Howdy y’all, my PBC settles in around 275-300 using KBB but with some cooks I’d like to dial in 250 degrees and keep it there. There has to be a way to do this consistently and would like to hear if any of y’all have had success achieving this. Thanks.
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Stay tuned.. lots of PBC experts in here. But I think they are all in bed. I mean not together but asleep somewhere alone. I mean… awe forget it. Someone will get back to you. -
The PBC is designed to cooked between 275° F and 325° F. I use a BBQGuru controller for lower temps. But you might be able to do a modified snake method to get to those temps. fzxdoc is the one that did some extensive testing on all things PBC and has posted here in the PBC section. Think it is a sticky at the first part of this thread.
Check out this one. Go back to the beginning of the PBC thread and you can see the sticky's.Last edited by JimLinebarger; July 26, 2021, 12:00 AM.Comment
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You can plug some of the rebar holes with foil. I have plugged two and brought things down to about 250. If the lid is leaking, laying some bricks on it or installing a gasket will eliminate that. Remember, the PBC increases temps with increased airflow up top.Comment
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What are you wanting to cook at that temp?Comment
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I'm thinking the only really reliable way would be to use a fan. As others have said, the PBC is meant to do 275-325. The only times I've gotten mine around 250 is near the end of a long cook in which the coals are nearly spent.Comment
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I have learned that I can cook below 275 for long periods of time, around 240 to 250 by doing the following: Don't overload with charcoal. Use what you will need for the cook, you can always add a few coals later if you need too. Use 25 or so hot starter coals rather than the 40 the instructions call for.
Put a gasket on my lid. If a relatively small cook, simply put in one rebar offset so the meat sits through the middle of the drum. Use two rare earth magnets about the size and shape of a quarter (round rare earth magnets) near each of the two open holes and slide then partially over those two holes to adjust. Start with the magnets covering about half to a third of each hole and adjust from there.
The magnets allow easier adjustments than foil I have found. Alternatively, use the rack, remove both rebars and use a rare earth magnet to adjust each hole separately. If I need to use both rebars then I will be cooking a lot of meat which usually causes the drum to burn cooler anyway, but if I still need to, I will then use alum foil.
Regarding the magnets: Watch out for magnet strength when you purchase. It is easy to buy ones with magnetism so strong you will have trouble removing them. I simply use a piece of wood to slide them (wood because I to not like burning my fingers and so I can simply slide them due to the strong magnetism).
Last edited by Alabama Smoke; July 28, 2021, 07:38 AM. Reason: Edited to change wording in 3rd paragraph: both racks should read both rebars.Comment
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I really would not worry about this at all. It runs very comfortable at 275-300. There is nothing wrong with cooking at this temp range. I do this for all of my cooks, PBC or not.
You can choke it down with the bottom damper, if you want, but you might get yo-yo temps as it really is designed to run in the current temp range you are at now. Yo[u can try to start by lighting less coals for the basket and seeing if that helps, just keep in mind that you may have to watch it closer as it really is meant to run with a particular amount of airflow and fire.Comment
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I did a brisket cook on the PBC at 225° back in the day when I first got it. It can be done by starting with fewer coals in the chimney, as many have said here. It also does not run at as solid a temperature. Very fiddly.
Could I tell a difference in that brisket vs. the many that I have done at 260-290°? Nope. Except that it took a whole lot longer to get to probe tenderness. Haven't cooked a brisket that low on the PBC ever since.
KathrynComment
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Yeah, what Kathryn said. I tried my best to keep mine below 250° and failed. Then I just used it as it is any everything is fine. I take the meat off when the thermometer says to and it's tasty and good.Comment
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I thought the selling point of the PBC was that you didn't have to fuss over monitoring temps! I had one for a couple of years and it cooked best when I used it as instructed. Hot and fast.
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Just too add a small point here.......there is nothing that says you absolutely have to cook BBQ at 225 F or 250 F. I cook everything BBQ-wise at 275 or above. In my experience, the only thing that cooking below 275 F does is prolong the cook. There really is no reason for it, as far as I am concerned.
Worrying about getting the pit down to lower temps, especially one that is designed to run at 275 or above, is just welcoming unnecessary stress to an otherwise stress-free cook.Comment
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