Drippings put fire out in pit barrel

[in_the_basement]

I have been noticing this issue when I cook on my pit barrel. Mostly when I use the grill (because I am afraid to use hooks and have the meat fall into the coal bin). I lay the piece of meat on the grill and go about cooking. Temps seem fine and then as the meat begins to get to where it is dripping on the fire, it seems to extinguish a section of the coals and the temp plummets. If I take the cover off for a few minutes, the fat on the coals catches fire but I don't think that is what I want. I guess I should consider a drip pan to stop this, but how do I install one in the pit barrel cooker? Any suggestions?

 

[BB-Kuhn]

Are you only lighting a partial amount of the coals in the basket? It seems unlikely that drippings would carpet bomb the whole basket enough to put it out.

And use the hooks! Honestly, I know it seems crazy but after 4yrs ive only ever had one thing fall off the hook - it was a WAY overdone rack of ribs, which I wasn't paying attention and overcooked it. My fault.

They work great!

 

[nweave2614]

I to have had temp issues on my pit barrel, I have taken to only using 1 rod and pulling the other rod and using some aluminium foil to partially block the openings to get the cooker to lock in at about 275-285, it will cruise there for a while and then start dropping so once it gets to about 250 I will take one of my aluminium plugs out to let it start to ramp back up, once it gets to about 290-300 I put the plug back in and it will slowly start dropping back down over time. I dont like to crack the lid since that tends to make an extreme hot spot on the side with the opening so stuff burns.

I love the pit barrel and I have made some pretty good food on it but mine for some reason is definitely not a fire and forget type cooker like most peoples experience. I have tried intake openings from 1/4 which is where my setting should be, all the way to full open. In a lot of cases with the intake way open I have seen smoke slowly rolling out of the intake which was weird to me.

 

[in_the_basement]

Are you only lighting a partial amount of the coals in the basket? It seems unlikely that drippings would carpet bomb the whole basket enough to put it out.

And use the hooks! Honestly, I know it seems crazy but after 4yrs ive only ever had one thing fall off the hook - it was a WAY overdone rack of ribs, which I wasn't paying attention and overcooked it. My fault.

They work great!

No, it does not put the whole basket out, but I usually get a portion of the basket of coals that just don't burn because they are doused with liquid. I think it's more the meat juice drippings than it is fat, but there is enough fat drippings that they will flame up when I remove the cover for a while and allow the coals to get ripping. I don't light the whole basket at the start. I follow the directions and add 30 coals that are fully lit on the top of the rest of the coals in the basket.

 

[pharp]

No, it does not put the whole basket out, but I usually get a portion of the basket of coals that just don't burn because they are doused with liquid. I think it's more the meat juice drippings than it is fat, but there is enough fat drippings that they will flame up when I remove the cover for a while and allow the coals to get ripping. I don't light the whole basket at the start. I follow the directions and add 30 coals that are fully lit on the top of the rest of the coals in the basket.

Open your bottom damper more.

 

[thirdeye]

I don't own a PBC but I've never experienced anything like that with my drums. Which meats tend to leak juices? Are you using briquettes, lump or a mix? And are you filling the basket up?

In 11 years I've never had anything come close to falling off the hooks, but you can always double hook like this:

 

[BB-Kuhn]

No, it does not put the whole basket out, but I usually get a portion of the basket of coals that just don't burn because they are doused with liquid. I think it's more the meat juice drippings than it is fat, but there is enough fat drippings that they will flame up when I remove the cover for a while and allow the coals to get ripping. I don't light the whole basket at the start. I follow the directions and add 30 coals that are fully lit on the top of the rest of the coals in the basket.

Gotcha...

SO given that - it seems like maybe you should try to pat-dry off your meat before you put it on. Also, I had problems with mine at first but now use a bit more lit coals at the start and have had MUCH better results with the PBC as a result. I'm not sure how much hotter it runs, but it's definitely more stable.

 

[Big Andy]

I have had the same problems in the past. If I am using the grate then I leave the rods out. I usually have the problem if I don't let my coals get going good first, or sometimes with big cuts like brisket or 2 butts. When the fire starts dying, I crack the lid offset just a little for maybe 20 minutes and everything gets going again.

 

[WilliamKY]

I'm not familiar with the Pit Barrel but I have had the same thing happen on my 55gal UDS. I had 22lbs of butt and shoulder and the grease was dousing the coals. I opened the vents wide open and the fire heated up and burned off the grease and it eventually settled down to normal. If the PBC has vents I would suggest opening them wider when the temp starts dropping. You can burn through the grease, you just got to watch it carefully until you do.