Pit Barrel Cooker (PBC) Appreciation Thread

[AClarke44]

Mr Julius,

I don't think your temp issues were from scattering the coals around with the rebar unless you left the lid off for over a minute or so while doing that. I often adjust my lit coals too after dumping them in. Just get the lid on in about 30 sec to a min.
Not sure why your temps jumped to 345 though unless your vent cap (intake) was too far open or you put too many lit coals in at first. Do you know how many you lit? 35-40 max is what you should light.

As far as your brisket being dry, I believe you just didn't cook it long enough. You can't really use a certain temperature to measure doneness. You can use it as a guage to check for doneness. A brisket is done when you can insert a probe with barely or no resistance in the thickest part of the FLAT. This can happen anywhere from 195° up to about 215°.

One last thing. Sometimes you just get a bad brisket meaning even if it's a choice or prime they can end up tough....it's happened to many folks....

 

[qposner]

Hey all! So Im thinking of selling my GMG Jim Bowie and going with a PBC. Am I nuts for considering that???? I have a Traeger for years prior to the GMG and feel it was a better cooker than the GMG which is so incredibly inconsistent. Anyhow, I typically cook in the 250-325 range which is perfect for the PBC.

Is it easy to get down around 200 if needed? What about getting it up to 500?

Also, do any of you keep it on a wood deck? I assume I could do so with pavers underneath, but am a bit concerned about hot coals on a wood deck.

Do you get good wood smoke if you add wood chunks?

Im sure Ill have plenty of more questions, but this is what Im first starting to think if.

Thanks!
Quinn

 

[AClarke44]

Hey all! So Im thinking of selling my GMG Jim Bowie and going with a PBC. Am I nuts for considering that???? I have a Traeger for years prior to the GMG and feel it was a better cooker than the GMG which is so incredibly inconsistent. Anyhow, I typically cook in the 250-325 range which is perfect for the PBC.

Is it easy to get down around 200 if needed? What about getting it up to 500?

Also, do any of you keep it on a wood deck? I assume I could do so with pavers underneath, but am a bit concerned about hot coals on a wood deck.

Do you get good wood smoke if you add wood chunks?

Im sure Ill have plenty of more questions, but this is what Im first starting to think if.

Thanks!
Quinn

Going down to 200 is harder than getting to 500 but in my opinion both can be done. Going that low just requires some creativity.

There are a few folks here who cook on wood decks. I believe they use pavers. Hopefully they will chime in.

I use wood chunks all the time. Yes you do get a good smoked flavor from them.

Ask away brother! That's what this thread is for...:thumb:

 

[Stlsportster]

Pavers yes. 4-12x12 from Home Depot at $1.80 each. Hot coals are totally contained in the PBC. I just wait for it to cool down before I empty.



Much better flavor than pellets in my opinion and I cooked on a Traeger for 18 months.

Temp control is different. This thing doesn't really go low and slow. Embrace it.

 

[ssv3]

Hey all! So Im thinking of selling my GMG Jim Bowie and going with a PBC. Am I nuts for considering that???? I have a Traeger for years prior to the GMG and feel it was a better cooker than the GMG which is so incredibly inconsistent. Anyhow, I typically cook in the 250-325 range which is perfect for the PBC.

Is it easy to get down around 200 if needed? What about getting it up to 500?

Also, do any of you keep it on a wood deck? I assume I could do so with pavers underneath, but am a bit concerned about hot coals on a wood deck.

Do you get good wood smoke if you add wood chunks?

Im sure Ill have plenty of more questions, but this is what Im first starting to think if.

Thanks!
Quinn

I'll repost my response from you other thread on the Mother Thread in case anyone who frequents here has the same questions

I have no experience with pellet grills but for what you're looking for I think you'll like the PBC. It's pretty consistent and runs 275-325 depending on your elevation. For the cooks you described, I don't think you need to tweak it but it definitely can be done. Getting to 500* temps is a breeze with cracking or removing the lid. Low temps can also be accomplished with relative ease.

For example, I like to use the PBC when I smoke my home cured bacon and sausage, etc since I don't like grill marks on them. So the below is what I do and there's no reason why it shouldn't work for you. You run it like a uds.

I improvise, so most of the stuff you see is always laying around. I place a turkey rack upside down, with the grate on top and then place my kamado stone last. I run 180-200 with no major problems. Obviously you won't need temps that low so a bit more charcoal in your basket and you're in business if you desire 225*+. Only drawback to this is if you're cooking ribs or brisket, the ends may touch the deflector. You can remedy that by hooking the longer meats high or..... There are guys on the PBC Mega thread that monitor temps and have different techniques and pretty sure will chime in. Def check out that thread also. Good luck!

