PBC or PBX???

[Grillin Dad]

Through a series of fortunate events (well, fortunate for me anyways), the timing was right for me to have “the talk” with my wife. I’ve currently got a Weber Performer (22” kettle + cart) that I’ve gotten pretty handy smoking with. The only problem is that I’ve got 3 young boys (5, 7, and 8 yrs), a younger daughter (4 yrs), and in-laws that lives in town who feel free to show up whenever I fire it up. So I’m outgrowing my Performer pretty fast. My wife has agreed to allow me to get a Pit Barrel Cooker as well as an additional charcoal grill of my choice later down the road (awesome, I know. It’s a combination of she’s great and I’ve got a ton of ‘good husband’ and ‘sympathy’ points built up). I was going to hold off on getting the barrel until they have a good sale, maybe around Memorial Day. Welp, I got an email this morning from PBC saying that they’re having a 15% off site wide sale through April 20!! So I gotta move fast!!

So, the big question is whether I should get the standard 18.5” PBC or the big boy 22” PBX? Generally speaking, I anticipate having to cook 5-6 racks of ribs (we like St. Louis over baby back), 2 whole chickens, 2 pork butts, OR one 18 - 20 lb turkey (but doing 2 for leftovers would be nice) at any one time. I understand that the standard 18.5” PBC is capable of handling this type of capacity. However, based on what I’ve read here, when you run the PBC at full capacity, keeping the coals lit can be a bit tricky (from too much meaty juice goodness dripping on and extinguishing the coals). Plus, it would be nice to be able to do more during events (such as my father-in-law’s 70th birthday this June … one reason my wife agreed to the PBC). So I am wondering if the larger PBX would be the better cooker? However, according to the PBC website, the PBX is a bit of a charcoal hog. The website states that the standard PBC basket holds 9 lbs of charcoal, while the PBX takes 14 lbs to fill. That’s nearly a whole bag!! Plus, I’ve read comments here that the PBX is a bit ‘finicky’ to run, at least compared to the PBC.

So what says you pitmaster community? Will the standard PBC adequately fill my needs? Or will I be more happy with the PBX? For relatively shorter cooks (such as ribs and poultry), can I fill the PBX basket only half full, or does it really need to be completely filled in order to run properly? Is the original PBC really the better, more stable, cooker, or is there just a learning curve for people switching from PBC to PBX?

I really hope my above statements make sense. It’s late and we just got back from a fairly spontaneous family getaway, which involved me driving home for the last 7 hours. I’m beat. Plus I have a long work day tomorrow. So please forgive any nonsensical ramblings above. But I really want to take advantage of this sale and my wife’s good blessing while I can. Thanks in advance!!!

[tstalafuse]

I don't own the Pit Barrel cooker, but I would go with the largest one since you are out growing your current cooker. Those boys are going to become teenage bottomless food pits, so the extra space will future proof the amount of food you can cook at a time.

I also wouldn't say the PBX is necessarily a fuel hog just because it holds more charcoal. A larger cooker needs more fuel to run, which is true of any cooker. I have the OKJ Bronco Pro (same size as the PBX) and usually still have unlit charcoal even after a long cook.

As far as finicky, everything I have read says any of the sizes can be somewhat finicky due to the lack of built in temp control. They are designed to run at 275-300, and that is what they do. No experience with drippings putting out the fire. The OKJ has a heat shield that gets hot enough to burn off the drippings.

Anyway, go big or go hungry! Good luck.

[Spinaker]

I own the PBX and a few PBCs. (Yes, really, 🚬🤓)

The PBX is an absolute tank! You certainly get the extra capacity and I love it for that. You get three rods down the middle plenty of real estate for all the meats you want and it rolls right along just as well as the other PBCs.

It does take more fuel but that’s to be expected. If you are cooking for crowds, no question the PBX is better suited for that, if you already are getting a performer, you have your low-mid level capacity covered. There really is no better rig for the foot print than the PBX, friends.

You certainly can load half the basket and let it rip. Temp control is about the same in my experience.

[fzxdoc]

We were both writing our posts at the same time. I'm glad you gave your 2 pennies' worth of advice, which is worth a million bucks, actually, before inflation.

I'm sure it will be much appreciated by Grillin Dad . That photo alone makes ME want to buy a PBX as well!

Kathryn

[Grillin Dad]

Yeah, I think you’re right. I’ve got the kettle for medium cooks, but the PBX will be awesome for the larger ones. Plus, I forgot to mention in my original post, we usually get a pig every year and I like to cure and smoke my own bacon from the belly. With the kettle it was always a bit of a pain because I had to do it in batches, 2 or 3 slabs at time. With this baby, I could smoke the entire belly in one swoop!!

[fzxdoc]

I routinely smoke 2 whole (large 4.5 to 5 lb) chickens (split) and 2 sausage racks filled with sausages (12 sausages total). While my PBC can handle that load, before I installed an ATC that particular cook would sometimes take longer because chickens love dousing areas of a fire whenever they can.

