Pit Barrel Cooker (PBC) Appreciation Thread

[70monte]

I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't care about leaking lids or doors on a smoker. My WSM leaked smoke at the door and the lid and it cooked fine. Both of my Good One smokers leak smoke and they work great. I'm not even sure if my PBC's leak because I've not paid attention. They both work great.

[pharp]

Originally Posted by Stlsportster

If you are adding more KBB after 3 hours then something is seriously wrong. A full basket would last me 8-10. I would do partial basket cooks for ribs and stuff where I would get 3-4 hours on very little charcoal.

Check out these older posts in the thread. https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/s...rs#post3906815

I was fixing to type the same thing.

[UlaoBBQ]

Originally Posted by 70monte

I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't care about leaking lids or doors on a smoker. My WSM leaked smoke at the door and the lid and it cooked fine. Both of my Good One smokers leak smoke and they work great. I'm not even sure if my PBC's leak because I've not paid attention. They both work great.

Beleive me, my nature is to not give a rip about a leaky smoker. After all, it's just a smoker and nothing more. But if a $5 (or $6 or whatever) gasket makes an improvement - I'm in. I'm lazy, not uninterested!

[BigKing]

Originally Posted by UlaoBBQ

Beleive me, my nature is to not give a rip about a leaky smoker. After all, it's just a smoker and nothing more. But if a $5 (or $6 or whatever) gasket makes an improvement - I'm in. I'm lazy, not uninterested!

Same. Not a real problem for me at the moment but could maybe turn into one?

[gatorjj]

Originally Posted by BigKing

Another question. I haven't cooked in maybe six weeks so I'm looking forward to doing so on Saturday. Was thinking about getting six racks of ribs but was wondering if anyone halves their racks? How were your results? The ends near the coals can be too overcooked at times so I was thinking about cutting them in half so they aren't so close. Can allow for different sauces for those I decide to sauce as well.

A few years ago I dropped a full back rib rack from the hook pulling through, and since I usually do 3 at a time decided I might as well cut them in half. I like it this way much better, since there's not as much weight but also I can pull the thinner halves off when they are ready and let the thicker parts go a little longer.

So net I've found I get better results and no crispy ends, though that rack I dropped I just pulled off the coals with a glove and it was still delicious

And it's not like I can eat a full rack in one sitting anyway, so it's a bit of pre-packaging too

[johnnylightnin]

Originally Posted by spedly

I've only had my PBC for about a month, so I'm not going to pretend that I know more about it then most of you posting about temps in this thread. But the PBC is the first smoker I've used that I can just trust. I have no idea what temp mine runs at. Everything I've cooked on it so far has been better than anything I've cooked before.

Congrats on learning the lesson quicker than I did. It took about a year, but I don’t measure the PBC temp anymore.

It just does what it’s supposed to do. I just goof it up if I mess with it too much.


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[johnnylightnin]

Originally Posted by Stlsportster

If you are adding more KBB after 3 hours then something is seriously wrong. A full basket would last me 8-10. I would do partial basket cooks for ribs and stuff where I would get 3-4 hours on very little charcoal.

Check out these older posts in the thread. https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/s...rs#post3906815

How do you set up the partial basket cooks? I was thinking of giving it a try...maybe using bricks to keep the coals on one side of the basket.


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[Stlsportster]

Originally Posted by johnnylightnin

How do you set up the partial basket cooks? I was thinking of giving it a try...maybe using bricks to keep the coals on one side of the basket.


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Click that link I posted. No bricks necessary.

[Servo]

Speaking of fuel... I have run into issues when doing a pulled pork - most recently two weeks ago. Hung 8 lb butt for about 4 hours - stalled at 158, wrapped in butcher paper and grated. And waited, and waited. My god, the stall - I know we've all been there. Finally got it into the 160s, but at about 8 hours, the PBC started losing it's power, eventually got down to 210ish and certainly looked like coal was spent. Do folks refuel their PBC on a long cook like this? Just finish in the oven? My two experiences with long cooks on large cuts I've run the barrel down and wasn't sure how folks handled. I did not get this butt as high as I wanted, ended up with a long wrapped rest and it tasted fine.. Thanks!

