom of my smoker
with paper towels and a general purpose cleaner like 409.
I re-season it for a few hours with a few chunks of wood
afterwards.” Stuart Powell, Cookshack CEO

OTTOM OF OVEN MUST BE KEPT CLEAN.

B

HANGE FOIL IN BOTTOM OF OVEN AND FROM

C

TOP OF WOOD BOX AFTER EACH COOKING AND
REMOVE ALL EXCESS GRE ASE FROM INTERIOR
OF OVEN. BE SURE THAT DRAIN HOLE IS OPEN
AT ALL TIMES. IF DRAIN BECOMES PLUGGED,
OVEN BOTTOM CAN FILL WITH GREASE AND A
FIRE HAZARD MAY OCCUR.

Maintenance

• Periodically check electrical plug and wire for any type of
wear or damage.

• Twice annually put two drops of lightweight oil on the hinge
pins to prevent binding.

• Check casters for free movement.

Cookshack Model 066 11 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

SAMPLE LOG BOOK

Date
Product, type, cut

Price
Temperature when

placed in smoker

Rub and/or marinade
recipe (ingredients
and how much)

Smoke-cooking cycle
Temperature

Cooking time
Any adjustments made

during cooking

Amount and type of
wood used

Climactic conditions
(hot, cold, windy, hu­midity, etc.)

Internal product tem­peratures and smoker
temps during cook
cycle

Description of final
appearance and taste
of product

“At first I didn't do this...it was easy to forget what I
did the last time and minor differences made an im­pact on the finished product.” PrestonD, Forum

Member and Cookshack award-winning barbecue
cook

Cookshack Model 066 12 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

WIRING DIAGRAM

Cookshack Model 066 13 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

e

SMOKER OVEN ILLUSTRATION

PV558, Controller
PV536, Probe Jack Cover
PV148-Vent, 2 ea.

Labels on Back
(Not Shown)
LA013, Electrical Specs
LA102, UL

Labels on Door
(Not Shown)
LA157, Caution Hot
LA114, AmeriQue

PV724, Temperature Probe

PV360, On/Off Switch

PA032, Side Racks, 2
PV003, Grills, 4 ea.

PV159, Latch SS

PA013, Wood Box

PV315-Heating Element
120v 750w

PV701, Drip Pan

PV170 Casters, 2 w/brake, fr ont
PV171 Casters, 2 w/o brake, rear

Cookshack Model 066 14 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

Two Year Warranty

Cookshack Smoker Ovens are guaranteed to be free from defects in
material and workmanship under normal use and when installed in
accordance with factory recommendations.

This limited warranty includes parts and labor for the first 90 days.
Following the 90 day period, the two (2) year limited warranty is for
parts only.

Cookshack, Inc.’s obligation under this warranty shall be to repair and
replace at its option any part deemed defective upon examination by
Cookshack, Inc., or its authorized agent, for a period of two (2) years
from the date of sale.

PROCEDURES

1. Customer must obtain approval from Cookshack, Inc. before
performing any service. Cookshack, Inc. is not responsible for
any unauthorized service work.

2. The Limited Warranty extends to the original purchaser only.

3. To make claim or request for the Limited Warranty, the original
purchaser must notify Cookshack, Inc. Customer Service for
instructions as to the repair or replacement of the defective
merchandise prior to attempting or contracting for repair of the
oven. (See following page for Return Merchandise Policies).

4. The model number and serial number of the Cookshack Smoker
Oven must accompany any request for service to the oven.

5. The Limited Warranty shall not apply if the merchandise has been
improperly installed, damaged due to abuse, misuse,
misapplication, accident, or as a result of service or modification
by any other than an authorized Cookshack, Inc. service agent.

6. There are no express warranties other than the limited warranty
stated herein above. No warranties whether express or implied,
including, but not limited to, any implied warranties of
merchantability of fitness for a particular purpose, shall extend
beyond the respective warranty periods described above.

7. Cookshack, Inc. shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, special,
consequential, incidental, or punitive damages; lost profits or loss
of use or interruption of business regardless of the form of action
or theory of liability resulting from any defect in or use of the
Cookshack smoker oven, accessories and/or heating elements.

Additional information on obtaining service under this Limited Warranty is
available on the following page or by contacting a Cookshack, Inc.
Customer Service Representative directly at [phone].

Cookshack Model 066 15 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

National Service Policy

Cookshack, Inc.’s National Service Policy is to build quality equipment
with easy serviceability. Because of the ease in serviceability, Cookshack
does not have National Service Companies to repair our equipment. This
allows each restaurant to use the service company of their choice.

If your unit needs repairs, please contact your preferred local service com­pany. If warranty work is deemed necessary, equipment owners should
have their local service company contact Cookshack, Inc. for authorization
to perform the repairs at [phone].

Cookshack Model 066 16 Ver.06.1

1-800-423-0698 www.cookshack.com [e-mail]

2304 N. Ash Street

Ponca City, OK 74601-1100 USA

TOLL FREE (1) 800-423-0698

(1) 580-765-3669

FAX [phone]

e-mail: [e-mail]

Cookshack Model 066 17 Ver.06.1