The PBC without ATC would cook that load just fine, but I usually ended up keeping the lid cracked for most of the cook, and the cook itself would take longer (maybe 20-30 minutes longer) if the ambient temp fell below 350° or so. Usually a chicken cook takes between 60-75 min on my PBC at 350°ish for large chickens.

While I was used to that scenario for a loaded (large) chicken/sausage cook and allowed for it, it made cooking while entertaining and getting the rest of the meal to come out at the same time more of a chore, since I'm the sole cook in the house. That particular cook was the biggest reason why I installed the Pit Viper fan and the Fireboard Drive setup (ATC) on my PBC. Now I enjoy more predictability in the ETA of that double chicken/double sausage rack meal.

I never have that problem for 5 racks of ribs or so, just with the Drippy Chicken Syndrome on big chicken cooks.

Since you have a growing family (those boys will be inhaling food before too long, I imagine), and want to cook for large crowds, the PBX sounds like the better choice. That said, I have never used one, so I can't address the ambient temp consistency/charcoal use etc. metrics for it but I hope someone like Spinaker comes along and does, since I believe he has used both the PBC and the PBX. What I can say is that once you learn the idiosyncrasies of most smokers, you can make them do your bidding, and the PBX should be no exception.

ETA: Oops, while I was typing this post, Spinaker did jump in with great advice. Yay!

Kathryn

[Grillin Dad]

Thanks for the advice!! Talked it over with the wife, and she’s fully on board with the larger PBX!! I think you’re right, with the growing boys, we’re going to want the extra space. My 7 year old ate 8 tacos yesterday! Ugh.

I’ve got an old PartyQ that I use for the kettle, glad to hear that I should be able to set it up with the PBX as well!!

[Midwest Economist]

You can never have too much capacity! Somewhere out there is a trail of broken dreams, littered with all the stories of humans who regret not buying the next larger size….

[Brian_M]

You can cook a small meal in a big cooker. You can’t cook a big meal in a small cooker.

However, if you develop your MCS skills you could cook a big meal in several small cookers…

[Duanessmokedmeats]

I have 2 PBXs and 1 PBC.
All stay in about the same temp range. PBX runs 275 to 300, PBC runs 270 to 290.
Nice thing about the PBX you can do 2 turkeys, and leave the middle bar out, to get the temps @325 to 375 for crispy skin.
Also look at the Pit Barrel forum for a lot of info on these great cookers.

[MsTwiggy]

Now that’s the finisher, leave the center rebar out for poultry!! PBX for sure, especially with all the folks you will be feeding🔥🔥🔥🐿️

[itsnotmyfault]

I have been using my PBC for over 7 years now, and still love it. I have been smoking Ribs, Brisket, Butts, and various other appetizers, and anything else you can cook in a smoker for my family of 9 (last time I checked) which includes 3 grown kids, spouses and grand children. Just like Spinaker , and fzxdoc, I have been very happy with the PBC. I am really wanting the increased capacity of the PBX though. May have to pull the trigger soon, like real soon! I believe the PBX would probably better suit your increasing capacity needs also!

[Grillin Dad]

I think you’re right. PBX it is!!!

[STEbbq]

I think this is a very easy decision for the PBX. With your family, it make sense, and you can learn the charcoal management over time. There is a ton of great information over with the stickies in the PBC forum.

[HawkerXP]

PBX, PBX, PBX!

[klflowers]

I knew you would eventually chine in. With shouts this time

[HawkerXP]

https://pitbarrelcooker.com/collections/cookers

Hurry!

[Grillin Dad]

Just put the order in. PBX!!!!

[hoovarmin]

I turned a buddy on to the PBC a few years ago and about a year ago he got the PBX. He gave his PBC away the other day and cooks exclusively on the X now. I would go with the PBX without a doubt.

[Livermoron]

I did the same thing. Still learning the PBX, but the extra real estate has come in handy already.

[bbq_esq]

If the X existed when I got mine, I would have got that

[Grillin Dad]

Alright, looks like it is a unanimous vote. Just talked it over with my wife, she is fully on board with the big boy PBX!! I just put in my order, along with the ash pan (anything to make clean up easier), turkey hooks (2 turkeys at once is a no brainer), and an extra set of hooks. Order should be here by the end of the week, which is great because we’re celebrating my son’s birthday this weekend. Now I just have to decide on the inaugural cook!!!

[Midwest Economist]

Victory! 🏆

[Duanessmokedmeats]

Pork Butt X-large

[fzxdoc]

Sounds like you made the perfect choice for your needs, Grillin Dad .

Keep us posted on your first (and subsequent) cooks on it.

Kathryn

[Grillin Dad]

Will do! Thanks again for your advice. I was already leaning towards the X, but you and Spinaker pushed me over the edge (my wiser-than-I wife also had a large say). I've read through your PBC stickies, lot of good info there. They're forecasting rain all next weekend, but hopefully that will change. Can't wait to get the big barrel and get smoking!