Pit Barrel Cooker (PBC) Appreciation Thread

I just pulled the trigger on the Jr and have a few questions if you don't mind? I've done some searching but with this many pages can't find what I'm looking for. I've seen that some use a certain number of briqs to achieve a specific temperature with the pbc, what's the numbers you all are using for the Jr?
I also wanted to ask about doing wings on skewers. I know I saw it somewhere before with pictures just not sure where. Do they come out crispy top to bottom? How many are you really able to do hanging them? Also, how long of a skewer can you use for wings? I've seen that ribs can get as close as a cpl inches of the coals but not sure if wings could as well.

Thank you for any answers, pictures and help any of you can offer.
 
I don't have the Jr but to answer your coal count question. Don't do it. I count my coal for the big PBC and sometimes I wish I never did. Too late for me now but I would just follow the he lighting instructions and sit back let the pbc do it's thing
 
TealStBBQKing said:
I don't have the Jr but to answer your coal count question. Don't do it. I count my coal for the big PBC and sometimes I wish I never did. Too late for me now but I would just follow the he lighting instructions and sit back let the pbc do it's thing
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That's my bad. I should have been more specific on that. I was looking more at the number of coals they lite to get a more exact temp. Not the number the basket is filled with.
 
Fat Jim said:
I just pulled the trigger on the Jr and have a few questions if you don't mind? I've done some searching but with this many pages can't find what I'm looking for. I've seen that some use a certain number of briqs to achieve a specific temperature with the pbc, what's the numbers you all are using for the Jr?
I also wanted to ask about doing wings on skewers. I know I saw it somewhere before with pictures just not sure where. Do they come out crispy top to bottom? How many are you really able to do hanging them? Also, how long of a skewer can you use for wings? I've seen that ribs can get as close as a cpl inches of the coals but not sure if wings could as well.

Thank you for any answers, pictures and help any of you can offer.
Click to expand...

I don’t alter temp by number of lit briqs. I adjust by cracking the lid late in a cook, or by leaving the lid off for an extra minute or two after dumping the lit briqs. Crisp skin? Not really crisp, in my experience. But still very tasty and decent skin. I like PBC wings.
 
Fat Jim said:
That's my bad. I should have been more specific on that. I was looking more at the number of coals they lite to get a more exact temp. Not the number the basket is filled with.
Click to expand...

I would recommend just following the basic guide until you understand how it cooks. The keys to having a successful PBC first cook is keeping the lid in and let it work its magic. If you start chasing temps or get in and out of it a lot, you will not have a great first cook. Once you learn it you can certainly adjust the temps it runs out by doing different things (lighting fewer/more coals, tinkering with the intake, etc). It does not take much to get the Junior going, so I would lean toward lighting less instead of more.
 
Well it's here boy's and girls. Wiped it down yesterday and sprayed the inside with oil. Filled the basket, took about 8-10 out and lit them up. After they were all ashed over spread them on and let it roll. Kinda guessed at what I thought a quarter open would be and musta been pretty close. She got to 280 and stood (within 10 up & down) there for the next 5hrs ish. It was in the 20's so I can't complain.

Cook cooking soon
 
Well I would say my first cook was a success. I had a 10lb bag of wings i pulled out of the freezer and amazingly enough was able to get all but a quart bag into the Jr. Sure shocked me. I have a feeling if I'd had 2 more skewers I'd have fit the whole bag.
Anyhow, I rubbed them with killer hogs am and some black pepper and let'em go for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Turned out darn good.
Not real sure what the temps were. Battery died about 10minutes in. It was in the 20's and breezy so I did crack the lid a little bit. Not really sure if I needed to but it worked.
 

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Pit Barrel recommends using 20 lit coals for the Jr.

bwram1, sorry for not getting back to you on your question. I was out of town on vacation. I don't remember how long they took but I don't think more than 30 minutes.
 
Had a great thanksgiving. I think the Cornish game hen is the perfect size for just 1 person.
 

