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Getting the "hang" of this...

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    Getting the "hang" of this...

    Hey all, love this channel and all the discussion and hoping to get some expert opinions on a couple questions I have. I got a PBJ in Dec and am finally getting some time to play around with it. My 6th cook was last night and turned out very well, the details:
    • Outdoor temp: 22 F with calm winds
    • 3.25 lb whole chicken hung on the turkey hanger (bigger birds I typically halve)
    • 20 Briquettes of KBB in chimney, 20 Briquettes of B&B in basket
    • Used fzxdoc's lighting method with a starter cube but skipped step 16
    • Temperature stayed steady at 305-308 for the first 1:15 of the cook
      • This was the first cook where I felt dialed in so that alone was a big win​
    • Cracked the lid at the hour-and-a-half mark to get the temps up above 350
    • Finished in a bit over 2 hours and was possibly the best whole chicken I've done
    All-in-all, very happy with the only change being to run maybe a little bit hotter in the cook.

    So, questions I have:
    1. While the temp settled in nicely they were a bit higher than expected. Do people believe that the temps I hit were more a product of the cooker still being relatively new or the fact that there was a lesser amount of meat in the grill? My elevation is about 1000 feet and I believe i have the bottom vent set as such.
    2. Since all of my cooks have been in below freezing temperatures, what should my expectations be on the cooker behavior when the weather turns nicer? Anything I may need to watch for?
    Thanks in advance!
    Attached Files

    #2
    Click image for larger version

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ID:	1379649 Click image for larger version  Name:	CDCECE49-B8BB-40ED-B70A-A18C9C5E9D49.jpg Views:	0 Size:	3.91 MB ID:	1379550 I can tell you, I leave one of the rebar out and hang the poultry hanger from the one. The extra openings get my temps up into the mid to high 300s.
    Last edited by HawkerXP; February 18, 2023, 03:32 PM.

    Comment


    • Finster
      Finster commented
      Editing a comment
      Your poultry hanger is different than mine.
      Mine lays across both bars, so I can't remove one. I just crack the lid to get the temp up.
      I did see a post on the book of faces where somebody just used one of the regular hooks to somehow hang a whole chicken....

    • HawkerXP
      HawkerXP commented
      Editing a comment
      I have the cross menber as well. I don't use it. I slide the hanger onto the rebar. Finster

    • Finster
      Finster commented
      Editing a comment
      HawkerXP
      That's because you're smahter than me...lol
      I didn't even realize that's what you did.
      I'm claiming bad eyesight and small phone 🤷‍♂️

    #3
    Most PBCs have lid leaks and will run a bit hot for the first several cooks, until the lid "gunks up." I mitigated this by wrapping two bricks in towels and placing them on the lid. I probably don't need them anymore now after three years, but I keep using them.

    I have found my PBC to be slightly sensitive to wind and temperature, although my temperature extremes are no where near yours. I often find myself plugging one or two holes with foil for cooks over three hours in the summer months.

    I think you'll really enjoy the cooker. I love its light weight and simplicity, and, of course, the flavor it imparts. There is a bit of a learning curve, but it is not steep and is mostly just figuring out by tweaking what works for you consistently in your environment.

    And, of course, the two best pieces of PBC advice:
    1. Keep that lid on as much as you can. You will eventually have a cook (we all do) in which we leave it off too long and you're fighting a 400+F fire that you can't tame.
    2. Always double hook your ribs.

    Comment


    • mww5440
      mww5440 commented
      Editing a comment
      I was debating between the this one, the Bronco and the WSM. You nailed the 3 main points that I like. Plus my wife loves the flavor of charcoal but not a ton of smoke. I got a Weber Performer and a Weber Summit so I just needed "simple done well" for my other cooker.

      I will consider the bricks -- that would make sense. May consider putting on a gasket that I've read others have done. Thanks!

    #4
    Well, if I must say somethin, that is one outstanding lookin yardbird! Any advice I can give is to cook more chicken, yessir!

    Comment


      #5
      I don’t have the PBC but do have a barrel cooker, the OKJ Bronco. I think temps of 350-375 are just right for cooking chicken, it’ll produce crispier skin…..When I’ve cooked a whole chicken years ago at low temps, 225-250, I found the skin to turn out a little rubbery and tough. Sorry, but I can’t answer your specific PBC questions. Great looking bird though, congrats!

