Pit Barrel Cooker (PBC) Appreciation Thread

[PUNKem733]

I built an UDS but I'm starting to wish I had just gotten the PBC instead. I didn't save all that much in the long run, and mine looks like crap, lol. Oh well, at least it works.

A fellow high desert neighbor!

 

[Namzyr]

Brisket / Temp Dilemma

I'm loving my PBC. I've pulled amazing ribs and chicken from that barrel, but I've yet to do a decent brisket.

I'm in NJ, just 200' above sea level, and have adjusted the bottom vent accordingly. Still, the temp regularly goes way past the 330f mark, going to nearly 400f, especially after taking the top off to check progress, wrap the brisket, whatever.

I've tried waiting only 12 minutes for the charcoal to catch (as recommended during a phone call to PBC), but no really big change in temp. I've tried wrapping, not wrapping, it's always some degree of dry and overdone.

I've also spoken to a pro BBQ friend, he recommended taking it out around 190f instead of waiting for 200f, but he's not at all familiar with the PBC's quirks.

If anyone has a suggestion, I'm listening!

 

[Stlsportster]

I'm loving my PBC. I've pulled amazing ribs and chicken from that barrel, but I've yet to do a decent brisket.

I'm in NJ, just 200' above sea level, and have adjusted the bottom vent accordingly. Still, the temp regularly goes way past the 330f mark, going to nearly 400f, especially after taking the top off to check progress, wrap the brisket, whatever.

I've tried waiting only 12 minutes for the charcoal to catch (as recommended during a phone call to PBC), but no really big change in temp. I've tried wrapping, not wrapping, it's always some degree of dry and overdone.

I've also spoken to a pro BBQ friend, he recommended taking it out around 190f instead of waiting for 200f, but he's not at all familiar with the PBC's quirks.

If anyone has a suggestion, I'm listening!

Have you tried lighting less coals? So if you normally start with 40, try 34-36? And are you putting the lid on as soon as you dump the lit coals?

 

[Namzyr]

All great points Stlsportster...

I haven't even been counting briquettes, just spilling them into the basket so that they're level with the basket top. Then pulling 40 for the chimney.

And I do put the lid back on ASAP.

So I'm thinking less briquettes next time. Makes sense, but do you really count them before they go into the basket?

 

[Kanco Connection]

I haven't even been counting briquettes, just spilling them into the basket so that they're level with the basket top. Then pulling 40 for the chimney.

And I do put the lid back on ASAP.

So I'm thinking less briquettes next time. Makes sense, but do you really count them before they go into the basket?

Welcome, Namzyr.
Yes, I suggest actually counting briqs to begin with. And yes, put the lid back on pretty quick. You can probably get away with it being off for a minute or less, but any longer and you're going to get a hot fire. Just let her burn with the lid on for 15 minutes or so before adding the meat.

 

[BigKing]

There is a difference when counting out only 36 coals into the chimney starter vs. the 40. I generally do 36 and my cook times are always longer than those posted on the PBC site. Granted it was three racks of BBs with an additional 6#s of chuck in the barrel over the weekend, but the racks were hanging for close to six hours. Think the PBC site says these are done in like 3 1/2 hours. I may have the intake slightly below the 1/4 open as well. I also do the 12 minute chimney light per their recommendation.

Brisket two weeks ago was the best one yet. Hung at 10:30 and pulled to wrap at 5:30, although I like to let it sit naked for awhile longer instead of pulling it to wrap right when it hits 165. How long is it taking for you to get to 165?

I didn't slice it until 10:45 so I think I did a hold for around 3 hours once it got to 205 after wrapping it. Are you holding it for a good amount of time once it gets to 200-205? It was an entirely different world for me with PBC brisket once I started holding it for at least a couple of hours. I used to wait maybe 30 minutes and just tent it before digging in. Felt the same as you did until I started wrapping them in towels and holding them for a couple of hours.

 

[PNWSmoke]

I also follow the suggestion found here of throwing a leather or welding glove over the intake when you open the lid. Helps with those spikes, especially when you have problems getting hooks on rebar (not that I've ever had that happen. :grin. Anything longer than a quick check can really impact the heat.

 

[Stlsportster]

To be clear...I don't count what goes into the basket. Just the 40 (or less) I put in the chimney and light.

And since I got the Weber mini chimney I don't even really count, because I know how many it takes to fill it.

 

[Kanco Connection]

To be clear...I don't count what goes into the basket. Just the 40 (or less) I put in the chimney and light.

And since I got the Weber mini chimney I don't even really count, because I know how many it takes to fill it.

^^^^^^^same here

 

[cejacobs]

Does anyone else have issues with the cook times indicated on the pit barrel site vs what they are experiencing? I did a pork shoulder over the weekend and it didn't hit 195 until 8 hours in vs 5-6 indicated on the site. Temps were running 285-300 the entire time. It still turned out great but pushed dinner time back.

