Just got my PBC and planning first cook tomorrow (2 chuckies, about 6# together). Will hang them, so curious where to attach the grill probe? I realize the manufactuer's instructions are to just let the PBC do its thing and I intend to, especially at first, but would like to track temps for my own learning curve. I'm sure this has been covered here somewhere but haven't come across it.
I run the probe through one of the holes then place an empty hook in the middle of one of the bars and just kind of drape the cord over the hook so just the probe is hanging with little slack in the cord. I haven't had a problem with it dropping too low or anything like that.
A complaint on the new PBCs is the lid doesn't seal well. A number of people are either wrapping brinks in foil or finding something to place on top of the lid to help seal it up a little better. You can also wrap foil around the lid where you see smoke coming out. After a number of cooks you will get some build up around the lid and it will seal better.
I recommend you go to the PBC sub forum here in the pit if you haven't already and check out a number of the threads about lighting etc... they will help you get going and are packed with great advice. Only other thing I can say is don't try to control an exact temp but maybe try to keep it more in a range... i.e. 275-300 over the duration of the cook.
> Weber Genesis EP-330
> Grilla Grills Original Grilla (OG) pellet smoker with Alpha/Connect
> Pit Barrel Cooker (gone to a new home)
> WeberQ 2000 (on "loan" to a relative (I'll never see it again))
> Old Smokey Electric (for chickens mostly - when it's too nasty out
to fiddle with a more capable cooker)
> Luhr Jensen Little Chief Electric - Top Loader circa 1990 (smoked fish & jerky)
> Thermoworks Smoke
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> Anova sous vide circulator
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I took a piece of foil and folded it up. Then wrapped it around the metal bar to make it thicker. Then I stuck my ambient probe with clip right over the bar. It stays up right and pointing to the middle like I wanted it.
Thanks Nate, MBMorgan, and jbeck1986! Hung my ET probe over an extra hook and working fine. I'm 6 hrs into the cook and IT is now 192. I'd like to see 209 but unfortunately time is an issue today so with any luck I can avoid a second stall and get it to 203-ish. I am fine with chopping instead of pulling this time.
Around 3.5 hours into the cook my pit temp started falling and when it got below 215 I decided to crack the lid as others have described. That worked beautifully in bringing the temp back up in the 260-280 range. I have had to alternate back and forth between cracked and not cracked lid since then to keep temps up over time. Not that big a deal but a little surprised.
Also, after having beautifully thin blue smoke for the first half of the cook, now I'm getting a moderate amount of white smoke. It smells great, like steaks cooking ðŸ˜, so I'm thinking this is from vaporized drippings and not the fresh ignition of previously unlit charcoal. But is this normal? I wouldn't want to have an extended period of the acrid charcoal lighting white smoke, yuck.
Thanks again for the input. Very helpful!
And fzxdoc, I used your lighting technique and it worked perfectly!
I have to alternate between cracking the lid and having it completely closed sometimes as well.
The white smoke could very well be "steam" from vaporizing juices.
send some pics when done. sounds like a success so far.
The IT via Maverick was showing 201 for about 30 minutes when I checked with my Thermapen. I found temps ranging from 211 on extreme edges to 195 in very center. Decided it was done and brought inside. Due to time constraints I did not faux cambro, just started chopping. The overall end result was AMAZING! Wife and I agreed we may like smoked chuck even more than pulled pork. Also made awesome nachos with leftovers. I used the BBBR with added cumin, and we all loved it. I suppose I'll get around to trying the rubs that came with the PBC eventually but after using the BBBR I'm in no rush, LOL.
Since I like chopped beef I didn't see it as any setback not achieving the 209 in the center for pulling. But I am curious if others have found such variance in the temps on hunks of meat this size (2.75 and 3.5 pounds, about 3 inches in thickness)? It would certainly be logical for the outside areas to be a little higher temp than internal, but this close to the end on such a long cook I expected only a few degrees variance. I'm afraid if I would have continued cooking until the very center reached 207-209 the temps on the edges would've been in the stratosphere and not good.
In any case, it was such a great meal I can't wait to try again. If it can get even a little better with practice, that'll be truly wonderful.
Chopped Chuck is one of my favorite meals. I way prefer over pulled pork. I find that once I get to 190* time to start checking for probe tenderness. Usually is like butter around 205* but varies. Minimum 2 hours cambro IMHO is critical.
Hi, my name is Darrell. I'm an OTR truck driver for over 25 years. During my off time I love doing backyard cooks. I have a 48" Lang Deluxe smoker, Rec-Tec pellet smoker,1 Weber Genesis 330, 1 Weber Performer (blue), 2 Weber kettles (1 black and 1 Copper), 1 26" Weber kettle, a WSM, 8 Maverick Redi Chek thermometers, a PartyQ, 2 SnS, Grill Grates, Cast Iron grates, 1 ThermoPop (orange) and 2 ThermoPens (pink and orange) and planning on adding more cooking accessories. Now I have an Anova sous vide, the Dragon blower and 2 Chef alarms from Thermoworks.
i use a piece of 3/8 square bar over the rebar and drape the probe over it so it hangs in the center of everything. square bar doesn't roll on the rebar.
I use an extra Steve Raichlen Signature 22-Inch stainless steel flat skewer that I modified by drilling two 1/4" holes on the "hanging " end. My Maverick Pit probe mounts through these two holes. The "pointy" end of the skewer is cut off, and the resulting end was bent to form a hook that dangles from the PBC rebar. I dimensioned the hook and probe so that the probe is centered in the cooker between the top of the barrel and the top of the coal basket. This way, I'm always monitoring pit temperature at the same level. The monitor end of the probe lays over the rebar and exits at a rebar barrel hole. Trying to emulate reproducibility as per fzxdoc. The lateral position of the probe on the rebar changes depending upon what's hanging in the PBC.
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