My plan for a barbecue tasting menu

[Crunchy]

This weekend, I'll be doing my most ambitious cook yet: a barbecue tasting menu for 10 adults. Here's my current plan. I'd appreciate any thoughts or refinements anyone might offer.

The menu is ribs (baby backs and SLCs), pulled pork, and a brisket, accompanied by a variety of homemade sauces and sides. For heat sources, I have a Pit Barrel Cooker, a Weber Genesis Silver gas grill, and two kitchen ovens. The Weber's heating elements run length-wise, so it isn't great for indirect heating.

I'm thinking I can do all the cooking the day of the event. I'll start the brisket and pork butt in the PBC at 10 a.m. When they reach 160F, I'll pull them out, wrap them, and put them in my kitchen oven at 250. I'd like them to hit 200F around 6 pm, when I'll put them in the fauxbro. I'll start the ribs in the PBC around 2 pm. Does that timing make sense?

One thing I'm uncertain about is fire management in the PBC. Would you start completely over before putting the ribs on? I don't think I've ever had "good" heat (250-275) for more than about six hours.

Thanks for any ideas!
Chris

[JeffJ]

It sounds like a well-conceived plan. Unfortunately I don't own a PBC so I can't advise on fire management.

[smarkley]

You might be pushing it a little with ribs

[Danjohnston949]

Like JeffJ I don't have a PBC, but I think I Agree with smarkley I think you are pushing the ribs, you might want to start your Pork Roast and Brisket a little earlier and take a little pressure off yourself! Happy Labour Day and Good Luck, Dan

[Voodoo]

That's what I would say too. Better to be finished a little early than having impatient guests waiting an hour and a half for food while you run panicked. Sometimes those long cooks don't go as planned. Give yourself a buffer. Start early, relax, have fun.

[smarkley]

Good call Voodoo Buffer = guuud!

More time to drink whiskey!

[Crunchy]

This is solid advice.

[Huskee]

When in doubt, always add an extra 2 hrs to your schedule. Like mentioned above there's no harm in meat sitting in a faux bro but there is harm in dinner being 2 hrs late. I also would start the brisket at 6am, give it at least 10hrs to cook and a 2 hr hold, 12 total, but that's just me being safe.

[David Parrish]

Is top off the charcoal basket when you start the ribs. Don't need to start completely over. Just make sure you have plenty of charcoal. Give it some time for the white smoke to die off after you add the charcoal... Before you hang the ribs.

[Crunchy]

Sounds like a lot of good sense coming my way. Not sure why I was trying to cut it so close. I'll start earlier, and report back after the dinner. Thanks, everybody!

[JeffJ]

Remember - everything takes longer than you think it will.

[David Parrish]

^^^^^^^ This.

[mayapoppa]

Except for the stuff that takes shorter...

[mayapoppa]

I did a very similar cook on Father's Day... details here, if you are interested:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/grills-and-smokers/charcoal/pit-barrel-cooker/91934-father-s-day-cook

[PappyBBQ]

I get decent heat outta my PBC for a good 10 hours. Maybe 11 if I leave the lid on the entire time.

I did a trifecta cook last weekend for a dinner party, but used all my toys - meaty beef back ribs on the PBC (with BBBR, and dang they were good!), an Asian marinated Flank Steak on the charcoal grill (for soft tacos with fresh guacamole and salsa), and a big ol' wet brined chicken on a rotisserie. Coulda done the chicken in with the beef ribs (my choice), but my wife can only handle so much BBQ smoky goodness. :-) I do a wet brine because she likes me to use pickling spices in the brine. Sorry. No pics. Gotta get back in the habit.