First few cooks on my new PBJ

[bocaboy]

I've owned a Smokin-It electric smoker for several years and love it. I consistently get great pork, meat and fish. I recently read about the Pit Barrel smoker and decided to pull the trigger and buy one. My results, so far, are a bit mixed.

The first cook was a rack of baby backs. The fire was much too hot and the bottom rib was so close to the coals that it was charred and inedible. I didn't realize that even if I'm only hanging meat from one rod I should still install both. Unfortunately I only installed one, so the draft in the barrel made the fire way too hot.

My second cook was chicken thighs and they came out as tender as can be and with a smokey, sweet/hot flavor that the whole family devoured! I felt that I might be on to something here.

My third cook was a whole chicken on the turkey holder that Pit Barrel sells. I got mixed results. The chicken was only 2.7 lbs and after two hours it was still not done. The breast was about 157° and the fire definitely didn't seem hot enough.

My fourth cook, today, is in progress, but everything looks great. I'm doing baby backs again and decided to cut the rack in half and then hang each half on it's own hook. In addition, after lighting the coals, I gave the cooker about 10 minutes to "catch" before I installed the rebar and hung the meat. I'll be interested to see how it comes out today.

I also wanted to add a note that I dropped Pit Barrel an email about the problem I had during the first cook, and that was a week ago and I still haven't heard back. I know they are very responsive to phone calls, but email is apparently not a forte of the Pit Barrel crew.

So glad I found this forum and look forward to trading war stories and recipes with everyone!!

[Panhead John]

Congrats on the new cooker! There’s always a little bit of a learning curve with any new cooker and I’m sure you’ll have it figured out soon. Just in case you weren’t aware, there’s a lot of great information about cooking on the PBC here, on the same channel you just posted on. There’s a lot of experienced PBC users here who’ll be more than happy to help if you need it. Here’s a great post from our own PBC queen fzxdoc
https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...ts-if-possible

Just an FYI, any questions you have about the PBC, I’d ask away right here, you’ll get a lot of expert advice much quicker than emailing the company, usually within just a few minutes.

[Michael_in_TX]

I've had a PBC since late 2019. Like John said, there is a bit of a learning curve; not steep, but it is there. My first few cooks didn't turn out all that great, but as I continued to cook on it, everything improved markedly. I now cook on it without a second thought.

Also double hook your racks of ribs.

[Panhead John]

+1 on the double hook.

[MsTwiggy]

Once you have a consistent way to light your coals you will turn out great food. For a very long time before I was on the Pit here I followed the manufacturer lighting instructions. This resulted in me having a hard time achieving a cooking temp above 225. The hooks were always covered in black soot after every cook and a chicken took 3 hours instead of 2. Now I fill my coal basket, light a chimney and let it burn until everything is ashed over. I dump my coals and then let it burn for 10 minutes with the lid open and an additional 10 with the lid on but no rebar in before i put any meat in it. I have cooked brisket and butts successfully this way and my hooks have no soot on them when I am done cooking. My next experiment is going to be using a No 10 can to make a well to pour lit coals in so I don't have any unburned coals when I finish a cook. It's not complicated but it's a little tricky and their documentation is pretty bad.

[RonB]

Congrats on the new cooker. I'm sure you will be happy with it in short order.

[Soonerpop]

Cutting racks in half is a must for me with a PBJ. Too close to the fire otherwise. You’ll figure it out in short order. Good luck.

[RichieB]

+1 on this. Have a PBJ. When I did ribs I didn't cut in 1/2. Do that you'll be fine..

[shify]

Definitely takes some getting used to but you are on the right track with letting the coals light for 10 minutes before cooking. That ensures you have a good starting point

As long as I have enough hooks, I always cut my racks in half as the bottoms are just too close to the first.

Also 2 hrs seems about right for a whole chicken (vs spatchcock), if not a tad long. Feel like chicken halves take about 60-90 min but not positive. I also think 157 in the breast is bordering on overcooked but obviously to each their own. I like to pull my chicken around 153-155 in the breast.

[TexasRob]

Congrats on the new cooker....for my PBC I fill the charcoal basket and take out 20-25 briquettes...add them to small chimney. I lower the basket in the cooker....put the grate in and then light the chimney for 12 minutes....then pour the lit coals on the basket...I let that burn for 12 minutes.....then add the re-bar....add food and cover it up. I recently got a PBX and loving the BEAST!

