Pit Barrel Cooker (PBC) Appreciation Thread - Page 662

pharp · 07-03-2020, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJgoal

Just got one Wednesday, it's my first dedicated smoker. Up til now I've been using my Brinkman grill to smoke. Going to try some ribs tonight to work on getting it dialed in, then a shoulder tomorrow and some smoked queso. Loved reading through this thread, made me very comfortable about pulling the trigger.

You made a great choice, all of these smoked queso recipes lately have made me hungry!

Best advice I can give is open it as little as possible and follow the lighting instructions.

Enjoy the great food!

AJgoal · 07-03-2020, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pharp

You made a great choice, all of these smoked queso recipes lately have made me hungry!

Best advice I can give is open it as little as possible and follow the lighting instructions.

Enjoy the great food!

Thanks! I think I have it open a little less than 1/4 (in southern New Jersey), and I figure I'll track the temp tonight with my remote thermometer just to make sure that it's settling in the way it should and make any small adjustments. After that I'll probably ditch the atmospheric temperature testing, everyone seems happy with how it works "set and forget."

AJgoal · 07-03-2020, 04:43 PM

So pulled 35 briquettes from the tray, lit them for 12 minutes, put them back, and let the cooker do its thing. Rather than getting the initial reported temp spike with a corresponding fall, my temp started low (around 235) and has been slowly creeping up ever since. Anyone had this happen when first setting up?

AJgoal · 07-03-2020, 07:29 PM

OK, going to have to do some troubleshooting, temperature never settled, kept climbing even with the vent closed 100%. No signs of leakage around the lid. Not sure what's up, but I had to seal off the vent to get the temp to stay below 330, it climbed up to 360 after I pulled the meat.

tom b · 07-03-2020, 08:00 PM

Just a guess, are you opening the lid a bunch?

AJgoal · 07-03-2020, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom b

Just a guess, are you opening the lid a bunch?

No, trying to avoid it. Put coals in, closed lid, waited 15 minutes. Put in ribs, let it go. Temp started at 235 and climbed up past 330 within about an hour. Tapped the vent closed a couple of times, but continued to climb. Sitting at 360 now, but I'd guess part of that is from the air coming in when I pulled the ribs.

I'm not terribly worried about the actual temperature level, I know this runs hot. But the fact that it never settled is making me wonder if I've got something set up wrong.

AJgoal · 07-04-2020, 10:25 AM

The sun! Criminy. So this morning I started a pork shoulder. Temps looked good and steady right around 290. Then started climbing, and climbing. I stepped out for 20 minutes with the temp around 315 where it had seemed to settle and came back to the barrel running at 345. After damping the vent with a glove and forcing the temp down to around 290, I thought about how and when the temp started to climb, and threw up a sunbrella. Sure enough, with the cooker in the shade the temp has held steady right around 290 for the past hour and a half.

This means now I have to figure out a way to keep the smoker shaded. My patio is pure southern exposure, which isn't the best situation for keeping the sun off. But at least it was operator error.

johnnylightnin · 07-11-2020, 07:31 PM

So I finally did a true hot and fast brisket on the PBC. Was over 350 the whole cook. It was a small brisket (10 pounds), but it was done in 4.5 hours. One of my best despite being only choice. Think my days of only lighting a few coals and taking 10 hours on a brisket are over.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TealStBBQKing · 07-11-2020, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnylightnin

So I finally did a true hot and fast brisket on the PBC. Was over 350 the whole cook. It was a small brisket (10 pounds), but it was done in 4.5 hours. One of my best despite being only choice. Think my days of only lighting a few coals and taking 10 hours on a brisket are over.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Did you hang it at all or grate cook it the whole time? Looks awesome

johnnylightnin · 07-11-2020, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TealStBBQKing

Did you hang it at all or grate cook it the whole time? Looks awesome

Thanks!

I used the grate the whole time because it was a smaller brisket and fit wasn't a problem.

Bob C Cue · 07-22-2020, 10:39 AM

Johnnylightin: very impressive cook!

JHobs · 09-20-2020, 06:41 AM

I've had my PBC for almost 2 years now. Have done a ton of delicious cooks and always looking to get better on it. I had a question to you other PBC owners on here.

I typically use the foil method and when smoking 3 racks of ribs I've noticed that occasionally 1 rack will be ready for the foil wrap well before the other 2, how do you guys handle that?

Also, I'm a big time temperature guy as that will ensure perfect doneness and tenderness, so I was wondering for those that utilize the foil method, at what temp to you guys pull the ribs to then put them in the foil. I know most say "go by the look or bend test", but I like to have a quick temp probe at it. I typically will pull them off around 205-210 for the final glaze.

Bob C Cue · 09-20-2020, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHobs

I've had my PBC for almost 2 years now. Have done a ton of delicious cooks and always looking to get better on it. I had a question to you other PBC owners on here.

