STLBBQer
is one Smokin' Farker
One of the questions I see on here and other forums quite often is: "For $300, what smoker should I get, a Weber Smokey Mountain 18.5" or a Pit Barrel Cooker?" (That question is undoubtedly then followed up a few posts later with..."Neither! You can make a UDS for $50, twenty gum wrappers, and a lil' elbow grease...")
Since I seem to be one of the few Brethren on here that decided the answer is BOTH, I thought a review might be in order. Full disclosure, I've had my WSM for about four years and been through nearly 100 cooks with it. Had my PBC for all of two weeks and been through four cooks! ALSO, this review is pretty lengthy and detailed.
I decided to keep it simple and rated only on the specific meats I've done on both: whole chickens, pork butts, spare ribs, loin/baby back ribs, and final overall taste/impressions.
My other criteria were start-up time, ease of use, capacity, versatility, build quality, and clean-up. I rated all areas head-to-head with ties if warranted.
Here we go!
Start-up time: Both the WSM and PBC are easy to start-up and come to temp quickly. The WSM has a few "tried and true" starting methods, including the Minion. The PBC is basically a "light the chimney, dump the coals and go" system. While both are great, the PBC is simpler and is ready to cook on as soon as a chimney of 35-40 briquettes is hot.
Winner: PBC
Ease of use: Again, both WSM and PBC are very easy to use and maintain temps extremely well. WSM can run anywhere from 200-300F by adjusting the vents, PBC locks in between 250-300F through its design. WSM uses two grates for all meats to smoke on, PBC relies mainly on meats suspended by hooks hanging on steel rebar for cooking (one grate is also supplied for other meats and finishing pork butts, brisket, etc). Both smokers/cookers are very easy to use and you can't go wrong with either. I have to give the nod to the PBC here, because I think it's more of a "set and forget" system, and the hooks and hook tool make moving meats around less hassle and mess. Also, for those short on time, the PBC can power through a big pork butt or brisket in 7-8 hrs (or less).
Winner: PBC
Capacity: WSM and PBC both hold a lot of meat. The WSM is limited by the diameter of its grates for meats like a big packer brisket and long spare ribs. The PBC can hang brisket and ribs with ease, but is limited by its one grate vs two on the WSM. If I'm doing ribs or a big packer brisket, the PBC would be my choice for capacity. If I'm doing a bunch of pork butts or mixed meats (ribs on top rack, pork butts on the bottom), WSM would be my choice.
Winner: TIE
Versatility: I think these are both great smokers/cookers. The WSM is a true water smoker, while the PBC is a cooker relying on convection and grease dripping on the coals or wood chunks for smoke. Both can cook just about any meat you'd want. The WSM has more ways to control temps and can do very low and slow all the way to higher heat. It also has more ways to control temps. For someone wanting the most versatile smoker, I'd have to recommend the WSM.
Winner: WSM
Build Quality: Noah Glanville has done a great job upgrading the PBC with the new thicker gauge steel drum and porcelain enameled finish. It's a high quality item top to bottom. The WSM is typical Weber quality and the warranty is one of the best in the business. While I expect both to last a long time, I don't expect the PBC to outlive the WSM. I wouldn't have any reservation on buying either one for my lifelong smoker/cooker, but if I had to pick the one that could be handed down to my infant son in 25 years, my money would be on the WSM.
Winner: WSM
Clean-up: I won't spend much time on this one. The PBC wins in just about every way. Cleaning the WSM isn't difficult, but between scrubbing the grill grates, emptying the coals, wiping out a water bowl (foiled or unfoiled), it's a 30 minute process for me. The PBC takes me 5 minutes. I put down heavy duty foil under the charcoal basket and empty that when it's done. Wash the hooks (1 minute maybe), and it's ready to go for the next smoke.
Winner: PBC
Okay, now let's get on to the actual cooks!
Chicken: Even with an empty water bowl and the WSM running as hot as I can get it (about 300f for me), I've never been wowed by whole chickens. The skin is usually rubbery, although the flavor is good. I prefer higher heat on my Weber grill or pellet smoker. On the PBC, chicken is wonderful. The skin gets nice and bite-through (crack that lid for the last 15-20 minutes!) and the flavor and juiciness is off the charts.
Winner: PBC
Spare ribs: I've had nothing but great results on my WSM with spare ribs, and the PBC was no different. Both turn out juicy, flavorful ribs, with nice color. The WSM ribs are more traditional, smoked spares. The PBC ribs have a more grilled/char flavor due to their cooking method. Both are fantastic, and are crowd pleasers. You can't go wrong either way here.
