I have just posted this article with PBC tips and tricks. Love to have your input!
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Glad to see the much deserved shout out and credit to fzxdoc ... She has been a big help and mentor for PBCers... She has probably talked more of us into buying it than she realizes... unofficial spokeswoman for PBC!
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Awesome! I fired mine up for the first time last weekend. Thank you for writing an article especially for me.
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Looks good to me.Comment
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Great article. My feedback:
Under the "Setup is Quick and Easy" section, item 9, the link says "form form". I didn't go through the post looking for spelling or grammar, that one just caught my eye. I think some of the tips and tricks that have been thrown around most often that I didn't see in the article:
1. Make sure you monitor the pit temp so it doesn't run away or die on you.
2. To ensure that your lid is seated, check for smoke coming out around the lid - the only place smoke should come out is through the rebar holes.
3. For chicken and other poultry, you get better results if you leave one of the rebar out or crack the lid to keep the temps between 325 and 400.
Last thing, I checked out Max's review again, and I didn't see any comments on that page. The article may not want to emphasize the comments as much at this point. It currently says, "The comments below the review from readers have some excellent tips."Comment
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Great stuff Meathead ! I just stumbled into PBC ownership less than 2 weeks ago and I've enjoyed it so far. Mine came with a BBQ Guru, so i haven't cooked on it the "traditional" way that it was designed for. I have a hard time letting go of the 225 - 250 temp range. Maybe add a section on proper Guru use on the PBC? I'm still experimenting with mine, the very early results are somewhat mixed.
Also, I realized during a turkey smoke Sunday that I couldn't use a drip pan to catch drippings for the amazing Ultimate Turkey gravy recipe .I like the idea of adding a lower rack for that, but will that ruin the designed airflow?Last edited by JPGators17; December 13, 2016, 08:09 PM.Comment
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Well done, Meathead. You've covered about everything. Good tips. Nice description of how it works.
The biggest thing I see from new owners is being uncomfortable with lack of control. They get an idea that their PBC is supposed to function like other smokers. After all, smoking a brisket at 290 is bad.. right?. Fear erupts when temps climb higher than usual. They get restless when there's nothing to do so they feel out of control. Panic messages start shooting across AR's sub forums... "Help, my temps aren't where they're supposed to be and everyone will be here for dinner in 2 hours". The best advice I can give, is to just cook, just relax, and enjoy the results when you've pulled the meat at it's proper final temp. It will exceed your expectations. I believe it's even best not to monitor the temps of the cooker early on (I know, blasphemy). That's because it's not designed for intervention. So what do you do with that info? Best to change lighting procedures next time, but relax for now, it's already rocking. It will be fine!Comment
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Even though I just bought a GMG DB last month, your article is so informative it almost makes me want to get a PBC! Good info, Meathead.Comment
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Oh, gosh, everyone, I am flattered that Meathead included a couple of my comments on my fav smoker.
It's an excellent article, and will help a lot of folks. The learning curve on the PBC is a short one, but with this article, it just got shorter. Great job, Meathead.
KathrynLast edited by fzxdoc; December 14, 2016, 07:24 AM.Comment
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Again a kudos for giving honorable mention to the work fzxdoc has put into her PBC articles. She definitely helped me get up & running. I know PBC doesn't want to complicate their easy-to-get-going instructions, but they'd do well to include her work on their site IMO.
Another tip is if you're cooking out in the open and it begins to rain or snow, you can use a kettle grill's lid (18" or 22") on top of the PBC's lid as a water shed to help prevent the temp struggle of the water on the lid.
Also using a thin sheet magnet could be useful to block the intake vent as opposed to closing the vent itself at the end of a cook.Comment
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Fzxdoc, aka Kathryn, whenever I read your moniker fuzzy doc pops into my brain. That aside, you have been the go to PBC dudette to go to for many, many, many moons now. One could say you wrote the book. All accolades are deserved.Comment
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Your Pit Barrel Cooker order receipt from December 14, 2016Comment
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I pretty much went "bare bones" PBC
directions for a couple of years until I began to be educated here in The Pit. With Meatheads tips and continuing tip comments from ya'll,
i just might get downright good at PBC'in!
Thank you all!Comment
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