And the high heat stuff. It cooks a heck of a pizza. Some lump charcoal and you're in business.

 

[AClarke44]

I was hoping you'd show your technique for going low Sako....thanks! :thumb:

Like I said, it can be done with some creativity....

 

[ssv3]

I was hoping you'd show your technique for going low Sako....thanks! :thumb:

Like I said, it can be done with some creativity....

:thumb:


Honestly it's not really necessary unless you specifically need to be 225 or lower but yes, it can be done. I'm actually doing pork burnt ends for a friends bday (potluck sort of thing) so depending how tomorrow pans out I may put the deflector in and stick my maverick probes in to read temps. Hopefully my maverick still works. :becky: Just for kicks.

 

[ssv3]

Ok, so I planned on doing the pork burnt ends on this guy but he's busy doing something else.

Pork butt. Cut me a nice 5lb chunk out of it without the bone since I'll slice it into small chunks for burnt ends

Blues Hog rub

So I set up the PBC for Minion, indirect. Here's the set up:

Dumped the lit charcoal in the middle

Turkey roast rack upside down

Deflector plate

Pan to catch the drippings. I don't like mess :becky:

All set up

Closed the lid and let her go

Before I put the meat on she was running straight 250* but putting the meat on and snapping the pics took a couple of mins so it jumped to 290*. It eventually stabilized and was humming along at 270* but temps are descending very slowly. Running at 266* now and if I didn't have to snap pics I would've been at 250* range. Again, it's getting there but slowly.


Stay tuned folks! :thumb:

 

[ssv3]

At the two hour mark it's coasting between 253-255 steady.

 

[Bob C Cue]

At the two hour mark it's coasting between 253-255 steady.

Very nice.

 

[cfi1234]

Looking forward to your results Bob C Que

 

[ssv3]

Four hour mark:

It dipped down to 237 and within 30 mins climbed back up to 255* again. Back to steady coasting at 255* :thumb:

 

[AClarke44]

Let us know how stable the temp ends up. I tried the minion method once in the PBC and had wildly unstable temps.....I didn't use a deflector though...

Oh and the coals farthest from the intake nearly went out on me. Never tried that method again...lol

 

[ssv3]

Let us know how stable the temp ends up. I tried the minion method once in the PBC and had wildly unstable temps.....I didn't use a deflector though...

Oh and the coals farthest from the intake nearly went out on me. Never tried that method again...lol

Def will Andrew! I'm about 4 1/2 hours in after closing the lid and other than a dip down to 237, which came back up to 255 within 1/2 hour, it's been locked at 255* :twitch: Here and there it fluctuates +/- 2* but that's all. It's running as accurate as my kamado.

I'm guessing it's been steady due drippings not hitting the fire and altering its course thanks to the deflector and the drip pan. I'll post a pic of the fire basket after the cook to trace the burn pattern.

Here's another update from the last pic about 1/2 ago. Looks like I'm at the stall now.

 

[ssv3]

OK, a temp spike but it's dropping down gradually. I'm think it's the coal arrangement and how they are banked up in the fire basket. I didn't arrange them even and only spread them as equally as I could. A densely packed area probably catches and drives the temp up. Vice versa.

 

[MJB0301]

Been a while since I posted last.....busy with work and travel. Picked up some pork spare ribs that I need to trim down and will cook tomorrow. Will post some pics tomorrow!

 

[Jbkilg2]

Beef shorties and a slab of baby backs. Shorties look ready but babyback needs some time. I wrapped in foil to finish.

 

[SGH]

Fellows it's been a few months since I was last on the Brethern. This was not due to choice but rather work and life events. With that said, I'm glad to see the PBS thread is alive and well and sitting on the first page. It remains one of my very favorite posts ever. Glad to be back and hope to be cooking and posting again real soon.

 

[Bob C Cue]

Fellows it's been a few months since I was last on the Brethern. This was not due to choice but rather work and life events. With that said, I'm glad to see the PBS thread is alive and well and sitting on the first page. It remains one of my very favorite posts ever. Glad to be back and hope to be cooking and posting again real soon.

Lots of new PBC owners, which is great!

 

[Jbkilg2]

Scotch (Glenlivet Nadura 16 yr., Glenfiddich 18 yr.) and bourbon (Blade and Bow, Iowa Bourbon Whiskey) with a friend delayed this follow up dinner post.

My wife went to visit her parents tonight so I cooked meat and only meat for my sons and me. We went full carnivore. Chicken drummies for starters. The beef shorties and babybacks turned out tender and tasty. Shorties treated with the PBC Beef and Game and a coating of garlic powder. The babybacks were rubbed with a layer of bbq flavor rub then yardbird and a finishing glaze consisting of a concoction of sweet baby rays, mauls, pepper jam, honey, and minced garlic.