Pit Barrel Cooker

[rwalters]

Originally Posted by Eatin Smoke

She's here!!! Chicken is prepped, and coals are burning.......just waiting to hang the yardbirds. I'll post pics later on. Thanks for talking me into this.......I'm gonna love this PBC.

So excited for you!! Keep us posted bro!!

[Vision]

Originally Posted by midwestsmokeboy

Best Chicken I have ever cooked and the best thing is I didn't have to babysit the cooker.

What does that mean? How so?

[flyingbassman5]

Just to get some pictures involved, I fired up the PBC for the first time today and did some chicken thighs and brats. I used just the grate today because the thighs were just a tad small to hang. I figured there was noting wrong with using the grate and saving the inaugural hanging cook for Ribs.

I also ended up getting a "family photo" while cleaning out the spice cabinet.

I did up the thighs with Weber brand "Kickin' Chicken" seasoning I got in a Weber sauce and seasoning kit for Christmas. It had a little heat from the red pepper seeds but overall tasted really good. I wouldn't mind having a larger bottle of the stuff..

I filled the basket with off brand charcoal I had laying in the shed . I had lump but it was an unopened bag and the briquettes bag was only about half full. Decided to kill the briquettes to give me an excuse to go buy some stubbs. I added four chunks of Hickory and lit about 10 briquettes in a chimney starter. No lighter fluid like the directions said because I don't own any. The 10 white hot briquettes worked just fine to get the fire going. 30 minutes after walking outside to light a fire, the barrel was hot, smokin', and ready for some chicken and brats.

Unfortunately, the plated product didn't last long enough to get a picture, but I assure you, it was farking delicious!! Enjoy the pics fellas!!

[Eatin Smoke]

I'm a believer! Yardbird was tender, juicy, and had great flavor. Here's the results:















I can't believe it was that easy.

[jonboy]

Good looking chicken...
Should you have the grate below...just in case the chicken fell or jumps off.
What is the foil around charcoal for?
jon

[rwalters]

Originally Posted by flyingbassman5

Just to get some pictures involved, I fired up the PBC for the first time today and did some chicken thighs and brats. I used just the grate today because the thighs were just a tad small to hang. I figured there was noting wrong with using the grate and saving the inaugural hanging cook for Ribs.

I also ended up getting a "family photo" while cleaning out the spice cabinet.

I did up the thighs with Weber brand "Kickin' Chicken" seasoning I got in a Weber sauce and seasoning kit for Christmas. It had a little heat from the red pepper seeds but overall tasted really good. I wouldn't mind having a larger bottle of the stuff..

I filled the basket with off brand charcoal I had laying in the shed . I had lump but it was an unopened bag and the briquettes bag was only about half full. Decided to kill the briquettes to give me an excuse to go buy some stubbs. I added four chunks of Hickory and lit about 10 briquettes in a chimney starter. No lighter fluid like the directions said because I don't own any. The 10 white hot briquettes worked just fine to get the fire going. 30 minutes after walking outside to light a fire, the barrel was hot, smokin', and ready for some chicken and brats.

Unfortunately, the plated product didn't last long enough to get a picture, but I assure you, it was farking delicious!! Enjoy the pics fellas!!

Try it WITHOUT wood next time...I think it's even BETTER :)

[Eatin Smoke]

Originally Posted by jonboy

Good looking chicken...
Should you have the grate below...just in case the chicken fell or jumps off.
What is the foil around charcoal for?
jon

Lined the bottom of the barrel for easy cleanup.

[flyingbassman5]

Originally Posted by rwalters

Try it WITHOUT wood next time...I think it's even BETTER :)

I will do that and see what happens! I just figured a few chunks of hickory wouldn't hurt.

[PatioDaddio]

Originally Posted by Eatin Smoke

I'm a believer! Yardbird was tender, juicy, and had great flavor. Here's the results:



I can't believe it was that easy.

I see bricks under the PBC. Did you not get the horseshoe stand out of the bottom of the barrel? That's what it's for -- keeping the cooker off of the ground.

John

[Eatin Smoke]

Originally Posted by PatioDaddio

I see bricks under the PBC. Did you not get the horseshoe stand out of the bottom of the barrel? That's what it's for -- keeping the cooker off of the ground.

John

The horseshoes are sitting on top of the bricks. You just can't see 'em in the pic. Just wanted more space between the wooden deck and the bottom of the barrel.

[PatioDaddio]

Originally Posted by Eatin Smoke

The horseshoes are sitting on top of the bricks. You just can't see 'em in the pic. Just wanted more space between the wooden deck and the bottom of the barrel.

Gotcha.

John

[Sillius Sodus]

Alright. I just read the six pages of this thread and went to grilling.com and signed up for the discount code. I've been wanting to put together a UDS, but for me, this looks like the way to go.

A couple of quick questions for those in the know...
1. Can I use Stubbs for this? I will/can use Kingsford, but it is a personal thing...
2. Any reason (or need) to use lump in this instead of briquettes?

Thanks guys.

[PatioDaddio]

Originally Posted by Sillius Sodus

Alright. I just read the six pages of this thread and went to grilling.com and signed up for the discount code. I've been wanting to put together a UDS, but for me, this looks like the way to go.

A couple of quick questions for those in the know...
1. Can I use Stubbs for this? I will/can use Kingsford, but it is a personal thing...
2. Any reason (or need) to use lump in this instead of briquettes?

Thanks guys.

1. Yes, but the PBC is designed around Kingsford Original (blue). See my head-to-head review on my blog.

2. No. Lump is far too irregular and unpredictable.

John

[Sillius Sodus]

Originally Posted by PatioDaddio

1. Yes, but the PBC is designed around Kingsford Original (blue). See my head-to-head review on my blog.

2. No. Lump is far too irregular and unpredictable.

John

Thanks for the quick answers John.

[flyingbassman5]

Originally Posted by Sillius Sodus

A couple of quick questions for those in the know...
1. Can I use Stubbs for this? I will/can use Kingsford, but it is a personal thing...
2. Any reason (or need) to use lump in this instead of briquettes?

Thanks guys.

1. Sure. I used off brand briquettes today for my PBC cook and it still burned hot for a good usable 8 hours. If the off brand can do it Stubb's ought to be able to as well. Fact is, Stubb's is all I am going to be using in mine once this bag of off brand runs out. Like John said, it was designed around Kingsford, but I think using a different brand isn't going to hurt. Cook times and temps might run different but you just have to figure out what works.

2. Lump I think would burn too hot and too fast in the PBC because the intake is preset. On a UDS, lump works because you can control the intake and thus the temperature, but again, it wouldn't hurt to experiment a bit.