Light my (PBC) fire: tips on lighting and maintaining temperatures

[Deuce]

Great job Kathryn

[fzxdoc]

Wow, thanks! I'm happy to help. K.

[JPP]

I can testify that the rake method of adding the coal basket works brilliantly for us big-chimney owners and it is very helpful for alignment. Didn't spill a single briq on my last cook.

[Curtis Ellzey]

Yep, worked great for me too! You do have to be a bit careful of blowing ash if it's windy, but I was able to transfer it into the PBC pretty quickly.

[jlo]

Thanks for compiling this! Would like to know lighting procedures and temp targets for fuel other than Kingsford Briquets. Either here or perhaps a separate thread.

[fzxdoc]

I'll post some info I've culled on a separate topic (unless someone else does it first), jlo. I agree, it would be good info to have here for those of us who want to play with other charcoal brands.

[JPP]

The forty count is interesting... On my last cook I used sixty and had a better time controlling the temperature , but I've never come close to the peak temp you and Dave get.

I'm doing a flat tomorrow and I'm hoping for a stable 250-275 temp so I'll be studying this page very intensely

[fzxdoc]

JPP, the very first cook I did I figured that if 40 briquettes in the chimney was good, 50 was better so I used 50 and let them burn for 20 minutes before adding them to the unlit coals. Turns out it was not. The PBC temps were way low throughout the cook. Also, that was before I learned about cracking the lid to bring up the temps too.

Anyway, JerodB surmised that I was burning out the starter coals with the 20 min chimney burn. He recommended that I go back to 40 coals and burn for 15 min in the chimney. Since then I've not had any problem getting the temps up where I want them. I'm at 3700 feet altitude, so factor that in as well.
Kathryn

[JPP]

FWIW I got a good 270 F burn after a 322-325F spike. I had it running near 270 with two holes plugged with foil for about three hours. I had used 60 briqs in the chimnney , taking them from the filled basket a la Dave.

added: I did however follow the lighting process more carefully making sure that a) the chimney was no longer smoking (took between 10-15 min) b) dumped the coals with the basket outside the barrel for careful placement c) once distributed evenly, dropped the basket in place with my garden rake and let it "simmer" for five minutes. Added the meat and lidded. It hit the 325 mark and actually kept cooking around 290-300 until I plugged two of the holes. This was the most stable and consitent burn I've had so far and it let me pay closer attention to other details.

[fzxdoc]

Great tips, JPP. I used to let my PBC burn with the lid off for 5 minutes or so after lighting the coals in the basket with the chimney coals. One time the temp took off on me and I hadn't learned at that point about the foil around the rebar holes tip. I spoke with the PBC folks and they were pretty adamant about adding the meat and closing the lid right after adding the chimney coals to the basket. However, what works for them in CO might not work for us. That's what experimentation is all about. It sounds as though you got a good cook with your method. Congrats!

[JPP]

Yes it was quite successful although the bbbr was almost too much for my boss. Brother liked it fine, but his wife takes ZERO pepper. If it we bbbr again, I'll use far lest for the sake of those in my family with less robust palates!

[BruceB]

RIB Cook 8/31

12:00 Filled basket, Lit chimney with 40 briquets from basket Kingsford Original Sea level
12:15 smoke gone, good fire in chimney, added coals to basket, distributed evenly
12:20 Closed lid with 5 racks of ribs about 17 lbs total weight
12:35 232F and climbing. Therm probe hanging halfway down length of racks, in clear space
12:45 Temp dropping, cracked lid 1/4 inch gap, relocated probe higher in barrel
13:02 Temp at 320F , closed lid tight again
13:15 Temp down to 252F. Opened the vent slightly - closer to 1/3 open
13:25 Temp still dropping, 241F Cracked lid again, wider this time. Shooting for 350F
13:45 Temp at 345F closed lid again some backdrafting thru vent ??
13:50 Temp down to 278F - giving up on adjusting. Just going to let it go...

Edit:
16:15 Stuck at 220F

[JPP]

I had a similar experience when I did six racks of SLC ribs. There is a ton of moisture in all that meat and I speculate that this causes the temp to drop. I had to crack the lid a number of times to keep it up over 240 F. I didnt have to be on top of it 100% of the time, but it was tougher to keep the temp up with a big load. Ill bet getting the barrel up to 350+ for a big load would make the difference. This time I was cooking just a 7 lb brisket flat. The thing is, with six racks, the ribs took longer than normal, but still done in about 4-4 1/2 hours... For my brisket cook, I added two racks of ribs and the temp did drop, so I unplugged the holes... I brought the temp up by cracking the lid since I was more concerned with the brisket which I had wrapped an hour or so after adding the ribs. I boosted the temp up to 288-289 by cracking the lid and the ribs cooked (almost too much) in the next hour and a half.

