Originally posted by miked
View Post
what do you guys do?
-
This is extremely helpful as I'm about to do my first butt and want to be prepared. thanks for posting! What I struggle with is if I get temps over 300 I'm going to be tempted to use foil to bring down to 250-275....but I wonder if its necessary...or do I just leave it alone and let it do its thing. Seems like if yours came out perfect I should just leave alone.
what do you guys do? -
I have been experimenting with beef roasts on my PBC and would appreciate some guidance. I have noticed members taking the final internal temperature to above 200F. My confusion is why to take the internal temp above 200F if "done" is below 200F (~160F). Thanks!Comment
-
"done" and "ready" are two different things. If cooking a steak or prime rib roast, there is not a lot of connective tissue, done is 115 and 140 deg.Chicken is "done" at 160-165 because bacteria is killed off.But with brisket,chuck pork shoulder, you need to cook past 170 to start melting the collagen and tissues. You can eat a brisket at 160, but it will taste a lot better,be more tender at 200.
-
-
Wow ... your seemingly simple question has many, many different answers. You could narrow it down for us a bit and tell us a few things likeOriginally posted by colin View Post- what kind of roast (e.g., chuck, standing rib, brisket, etc.)
- what grade of roast (select, choice, prime, etc.)
- what do you plan to do with it (slice vs. pull)
- what degree of "doneness" are you shooting for
- and anything else that might be helpful to know ...
Comment
-
Temps > 300 are nothing in the PBC. It's a cooker and not a smoker. By that I mean it creates a very humid environment for cooking. Even people using smokers will do brisket at 300. Don't sweat it if you end up running in the 300-325 range. I've even done a brisket around 350 and it turned out great. I didn't mean to have it run at 350, it just did on one of my initial cooks before I had a good seal on my lid.Originally posted by stickbit View PostComment
-
stickbit , with a good initial light and snug fitting lid, your PBC should come down below 300°F within the first 45 minutes or so of the cook. Be sure that your lid is on tight as phoccer mentioned, since even a very small lid leak can keep the initial temps up for a very long time.
I seldom foil the rebar holes because I don't like to force the PBC temp down. The PBC likes to run high. Pork butt is very forgiving, so some high temps within the first couple of hours shouldn't affect how tender and juicy the final product is. Believe me, it will be tender and juicy!
It took me a year or so of using my PBC to come to the realization that I shouldn't mess too much with the temperature unless it drops too low. I always have two ambient probes in the PBC, one on the vent side and one opposite. Those two probes can have readings as much as 40° different in the first few hours of a cook, so that taught me not to mess with foiling rebars or cracking the lid unless absolutely necessary.
Let us know how your cook turned out.
KathrynComment
-
Hello,
I tried a boneless rib roast of about 3.5 lbs in the PBC last night. Temp was a pretty steady 370 to 380. Meat went in internal temp 55. Removed at internal temp 115. That took 40 minutes. Browned up the roast directly on the coals a minute or so each side. Pretty much the most perfect roast I'v ever had... IMHO
Comment
-
Katheryn,
I kept the lid on tight the whole time. It was a windy day so I think the temp kept up for that reason. I used a full basket of lump hardwood and lit with 40 count KBC pieces.
For browning I just reach down and place gently on the hottest part of glowing coals. Wear a good glove and long sleeves and it's easy. I use the hook to handle and turn.
I cook on coals pretty often. It's how my Italian grandad did it. With a normal steak you can just do the whole cook right on there. Or start on coals for browning up then move to offset on grate and cover to finish. Here are some pics of this but done on BGE. Gives a nice deep flavor.
Comment
-
Beautiful photos, Dizzydog . They should go into a BBQ magazine or book. Wow.
Sounds like you had it nailed on the PBC. I'm short (5'2") so reaching down in to a hot PBC might be more of a challenge. That sear you got must have been a thing of beauty.
Do you mind if I put your boneless rib roast cook details on this PBC Cook Times sticky topic first post?
And, just as an aside, how do you compare your PBC cooks (taste, cook times, etc.) with your BGE cooks? Do you prefer one over the other?
KathrynLast edited by fzxdoc; May 13, 2018, 06:58 AM.Comment
-
Thanks! For sure please add info to the post if you like. Yes I'm 6"4 so I think maybe that helps with the reaching in to the bottom of PBC...
As for PBC vs BGE. I have been cooking on BGE for 8 years and PBC for a short time so am still learning. What I know is it is far easier to control temps in BGE and the option of heat shield is aways nice. For very long low cooking I like the Egg. Pork shoulders are an example. Pizza from BGE cannot be beat by anything short of the ovens in Naples.
The PBC seems to run hot which is okay as long as I expect it. Meats from PBC are just great. For results the overall flavor coming out of PBC is more complex and I'd say better. The thing I learned is that PBC will result in more smoke flavor (especially with Chicken or fish) so less fresh wood is better. I usually use lump hardwood which is good. Mostly red oak.
