Can't help yet a barrel cooker is also in my future just have not pulled the trigger. Welcome from Nebraska!
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Welcome to the Pit jergles! I have the PBC, which I love! It is a great "out of the box" cooker, and makes delicious barbecue. Hanging meat is great, because it saves space. I can cook a lot food with it than I can with my Weber Kettle, which is great when feeding a crowd.Attached FilesComment
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I enjoy my Pellet grill, It does it all. No help I know, but I wanted to say hello.
I too took up the BBQ as a hobby. I am addicted too.
"Warm and smoky" greetings from NW Oregon
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I run a OKJ in southern Wisconsin. I haven't run it in the bitter cold, but certainly in 20 to 30 degree temps. It's run well, though I haven't been meticulous about documenting fuel usage. I'd say wind is as much, if not more, of a factor than the actual temperature, so if you have a spot where you can keep your smoker out of the wind, it will help a great deal.Comment
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PBC works just fine in cold weather.
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I cook with my PBCs all the way through the MN winter. If you cook in a place that has worst weather than I do in the January.......You don;t need a new smoker......you need a new place to live.
On a more serious note. I am an admitted PBC fanboy. I have two of the 30-Gallon types and one 55-Gallon. I love them all. They were my first dedicated smokers. They are easy to use, the fuel is easy to find. Hanging meats is a great way to go as it allows you to pack a ton of meat into a small space. Plus, they are crazy good at cooking chicken and turkeys at high temps for some amazing crispy skin.
Ribs, brisket and pork butts also do very well.
The only draw back is grilling. They suck at grilling for the most part. It is awkward to t flip the meats with out burning your self on the side walls or with the direct heat coming out of the barrel. However, with your kettle, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to grilling.
Here is a finished batch of ribs I made in the dead of winter a few years ago. PBC just chugged right along. I think it was -10 F at start up that morning. (I put them in my turkey roaster to keep them warm)
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I’m super jealous of the stove and pot filler I see in the background…… -
Spinaker I am with RickyBobby. I'll trade ya my PBC, PBX Kamado Joe, and my 2 story house for your stove...
Last edited by itsnotmyfault; October 25, 2024, 07:29 PM.
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So, I was in a somewhat similar situation this past spring. I have a Weber Kettle, outfitted with the Vortex, SNS, and rotisserie. Really like it, but we were simply outgrowing it and needed to upgrade. I actually had my wife talked into replacing the kettle with a Hasty Bake (which part of me still wishes we got), but for other reasons decided to get a more dedicated smoker instead. I had it narrowed down between the PBC/PBX, the OBJ/OBJ Pro, and the Gateway. I thought of the WSM, but the barrels simply have more capacity and the unique ‘campfire’ flavor. I ended up going with the PBX. I liked the simplicity of the PBX over the OBJ and Gateway (OBJ especially comes with a number of accessories that I felt over-complicated things) and the fact that the PBX was porcelain coated. My kettle is ~5 years old, exposed in the elements year round, and that porcelain coating shows virtually no signs of wear. Also, just looking at the OBJ and Gateway and comparing them the PBX, it seemed as though the PBX has quite a bit more hanging capacity than the OBJ and Gateway. Overall, I’ve been really happy with the PBX. I smoked a dozen ribs at once on a couple of occasions (easily could have handled more), and even smoked 8 pork bellys simultaneously. Handled them all like a champ. Flavor is awesome and super simple to run. My only grip with the PBX is that temperature control is rudimentary, at best. Getting a proper initial lite is definitely key. Fortunately there is a wealth of information in the PBC channels to help you out. Now, some of this frustration is likely on me. I’m still not comfortable at smoking above 250 and even less comfortable at ‘letting it run.’ That being said, I still really enjoy the PBX, hanging meat in a barrel is just fun! And the cool factor is significantly higher than anything else I’ve seen.
Oh, and the PBC/PBX smokes the best poultry I’ve ever had!!Comment
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I would recommend the PBX. You can do big and small smokes on it.
Great chicken, ribs, brisket, etc. cooker.Comment
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I have not used a true PBC, just a DIY copy. Between that, a cheap offset and a midgrade offset and the Bronco I vote Bronco for all the reasons stated above. A kettle with SNS handles searing after an indirect cook, I do noise trying to switch modes mid cook.Comment
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Welcome aboard!
Here's a vote for a PBJ. I can't speak to how well it performs in the cold, but others here seem to do well.
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Thank you all for the kind, informative responses!!!
It seems I can’t go wrong here. Since I’m personally comfortable running a bit hotter, into the campfire sort of taste, and interested in hanging, it seems the PBC/PBX will be the one for me (the Bronco is tempting but again, something about cooking in a drum appeals to me.)
I don’t know if this is frequently the case, but the PBX is $200 off with a coupon code on the PBC site. Might have to make a purchase soon if this is time sensitive 🤣
What level of accessories do you guys suggest I pick up with the PBC/X? Seems there are lots of options and I don’t know what is actually useful or not.
Thank you all!Comment
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Until you build up some "gunk", you might try getting a tight lid seal by wrapping a brick in an old sock and putting it on top. Some here have improved the fit by using a LavaLock gasket. I have one on the shelf if I ever need it.
I've found the lighting procedure stickied here is the key to success.
A few recommended accessories-- Ash catcher for the charcoal basket (some here just use aluminum foil).
- Upgraded hook tool that doubles as a really nice bottle opener.
- Turkey hanger if you're planning on a bird for the holidays. Get one now as they have been on backorder in the past.
- A dedicated pair of pliers for handling the rebars and charcoal basket.
- Get a pair of these tongs. If you ever need to add more charcoal for a long cook, light it in a chimney and add the briquets using the tongs after they've ashed over.
You've got a lot of great cooks in your future!
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Welcome from Arizona. At least here in the Valley, I can’t help you on the cold weather 😂 part but I do love my WSM 18” and 22”.Comment
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ALRIGHT!!! ANOTHER WIN FOR THE PBX!!!
As far as accessories, I’ve got the ash catcher and the hinged lid. Personally, I don’t think you “need” either one. The ash catcher does a good job of catching 90% of the ash. However, on the PBX, it’s really too wide to just dump into a trash can. The concept might work better on the smaller PBC or PBJ, but not so much on the PBX. It does, however, protect the bottom of the barrel from the ash, which is fairly corrosive. So I’m guessing it acts to extend the life of the PBX. Could be worth it for that reason, but I don’t think it makes clean up any easier.
I’ve also got the hinged grate. I’ve yet to use it. I got it for free, so no worries on my end. I’ve just never used it.
I would recommend Lavalock gasket for the lid. Seals the lid up tight and allows you to control, as much as you can, the temperatures.
Good luck and have fun!!! Hanging meat in a barrel is a fun and really cool way of smoking!!Comment
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FYI, some of us have the PBC/PBX with a BBQGuru fan controller that make maintaining temps very easy. It does require electricity and the initial cost is more, but for me it has helped me maintain temps down to 225-250. No modification is necessary just an adapter that fits in the standard air intake. I have the DigiQ. Just a thought for the futureComment
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Grillin Dad I put in a question to BBQGuru on which adapter to use with the PBC. -
Grillin Dad Got a response from BBQGuru. I have the XL Grill Dome adapter which they don't make anymore. They suggested Bulkhead adapter. To me that is overkill. The Universal or the Drum Smoker adapter looks similar to mine. There may be some modifications to the sheet metal of the adapter so that it will fit in the bottom of the barrel. It should fit in the hole of the barrel and cover the rest of the hole. I used the existing screw hole to mount the adapter.
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