First Cook on PBC, Ribs

[SRA]

If yours runs naturally at 230 you definitely need to let it heat up first, and may have to open your vent some. Mine ran 230-250 until I figured it out, now it runs right at 275, it does make a difference.
If your's cooks at 230 and you try to do a chicken in 2 hours you will be eating some raw chicken!

​Yep, it ran at 230 the entire time until I opened the lid to check on things at about the 2.5 hr mark and then it started creeping up to about 250-260.

John, what do mean by "figured it out?"

[smarkley]

SRA... have you seen this post by Kathryn (fzxdoc) on lighting and maintaining temp on the PBC? It is really good.

http://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/grills-and-smokers/charcoal/pit-barrel-cooker/12614-light-my-pbc-fire-tips-on-lighting-and-maintaining-temperatures

[_John_]

What he said. Operating range is 270-290 and it actually does a lot better there. To get that though you need to make sure your lighting procedure is right, which is at the link smarkley posted above.

[Ernest]

I think you might want to reset your vent setting and do some experimental cooking. Dry runs do not work on the PBC. Sounds like 1/4 open is not working out for you.
Or, try cooking your chicken with lump charcoal for the high temp.

[SRA]

Thanks for all the insight! Just got done eating the chicken leg quarters for dinner. I let it heat up with the lid open to about 320 before dropping them in there & closing the lid. I cooked them for about 1.5 hours. I did prop open the lid a couple of times to keep the temperature a little higher. They came out fantastic. I've never seen my son eat every scrap of chicken off of a bone like that before!!! 2 for 2. Next stop is probably Wild Alaskan salmon on cedar planks. Personal request from my wife. Cheers!

[The Burn]

I'm not a PBC owner (I know, I know, resistance is futile), but I don't think you'll need the planks. When I do smoked salmon - either on my GOSM or now my kettle/smokenator, I just throw a chunk or two of a light wood, usually alder, onto the charcoal. It's a common request by my GF. I started out with cedar planking on my gas grill.

Here's my last cook, with the rub recipe.

[SRA]

I saw your Salmon cook, looks great! The reason I planned on doing it on cedar planks is because of the video I saw on the PBC website and I read somewhere that the fish may stick to the grill grate.

[The Burn]

I wonder whether the dynamics of it on the PBC are different from those that MH debunks here. As for the sticking, on my GOSM it wasn't an issue, but just in case it was different on my kettle, I cooked on disposable grill grates I got at Home Depot.