      Comment


        #6
        I have a PBJ. It usually runs 250 to 280 which I'm OK with. I use these to help regulate temperature. There are 4, one for each hole. If I'm not using the rebars for hanging I use these. Magnets, size of a quarter. I find adjusting the openings with them refines the temperature easily. Oh BTW, nice looking bird.


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        Comment


        • mww5440
          mww5440 commented
          Editing a comment
          That's pretty cool idea with the magnets -- thanks for sharing. I am looking at doing a roast for my next cook so that would help keep the temp in line.

        • RichieB
          RichieB commented
          Editing a comment
          Finster Amazon. $7.60 for 6.

          Limited-time deal: MIKEDE Neodymium Rare Earth Disc Magnets , Strong Permanent Magnets with Double Sided Adhesive Ideal for Fridge, DIY, Building, Scientific, Craft, etc, 1.26 inch D x 1/8 inch H - 6 Packs https://a.co/d/bJGClEY

        • Finster
          Finster commented
          Editing a comment
          RichieB
          I used the magnets for a cook yesterday..
          A little bit of a learning curve, but I can see where these can be a game changer.
          I did 2 half pans of chex mix. I couldnt fit them side by side, but was able to stack one atop the other on the grate and still get the lid closed. Wouldn't have worked with the bars in.
          Added bonus..they cover the holes completely for snuffing the fire when the cook is done. Less wasted charcoal 👍

        #7
        Nice looking chicken! Isn't it fun when you get the PBC/PBJr dialed in for a cook?

        You've got this from here on out.

        The PBC will run cooler the more meat you have in the cooker. This is especially true for poultry which dump a ton of moisture on the coals. I typically run 3 chickens (split) and 2 racks of sausages (see later). With that load, I'm happy to keep the PBC in the 325 range. The birds take longer than running it at 350+ (50-70min typically), but they're still delicious.

        For one chicken, I position the rebar on the diagonal so the chicken hangs in the center of the barrel for the cook.

        I don't notice much change in the PBC cook times with weather unless it's windy/wet/and cold, but then I cook on a covered, screened in deck, which is pretty protected. Altitude 3700 ft with lower vent set just a bit more open than the recommended setting.

        You may want to take a peek at this post on my technique for smoking chickens in the PBC.

        FWIW: About the chicken/sausage marriage: I have always felt that my PBC chickens taste better when I hang a rack or two of sausages in with them. I poke the sausage closest to the fire so it drips its fat onto the fire during the cook. I take the sausages up to 180° (30-40 minutes) because the folks I cook for like snappy sausage skin. Occasionally I'll put them under the broiler for a couple of minutes just before serving because my family likes a bit of a char, and to get rid of the "tan lines" from the sausage hanger.

        Kathryn

        Comment


        • Finster
          Finster commented
          Editing a comment
          But tan lines are sexy….even on sausage

          And….snappy sausage skin would be a good punk band name 😎🎶

        • mww5440
          mww5440 commented
          Editing a comment
          Thanks fzxdoc! I've seen some of the other posts with sausage and chicken and it must have stuck since I just bought some fresh bratwursts for dinner tonight! Also saw the "baking powder" tip and will need to dig deeper into that.
          Last edited by mww5440; February 19, 2023, 04:19 PM.

        #8
        OKJ has skewers\hanger set of three.
        They work well on birds and as skewers...
        • Heavy-duty, 15-inch stainless-steel skewers
        • Hang vertically, stand up, or lay flat on any grill or smoker grate
        • Great for kebabs, vegetables, whole chicken or turkey
        • Collapsible for easy storage
        • Includes three, universal skewers per pack


        Oklahoma Joe's Super Skewers

        Comment


          #9
          Originally posted by fzxdoc View Post
          I have always felt that my PBC chickens taste better when I hang a rack or two of sausages in with them. I poke the sausage closest to the fire so it drips its fat onto the fire during the cook.
          I've done your variant on this trick by impaling two "sacrificial" Italian sausages on the bottom part of the turkey hanger. That dripping and vaporizing fat gives such a wonderful pit flavor to hanging turkeys/chickens.

          Comment

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