[bocaboy]

Thanks, Rob. This last time I did everything you did, but after putting the chimney coals in the smoker, I put in the rebar and covered the cooker to let it heat up. Next time I'll try it with just leaving the lid off and the rebar uninstalled.

[bocaboy]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and encouragement. My cook last night, my fourth, came out perfect. I bought a rack of baby back ribs from Fresh Market (on sale no less!) and fired up a full basket of coals. I sauced the ribs at 2 ½ hours and took them off at 3 and they were really perfect. I've attached pictures below, but I don't think he one showing the cut ribs really shows just how juicy these ribs were, and the pull off the bone was perfect. They even have a nice smoke ring. (Used apple wood chips at the start of the cook.)

Got my daughter and grandkid joining us this week from NYC, and they love BBQ. I'm looking forward to more successful cooks!

And thank you to everyone on the forum. I hope to be a regular contributor as I get better at using the PBJ!

[Sid P]

Those are great looking ribs! What rub did you use?

[Michael_in_TX]

Yep, the PBC is a rib machine. I won't do ribs in anything else. Rib cooks are the one cook I don't even monitor the temperatures for. I use the standard lighting procedure, and my two racks of spare ribs will be perfect in about 3 hours.

[fzxdoc]

Congrats on that great-looking rib cook, and on your other cooks as well, bocaboy

Sounds as though you've got a good handle on cooking on your new PBC Jr. now.

You found the key to good temperature production by the PBC--letting the fire really take hold before adding the meat. How long to let it burn before adding the rebars and putting the lid on is somewhat dependent on your altitude, the type and brand of charcoal used and a few other variables. Starting with 10 minutes, as you did was a good call. For some folks, 5 minutes is all that is needed, for others, 20 minutes works best. Your PBC will tell you what it likes best.

Are you using an ambient thermometer inside the PBC at all? Just curious.

Kathryn

[bocaboy]

I'm not using an ambient temp gauge just yet. Since the PB series of cookers is sold as "set it and forget it", I wanted to see how it lived up to that claim. I definitely am going to use one when I try smoking a whole Kingfish as temperature control is everything when smoking seafood.

[hoovarmin]

As other's have said, it's all in how you light up in the beginning of the cook. I'm at the same altitude as you and find that about 5 minutes without the lid or rebar is all mine needs after dumping the lit coals in. In higher altitudes it requires more time. It will also depend on the size of the charcoal you are using. If you use lump, and you have really large chunks they will take longer to light. Don't try to hit your target temp while you are in the lighting process. Typically, your barrel will get much hotter than you want to target for your cook after you light it, and then it will settle back down to it's favorite temp zone, which for me is between 260 and 280, after some time. For low and slow cooks I always start the lighting process an hour before I plan to put the meat in the barrel.

[bocaboy]

Sid P: I used the Pit Barrel Beef and Game rub. I found it a tad too salty, but otherwise very nice. My usual rub is either Jeff's Rub or Butt Rub.

[Bad Hat BBQ]

Never cooked with a PBJ....this was a good thread to read...thanks

[cgrover60]

@bocaboy, the set and forget aspect is pretty true on the PBC as long as you have everything set correctly in the first place for the cook at hand. With established lit coals, rebars in and the intake vent set to your altitude the PBC will settle in the 275 - 300 degree range as designed so keep that in mind and monitor cook time and adjust if necessary. Don't make the mistake of changing the intake vent to control temps. For a hotter fire, more coals, longer run up time before adding food and removing one or both rebars are options as long as you have an ambient temp probe in place to see how far your temps go up.

[bocaboy]

Thanks for the hints. I discovered the hard way that leaving a rebar out makes the fire way too hot. My subsequent cooks were much more under control. As I've said before, I own a Smokin-It electric smoker which I love. It's cooked more dinners than I can remember. I was really looking for something different and the PBJ seemed perfect for our empty-nesters home!

[bocaboy]

Here are two smoked chickens for a picnic at the beach this evening. They came out perfectly. I used my PBJ with a full basket of coals, a lump of mesquite nestled into the coal basket, and cooked for 90 minutes.

For the record, the skin on the left-hand chicken was torn out of the package but the meat was still as tender and juicy as could be. I used Jeff Phillips' Naked Rub and did not sauce the chicken.

And it's a beautiful night for a picnic in Boca Raton!