Winner: TIE
Loin/baby back ribs: I usually smoke loin back ribs on my WSM at 225-240F and use the 2-1-1 method. I paint them with a BBQ sauce and beer glaze every 15 minutes and layer on a sweet heat rub for the last 45 minutes of the cook. They're my favorite meat to do on the WSM. My results with loin backs on the PBC were very good, not great. I think not having the 1 hour in foil resulted in a less tender, less moist rib. The PBC "smoke fog" flavor was a great complement to spares, but with the loin backs, I felt it was a bit overpowering without the sweeter rub. It's also much more difficult to follow my saucing/rub routine like I do on the WSM. They were very good ribs, but I'll stick to loin backs on the WSM.
Winner: WSM
Pork butts: WSM turns out flavorful, juicy pork butts with nice bark and great wood flavor (I love pecan and cherry). Time is usually around 10-11 hrs for a 7 lb butt. PBC can turn out the same sized butt in 6 hours. That means I can start a butt at 10am and have it ready for dinner that night, even with a 2 hour FTC thrown in! The trade-off is the pork butt needs to be foiled for the last 2-3 hours on the PBC grate to insure tenderness and the bark does suffer. I also didn't care for the PBC flavor on the pork butt straight off the cooker quite as much, but a quick toss in rub and a little sauce brought it up to standards. I would not hesitate to make a butt on the PBC, but if time isn't an issue, I'd go with the WSM.
Winner: WSM
Final overall taste/impressions: You'll often see owners of the PBC say the taste vs a true smoker isn't better or worse, it's just different. I found that to be true. On some meats (chicken, spare ribs), the PBC was awesome. On other meats (loin backs, pork butts) the WSM would be my sole choice. In the end, the PBC will probably be my go-to cooker for chicken and spares, WSM for loin backs and pork butts. Overall, I prefer the wood smoke flavor of the WSM, but the PBC is fantastic too.
Winner: TIE (slight edge to the WSM overall, but the PBC chicken swings it to a tie)
Final Standings: WSM: 7 PBC: 7
I promise I didn't rig these results. They just really are that close. I love both smokers/cookers and will be using both quite often. Both WSM and PBC are high quality products that can turn out delicious BBQ. The true wood smoke flavor and "low and slow" nature of the WSM makes it ideal for traditional backyard BBQ. The capacity, ease of use, and shortened cook times make the PBC ideal for those who don't have the time for overnight cooks or those who cook for large groups/parties. Either way, you can't go wrong. Two thumbs up for the WSM and PBC!
Since I seem to be one of the few Brethren on here that decided the answer is BOTH, I thought a review might be in order. Full disclosure, I've had my WSM for about four years and been through nearly 100 cooks with it. Had my PBC for all of two weeks and been through four cooks! ALSO, this review is pretty lengthy and detailed.
I decided to keep it simple and rated only on the specific meats I've done on both: whole chickens, pork butts, spare ribs, loin/baby back ribs, and final overall taste/impressions.
My other criteria were start-up time, ease of use, capacity, versatility, build quality, and clean-up. I rated all areas head-to-head with ties if warranted.
Here we go!
Start-up time: Both the WSM and PBC are easy to start-up and come to temp quickly. The WSM has a few "tried and true" starting methods, including the Minion. The PBC is basically a "light the chimney, dump the coals and go" system. While both are great, the PBC is simpler and is ready to cook on as soon as a chimney of 35-40 briquettes is hot.
Winner: PBC
Ease of use: Again, both WSM and PBC are very easy to use and maintain temps extremely well. WSM can run anywhere from 200-300F by adjusting the vents, PBC locks in between 250-300F through its design. WSM uses two grates for all meats to smoke on, PBC relies mainly on meats suspended by hooks hanging on steel rebar for cooking (one grate is also supplied for other meats and finishing pork butts, brisket, etc). Both smokers/cookers are very easy to use and you can't go wrong with either. I have to give the nod to the PBC here, because I think it's more of a "set and forget" system, and the hooks and hook tool make moving meats around less hassle and mess. Also, for those short on time, the PBC can power through a big pork butt or brisket in 7-8 hrs (or less).
Winner: PBC
Capacity: WSM and PBC both hold a lot of meat. The WSM is limited by the diameter of its grates for meats like a big packer brisket and long spare ribs. The PBC can hang brisket and ribs with ease, but is limited by its one grate vs two on the WSM. If I'm doing ribs or a big packer brisket, the PBC would be my choice for capacity. If I'm doing a bunch of pork butts or mixed meats (ribs on top rack, pork butts on the bottom), WSM would be my choice.
