Pit Barrel Cooker (PBC) Appreciation Thread - Page 498

Smokey Lonesome · 11-10-2017, 10:03 AM

New PBC just arrived this morning. I placed my order Monday after I decided the PBC was perfect size for our shore house and get's me started into hanging meat.

Added 2 turkey hangers, gloves, ash pan, charcoal starter and cover. Can't wait to use this!

Stlsportster · 11-10-2017, 10:06 AM

Congrats on the new toy Smokey. You're gonna love it. Let us know if you need help....and don't forget to post pics of the grub!

Flying Wombat · 11-12-2017, 02:00 PM

Being the compulsive tinkerer that I am I made the sliding intake vent for the PBC I have wanted to make for a while. Made from stainless sheet with some heat resistant paint. It enables me to snuff out the charcoal when done. Worked a treat. Did some chicken last night done over red gum lump charcoal. Red gum likes to burn hot, so it's good for chicken or grilling. Two chicken halves with mustard base and dry rub hung at 300 with a chunk of hickory, I pulled them at 157 internal and added homemade sauce, they went back in and cranked it up to 350 for around 20 or so more minutes. Result was excellent.
Once done I closed up the vent and still had around 1/3 of a basket left.

Av8er · 11-12-2017, 02:33 PM

Nice mod and the chicken looks delicious.

Bob C Cue · 11-12-2017, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokey Lonesome

New PBC just arrived this morning. I placed my order Monday after I decided the PBC was perfect size for our shore house and get's me started into hanging meat.

Added 2 turkey hangers, gloves, ash pan, charcoal starter and cover. Can't wait to use this!

Welcome. Glad to have you with us!

Bob C Cue · 11-12-2017, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by av8er

nice mod and the chicken looks delicious.

ditto!

Smokey Lonesome · 11-13-2017, 08:52 AM

The Pit Barrel cooker arrived safely from California to Pennsylvania 5 days after placing the order. In addition to the basic kit I also ordered two turkey hangers, gloves, the small charcoal chimney and the upgraded cover. The extra items were packed securely in the barrel using styrofoam inserts and cardboard packing to keep all items secure and safe.

The $299 investment for the basic package is impressive for the quality of the items you receive. Sure, one can build an even larger drum via the ‘UDS’ route for a fraction of the price and have the fun and satisfaction of working on the project and you can also spend more money on Gateway and Hunsaker drums which are larger and offer several refinements, but for someone for whom ‘hanging meats’ is unexplored adventure which is well documented by others in this thread, the PBC offers a fast and relatively inexpensive way to explore a new cooking method.

So, I chose 3 racks of STL ribs for the first cook, did not include a fatty (nekid or otherwise), and I did not take pictures due to the cold weather and late afternoon start which means it was getting dark quickly. However I can assure you the cook actually happened and I am happy to report my experience.
I decided to follow Noah’s recommendations exactly since this was my initial cook so I bought a bag of KBB which is the first time in many years for me. I am sure other briquette’s (Kingsford Professional, Stubbs, etc.) would also work but I went with PBC’s suggestion and completely filled the charcoal basket and removed 40 briquettes and placed them in the charcoal chimney. I waited 14 minutes after lighting the chimney to poured the lit charcoal into the basket at the bottom of the cooker, installed the rebar and closed the lid.

The air intake was adjusted to ¼ open since I am just above sea level, however it’s difficult to say how close I came to ¼ open – could have been more or less but I don’t think it’s that critical. But I did wonder if the cold weather (mid-40s, no wind) could result with lower than anticipated cook temperatures which PBC says typically average between 275 – 310 degrees and how this might impact cook time, so I did place a Maverick temp probe in the barrel to see where temps were running. Initial temps were ~230 or so just after adding 3 racks of ribs so after about 15 minutes I decided to open the lid about ¾ inch to increase airflow and get temperatures up. This adjustment had an almost immediate effect and I waited until the cooker temp was ~295 before closing the lid. The temp stabilized and then dropped again to 260s and I again opened the lid and the temps raised until I hit 320 and I closed the lid once again. The temps slowly dropped again but leveled off at 277 which was perfect.

I checked the ribs at 2 hours – color was good (maybe a little dark) and meat was pulling back nicely, so I let them ride for another 30 minutes and they were done. I could have checked them earlier and perhaps wrapped them once the color was good but I wanted to keep things simple, i.e., no fussing, which seems in the spirit of using this cooker in the first place.

The doneness was perfect - not fall of the bone but meat cleanly pulls from bone. Texture was great – more of a bark then I have seen compared to a BGE. Forgot to mention how I prepped the ribs – light mustard slather, Killer Hogs AP rub followed by The BBQ Rub. Apple (1) and cherry (2) chucks added to lit charcoal. I do like this combination.