The point is take heart! I'm sure your ribs came out spectacular as 220 is not such a bad temp to cook em at, and it'll be hotter next time. I live at 80 ft above sea level and the 1/4 vent opening took a bit of tweaking to get just right for me.

[BruceB]

Today's PB cook is going to plan. I got a much better start on the coals this time using separated Kingsford bag paper, I think the newspaper I used yesterday was wimpy and possibly a bit damp, so at 15 minutes the coals weren't really ready yet. they were obviously much further along today after 15 minutes.

I actually started to get runaway temps today in the first hour, and had to plug a couple of holes for a bit. It's been running right at 270F for the last 2 hours with no fiddling.

I think I agree with the too much moisture from the 5 racks of ribs, that's a lot of surface area to release moisture.

[JPP]

The ribs come out nicely with the low temp... I think even a bit better, although when the barrel runs low it takes more fiddling not to mention a somewhat longer time, although 4 - 4 1/2 hours isn't bad!

[JPP]

Oh and BTW Kathryn, the foil at the bottom was SO obvious I NEVER thought of it before! I didn't even need the shop vac this time! This thread is just soo-pah as wed say here in Massachusetts!

John

[JPP]

I mean WICKED SOO-PAH!

[fzxdoc]

Thanks for the great compliment, JPP. That double layer of foil does make the cleanup much easier--plus there's not a lot of ash floating around. My lungs appreciate that.
Kathryn

[fzxdoc]

JPP, my kid went to college in Northampton, so I got to learn some Massachusetts lingo while we were paying those hefty college bills! The accents were strange-sounding but nonetheless intriguing to a Southerner's ear.
Kathryn

[Mayhem Mike]

On my first several cooks on the PBC, I followed Noah's (pitbarrelcooker.com) videos closely (Briquets to rim of basket, remove 40 briquets and place in chimney; 15 min. burning in chimney; dump into unlit briquets in basket, etc.) and had great results. Because I use the large Weber chimey, learned to place basket close to side of cooker (away from vent) and just dumped the coals; none spill onto floor of cooker. Tried tongs, the rebar rod, etc. to distribute lit coals evenly. Gave up and, now, just reach in and (quickly!!) smooth the lit coals with my LEATHER BBQ gloves on. (Still have all my fingers!)

[fzxdoc]

You're a brave guy, Mike! Those coals must make that leather sizzle just a bit. I think Jerod trimmed down a large chimney so it would fit better in the PBC for coal dumping. But then he prefers the lighter fluid method nowadays. I had read early on in the general PBC topic to buy a smaller chimney and was glad to have come across the information before I made the purchase, since I didn't own a chimney before I got the PBC.

Hang on to those fingers!

Kathryn

[jtabasco54]

That has been my precise experience! Follow the original instructions and you get the best balance of temperature regulation and length of burn. I am curious why others have needed to modify the instructions. Interesting.

[Mayhem Mike]

fzxdoc (aka Kathryn--or is it the other way around?): The key to safely using fingers in leather gloves to smooth out the coals in the PBC basket is not to keep them in the coals so long that they become "fall off the bone" tender!

[fzxdoc]

Good plan, Mike.

Kathryn

[fzxdoc]

BTW, have you seen these gloves that Marcel posted about on the PBC general forum? I think I might need some.

http://www.northernsafety.com/Produc...Hi-Temp-Gloves

Protects in any temperature

Avoid worker injury by providing these heat resistant, wool lined, Kevlar® backed gloves for working around high temperatures.

• Aluminized backing, over blended Kevlar® and para aramid blend fabric palm, reflects 90% of radiant heat away from back of hand for optimum protection
• Rugged 14" glove, with 11 oz. wool lining, provides radiant heat and abrasion resistance
• Protects in any temperature up to 1200°F radiant heat and 900°F short contact heat
• Clean easily with warm mild soap and water

Fight high temperatures with Aluminized Back Hi-Temp Gloves. Blended Kevlar and para aramid blend fabric with aluminized backing reflects heat. You can't go wrong with this hi-temp safety glove. It's designed to reflect heat and keep workers hands protected. Order today.

