First season with PBC

[GrillingDad_CZ]

Hello fellow pitmasters,

I bought my PBC in February and since April it has been on duty. I tried as many meats and different cuts as possible to climb up the learning curve.
I have done brisket point yesterday, my third brisket overall and I have to swear on PBC's set and forget philosophy.
My observations so far:
1. It works better with briquettes than with charcoal, no temp spikes, more even cook and steady temp with longer running time.
2. For some reason my PBC almost exclusively run at 150 °C/300 °F.
3. After couple of attempts I have achieved juicy chicken, but not yet the crispy skin. Work in progress....
4. Smoked/grilled peaches and pineapples are lovely.
5. Preboiled potatoes, peeled and smoked for hour or two get nice crispy/smoky crust.
6. The fatty the meat the more flavoursome the results and tenderness.
7. Unpeeled smoked garlic great as ingredient for some other recipes.
8. Wood chunks NOT a must. The results are awesome as they are.

I have done approx. 15 sessions this summer so far and looking for many more to come.

Martin

[HawkerXP]

PBJ, PBC, PBX!

[bbqLuv]

There HawkerXP goes again. 😯😜
whats the difference? PBJ, PBC, PBX!
14"~$300, 18.5"~$400 and 22.5"~$600

[bbqLuv]

Had to look it up.

[Michael_in_TX]

bbqLuv What is really weird is that the PBX is selling for $150-$200 at Academy's and Bucc-ees. I thought it was a deep promotional price, but people are still picking them up locally at those prices. It makes no sense to me. The PBX is nearly half-price of a standard PBC.

[fzxdoc]

That is such a delicious-looking brisket, GrillingDad_CZ .

It's good to hear that you're enjoying cooking on your PBC. It's an easy cooker to love, because it performs so well.

About getting crispy skin on your chicken, this is a good topic for you to read through:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/charcoal-drums-barrels-and-bullet-smokers/pit-barrel-cooker/186632-pull-chicken-early-and-crisp-skin-on-grill#post186632

About your 300°F average temp, two things come to mind.
1. Is the lid on tight enough, with no smoke leaks seen anywhere? You'd be surprised how even a small lid leak can up the smoking temp.

2. How are you measuring your PBC's ambient temperature? I use 2 ambient probes for every single cook, placed on opposite sides of the barrel, about an inch in from the barrel's sides. They can and will differ from each other by as much as 40-60°F at times during the cook, often coming closer together as the cook proceeds. Sometimes the hotter temp will switch sides too. For that reason, I take the average of these two temps, which stays always in the sweet spot of 250-275°F during most cooks.

Oh, and one more thing about chicken--are you smoking at 350°+? That helps to crisp the skin.

Kathryn

[GrillingDad_CZ]

That is such a delicious-looking brisket, GrillingDad_CZ .

It's good to hear that you're enjoying cooking on your PBC. It's an easy cooker to love, because it performs so well.

About getting crispy skin on your chicken, this is a good topic for you to read through:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/charcoal-drums-barrels-and-bullet-smokers/pit-barrel-cooker/186632-pull-chicken-early-and-crisp-skin-on-grill#post186632

About your 300°F average temp, two things come to mind.
1. Is the lid on tight enough, with no smoke leaks seen anywhere? You'd be surprised how even a small lid leak can up the smoking temp.

2. How are you measuring your PBC's ambient temperature? I use 2 ambient probes for every single cook, placed on opposite sides of the barrel, about an inch in from the barrel's sides. They can and will differ from each other by as much as 40-60°F at times during the cook, often coming closer together as the cook proceeds. Sometimes the hotter temp will switch sides too. For that reason, I take the average of these two temps, which stays always in the sweet spot of 250-275°F during most cooks.

Oh, and one more thing about chicken--are you smoking at 350°+? That helps to crisp the skin.

Kathryn

I had leakage from the lid, but that seems fixed with "the gunk" after couple of cooks. I don't mind having this kind of temp as there is huge margin for error using PBC and I read through the forums here and it seems everybody has a bit different experience with PBC, each PBC seems unique the way it behaves.

I do have one analogue thermometer placed on the grill grate. Not sure how accurate it is though. I might try measure in different way(s).

Regarding chicken I have to yet find out how to tweak higher temps with one/two rebars out and opened lid.

[itsnotmyfault]

Glad you are enjoying your PBC. I really enjoy mine. In fact, I just purchased a PBX a month or so ago, and getting ready to add it to the rota.

Another note on the temp. After I bought my PBC 7 years ago, I also was running higher then normal temps on a consistent basis. Turned out I was running the probe cables under the lid. That was enough to raise the cooker temps. After realizing this I ran the cables through the rebar holes and that resolved the issue. Just wanted to mention that. As Kathryn says, just a little bit of air makes a huge difference. Your results look awesome, keep up the good work!

[au4stree]

You done good on that brisket, real good. I love my PBC. With all the MCS acquisitions over the years, I still cook on my PBC. You simply can’t beat the chicken and brisket, IMO.

[Michael_in_TX]

The fat vaporizing on the coals is indeed a unique flavor. I, once, forced myself to do some ribs without wood chunks. While the wood smoke flavor was absent, it brought the complementary "pit" flavor into focus. You don't get that on other-style cookers.

Mine also tends to want to hug 300 F. If I want/need to draw out a cook, I'll plug two of the holes, which will get me down to 260-270 F or so.

I've also found that straight standard KBB works the best for me. In my experience it is extremely consistent.

[TripleB]

I do pork butts (aka The Renown Mr. Brown) on my PBC. Load with coals, add the butt to the grate with a thermometer, mop on occasion and let her rip until done. Easy peasy.

Great to hear you are enjoying your PBC. Try smoking a chuck on the PBC. Cooks much faster and delicious.

[bbqLuv]

Nice report on your learning experience. That is exactly what I am looking for in Amazing Ribs' support community.
Well done PBC Pitmaster.