pbc help

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jsmorrow2s

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third time cooking a boston butt. let 40 coals burn for 15 minutes before i put them in the center of the coal basket. let it heat up for about 25 min and then i hung my pork. now here is my problem: its been an hour, the cooker is running hot to the touch (cannot hole hand on there for more than a second) but there is absolutely no smoke coming out. not even he thin little wisps. help is appreciated

thanx
 
Sounds perfect too me. Invisible smoke to thin blue smoke is what you want. Thick white smoke will make your food taste bad (creosote). Have any wood chunks in there for flavor?
 
PERFECT!!! Complete combustion = the best flavor!
 
Just like the guys said above. That's exactly what you want.
 
I agree with all above. Sounds good to me. I will say I'm surprised you aren't seeing any smoke at all though. Only because of drippings hitting the hot coals. I guess it's only been an hour though so the butt may not be dripping much yet. If you do start seeing some smoke don't get too worried just make sure it's good smelling smoke...lol. :becky: I laugh but I'm serious. You'll probably see some smoke when the fat starts to render more and drips on the hot coals. But it'll smell good and not nasty like a cold fire smells.
Oh and it shouldn't be real thick smoke either....
 
AClarke44 said:
I agree with all above. Sounds good to me. I will say I'm surprised you aren't seeing any smoke at all though. Only because of drippings hitting the hot coals. I guess it's only been an hour though so the butt may not be dripping much yet. If you do start seeing some smoke don't get too worried just make sure it's good smelling smoke...lol. :becky: I laugh but I'm serious. You'll probably see some smoke when the fat starts to render more and drips on the hot coals. But it'll smell good and not nasty like a cold fire smells.
Oh and it shouldn't be real thick smoke either....
Click to expand...
Yea he'll get some but it won't be as much or as pronounced since he's doing the good small hot fire method. :thumb:
 
Yeah it sounds like all is well. Totally unrelated to your question but when you say you let in run for 25 minutes before you added the food, was that with the PBC covered or uncovered? If I uncovered then it is likely you will be running hotter than the normal 275 - 325 degrees. PBC instructions are to add meat after your coals are ready no need to wait. But does not hurt to cover the cooker when the coals are ready and wait a while to add the food.
 
Bob C Cue said:
Yeah it sounds like all is well. Totally unrelated to your question but when you say you let in run for 25 minutes before you added the food, was that with the PBC covered or uncovered? If I uncovered then it is likely you will be running hotter than the normal 275 - 325 degrees. PBC instructions are to add meat after your coals are ready no need to wait. But does not hurt to cover the cooker when the coals are ready and wait a while to add the food.
Click to expand...

Bob you should try stepping out of your comfort zone and experiment and learn other ways than the "official instructions" You're not learning anything with paint by colors... He can light the coals and set them up different...wait longer or less time and still get the same temp range you do with better smoke and results.
 
when i follow the instructions to a 'T', i get very thick heavy nasty white smoke that leaves a god awful aftertaste. so in order for me to get complete combustion, i fill the coal basket level, remove 40 coals and light using the chimney method. as soon as the paper catches fire, i set a 15 minute timer. meanwhile, i push the cold coals to the outer perimeter of the coal basket so that there is, in essence, a hole in the middle of the coals. when my timer goes off, i pour in the hot coals into the middle of the coal basket where the hole is. i then place it in the pbc with the lid slightly cracked and the rebar out. after 15 or so minutes, i put the rebar in place, and close the lid. wait an additional 15 min and start cooking.

i know it is probably overkill but i refuse to come close to tasting that creosote??? again.
 
jsmorrow2s said:
when i follow the instructions to a 'T', i get very thick heavy nasty white smoke that leaves a god awful aftertaste. so in order for me to get complete combustion, i fill the coal basket level, remove 40 coals and light using the chimney method. as soon as the paper catches fire, i set a 15 minute timer. meanwhile, i push the cold coals to the outer perimeter of the coal basket so that there is, in essence, a hole in the middle of the coals. when my timer goes off, i pour in the hot coals into the middle of the coal basket where the hole is. i then place it in the pbc with the lid slightly cracked and the rebar out. after 15 or so minutes, i put the rebar in place, and close the lid. wait an additional 15 min and start cooking.

i know it is probably overkill but i refuse to come close to tasting that creosote??? again.
Click to expand...

Only gonna say it once because I'm not getting into a pissing match over something I already know and that is IF you followed the lighting instructions to a T then something else was wrong. I've NEVER cooked bad tasting or even average tasting food in my PBC. Everything ever cooked has turned out excellent. Either way, if the method you described works for you then obviously stick with it! :thumb:
 
jsmorrow2s said:
third time cooking a boston butt. let 40 coals burn for 15 minutes before i put them in the center of the coal basket. let it heat up for about 25 min and then i hung my pork. now here is my problem: its been an hour, the cooker is running hot to the touch (cannot hole hand on there for more than a second) but there is absolutely no smoke coming out. not even he thin little wisps. help is appreciated

thanx
Click to expand...

Now if you are asking if that's the way the PBC is designed to operate ...I would say no. I would call Noah or Amber and ask, they are some good folks and will be glad to answer your questions.
 
jsmorrow2s said:
third time cooking a boston butt. let 40 coals burn for 15 minutes before i put them in the center of the coal basket. let it heat up for about 25 min and then i hung my pork. now here is my problem: its been an hour, the cooker is running hot to the touch (cannot hole hand on there for more than a second) but there is absolutely no smoke coming out. not even he thin little wisps. help is appreciated

thanx
Click to expand...

I bet this butt turned out awesome ?
 
I found that if I put the 40 coals in the center of the basket that the coals burn in a v shape towards the air inlet while the coals to the back and sides don't burn until later. The temps drop when the coals get closer to the inlet and ash over. I had two cherry wood chucks on the side away from the inlet that didn't start after 6 hours. I saved them for the next cook. The temps held at 280-290 for 4 hours and then dropped to 250 or so for the next 2 hours.
 
Cibelo said:
I found that if I put the 40 coals in the center of the basket that the coals burn in a v shape towards the air inlet while the coals to the back and sides don't burn until later. The temps drop when the coals get closer to the inlet and ash over. I had two cherry wood chucks on the side away from the inlet that didn't start after 6 hours. I saved them for the next cook. The temps held at 280-290 for 4 hours and then dropped to 250 or so for the next 2 hours.
Click to expand...

This is Jsmorrow's first burn like that...looks good to me. How'd it work in his and not in yours?


 
Cibelo said:
I found that if I put the 40 coals in the center of the basket that the coals burn in a v shape towards the air inlet while the coals to the back and sides don't burn until later. The temps drop when the coals get closer to the inlet and ash over. I had two cherry wood chucks on the side away from the inlet that didn't start after 6 hours. I saved them for the next cook. The temps held at 280-290 for 4 hours and then dropped to 250 or so for the next 2 hours.
Click to expand...

My Temps don't drop but I've noticed the same or similar burn pattern in mine pretty much any way I light the coals. I've poured the coals in the middle, Ive dumped them over the top as described in the directions, and I've banked coals with firebrick. The burn pattern always moves towards the intake. And it is more noticeable when you dump the coals in the center AND it's a longer (over 3 hour) cook. But again, my temp has always stayed pretty stable. The few times I've had issues with temp it's getting too hot, not cooling.

Edit: one time I reached in and rotated the coal basket....
 
It works better for me to spread the 40 coals evenly over the top and wait 5 to 10 minutes before starting to cook.
 
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