Marcel says they're better than welder's gloves.

Kathryn

[charchamp]

for lighting charcoal I use an old turkey fryer burner, neighbor of mine enjoys my bbq and thought he would help me by giving me a turkey fryer and in fact he did. I use the big pot to store things in outside and use the base to light my charcoal. best system I have ever used.

[fzxdoc]

I did that once gwelfare65 , and melted the element of my side burner. I left the chimney on the burner for 10 minutes, though. See the topic where I wrote about my snafu here: https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...autionary-tale

Kathryn

[gwelfare65]

fzxdoc, good to know. I'll keep an eye on it.

[gwelfare65]

update: I think I will be ok continuing this method. I have a Weber Summit 400 series grill and the side burner is a stainless steel rack with a cast iron cover over the burner, similar to that in a gas stove.

[PBCJim]

Wanted to chime in on the foil in the bottom of the cooker concept. I went down this road, but not being very artistic or competent in foil manipulation, i went another direction. I "acquired" a cheapo aluminum serving dish from my wife that serves the same purpose and was luckily a perfect fit. The sides were high enough to contain the ash but low and sloped as to not impair the air flow. Simplifies cleanup a bunch.

[Pit Barrel Cooker Co.]

Preparation:

To make a foil liner for the bottom of the PBC: Take 2 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil and crimp them together. Use the lid of the PBC to make an impression on the foil. Fold the foil just inside that impression so that it will fit neatly into the bottom of the barrel. Make sure the foil is as flat as possible so that it won't compromise air flow under the basket.

Place the temperature probe in the meat before taking it to the smoker. That way you can be sure it's exactly where you want it.

Lighting using a chimney

My method:

1. Place the foil liner next to the PBC barrel. Place the empty coal basket on the foil.
2. Fill the basket level with its brim (Kingsford Original), then take 40 briquets out and put in the chimney. (For my cooks so far, there's something magic about this 40 briquet number so I count carefully.)
3. Put 2-3 sheets newspaper (single page width) in the bottom section of the chimney and set aside.
4. Set the basket aside and discard the fine bits of charcoal that have fallen onto the foil.
5. Place the foil into the bottom of the PBC barrel. Make sure it is pressed down flat so as not to block the air intake hole or compromise air flow under the basket.
6. Place the basket into the barrel and align the handle in the same orientation as the rebars. That way longer pieces of meat won't touch the handle and the meat will drip directly onto the coals.
7. Place chimney on the grate in the PBC and light the newspaper.
8. Allow 15 min for the chimney burn (10 min at sea level, 20 min at 5000+ feet)
9. Holding the chimney in one hand, remove the grate and set aside. Pour the hot coals over the cold coals in the basket.
10. Use one end of the rebar to evenly distribute these glowing coals.
11. Place the rebars in the holes and add the (already probed) meat. Holding one (still-cool) rebar, slip it out of one hole and push the plug end of the meat temp probe through the hole. Re-seat the rebar.
12. Place the smoker temp probe in the PBC.
13. Close the lid securely. No smoke should come out of the lid's seam.
14. If after 5 to 10 min the temp has not come up to 340 to 360 degF, crack the lid but watch closely because the temp can run away. Get the temp up to 340-360, re-seat the lid firmly. The temp should settle in the 270 to 290 range.
15. For a 225-250 deg F range, Step 14 is not necessary.

Note 1: This is similar to the PBC-recommended method on their video with the exception using the foil liner, inserting the temp probe before placing the meat in the smoker and adjusting the temperature after the meat has been added.

Note 2: I use the smaller sized Weber chimney because it allows more room in the barrel to distribute the coals

*****

David Parrish's method (from the PBC forum):

I used the chimney method for the lighting process. I didn't really pay attention to times, but I can speak to the process.
1) Fill PBC basket full of charcoal. Transfer coal into Weber Chimney until it is 3/4 full.
2) Light chimney using a Weber lighter cube. Let coals mostly ash over.
3) Once chimney coal is mostly ashed over, pour lit coal back into PBC basket and put basket in PBC.
4) Let coals continue to heat up for a few minutes until all are mostly ashed over.
5) Throw on the meat, close the lid, watch for peak temp about 5 minutes later. The peak temp is the best indication of how well you lit your charcoal. I aim for 380 to 420. Anything lower means I didn't get the charcoal lit well enough. Anything higher means I've got too much airflow. Usually this is due to the lid being cracked.
Attached are pics of how the coals looked at the end of steps 2 and 4. I also added a pic of the meat on the PBC just before I closed the lid. The temp peaked at 419F about 6 minutes later. Success!

