Help me understand...

[wcpreston]

I have a mod'd COS and am pretty experienced with it, but frustrated with maintaining constant temps despite my mods. Can't swing the $1000+ for the other smokers.

I'm considering upgrading to the PBC because I read everyone saying such nice things about this cooker. But its design seems to go against everything else I read on the site:
1. No indirect cooking
2. Cooking at temps higher than normal

Both seem to go against the low and slow rules. How does this not make meat that's less ideal than other smokers?

[Shane Rakow]

You must mean PBC instead of PCB, right? PBC folks will be along just shortly to help you out. Welcome to the pit, Curtis!!

[wcpreston]

Ooops Yup. Fixed that. Thanks for the correction.

Long time reader first time poster. This site has been an amazing help to me, so I finally joined the pitmaster club. Wish I had found it before I bought my COS.

[windquest2]

Well here comes a comment from a rank amateur...the professionals will chime is shortly. I read everything on this forum and the PBC forum and there is just something about this that makes it one of the best smokers on the market today. My first cook was a pork loin, and yes it was in the 300 degree range and it was perfect! The drippings onto the coals is part of the magic, the air flow is another, hanging changes the cook and everything is just as they say. Follow Kathryn's advice on getting the thing lit, letting it go further before hanging the meat = higher temps, getting the meat on earlier = lower temps, that's about all you need to know. Use a meat thermometer to see when it is done and get ready for the best dinner you ever have had.

Henry

[HawkerXP]

Wow, nice job windquest2!

[Jerod Broussard]

I went from a modded out COS to the PBC. I grew up eating BBQ, which was meat cooked over charcoal. Rarely super hot, some pits were pretty deep and marinated sheep just did better with a lower heat. No wood, just charcoal.

First cook on the PBC was ribs, two bites and this dude was HOOKED! No pun intended but man does it work.

I've cooked brisket and pork butts from under 250 to well over 300. It's all great. Wife gets scared when I cook on other pits.

People compliment me. I just tell them, "sorry, it ain't me, it's the PBC." I mean crap, stuff is ridiculously good just because I lit some charcoal. $299, no electricity needed, no real babysitting most times unless ya got that dude LOADED or you need extra heat for poultry.

I call it "Temp Controlled Grilling." All those juices dripping onto the coals and igniting, lots of humidity to make all that flavor stick.

Wife has said probably 20x that purchase will go down as my all time greatest purchase. She hasn't said it in a month or so since she is about to get a new car.

[fuzzydaddy]

wcpreston Welcome! We'd love to get an intro from you over in the Introduce Yourself channel when you get a minute.

[lschweig]

I also had a heavily modified COS and switched to the PBC last April. Since then life is much better as I don't hardly have to fuss at all and even if the cook is less than perfect the taste is still amazing and I find myself looking forward to the next cook while I am doing a cook! Since getting the PBC I find that I am cooking stuff that I never did before with little fear.

The secret is the drippings hitting the coals which produces the wonderful flavors.

Go ahead and get the PBC you will not regret it in the slightest.

[Darchie03]

I have a mod'd COS and am pretty experienced with it, but frustrated with maintaining constant temps despite my mods. Can't swing the $1000+ for the other smokers.

I'm considering upgrading to the PBC because I read everyone saying such nice things about this cooker. But its design seems to go against everything else I read on the site:
1. No indirect cooking
2. Cooking at temps higher than normal

Both seem to go against the low and slow rules. How does this not make meat that's less ideal than other smokers?

Welcome to the pit! I have a large mod'd COS, baffle plates, insulated ect. but did not have temp control till I added an Auber 10 CFM fan & controller now I can keep it stable at what ever temp is set with 10-15* difference from side to side. I like the idea of the PBC but some of my cooks in the summer are way to large for one, so I'm stuck with a COS unless I can some day build my on offset. Can't afford a good reverse flow offset.
Dave

[Nate]

Welcome from Indiana!

I have a heavily modified COS and just this year purchased a PBC.

A person once told me to keep in mind that a PBC is primarily a Cooker not a smoker and therefore some of the same rules don't necessarily apply. You can add smoke flavor but the performance of the unit is that of a cooker. Also keep in mind there are folks out there that use EOS and other smokers at higher temps with great success and that some of the big brick pits at some Q places in the south and in the Carolinas' have hot burnt down wood coals shoveled directly under the meat and still turnout some of the best Q you will eat.

It it is more about learning to master and use your tools and refining your processes than it is just the pit itself. Cooking at higher temps wasn't a big push for me because I already cooked in the 275ish range since that is where my COS performed best at.

i have also competed and won against large EOS smokers in some small local backyard BBQ cook offs in my area using my PBC. Quality will not be an issue with the PBC.

You wont be disappointed. Good luck!

[Obi-Dan]

In the review on the site here Dr. Blonder gives a scientific explanation but I prefer Max Good 's explanation. "Where was the man behind the curtain hiding inside this magic drum?"

[Max Good]

You can't beat the PBC for the money, ease of use, performance and results. I tried adding wood chunks during tests, but quickly felt it was unnecessary as I got good smoke flavor with Blue Bag Briquettes alone. Regarding capacity, you can hang a LOT of meat in the PBC.

[DWCowles]

I try it (the PBC) both ways with and without wood chunks and to me I like the wood flavor better.

[JeffJ]

Even without wood the PBC picks up smoke flavor as the meat drips onto the coals creating "grill smoke".

[jecucolo]

Everything said about the PBC is true. Simple. Efficient. Economical. To me the best part of the cook is when your friend comes over for a meal and you ask them to help you bring in the food. You step in front of the odd looking barrel thing, open the lid, puffs of smoke gently rolling out and thru the fog you hand over two racks of ribs and then two halves of chicken.
The WTH look gets me every time. Then they eat the best ribs and chicken they have ever tasted. (and they always say it) Hero status achieved!
Love the PBC! Love AR Pit!

[wcpreston]

Alright! I bought one yesterday. It shows up tomorrow. We'll see what happens!

I'm probably going to do some dry runs to see how my temps are before throwing any meat on there. Going to use Kathyrn's well-documented lighting method here.

Any other recommendations for getting used to this new tool?