Lighting PBC now to make ribs w Memphis dust for the second time and will double hook as one rack fell last time. (which for me is not a deal breaker really)Comment
-
Enjoy those ribs--I'm making them for Mother's Day dinner too, but am using my WSCGC with SnS/DnG. Thanks too for the BGE/PBC comparison.
And finally, thanks for letting me add your rib roast data to the list.
KathrynComment
-
I was having trouble finding cook times on Pork Tenderloin the other day, so I figured I'd post what I remember about my cook. I will update with more detail next time I cook some. (There definitely will be a next time, this was the best pork tenderloin I ever cooked!)
I had one of those pork tenderloin two packs. Each piece was a little over 1 pound. It was kind of a last minute cook. My wife and kids went off to gymnastics, and I was told to have dinner ready in two hours. I fired up the PBC , and while the chimney was going, I unpacked the meat, trimmed the fat and peeled off some of the silver skin. I then salted it and sprinkled on some Memphis dust. Once the PBC was ready to go, I hooked and hung both pieces. I believe the temps were in the 280-300 range, and I pulled them off after 45 minutes when the IT was 150 degrees.
At this point, I was panicking. I still had about 30 minutes before my family was home, and the pork was done! I covered them with foil and put them in the oven at 170.
I then decided to throw the grate on the PBC and crack the lid to get the temp up. I quartered 3 red and yellow bell peppers the long way, tossed them with some olive oil and spices, and threw them on the grate. I cooked them for about 20 minutes, flipping them after 10. I was pulling them off the cooker as my family pulled into the driveway! Last minute PBC win!
Next time I will be sure to take notes on times and temps and I'll update this post. I'll also be sure to take pictures!
In the mean time, if you haven't tried cooking pork tenderloin in the PBC, you should. It was excellent!Comment
-
Thanks for sharing. I'll be sure to refer to this... it seems my cooks always finish a few hours after I planned.Comment
-
Hello again. One of many and ongoing good experiences with PBC. Another rib roast this time about 7 Lbs. Into PBC at internal temp 40 F. Barrel at 380 to 430 f. 45 Mins to internal 115 f. Used hardwood lump and added 1 chunk cherry wood. (from Fruita, as suggested) Very nice smoky crispy edges with pure beef flavor inside. Bonus is if the barrel is really hot I found a use for some ripe peaches. Grill on grate and have a nice side or a dessert with ice cream
Attached FilesComment
-
This just validates my experience at 5300 ft. in Denver. The PBC website says that roast should have taken 2-21/2 hours to 135. Every time I cook it takes a fraction of the recommended time -- a 6 bone short rib rack is done in an hour and baby backs in 45, and a tri-tip is 35 minutes (which is also confirmed somewhere above). Halved chickens are 30 minutes. -
Matt Dalton You are not incompetent. Time plus temp = result. Pay no attention to anything aside from what, in your experience shows good result. This thread is very helpful because fzxdoc has documented the PBC experience so carefully and her stats seem to always be true. I have found NONE of the time/temp reco's from the PBC site to be true for me.As we say in Moto life, ride your own ride
-
-
Comment
-
The world sure is a small place! In that case, there's a small restaurant called Svartengrens, located on Tulegatan 24 in Stockholm. (See http://www.svartengrens.se/). They sure know how to cook picanha, hanger steak, skirt steak et.c. A little gem.
-
#133.2
Matt Dalton commented
Yesterday, 05:55 PM
This just validates my experience at 5300 ft. in Denver. The PBC website says that roast should have taken 2-21/2 hours to 135. Every time I cook it takes a fraction of the recommended time -- a 6 bone short rib rack is done in an hour and baby backs in 45, and a tri-tip is 35 minutes (which is also confirmed somewhere above). Halved chickens are 30 minutes.- Flag
#133.3
Matt Dalton commented
Yesterday, 05:58 PM
Or am I completely incompetent?
**************************************************
Matt Dalton , no way are you incompetent. Every PBC runs a bit differently. However, from your cook times it seems as though your PBC may be running in the 350 to 400°F range. "Normal" for a PBC is around 260° to 290°F with Kingsford Original charcoal. Whenever a PBC runs that hot (with Kingsford Original, and not, say, lump), it's usually because the lid is not on tight enough or there is a leak in the lid/barrel seam even when the lid is on tight. A lid leak usually has a greater effect on shorter cooks, that is, its effect in causing super high temps seems to diminish as the cook goes on. If you see wisps of smoke coming out from anywhere around the lid, get rid of it and your PBC temps will settle down.
Are you using a remote thermometer like a Maverick to check the temp inside your PBC during the cooks? If so, what does it read?
FWIW, I usually use two ambient probes, one on the vent side and one on the side opposite the vent, for every cook, placed about mid level of the meat and 2 inches or more away from the meat so as not to experience the meat shadow effect. I can tell quickly if my lid is not seated tight enough. I use 2 probes because the temps can differ by as much as 40-50°F from one side of the barrel to the other. Using the average keeps me from fiddling with the PBC temps too much.
KathrynComment
Comment