Pit Barrel Cooker (PBC) Appreciation Thread

[AClarke44]

I've used regular bricks without issues as well as river rocks....I think the issue with brick exploding happens when people take a brick that's been sitting in the dirt, soaking up moisture for years and then toss it in a hot grill....pretty sure if the bricks are stored dry there's no issues....heck my fireplace is made out of bricks.

I would bet that the inside of your fireplace is lined with firebrick.

Either way, I know people use regular bricks and other stuff...All I know is what I use in the PBC. I can't confirm that a rock or a regular brick will work the same as far as radiating the heat. Fire bricks are very dense and hold heat for a long time. ....What your doing in the PBC by blocking half the coal basket to use less coal yet maintain the same temp is different than banking coals in a weber to create indirect cooking. Other stuff may work but again all I've ever used is firebrick.

 

[Pitmaster T]

what the **** 63 ****ing pages? what the **** is wrong with yall? I have to read this **** ya know!

 

[AClarke44]

what the **** 63 ****ing pages? what the **** is wrong with yall? I have to read this **** ya know!

Lol....There's a few pages you can omit...but most of it is pretty good stuff!

 

[Durham Smoker]

half basket

For those of you that use the half basket partitioned off with a brick and 40 hot coals on top, how long does this heat last?

 

[16Adams]

My PrimoXL has a cast iron half moon divider. Acadamy sells a store brand cast iron griddle for like 12$. Lodge is a few bucks more. Wonder if it's too big or if one could be cut Dow to stand sideways in the basket. Just thinking.

 

[AClarke44]

For those of you that use the half basket partitioned off with a brick and 40 hot coals on top, how long does this heat last?

I've set up a half basket two ways. The first picture shows the technique I use most often for chicken and tri-tip or anything that cooks in about 2 hours. It will get you a good 2 and 1/2 hours possibly 3 hours maintaining temp.

The second picture will get you about 3 1/2 hours because it allows for a little more coal....

 

[AClarke44]

PBC Appreciation 1 year Anniversary Cook-off

Update:

OK guys, I spoke with Phil for a few minutes today and asked him what he thought about us doing a cook off for PBC only cooks in celebration for this thread being a year old. Phil had no problems with the idea and even suggested we may be able to use the Throw Down sub forum and thread format to do so. I'm putting words in his mouth here, but I think he even liked the idea of an anniversary cook off for us. Very cool! There are some details that need to be ironed out but Phil said we would figure it out and make it work. Right now I'm not sure what the dates will be other than sometime in May. So get your PBC cook plans together cause it looks like we are gonna have a cook-off with prizes to boot!

 

[Bob C Cue]

Update:

OK guys, I spoke with Phil for a few minutes today and asked him what he thought about us doing a cook off for PBC only cooks in celebration for this thread being a year old. Phil had no problems with the idea and even suggested we may be able to use the Throw Down sub forum and thread format to do so. I'm putting words in his mouth here, but I think he even liked the idea of an anniversary cook off for us. Very cool! There are some details that need to be ironed out but Phil said we would figure it out and make it work. Right now I'm not sure what the dates will be other than sometime in May. So get your PBC cook plans together cause it looks like we are gonna have a cook-off with prizes to boot!

I think I better start saving up to buy some beef short ribs, my new favorite.

 

[Deebo]

I already know that I'm in for the first annual PBC cook off!! just lemme know when!

 

[Deebo]

FYI guys and gals, Walmart has 15.4 lb bags of Kingsford charcoal for $5 a pop. I stocked up yesterday!

 

[agensop]

Hey barrel brothers.... just saw a video on ballistic bbq where he pretty much did "baked" fried chicken in his rec tec .... so its got me thinking... i wanna try something like that with my barrel but .. i have to build a deflector... think 3 bricks and a pizza pan or pizza stone would help. Am i crazy? or have the right idea?? if not ill just do it on my kettle *which i dont want to do* lol

 

[AClarke44]

Hey barrel brothers.... just saw a video on ballistic bbq where he pretty much did "baked" fried chicken in his rec tec .... so its got me thinking... i wanna try something like that with my barrel but .. i have to build a deflector... think 3 bricks and a pizza pan or pizza stone would help. Am i crazy? or have the right idea?? if not ill just do it on my kettle *which i dont want to do* lol

Why would you need a deflector?
He states in the video that he cooks higher heat. Most likely to crisp up the batter and make that "fired" style skin. I would just use your PBC grate and crack the lid so you get a 350-400° temp.

But if you really think you need a deflector the I believe your plan with the bricks and pizza pan will work.

 

[Nailsetter]

New member barrel questions

Hello all,

New forum member here. Wanting to add a barrel cooker to my fleet so have been reading up on posts. Debating between the pit barrel cooker and the barrel house cooker which is a bit smaller. Want the cooker for camping and home for usually feeding just my wife and myself.

Has anyone tried the barrel house cooker?

Where are you getting those hanging skewers? Both the style with bottom shield and the large flat skewers that is pictured with wings and taters on.

Thanks for the input, all the great ideas, and the awesome pics!

 

[ssv3]

Welcome! PBC hands down.

In a nutshell, barrel house stole a lot of its cues from PBC by illegally using confidential info supplied to their parent company. The parent company was supposed to boost production for PBC instead they formed barrel house cooker. Lawsuit going on now.

I won't support a thieving company.

As for the skewers, I got them from a local mom and pop stores. Similar skewers are available on Amazon or EBay.

PS check out Andrew's( AClarke44) setup if you're only cooking for two. As for camping, it's easy to transport and fits in cars and of course trucks and SUV's. I've done it a lot.

 

[AClarke44]

Hello all,

New forum member here. Wanting to add a barrel cooker to my fleet so have been reading up on posts. Debating between the pit barrel cooker and the barrel house cooker which is a bit smaller. Want the cooker for camping and home for usually feeding just my wife and myself.

Has anyone tried the barrel house cooker?

Where are you getting those hanging skewers? Both the style with bottom shield and the large flat skewers that is pictured with wings and taters on.

Thanks for the input, all the great ideas, and the awesome pics!

Barrel house cooker is under a lawsuit for essentially stealing the idea from Pit Barrel Cooker Co. Long story short there was a business contract to make barrels for the PBC between Noah and the guy who started the barrel house cooker. Once all the info and plans were given the guy backed out and made his own cooker. If you look at Central vacuums for houses you'll see the barrel house cook looks an awful lot like a vacuum cleaner. That's because it's made from the same barrel. You want a vacuum cleaner cooker? :shocked:

Anyway, buy the proven cooker created by an honest man and a veteran of the US Navy.......PBC all the way.

 

[Rich M]

Has anyone tried the barrel house cooker?

I recently purchased an "Original" PBC..and could not be happier :thumb:

I concur with ssv3, and will not support any company that violates and steals IP for their own benifit.

Shame, shame on you Barrel House Cooker :tsk:

 

[AClarke44]

Go back to page 156 of this thread. There's a conversation going through that page as well as quotes and links to the court documents. Also if you thought I was playing about the vacuum cleaner check it out for yourself.

http://builtinvacuum.com

 

[Nailsetter]

I appreciate the feedback guys. I was kinda leaning towards pbc but I wasn't sure why. I have noticed hardly any posts with people using the barrel house.

That's pretty funny about the whole house vac barrel. Be a catchy motto for them would be "our cookers suck"

 

[ssv3]

Hanging and Spinning on a Saturday :becky:

Asian style marinated pork belly spinning

Now with a thermometer :nod:

 

[AClarke44]

Now that's cool Sako! So there's enough clearance to spin a basket with the rods in......wow!