 

[Stlsportster]

Yep. I've never gottten cook times like they advertise. More consistent with any other smoker and information I've learned on this site.

 

[16Adams]

90210

 

[Bob C Cue]

Yep. I've never gottten cook times like they advertise. More consistent with any other smoker and information I've learned on this site.

I find the same. Always good results but it can take considerably longer than Noah's quoted times for me, especially with larger cuts. Just need to start earlier. And now that I have a Thermoworks Smoke I can see my temps are close to 300 for a lot of the cook but it still can take longer than you might expect.

 

[Thingfish]

Remember that every example of a cut of meat is different. I usually get cook times in the ballpark of expected, but sometimes an outlier hunk of meat shows up and refuses to play ball. It is the nature of the beast (pardon the pun). You might try different sources for your meat and see if it makes a difference.

A well-trimmed St. Louis rack of ribs might cook an hour faster than the same ribs cut a bit thicker. A butt from a younger pig might cook faster than the same size butt from an older pig. There are too many variables for me to get too hung up on cook times, IMO.

 

[ssv3]

+1. Noah's times are ballpark and cooking conditions vary due to weather, fuel, quantity of the food in the barrel etc. It's BBQ so it's done when it's done. For the larger/tougher cuts like briskets and butts start a few hours early. If you finish early, no problem, just rest them. The longer you "properly" rest them the better they get. I've rested for 5+ hours and still burnt my fingers trying to pull or slice.

Remember that every example of a cut of meat is different. I usually get cook times in the ballpark of expected, but sometimes an outlier hunk of meat shows up and refuses to play ball. It is the nature of the beast (pardon the pun). You might try different sources for your meat and see if it makes a difference.

A well-trimmed St. Louis rack of ribs might cook an hour faster than the same ribs cut a bit thicker. A butt from a younger pig might cook faster than the same size butt from an older pig. There are too many variables for me to get too hung up on cook times, IMO.

 

[ssv3]

Also, nothing wrong with counting if that's your method but I've never counted coals. I put a thermometer and probes in my v1 PBC but as soon as I got my hands on the v2 PBC I liberated myself and did away with thermometers, probes and use the cooker as it's intended. Simple is how this thing works best IMHO.

 

[Bob C Cue]

I never used thermometers (other than an instant read to check the temp of poultry) while cooking on the PBC until I got the ThermoWorks Smoke. I didn't really need it, but since it's such a cool gadget and was available in a recent open box special I decided to take the plunge.

The main benefit is not having to open the lid to check poultry or to know when to start checking for probe tender on butts, beef ribs, briskets, etc. I can now sit in the man cave and monitor the progress while drinking a beer or three. Since it comes with an air probe it also allows me to see where the PBC like to run, which is interesting.

I'm a fan of gadgets so I find it fun to use. Actually is a little more work placing the probes and cleaning them after the cook, but for now I enjoying it.

 

[Thingfish]

I am dying to use my Thermoworks Smoke but I haven't been able to yet (stupid hurricane)!

 

[ssv3]

I never used thermometers (other than an instant read to check the temp of poultry) while cooking on the PBC until I got the ThermoWorks Smoke. I didn't really need it, but since it's such a cool gadget and was available in a recent open box special I decided to take the plunge.

The main benefit is not having to open the lid to check poultry or to know when to start checking for probe tender on butts, beef ribs, briskets, etc. I can now sit in the man cave and monitor the progress while drinking a beer or three. Since it comes with an air probe it also allows me to see where the PBC like to run, which is interesting.

I'm a fan of gadgets so I find it fun to use. Actually is a little more work placing the probes and cleaning them after the cook, but for now I enjoying it.

Cleaning them after is what bugs the heck out of me I suppose lol. Makes total sense on not having to open the lid but I guess since I've gotten so used to the cooker I already know when I'm going to hit the target temp approximately.

Speaking of the Smoke, that thing looks awesome. Can't justify it though since I've got a CyberQ wifi, Maverick and soon Meater "Not cheater" coming my way. Can't remember last time I used either of the thermometers on any cooker. Thermapen is all I use nowadays.

PS I don't know if I should say this but I've got another love affair brewing in my life. The Hunsaker drums. I think I'm going to pull the trigger very soon. :behindsofa:

 

[BigKing]

Could it be possible that Noah's cook times are faster because it bases the cook on whatever cut of meat being the only thing in the cooker?

I almost always have a full barrel going with something on the hanging rack and something else hanging. Most of his instructions call for hanging the meat in the center of the barrel.

For example, the three racks of ribs I did this past weekend, the rack closest to the intake wound up being the best, the next rack was second and the rack furthest from the intake wound up being the worst of the three since I pulled them at the same time. Third rack could have used another 20-30 minutes probably.