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Been a while since I've posted here. Nice to see people are still cookin'! Thanksgiving turkey was a hit, as always. :) 15lb bird with oak wood chunks and a southwest chipotle rub.

9bZN9pGl.jpg


7tuJuTql.jpg
 
TealStBBQKing said:
Wow! That bird looks awesome
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appreciate it! i think the rub really helped with that! has a nice coloring to it. didn't monitor temps. just cooked it until it hit about 163 in the thick of the breast and hit it with cooking spray every hr. about 3.5hr total cook time.

here is the before pic.

W0gv7pwl.jpg
 
Here is my first addition to this thread.

This is my third cook on my new PBC. First was a rack of ribs. They came out awesome! Second was a 10# turkey. My wife said it was a little too "smokey" for her. My son and I loved it.

Tonight was a pheasant.

My son shot this bird yesterday. It was his first pheasant.

I helped him make a rub of: black pepper, Kosher salt, smoked paprika, and brown sugar.

He spread some vegetable oil over the bird and then applied the rub.

uyNVqItl.jpg


I setup the PBC with a half load of charcoal.

2 hours later, the bird hit 160*F.

FGpfV3Wl.jpg


It came out super moist and juicy.

Ray
 
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What are people using for charcoal/lump? I've been having some real issues with KBB getting really ashy; it's snuffing out and clogging my basket (I have the ash pan). Cooked ribs today (temp in the teens) and even though I had good temps I had to poke the charcoal a couple times to get the ash off live coals. Charcoal lasted a lot shorter than normal which could have been from the cold temps but I use my PBC all year round and haven't experienced this issue too much in the past.

Long story short should I stick with Kingsford or are there suggestions for readily available different brands that work in the PBC?
 
I'm far from an expert on the PBC, but I've had pretty decent results using the Royal Oak brand charcoal briquettes. My wife has a dislike for the taste of Kingford, but finds the Royal Oak palatable.

The other thing that I did to my charcoal basket, was to use stainless steel fender washers and 2" x 1/4 / 20 bolts to raise the bottom of the basket away from the floor of the PBC. I noticed that there was not a lot of room for airflow on a long cook. I think this helps.

Regards,

Ray
 
TealStBBQKing said:
What are people using for charcoal/lump? I've been having some real issues with KBB getting really ashy; it's snuffing out and clogging my basket (I have the ash pan). Cooked ribs today (temp in the teens) and even though I had good temps I had to poke the charcoal a couple times to get the ash off live coals. Charcoal lasted a lot shorter than normal which could have been from the cold temps but I use my PBC all year round and haven't experienced this issue too much in the past.

Long story short should I stick with Kingsford or are there suggestions for readily available different brands that work in the PBC?
Click to expand...

I have literally done hundreds of cooks with KBB and never had a problem. Did your charcoal get wet or anything?
 
pharp said:
I have literally done hundreds of cooks with KBB and never had a problem. Did your charcoal get wet or anything?
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No it was perfectly dry. I'm wondering if I'm being too Yankee cheap and using fire bricks for a half basket cook. Maybe the fire bricks are preventing the ash from dropping properly; but I remember my last brisket cook last winter I had serious issues with fat drippings and ash clogging build up. Also my charcoal might be old because last Home Depot sale I stocked up.
 
TealStBBQKing said:
No it was perfectly dry. I'm wondering if I'm being too Yankee cheap and using fire bricks for a half basket cook. Maybe the fire bricks are preventing the ash from dropping properly; but I remember my last brisket cook last winter I had serious issues with fat drippings and ash clogging build up. Also my charcoal might be old because last Home Depot sale I stocked up.
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Does charcoal being old make a difference? I'm still using KBB from last year as well, but don't think I've noticed any real difference. I had to fight my PBC on thanksgiving with my turkey as well, but I figured it was probably just drips from a brined turkey plus the cold. Still got it done adn the turkey came out amazing, just had to crack the lid every so often.
 
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