What I learned: I expected to be cooking ‘hot and fast’ and I certainly hit the lower end of this spectrum. If the same amount of coals were added to the drum in 80 degree weather the cooker temperature will likely be consistently higher so my initial air intake adjustment seems fine for now. If I cook in cold(er) weather again, I might leave the barrel open for 5 minutes or so after adding the hot coals to allow the unlit coals to ‘catch up’, otherwise setting the lid slightly ajar has an immediate profound impact on the cooker temperature. Even at 275 degrees, these STLs were done faster than the same temperature in a BGE which could be related to the larger airflow in the PBC vs the Egg resulting on come convection effect.

Overall, I am very pleased with the results with the PBC and my first experience hanging meat. I bought this cooker for our shore house for summer cookouts, but I am impressed enough to consider purchasing a larger drum like a Gateway or Hunsaker which have several refinements albeit at a greater cost. If you have read all the pages in this thread and are still on the fence about the PBC or drum cooking in general, either build your own if you are handy or just order the PBC. I can’t fathom you will be disappointed.

jgame · 11-14-2017, 06:58 AM

Smokey Lonesome, Congrats on your first PBC cook. It is a very good cooker.

cejacobs · 11-14-2017, 11:54 AM

I'm planning on trying to make some chuckie burnt ends while I have a shoulder going this weekend for my son's birthday party. Any guess on how much time I should allot for the burnt ends to cook? My guess is the chuck roast is about 3 lbs.

Smokey Lonesome · 11-14-2017, 06:49 PM

I don’t want to venture a guess about cooking time for a chuckle on the PBC. It’s been a while since I cooked a chuckie on the BGE and I probably did so at 250 degrees and I think that took about 5 hours if I recall and I probably wrapped or panned too. The higher temp and airflow on the PBC will probably mean a shorter time but that’s a guess. I’m sure some brethren have cooked a chuckie and can advise.

LloydQ · 11-14-2017, 08:09 PM

Congrats, Smokey. I know I sound like a broken record, but once you do some whole chickens ( or halved, as PBC recommends ), you will be sold!

FGabs68 · 11-15-2017, 10:00 PM

OK, here we go! I joined today after reading the first 298 pages of this thread. Yes, 298! I have had the pit barrel for over 2 years now and absolutely love it! My wife bought it for me for Fathers day after watching me drool over it for a while with the disclaimer " I don't see why you need it, you already have 2 grills". That ended after the first cook and we rarely use the gassers anymore except for burgers and dogs when we have barbecues. Most of what I have learned about this cooker is self taught...UNTIL NOW. You guys make some amazing BBQ. Well, just wanted to introduce myself, I look forward to chatting with you all. Time to check out page 299 LOL

AClarke44 · 11-15-2017, 10:12 PM

Welcome FGabs! Glad you are enjoying the thread!

viodea · 11-16-2017, 09:38 PM

I need advice for a thanksgiving cook. I wanna do a brisket and turkey. Both are my first time.
My plan is smoke brisket until wrap time, then finish off in the oven.
Then, smoke turkey Spatchcock or split in halves.

How much time for a packer brisket? Planned dinner around 6:30pm. I wonder if I need to smoke the night before around 9 or so and put it in the 225F oven till late afternoon. Then let it seat in the cooler until dinner.
Can a brisket be over cooked in low temp?

How much time for turkey. I know it's hard to estimate depends on the size and temp. I just need a ballpark number to see when I start.

Stlsportster · 11-16-2017, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viodea

I need advice for a thanksgiving cook. I wanna do a brisket and turkey. Both are my first time.
My plan is smoke brisket until wrap time, then finish off in the oven.
Then, smoke turkey Spatchcock or split in halves.

How much time for a packer brisket? Planned dinner around 6:30pm. I wonder if I need to smoke the night before around 9 or so and put it in the 225F oven till late afternoon. Then let it seat in the cooler until dinner.
Can a brisket be over cooked in low temp?

How much time for turkey. I know it's hard to estimate depends on the size and temp. I just need a ballpark number to see when I start.

Nothing like adding a bunch of pressure to the holiday by cooking two new meats on the same day.

Both will depend on how much they weigh. However.

For the brisket I would use the Bludawg KISS method. Cook at 300-325 until it hits 160. Should be about 4 hours. Then wrap tightly in butcher paper and cook until probe tender, should be another 2 hours or so. Then wrap it tightly in foil after allowing to vent for a few minutes. Place in a cooler filled with towels ntil dinner time. Will hold for 5-6 hours that way.