Winner: TIE
Versatility: I think these are both great smokers/cookers. The WSM is a true water smoker, while the PBC is a cooker relying on convection and grease dripping on the coals or wood chunks for smoke. Both can cook just about any meat you'd want. The WSM has more ways to control temps and can do very low and slow all the way to higher heat. It also has more ways to control temps. For someone wanting the most versatile smoker, I'd have to recommend the WSM.
Winner: WSM
Build Quality: Noah Glanville has done a great job upgrading the PBC with the new thicker gauge steel drum and porcelain enameled finish. It's a high quality item top to bottom. The WSM is typical Weber quality and the warranty is one of the best in the business. While I expect both to last a long time, I don't expect the PBC to outlive the WSM. I wouldn't have any reservation on buying either one for my lifelong smoker/cooker, but if I had to pick the one that could be handed down to my infant son in 25 years, my money would be on the WSM.
Winner: WSM
Clean-up: I won't spend much time on this one. The PBC wins in just about every way. Cleaning the WSM isn't difficult, but between scrubbing the grill grates, emptying the coals, wiping out a water bowl (foiled or unfoiled), it's a 30 minute process for me. The PBC takes me 5 minutes. I put down heavy duty foil under the charcoal basket and empty that when it's done. Wash the hooks (1 minute maybe), and it's ready to go for the next smoke.
Winner: PBC
Okay, now let's get on to the actual cooks!
Chicken: Even with an empty water bowl and the WSM running as hot as I can get it (about 300f for me), I've never been wowed by whole chickens. The skin is usually rubbery, although the flavor is good. I prefer higher heat on my Weber grill or pellet smoker. On the PBC, chicken is wonderful. The skin gets nice and bite-through (crack that lid for the last 15-20 minutes!) and the flavor and juiciness is off the charts.
Winner: PBC
Spare ribs: I've had nothing but great results on my WSM with spare ribs, and the PBC was no different. Both turn out juicy, flavorful ribs, with nice color. The WSM ribs are more traditional, smoked spares. The PBC ribs have a more grilled/char flavor due to their cooking method. Both are fantastic, and are crowd pleasers. You can't go wrong either way here.
Winner: TIE
Loin/baby back ribs: I usually smoke loin back ribs on my WSM at 225-240F and use the 2-1-1 method. I paint them with a BBQ sauce and beer glaze every 15 minutes and layer on a sweet heat rub for the last 45 minutes of the cook. They're my favorite meat to do on the WSM. My results with loin backs on the PBC were very good, not great. I think not having the 1 hour in foil resulted in a less tender, less moist rib. The PBC "smoke fog" flavor was a great complement to spares, but with the loin backs, I felt it was a bit overpowering without the sweeter rub. It's also much more difficult to follow my saucing/rub routine like I do on the WSM. They were very good ribs, but I'll stick to loin backs on the WSM.
Winner: WSM
Pork butts: WSM turns out flavorful, juicy pork butts with nice bark and great wood flavor (I love pecan and cherry). Time is usually around 10-11 hrs for a 7 lb butt. PBC can turn out the same sized butt in 6 hours. That means I can start a butt at 10am and have it ready for dinner that night, even with a 2 hour FTC thrown in! The trade-off is the pork butt needs to be foiled for the last 2-3 hours on the PBC grate to insure tenderness and the bark does suffer. I also didn't care for the PBC flavor on the pork butt straight off the cooker quite as much, but a quick toss in rub and a little sauce brought it up to standards. I would not hesitate to make a butt on the PBC, but if time isn't an issue, I'd go with the WSM.
Winner: WSM
Final overall taste/impressions: You'll often see owners of the PBC say the taste vs a true smoker isn't better or worse, it's just different. I found that to be true. On some meats (chicken, spare ribs), the PBC was awesome. On other meats (loin backs, pork butts) the WSM would be my sole choice. In the end, the PBC will probably be my go-to cooker for chicken and spares, WSM for loin backs and pork butts. Overall, I prefer the wood smoke flavor of the WSM, but the PBC is fantastic too.
Winner: TIE (slight edge to the WSM overall, but the PBC chicken swings it to a tie)
Final Standings: WSM: 7 PBC: 7
I promise I didn't rig these results. They just really are that close. I love both smokers/cookers and will be using both quite often. Both WSM and PBC are high quality products that can turn out delicious BBQ. The true wood smoke flavor and "low and slow" nature of the WSM makes it ideal for traditional backyard BBQ. The capacity, ease of use, and shortened cook times make the PBC ideal for those who don't have the time for overnight cooks or those who cook for large groups/parties. Either way, you can't go wrong. Two thumbs up for the WSM and PBC!
