PBX First Cook Tips

[jergles]

Hi all,

Just got my $200 PBX from academy (the hinged grate, poultry hangers, ash catcher, and cover are in the mail)!

I have a few questions before I dive in to a cook, since it seems like a bit of a particular process (I'm coming from a Weber Kettle and a terrible offset, so I have no real frame of reference here).

First, it seems like briquets are favored for this cooker. For that matter, around here it seems briquets are generally favored, and for reasons that make sense to someone who has used lump charcoal for the snake method multiple times (hey, it works). I'm still sitting on about 50 pounds of lump. My question is whether there's a good first cook I could pull off to use up some of that lump. Since it burns hotter and since the PBCs seem to enjoy a good rep for poultry, I'm thinking I should just rip chickens on this thing when I need to burn through lump, is that a reasonable approach? If not I'm happy to just go buy some KBBs and save the lump for grilling, I'm just cheap.

Secondly, does anybody have any good side recipes to take advantage of with the hinged grate? All I've ever really tried is smoked queso/rotel dip (good stuff), and I see potatoes around here sometimes, but I'm really interested in cool uses for that grate area. Sides are a huge weak spot of mine and I'd love to improve there, the PBX seems to present a fun opportunity to improve with all that real estate available. My girlfriend reserved the goofy corn/hot dog/basket hangers for a christmas present, so those may come into the picture eventually.

Thanks!

[RickyBobby]

I’m a big fan of doing sides in my rigs when real estate permits. My wife makes cheesy potatoes that I frequently put in the smoker that are fantastic!!! This recipe is close to what my wife does, but we don’t use the potato chips on top and instead add extra cheese. (https://www.howsweeteats.com/2021/11/cheesy-potatoes/). Another favorite is jalapeño poppers! Pro tip, get yourself a jerky gun and use that to fill your jalapeños with the cream cheese mixture. Makes like SO much easier! Oh, and I use Meatheads Memphis Dust both in my cream cheese mixture and on top of the bacon wrap. Homemade Mac and Cheese is also a winner!

[jergles]

Oh very nice, poppers are genius too!!

[jecucolo]

Chicken is a slam dunk in the pit barrel!
Another thing is a chuck roast. Dry brine and sprinkle some big bad beef rub on it. It is a winner too. Lots of people use lump you don’t need to use briquettes.
Don’t be afraid to hang them. If you do the chuck roast tie it together with some string.

[jergles]

smart thinking, and thanks for confirmation on the lump question!

[Lynn Dollar]

You and I are in the same boat since I've just finished my first PBX cook.

I did learn to follow the advise here and double hook my meats. It saved two racks of ribs from falling into the coal bed.

Somewhere in this forum, there's a pic showing the double hook method. I don't know where or how to find it.

[N227GB]

I hook BBs at the second rib on the thick end. They shouldn't drop as long as they're not overdone.

Posted from my phone.

[HawkerXP]

Here is how I hang turkey / chicken and brisket in the PBC. Can’t find a wib pic.
Never used a PBX but with the pbc removing one rebar when doing poultry will crank the temperature into the mid 300s. That is why I put the hanger onto the rebar.

[Alan Brice]

Man! That bird looks perfect!

[jergles]

thank you for the pics!! why breast down with the bird, does the top get hotter?

[HawkerXP]

You can do either way. I just follow the video on the PBC site.

[hoovarmin]

My PBX arrived yesterday evening and I did a long burn to rid it of any residuals and styrofoam that could be left in it. In my regular PBC I started out with briquets, but then switched exclusively to lump. Over time you will get used to how much lit charcoal you need to add and it will be fine. Also, chicken would be a fine thing to cook first. You might find yourself feeling guilty about how easy it is like I did my first PBC cook 😂.

Great sides on the PB - sweet potatoes, asparagus hung in the basket or on the grate, baking potatoes, corn on the cob are first that come to mind for me.

[jergles]

Awesome to hear! Do you have a fave sweet potato recipe?

[hoovarmin]

jergles I just coat them with olive oil and put them right on the grate till they are probe tender.

Alan Brice I am going to try that Brussel sprout recipe. SPG, or some other seasoning?

[Alan Brice]

SPG works just fine. Cayenne if you want a lil heat.

[itsnotmyfault]

jergles I believe you were looking for some images of double hooking in the PBC/PBX. Here are a couple examples of double Hook with a rack of good ole St. Louie Wibs... Also, when doing just one rack of wibs, I like to use the cross piece for the Turkey hanger to be able to center the one rack in the cooker. Smoke on!

[itsnotmyfault]

Of course with the PBX you can hang em on the middle rebar...I have a brand new PBX, havent unboxed it yet. Itching to get it going though! Will have it out soon.

[Purc]

When I hang ribs in my Bronco, I always leave the membrane on just in case.

[itsnotmyfault]

Makes perfect sense. I pretty much always pull the membrane, but I know in the early days of smoking, I did not. To be honest, don't know if it really makes a difference. May have to leave one on the next time around to see if there really is a difference. Makes sense to help keeping it all together when hanging and getting tender.