I typically use the foil method and when smoking 3 racks of ribs I've noticed that occasionally 1 rack will be ready for the foil wrap well before the other 2, how do you guys handle that?

Also, I'm a big time temperature guy as that will ensure perfect doneness and tenderness, so I was wondering for those that utilize the foil method, at what temp to you guys pull the ribs to then put them in the foil. I know most say "go by the look or bend test", but I like to have a quick temp probe at it. I typically will pull them off around 205-210 for the final glaze.

I don't use foil but I'm interested to see an answer to your questions. Bump.

PUNKem733 · 09-20-2020, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHobs

I've had my PBC for almost 2 years now. Have done a ton of delicious cooks and always looking to get better on it. I had a question to you other PBC owners on here.

I typically use the foil method and when smoking 3 racks of ribs I've noticed that occasionally 1 rack will be ready for the foil wrap well before the other 2, how do you guys handle that?

Also, I'm a big time temperature guy as that will ensure perfect doneness and tenderness, so I was wondering for those that utilize the foil method, at what temp to you guys pull the ribs to then put them in the foil. I know most say "go by the look or bend test", but I like to have a quick temp probe at it. I typically will pull them off around 205-210 for the final glaze.

Never foiled ribs on a PBC. They come out within 4 hours or less PERFECT!

TealStBBQKing · 09-28-2020, 11:02 AM

Smoked meatloaf and potatoes on the PBC last night. Also made some quick butter biscuits for a great dinner last night.

07-03-2020, 08:00 PM	#9920
tom b somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-12-15 Location: Temecula, CA	Just a guess, are you opening the lid a bunch? __________________ LSG 24x48 offset, MAK 2 Star General, Built in Santa Maria Pit, Weber Performer Deluxe 22 w/CB Rotisserie, Blackstone Pizza Oven, WGA, A PBC A 26'er AND A Jumbo Joe

07-11-2020, 07:31 PM	#9923
johnnylightnin Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-03-10 Location: Shreveport, LA	So I finally did a true hot and fast brisket on the PBC. Was over 350 the whole cook. It was a small brisket (10 pounds), but it was done in 4.5 hours. One of my best despite being only choice. Think my days of only lighting a few coals and taking 10 hours on a brisket are over. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Weber Kettle 22.5, Weber Genesis Silver, PBC, 18.5 WSM, Large BGE

07-22-2020, 10:39 AM	#9926
Bob C Cue Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-16-14 Location: St. Louis, MO	Johnnylightin: very impressive cook! __________________ MAK 1Star Weber OTG Pit Barrel Cooker Thermapen Classic Thermoworks Smoke [I]Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast[/I].

09-20-2020, 06:41 AM	#9927
JHobs Found some matches. Join Date: 01-06-19 Location: New Jersey Name/Nickname : J Hobs	Quick Rib Question I've had my PBC for almost 2 years now. Have done a ton of delicious cooks and always looking to get better on it. I had a question to you other PBC owners on here. I typically use the foil method and when smoking 3 racks of ribs I've noticed that occasionally 1 rack will be ready for the foil wrap well before the other 2, how do you guys handle that? Also, I'm a big time temperature guy as that will ensure perfect doneness and tenderness, so I was wondering for those that utilize the foil method, at what temp to you guys pull the ribs to then put them in the foil. I know most say "go by the look or bend test", but I like to have a quick temp probe at it. I typically will pull them off around 205-210 for the final glaze.

07-03-2020, 04:43 PM	#9918
AJgoal Found some matches. Join Date: 06-27-20 Location: Burlington NJ Name/Nickname : AJ	So pulled 35 briquettes from the tray, lit them for 12 minutes, put them back, and let the cooker do its thing. Rather than getting the initial reported temp spike with a corresponding fall, my temp started low (around 235) and has been slowly creeping up ever since. Anyone had this happen when first setting up?

07-03-2020, 07:29 PM	#9919
AJgoal Found some matches. Join Date: 06-27-20 Location: Burlington NJ Name/Nickname : AJ	OK, going to have to do some troubleshooting, temperature never settled, kept climbing even with the vent closed 100%. No signs of leakage around the lid. Not sure what's up, but I had to seal off the vent to get the temp to stay below 330, it climbed up to 360 after I pulled the meat.

07-04-2020, 10:25 AM	#9922
AJgoal Found some matches. Join Date: 06-27-20 Location: Burlington NJ Name/Nickname : AJ	The sun! Criminy. So this morning I started a pork shoulder. Temps looked good and steady right around 290. Then started climbing, and climbing. I stepped out for 20 minutes with the temp around 315 where it had seemed to settle and came back to the barrel running at 345. After damping the vent with a glove and forcing the temp down to around 290, I thought about how and when the temp started to climb, and threw up a sunbrella. Sure enough, with the cooker in the shade the temp has held steady right around 290 for the past hour and a half. This means now I have to figure out a way to keep the smoker shaded. My patio is pure southern exposure, which isn't the best situation for keeping the sun off. But at least it was operator error.