[johnnylightnin]

Originally Posted by Servo

Speaking of fuel... I have run into issues when doing a pulled pork - most recently two weeks ago. Hung 8 lb butt for about 4 hours - stalled at 158, wrapped in butcher paper and grated. And waited, and waited. My god, the stall - I know we've all been there. Finally got it into the 160s, but at about 8 hours, the PBC started losing it's power, eventually got down to 210ish and certainly looked like coal was spent. Do folks refuel their PBC on a long cook like this? Just finish in the oven? My two experiences with long cooks on large cuts I've run the barrel down and wasn't sure how folks handled. I did not get this butt as high as I wanted, ended up with a long wrapped rest and it tasted fine.. Thanks!

I've never had to add fuel. The biggest thing I cooked was an 18 pound brisket which finished in about 6 hours. I've had some butts go as long as 9 (It was unwrapped), but I still had plenty of heat/fuel.

[stickbit]

reason i bought the PBC was for set and forget...so i had no interest in adding lava gaskets etc....BUT I was also a total rookie when to came to smoking so i wanted to learn and hone my skills a bit...right off the bat the lid issue for me did result in cooks that didn't go well as temps got really hot and tended to stay there, etc. for you guys that don't bother watching temps etc. and food is great good for you - keep at it - that's the goal of this thing really. for others though that might have a lid issue that's affecting their cooks....this is what i bought and installed. and yes, goes on like weatherstripping around edge of lid where lid sits on cooker.

https://www.amazon.com/Lavalock-Nome...73162244&psc=1

[TealStBBQKing]

I've been having issues with KBB and long cooks I bought a good amount when it was on sale so I'm trying to to go through it before I buy anything else. Last year my New Year resolution was to no longer monitor internal temps of my barrel and I'm getting same results with so much less stress. Let the PBC do it's thing I'm a firm believer now

[BigKing]

Originally Posted by gatorjj

A few years ago I dropped a full back rib rack from the hook pulling through, and since I usually do 3 at a time decided I might as well cut them in half. I like it this way much better, since there's not as much weight but also I can pull the thinner halves off when they are ready and let the thicker parts go a little longer.

So net I've found I get better results and no crispy ends, though that rack I dropped I just pulled off the coals with a glove and it was still delicious

And it's not like I can eat a full rack in one sitting anyway, so it's a bit of pre-packaging too

Thanks for the response!


I'm assuming it is the same cook time but let me know if I am wrong.

[PUNKem733]

Originally Posted by PUNKem733

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nBswB1_4aQ


I'm sure some of us have seen this vid on setting up the PBC for longer burn times. I pack my basket like his, but on the second top layer, I only make the outside ring against the walls of the basket, and I leave a big pit in the middle where I place a couple of chunks of wood, and fill it up with lump past the handle to make a hill/pyramid several inches above the handle. I use the lighter fluid method to get it going. I just use my fingers as hooks on the ends of the handle to lift it, and place it in the barrel.



Last night I started a basket this way for two pork shoulders, at about 1 am. It's been about 8 hours now, and this is my second time packing it this way, first time was for 4 plates of beef ribs, and they were dome within 6 hours so I didn't exactly follow the burn time. Two shoulders unwrapped should test this. I expect between 11-13 hours burn time.


Just took off the shoulders, PBC going strong at 280, it's been almost exactly 10 hours since I lit it.

This is the method I use for super long cooks. This cook, the coals lasted roughly 13-14 hours.

[SouthernSmokeRings]

Picked up an 11.2# brisket today and need some advice as I’ve never done one before. Tips to prep, brine, trim, cook, wrap, etc. don’t want to screw this up so any advice is welcome.

Originally Posted by SouthernSmokeRings

Going to try something new this weekend and wanted some advice. I've had a lot of issues lately with KBB (seems that it's a common problem) so i'm planning to switch to Blues Hog Lump as my local butcher sells it. I've never used lump charcoal before so was hoping to get some advice/tips for using it with the PBC.

Also, my local butcher has their prime brisket on sale this week for $3.99# so i'm planning on picking one up and cooking it on Saturday. I've never done a brisket before (did a flat once with poor results) so any advice/tips for cooking the brisket on the PBC with the Blues Hog charcoal will be greatly appreciated. I do have some Oakridge BBQ Black Ops Brisket Rub that I was planning to use on the brisket.

Thanks for your help!