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[ATTACH=CONFIG]n12621[/ATTACH]



Lighting using charcoal starter:

The method for lighting the coals using charcoal starter is shown in the PBC video on their website.

Many PBC users say that the temperatures are more consistent when using the charcoal starter method.

Notes from PBC users:

1. You must wait until all the coals are ashed over before putting the lid on to be sure the fluid has burned off. (Max Good)
2. One PBC user (on the general PBC forum) said that "the biggest mistake is not using ENOUGH lighter fluid. The more, the better. When I first light it, the PBC should look like a scene out of Rocky--a trash can with flames shooting out of it. This will quickly burn off any lighter fluid and get a consistent top-layer of coals heated up. After 10 minutes (I am at sea level), I put the lid on and am ready to roll.You must absolutely follow Noah's instructions on this, including pouring the lighter fluid on the coals when it is still outside the PBC, then immediately put the basket in the PBC and light the coals. My cooks have become much more consistent this way."

To maintain temperatures:

Temperature too high:
Stuff some aluminum foil in the holes surrounding the rebars. That will cool things down pretty quickly.

Temperature too low:
Crack the lid a half an inch or so and watch the temperature closely or it will get away from you. Overshoot your desired temperature by 20-30 degF and then re-seat the lid.

More temp tips:
Jerod B. says that the side nearest the vent runs hotter for the first couple of hours of the cook, then the other side seems to take over but never gets as hot, probably due to the drippings.

One PBC user has had success in maintaining the desired temperature by putting a square of foil over the air intake hole, adjusting it as necessary to control the amount of oxygen getting to the coals. I haven't tried this yet but it sounds like an idea worth investigating.

Many PBC users add the coals to the basket outside of the PBC and then quickly pick up the basket with an insulated glove on the hand and set it inside the barrel.

One PBC user recommended using a garden rake to lift the hot basket up by its handle (when lit outside of the PBC) and place it in the barrel, or to remove the hot basket from the barrel at the end of the cook and to place the coals in a closed grill or some other receptacle to save them for the next cook. On occasion I forget to align the basket's handle with the rebars at the beginning of the cook, so the rake method would be a good way to align it the way I want.

At the end of the cook:
After dumping the cooled coals from the basket, I carefully fold up the foil liner, trapping all of the ash inside and dispose of it as well.

Kathryn

Here are the proper lighting instructions that we recommend. These can be found on our website and also in the included brochure that comes with your PBC. The PBC will run between 285-310 degrees if following these lighting procedures.

Instructions For Your Pit Barrel Cooker.

1. Set up the Pit Barrel Cooker in open area (outside!)
2. Remove Horseshoe Stand from inside the barrel and place the Pit Barrel Cooker on top.
3. Remove charcoal basket from bottom of barrel and place on ground.
4. Lighting with lighter fluid: Fill your charcoal basket level and apply lighter fluid, place charcoal basket in your PBC, light the coals with the lid off and let burn for 12-15 minutes for elevations between sea level and 2000 ft, all other elevations will let your coals burn for 20 minutes.
5. Lighting with a chimney: Fill your charcoal basket level, remove 1/4 of them (40 briquets) and place in your chimney, light the coals with the lid off and let burn for 12-15 minutes for elevations between sea level and 2000 ft, all other elevations will let your coals burn for 20 minutes.
6. If hanging meat- remove grill grate and place metal rods in pre-cut holes. Insert stainless steel hooks through the meat (refer to video demonstrations on our website for more info) and hang meat from metal rods inside the Pit Barrel Cooker, put the lid on and let the meat cook to perfection
7. If grilling- remove metal rods and insert grill grate, place meat on grill grate and grill as you would on a standard grill (Lid off)

[lowandslowdadio]

I start with a chimney but drizzel a little olive oil on the newspaper. It always starts first time.

[Guy]

This is great thanks for doing all of that.

[fzxdoc]

You're welcome, Guy. Not every method works for everyone, so be sure to keep trying until you find what works for you!

Kathryn

[Guy]

By the way did you ever get a pair of those gloves? Did they work?

Guy