Fireboard + Pit Viper Fan + PBC and some RIBS

[KuKuPuffs]

I'm one of the lucky ones with my PBC where it always tends to run cooler (250-280) never hot (over 300). However the trade off is I constantly have to crack the lid in order to keep temperatures up otherwise it will quickly dip below 225. Not exactly a set it and forget it type of cooking the PBC was meant for. I've tried playing with things like leaving rebars out, changing to lump charcoal, playing with the vents all with varying results and all still requiring me to crack the lid constantly.

So I finally splurged on black friday and got a Fireboard + Pit Viper fan combo. You can see my installation post here

Decided to smoke 2 racks of ribs using Kingsford Original. Did a 15-10 start method and I want to say I am beyond ecstatic with the results on my first attempt.





You can see the fans kick all the way up to 100 at certain points of the cook. This is probably when I usually would have to go crack a lid as the temps would be falling, but nope, the FB+Pit Viper Fan kept it right around 280 the entire cook and I was able to leave it alone and let it do it's thing.

And the ribs results were excellent:



Nice Bark and nice pink smoke ring



Clean "bite through".

Now I can't wait to try a longer cook (brisket?) now knowing my temp can finally be consistently maintained

[HawkerXP]

Congrats!

[Spinaker]

Nice work man. The FireBoard systems impressive, i love using mine too. I have never hooked it up to my PBCs though.

You will love the PBC brisket. I have not cooked a brisket in mine in a long time, but I do miss it. I generally use my KBQ for most of my brisket cooks. The PBC does give a brisket a unique flavor that is really good, IMO.

[RonB]

Congrats. A good temp controller is a game changer for sure.

[bbqLuv]

Looks like great Ribs. Amazing Ribs Style.
You Done Good.

[fzxdoc]

Looks like you've got a dream setup there, KuKuPuffs . You'll be looking for excuses to fire up the PBC, for sure now. Wait till you do a 350° poultry cook and don't have to crack the lid. Very nice.

I'm a fan of the 15-10 lighting method as well; I wait until the PBC's temp gets just below my goal temp before attaching the Pit Viper and the Fireboard Drive.

Kathryn

[Sid P]

Great looking ribs! How much did the Fireboard and Pit Viper cost you on Black Friday? Just curious. Thanks!

[BourBonQ]

KuKuPuffs, fzxdoc - when you say "15-10" lighting method, are you just leaving off the last 10 min from the old "15-10-10" lighting method? Or just using shorthand here? I've had best results with KBB when I go with something closer to 10-10-10 and only about 30 briqs in the starter chimney.

Also, KuKu, where are you measuring temp in the barrel?

I've been on the fence about adding a fan to the PBC but this may have convinced me. Thanks for posting.

[KuKuPuffs]

ah, i didn't bother with the last 10 with the lid on. so basically 15 minutes in the chimney, then I poured it into the basket with the lid off for 10 minutes. and then I start cooking.

As for measuring the temp, I try to dangle my ambient probe off one of the rebars in the middle of of the PBC about halfway down a rack of ribs if that make sense.

[KuKuPuffs]

Great looking ribs! How much did the Fireboard and Pit Viper cost you on Black Friday? Just curious. Thanks!

there was no discount. They just added in some extra bonus items (short probe, t-shirt, bbq rub)

[Alabama Smoke]

Yep, that's what I got too. Better than nothing but would have loved a nice discount. Hopefully (I have not yet had an opportunity to use mine) the reason is that the Fire Board is so good they don't have to give a discount!

[BFlynn]

Those ribs look suspect.

I'm gonna need you to send them over for inspection.


Good job!

There's probably a way to get your temps level in the PBC, but a fire board and pit viper do the job just fine!