Pit Barrel Cooker

[rwalters]

Originally Posted by MossyMO

Sparky is another that loves his PBC!
My condolences on losing your Weber's, you will want a few back...

Oh, and by the way... as I continue to use this PBC, the more the above comment is turning out to be false! ;)

[awscwi]

Yall talked me into it. Should be here soon!

[rwalters]

Originally Posted by awscwi

Yall talked me into it. Should be here soon!

Sucka ;) It will quickly become your go-to cooker!! I sold everything minus my Weber Genesis gasser... that's how much I like this thing. I find it is soooo easy that I want to cook outdoors even more now. NO HASSLE + OUTSTANDING RESULTS = MORE BBQ :)

[Bluesman]

Just wondering. What if you put 4 holes in your UDS added some rebar and got some hooks. Would it be the close to the PBC? Oh, and plugged the exhaust vents.

[rwalters]

Originally Posted by Bluesman

Just wondering. What if you put 4 holes in your UDS added some rebar and got some hooks. Would it be the close to the PBC? Oh, and plugged the exhaust vents.

Not sure...do you have a 55 gallon barrel? These are 30 gallon. In addition to that, according to Noah (owner of PBC), it took him 30 messed up barrels before nailing it. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try...

[Bluesman]

Originally Posted by rwalters

Not sure...do you have a 55 gallon barrel? These are 30 gallon. In addition to that, according to Noah (owner of PBC), it took him 30 messed up barrels before nailing it. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try...

yeah I've got a 55. But I'm thinking, after watching the videos, that four holes some rod and hangers and i can give it a try. Then if I really like it, buy a PBC from Noah. Then cover up the holes with bottle openers

[rwalters]

Originally Posted by Bluesman

yeah I've got a 55. But I'm thinking, after watching the videos, that four holes some rod and hangers and i can give it a try. Then if I really like it, buy a PBC from Noah. Then cover up the holes with bottle openers

Go for it...if nothing else, I think it would satisfy the curiosity of a lot of us!

[flyingbassman5]

Originally Posted by Bluesman

Just wondering. What if you put 4 holes in your UDS added some rebar and got some hooks. Would it be the close to the PBC? Oh, and plugged the exhaust vents.

It is doable on a 55 but I don't know how the results would compare. Would be interesting to compare. I don't know about others, but I like the Pit Barrel because it runs at a hotter temp than a standard 55g UDS. The way I think of it is PBC=Hot and Fast and UDS=Low and Slow.

A standard UDS comes in handy when you have the time to do a 10lb pork butt over the course of 12-16 hours. The PBC can have it done in about 6; a much shorter time frame to deal with, which is good if you have deadlines for when your food has to be done. Sure you could crank up the heat in your UDS, but a bigger barrel to heat means more charcoal that needs to be burned.

Another company markets a 55gal version of the PBC. The D-Meat Barrel is essentially the same thing but in 55gal size and with a price point of $400. Its made from a drum that is specially made for the company which basically jacks up the price in the final bill. Plus it adds (without the customers request or customization) side tables, and fancy metal work to use the lid as the exhaust damper. All frills that some people can do without. There are some youtube vids of it and an old thread here on the brethren about it. Its an interesting product, but compared to the PBC for $225 with the discount coupon from Grilling.com, its a no brainer!

[rwalters]

Ok, so I was FINALLY able to try one of my favorites on the PBC tonight... baby back ribs :) I can honestly say the following:
1) This was hands down the easiest rib cook I have ever done. Trim and rub ribs, light PBC, wait 20 minutes, hang ribs, pull at 2.5 hr mark and sauce, return to PBC for 30 minutes, pull and enjoy. ABSOLUTELY NO FOIL IS NEEDED!!! And only 3 hours!!
2) These ribs were outstanding. Everyone that we fed had nothing but rave comments.

I have no idea how these things don't burn...they are hanging within 2-3 inches of the charcoal. And they are perfectly and evenly cooked top to bottom... amazing!!

This PBC continues to blow me away!!!

[PatioDaddio]

Yep, I had the same "I don't get it, but it works really well" experience late last summer, as I documented on my blog. The PBC is simply the simplest BBQ cooker on the planet. I've stopped trying to figure out why (a scientist couldn't either), and now I just enjoy brain-dead-easy BBQ bliss.

John

P.S. This is a phenomenon that allowed Noah and me to beat "The Godfather Of Ribs" (Johnny Trigg) in ribs and pork at a competition last summer, using only Pit Barrel Cookers, Kingsford blue bag, and *gasp* lighter fluid.

[flyingbassman5]

Just did a rack of spares and a small pork shoulder tonight for dinner on the PBC. Pics will be up shortly on a new thread...

[Smoothsmoke]

Looks like a smaller UDS to me. If it works for you, more power to ya!

[foam2]

I modded a UDS I have at work right before the holidays to do the same as the pit barrel cooker. I purchased the hooks, drilled the holes in my uds, got some stainless 1/2" diameter rods and set up the bbq guru to run the uds at 290. I put in 6 slabs of baby back ribs and they turned out great although I followed the cooking time from their videos and wound up losing one of the slabs off the hooks. Luckilly I had put a grate above the charcoal ring and was able to save it For the first cook they got rave reviews, but I will have to reduce the cook time slightly for the next cook.

[THEdexaTRON]

What is the best way to clean out the ash?

[rwalters]

Originally Posted by THEdexaTRON

What is the best way to clean out the ash?

Oh yeah...that's another thing I am loving about the PBC. Lay a sheet (the 18" stuff) of aluminum foil under the charcoal basket... then, after the coals have died, all you have to do is carefully remove the foil without dumping the ash, and toss in the trash. Again, this thing is EASY-PEASY :)