Pit Barrel Cooker (PBC) Appreciation Thread

AClarke44 · May 24, 2015

Fwismoker said:
This is for Bob....but will he be afraid to drill in the PB? :noidea:

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I'm not afraid!

Thingfish · May 24, 2015

Brew-Bq said:
I forgot my hooks on a campout and did the same thing. Yes it was delicious. And Ill bite on your fire management technique for the PBC!

He has no fire management technique for the PBC. He has a technique for his non-PBC cookers which he wants you to try on your PBC. Information is information, but just wanted you to know that he has no PBC and hasn't ever cooked on one, so far as I know. It may turn out great, but I'd hate to see people go modding their cookers based on something non-PBC related, so I added this "disclaimer".

Brew-Bq · May 24, 2015

Im still game. I realize he doesnt have a PBC. I probably wouldnt do a permanent mod on mine but Im always up for new techniques.

Fwismoker · May 24, 2015

Brew-Bq said:
I forgot my hooks on a campout and did the same thing. Yes it was delicious. And Ill bite on your fire management technique for the PBC!

Good thing you forgot your hooks because you stumbled on another way to use the cooker!

It's nice mixing it up especially for chicken. Example I know it's gonna be different taste and texture going from say rotisserie to spatchcock (plus different from cooker to cooker) and using charcoal or doing a wood fire. I'll hang if i'm short on space but spinning usually does it for me the best. Thanks Giving last year i did i turkey spatched and one on the spit...both incredible but different.

Think i'm gonna try hanging some quarters from my rebar same time i'm spinning something else on the spit sometime soon just to mix things up. :grin:

Fwismoker · May 24, 2015

Thingfish said:
He has no fire management technique for the PBC. He has a technique for his non-PBC cookers which he wants you to try on your PBC. Information is information, but just wanted you to know that he has no PBC and hasn't ever cooked on one, so far as I know. It may turn out great, but I'd hate to see people go modding their cookers based on something non-PBC related, so I added this "disclaimer".

My lower grate on my jimmy is about exactly above where it is on a PB, and the basket is about identical size. Not using my diffuser it will grill grate cook just like the PB...distance, heat, same fuel of course. There's no need to mod your PB to cook things differently on it.

I'll try to remember to take a pic of how i set up the coal basket in the jimmy because it's similar to the PB so you can see different ideas and the result it gives. If you wanna try it great, if you don't that's cool too

ssv3 · May 24, 2015

Put the briskie flat on

Plan was to use the stick burner but too many beers last night and didn't get home til 8 this AM. PBC took on the task.

Fwismoker · May 24, 2015

ssv3 said:
Plan was to use the stick burner but too many beers last night and didn't get home til 8 this AM. PBC took on the task.

Yea that looks FANTASTIC! OBTW I think i'm gonna try to keep brusells sprouts on hand because they would be a good anchor on other kabobs. Those things just don't loosen up on the skewer as they cook....what do you think?

ssv3 · May 24, 2015

Fwismoker said:
Yea that looks FANTASTIC! OBTW I think i'm gonna try to keep brusells sprouts on hand because they would be a good anchor on other kabobs. Those things just don't loosen up on the skewer as they cook....what do you think?

Thanks bud!

Right on! Forgot to mentions that. Work great that way. Also for meats that possibly will face the firebasket fate I cut up Russet potatoes into big chunks as a stopper and hook em at the end of the skewer. Naturally before the potato gets soft the meat will be cooked.

Bob C Cue · May 24, 2015

Fwismoker said:
Bob on a serious note.. expand your horizons and try to cook different ways using different styles. Not only does it break up the monotony you'll learn different techniques and get good at them....all will give unique flavor profiles.

Different ways to cook using the same and different cookers you'll become even a better pitmaster.

I'm too new to good BBQ and the PBC to find it monotonous. But someday I am sure I will branch out. And remember I did do the double grate grilling technique, so I got that going for me, which is nice.

Uncle Drew · May 24, 2015

A Few lessons I learned yesterday.

1) I hung 3 racks on 1 side. The juices kept the coals from burning up to fast, the other side did burn out after about 6 hours. Distribute meat equally, lol

2) get a thermometer.

3) and this is the most important thing when you get your PBC, open up the vent! Lol. After 4 hours, I remembered it. I smoked my ribs for around 6 hours and they were not quite to my liking in tenderness.

4) the flavor is amazing! VERY pleased overall. Tomorrow will test a BB.

HooBQ · May 24, 2015

I had my PBC a little over a week before firing it up, due to all the rain we've received in North Texas, but I finally fired it up and cooked 3 racks of baby backs yesterday. I had to put my patio umbrella over it to dodge the rain showers. I didn't take pics of the finished product, as they didn't really last. I used the beef and game rub that came with it and brushed Sweet Baby Rays original sauce over them for the last 30 or so minutes. For a non-specialty rib, they were fantastic. My family really likes Steven Raichlen's Jalapeño Jerk Baby Backs, but these were a good change. I normally mix up my own rub, but didn't really want to waste what smelled decent in the shaker.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to my next cook on it. I'm not sure what will be next, but I'm sure it will come out good.

Fwismoker · May 24, 2015

A little lunch from today and an idea that i think can be of benefit to some of the PBC crew. Did a little experiment with a potato. I love baked taters on the grill or oven this style...what i do is poke holes, coat with olive oil , course salt and foil then cook hot.

Usually i put the potatoes on a lower grate so it's closer to the heat but today i hung them right over the coals. I used 4 hooks in this test but what i imagine is fire wire in a circle and the potatoes on the bottom of the circle with hooks holding the fire wire.

Ok for this cook I only used 1/2 chimney (partial burnt on the bottom then a few new briquettes on top of that) I wasn't cooking much so why fill the whole basket? I only dumped on one side of the basket and placed a couple of oak chunks to the outside of that. I used little air and kept 300* on the therm which would be about 325-350 on the taters.

Of course i had to cook up a little steak...just a cheapo bacon wrapped that doesn't stay wrapped. lol

I'm picturing like 4-6 potatoes hanging on the bottom of the fire wire

The potato has been pulled...now i'm just throwing on a steak

The bacon wrap is a mess but I love the way this cooker sears! The sear handle is open so all the air is coming straight up under the coals.

OK I'll tell you this.... This was the most moist baked potato that I have had in a long long long time.

Especially if you have fire wire you have to try this!!!