The turkey I would spatchcock or do in halves. Again, depends on how large but should take about 4 hours if you cook at 325. You're shooting for 165 in the breast and higher in the leg and thigh.

Good luck!

11-10-2017, 10:03 AM	#7456
Smokey Lonesome is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-21-13 Location: Avalon, NJ Name/Nickname : Bill	New PBC just arrived this morning. I placed my order Monday after I decided the PBC was perfect size for our shore house and get's me started into hanging meat. Added 2 turkey hangers, gloves, ash pan, charcoal starter and cover. Can't wait to use this! __________________ BGE, PBC, Weber 22 kettle, Vortex, DigiQ DX2, Inkbird IBT-6XS [I]The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.[/I] [SIZE=1][B][I]- John D. Rockefeller[/I][/B][/SIZE]
	1 members found this post helpful.

11-13-2017, 08:52 AM	#7462
Smokey Lonesome is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-21-13 Location: Avalon, NJ Name/Nickname : Bill	The Pit Barrel cooker arrived safely from California to Pennsylvania 5 days after placing the order. In addition to the basic kit I also ordered two turkey hangers, gloves, the small charcoal chimney and the upgraded cover. The extra items were packed securely in the barrel using styrofoam inserts and cardboard packing to keep all items secure and safe. The $299 investment for the basic package is impressive for the quality of the items you receive. Sure, one can build an even larger drum via the ‘UDS’ route for a fraction of the price and have the fun and satisfaction of working on the project and you can also spend more money on Gateway and Hunsaker drums which are larger and offer several refinements, but for someone for whom ‘hanging meats’ is unexplored adventure which is well documented by others in this thread, the PBC offers a fast and relatively inexpensive way to explore a new cooking method. So, I chose 3 racks of STL ribs for the first cook, did not include a fatty (nekid or otherwise), and I did not take pictures due to the cold weather and late afternoon start which means it was getting dark quickly. However I can assure you the cook actually happened and I am happy to report my experience. I decided to follow Noah’s recommendations exactly since this was my initial cook so I bought a bag of KBB which is the first time in many years for me. I am sure other briquette’s (Kingsford Professional, Stubbs, etc.) would also work but I went with PBC’s suggestion and completely filled the charcoal basket and removed 40 briquettes and placed them in the charcoal chimney. I waited 14 minutes after lighting the chimney to poured the lit charcoal into the basket at the bottom of the cooker, installed the rebar and closed the lid. The air intake was adjusted to ¼ open since I am just above sea level, however it’s difficult to say how close I came to ¼ open – could have been more or less but I don’t think it’s that critical. But I did wonder if the cold weather (mid-40s, no wind) could result with lower than anticipated cook temperatures which PBC says typically average between 275 – 310 degrees and how this might impact cook time, so I did place a Maverick temp probe in the barrel to see where temps were running. Initial temps were ~230 or so just after adding 3 racks of ribs so after about 15 minutes I decided to open the lid about ¾ inch to increase airflow and get temperatures up. This adjustment had an almost immediate effect and I waited until the cooker temp was ~295 before closing the lid. The temp stabilized and then dropped again to 260s and I again opened the lid and the temps raised until I hit 320 and I closed the lid once again. The temps slowly dropped again but leveled off at 277 which was perfect. I checked the ribs at 2 hours – color was good (maybe a little dark) and meat was pulling back nicely, so I let them ride for another 30 minutes and they were done. I could have checked them earlier and perhaps wrapped them once the color was good but I wanted to keep things simple, i.e., no fussing, which seems in the spirit of using this cooker in the first place. The doneness was perfect - not fall of the bone but meat cleanly pulls from bone. Texture was great – more of a bark then I have seen compared to a BGE. Forgot to mention how I prepped the ribs – light mustard slather, Killer Hogs AP rub followed by The BBQ Rub. Apple (1) and cherry (2) chucks added to lit charcoal. I do like this combination. What I learned: I expected to be cooking ‘hot and fast’ and I certainly hit the lower end of this spectrum. If the same amount of coals were added to the drum in 80 degree weather the cooker temperature will likely be consistently higher so my initial air intake adjustment seems fine for now. If I cook in cold(er) weather again, I might leave the barrel open for 5 minutes or so after adding the hot coals to allow the unlit coals to ‘catch up’, otherwise setting the lid slightly ajar has an immediate profound impact on the cooker temperature. Even at 275 degrees, these STLs were done faster than the same temperature in a BGE which could be related to the larger airflow in the PBC vs the Egg resulting on come convection effect. Overall, I am very pleased with the results with the PBC and my first experience hanging meat. I bought this cooker for our shore house for summer cookouts, but I am impressed enough to consider purchasing a larger drum like a Gateway or Hunsaker which have several refinements albeit at a greater cost. If you have read all the pages in this thread and are still on the fence about the PBC or drum cooking in general, either build your own if you are handy or just order the PBC. I can’t fathom you will be disappointed. __________________ BGE, PBC, Weber 22 kettle, Vortex, DigiQ DX2, Inkbird IBT-6XS [I]The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.[/I] [SIZE=1][B][I]- John D. Rockefeller[/I][/B][/SIZE] Last edited by Smokey Lonesome; 11-14-2017 at 09:31 AM..

