Pit Barrel Cooker

[bbqbull]

Thanks for sharing the link Bob!
Dang those look awesome.

[Mark M]

Took a while to do it, but I read this whole thread today from start to now. Really enjoyed it. I appreciate everyone's inputs regarding the merits of the PBC and the different theories about how it works. I checked out all of the videos on the PBC website, and I must say that Noah has developed a nice system/product, and I hope he does well with it. I'm very tempted to purchase one but I have to time that right so that I don't lose my better half. I'm looking forward to hearing more results from all of the guys who have bought and used them. Thanks guys.

[Trumpstylz]

What are people using to get the charcoal basket into the pbc if not using lighter fluid?

I wonder if there's some sort of chain or a stick with a hook on the end at a hardware store that someone could use to lift it in and out of the pbc. I guess I could use gloves, but even with gloves that thing would be hot.

It would be a pain, but I really wouldn't want to use lighter fluid. Goes against everything I was ever taught.

[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by swamprb

Its been my experience that the natural briqs produce more ash than BBK and when extinguished they just just crumble to dust and cannot be reused. Naked Whiz also posted to the same conclusion. Just a heads up.

Just to follow up on my own question I had great results with the Rancher hardwood briquettes.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=152949

It did run hotter than expected, about 330 degrees, but I had no issues with ash, but it was a calm day. We'll see what happens on a windier day. It ran for a long time (I gave up taking temp readings after about 5 hours, but it was still going strong at 7 hours.)

[---k---]

It was hard, but I bought some lighter fluid yesterday. I'm going to try it. We'll see... I figure a pair of welding gloves if not lighter fluid.

I do have a garden garden fork with a 3' handle that I have used in the past to lift and lower my UDS charcoal basket. It works, but can be a little awkward if I put like 16# of charcoal in there.

[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by Trumpstylz

What are people using to get the charcoal basket into the pbc if not using lighter fluid?

I wonder if there's some sort of chain or a stick with a hook on the end at a hardware store that someone could use to lift it in and out of the pbc. I guess I could use gloves, but even with gloves that thing would be hot.

It would be a pain, but I really wouldn't want to use lighter fluid. Goes against everything I was ever taught.

I filled the basket and put it in the PBC before dumping the lit charcoal in. It was a tight fit with s full sized Weber chimney, and a couple of briquettes missed the basket, but a pair of tongs fixed that. The new, smaller Weber chimney would probably be perfect.

[---k---]

Originally Posted by Ron_L

Just to follow up on my own question I had great results with the Rancher hardwood briquettes.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=152949

It did run hotter than expected, about 330 degrees, but I had no issues with ash, but it was a calm day. We'll see what happens on a windier day. It ran for a long time (I gave up taking temp readings after about 5 hours, but it was still going strong at 7 hours.)

I'm assuming you're still here. So, 330* with outside temps in the 20's* . It will be interesting to see how it runs come summer.

[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by ---k---

I'm assuming you're still here. So, 330* with outside temps in the 20's* . It will be interesting to see how it runs come summer.

Yeah... I may break down and buy a bag of Kingsford Blue to see what temp it settles in at. Plus, I can close the bottom vent some.

[Trumpstylz]

Originally Posted by Ron_L

I filled the basket and put it in the PBC before dumping the lit charcoal in. It was a tight fit with s full sized Weber chimney, and a couple of briquettes missed the basket, but a pair of tongs fixed that. The new, smaller Weber chimney would probably be perfect.

I wonder if anyone's got the new smaller sized weber chimney starter to see if its small enough to fit in the barrel well and still holds enough.

[Freddy j]

Originally Posted by Ron_L

I filled the basket and put it in the PBC before dumping the lit charcoal in. It was a tight fit with s full sized Weber chimney, and a couple of briquettes missed the basket, but a pair of tongs fixed that. The new, smaller Weber chimney would probably be perfect.

That's how I did it.

Originally Posted by Trumpstylz

I wonder if anyone's got the new smaller sized weber chimney starter to see if its small enough to fit in the barrel well and still holds enough.

Last cook I started with 20 lit briq's. next cook I'm gonna knock that down to 15 or 12.

[BBQchef33]

disclaimer: I did not read the whole thread, but heres the thoughts/responses on what I did read.

The flavor of the fat hitting the coals/ WE(family) like it. It gives a different flavor than just the offset, and very diffewrnt than the egg. Myabe its just the novelty, but we like it here.

I used K briquettes for 3 cooks, and last cook royal oak lump.

K burned evenly, and locked in at 286-288 and stayed there. Outside temps were int the teens to 20's.

The lump got hot at the onset, around 340, but temps were down at 286 in under 20-30 minutes. Burn was uneven and the side that had alot of drippings on it went out and needed to be relit. that never happened with the briquettes.

I light with a weedburner. Just the top of the coals, on full bore, for about a 45-60 seconds, moving around constantly trying to have them light evenly across the top.

[landarc]

Phil, I assume you have a reason for trying to light evenly across the top if the basket, as opposed to lighting one side only. Why?

[bigabyte]

I can't speak for Phil, but if I knew ahead of time that juices and fat would drip down onto the coals, I would want that landing on lit coals instead of unlit. But then again...I don't have a PBC. Also keep in mind that I'm a whack-a-doodle, so even grains of salt must be pondered carefully before taking.

[Trumpstylz]

Originally Posted by landarc

Phil, I assume you have a reason for trying to light evenly across the top if the basket, as opposed to lighting one side only. Why?

Probably because that way the whole thing gets lit instead of just one half of the barrel being hot.

I'm thinking those weber paraffin firestarter cubes will come in handy on the pbc.

[landarc]

I had not considered the fact that Phil might prefer to be fully lit, as opposed to partially lit.