11-14-2017, 06:49 PM	#7465
Smokey Lonesome is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-21-13 Location: Avalon, NJ Name/Nickname : Bill	I don’t want to venture a guess about cooking time for a chuckle on the PBC. It’s been a while since I cooked a chuckie on the BGE and I probably did so at 250 degrees and I think that took about 5 hours if I recall and I probably wrapped or panned too. The higher temp and airflow on the PBC will probably mean a shorter time but that’s a guess. I’m sure some brethren have cooked a chuckie and can advise. __________________ BGE, PBC, Weber 22 kettle, Vortex, DigiQ DX2, Inkbird IBT-6XS [I]The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.[/I] [SIZE=1][B][I]- John D. Rockefeller[/I][/B][/SIZE]

11-15-2017, 10:12 PM	#7468
AClarke44 Babbling Farker Join Date: 05-14-14 Location: Yukon, OK Name/Nickname : Andrew	Welcome FGabs! Glad you are enjoying the thread! __________________ My cooker fleet: Recteq RT-700 Weber Spirit E-210 with GrillGrates 22.5 Crimson Weber Premium Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Turker Fryer LoCo 80qt crawfish kit Re-homed cookers: Black Weber OTG (Happy Hapgood) Pit Barrel Cooker (PBC) Char-griller Akorn 28” Blackstone Pro Series Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco Check out the PBC Appreciation Thread! [url]http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210239[/url]

11-10-2017, 10:06 AM	#7457
Stlsportster Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-09-16 Location: Random Point In Time and Space Name/Nickname : Parental Assigned Label	Congrats on the new toy Smokey. You're gonna love it. Let us know if you need help....and don't forget to post pics of the grub!

11-12-2017, 02:33 PM	#7459
Av8er is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 02-17-17 Location: Mobile Al	Nice mod and the chicken looks delicious.

11-14-2017, 06:58 AM	#7463
jgame On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-20-10 Location: LSL, MO	Smokey Lonesome, Congrats on your first PBC cook. It is a very good cooker.

11-14-2017, 11:54 AM	#7464
cejacobs Found some matches. Join Date: 06-28-11 Location: toledo	I'm planning on trying to make some chuckie burnt ends while I have a shoulder going this weekend for my son's birthday party. Any guess on how much time I should allot for the burnt ends to cook? My guess is the chuck roast is about 3 lbs.

11-14-2017, 08:09 PM	#7466
LloydQ is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 12-12-16 Location: Vicksburg, MS.	Congrats, Smokey. I know I sound like a broken record, but once you do some whole chickens ( or halved, as PBC recommends ), you will be sold!

11-15-2017, 10:00 PM	#7467
FGabs68 Found some matches. Join Date: 11-14-17 Location: Manahawkin, NJ	OK, here we go! I joined today after reading the first 298 pages of this thread. Yes, 298! I have had the pit barrel for over 2 years now and absolutely love it! My wife bought it for me for Fathers day after watching me drool over it for a while with the disclaimer " I don't see why you need it, you already have 2 grills". That ended after the first cook and we rarely use the gassers anymore except for burgers and dogs when we have barbecues. Most of what I have learned about this cooker is self taught...UNTIL NOW. You guys make some amazing BBQ. Well, just wanted to introduce myself, I look forward to chatting with you all. Time to check out page 299 LOL

11-16-2017, 09:38 PM	#7469
viodea Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 09-09-17 Location: KS	I need advice for a thanksgiving cook. I wanna do a brisket and turkey. Both are my first time. My plan is smoke brisket until wrap time, then finish off in the oven. Then, smoke turkey Spatchcock or split in halves. How much time for a packer brisket? Planned dinner around 6:30pm. I wonder if I need to smoke the night before around 9 or so and put it in the 225F oven till late afternoon. Then let it seat in the cooler until dinner. Can a brisket be over cooked in low temp? How much time for turkey. I know it's hard to estimate depends on the size and temp. I just need a ballpark number to see when I start.