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First Cook on PBC, Ribs

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    First Cook on PBC, Ribs

    Well, here goes nothing! 2 Racks of ribs, one St. Louis Style and one Spare Rib Style hanging in the cooker.

    I usually go with Baby backs but I wanted to try something different. I trimmed them a little and cut the Spare Rib rack in two because it is pretty heavy. I lit a mini chimney with 40 briquettes of Kingsford Original, let it burn for 15 minutes and placed it in the basket with the rest of the unlit coals and a couple of chunks of hickory. (Initially filled the basket level and took out 40 briquettes for the chimney)

    Immediately placed the ribs on the rack and closed the lid. It took the PBC almost an hour to reach 230 degrees internal temperature read with a Maverick ET-733. Ambient temp is 61 degrees with almost no breeze. Damper is set to 1/4 the way open and elevation is ~400 ft ASL.

    It's holding 230 degrees pretty steady. I never saw a spike in temperature as others have reported. I haven't peaked inside either.

    Should I be concerned? Any idea when I should check on them? Thanks for the help!
    Last edited by SRA; October 11, 2014, 06:28 PM.

    #2
    Check after 2 hours 30 minutes. Next time wait at least ten minutes between dumping the lit coals and hanging the food.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Ernest View Post
      Check after 2 hours 30 minutes. Next time wait at least ten minutes between dumping the lit coals and hanging the food.
      Ok, I'll check them at 2:30. That's in about 15 minutes.

      Just for clarification, I put 40 coals in the chimney, lit the chimney, waited 15 minutes for them to light up (nice and hot), then dumped the lit charcoal into the basket at the bottom of the PBC. If I understand you correctly, you advise adding 10 minutes to the initial burn? In other words light them and wait 25 minutes before dumping them into the unlit coals?

      Comment


      • Huskee
        Huskee commented
        Editing a comment
        Wait ten more minutes after dumping the lit coals in the barrel until you hang the meat is what I believe he's saying.

      #4
      Pulled them after 3.5 hours. No sauce. They were AMAZING! Family loved them and I took some over to the neighbor and got his seal of approval as well. Juicy inside, nice pull, great flavor! My wife said "We've created a monster." On tap tomorrow is chicken. After that I'm not sure, maybe a pork shoulder. Cheers!

      Comment


        #5
        Right on! I knew you'd tear it up, congrats!

        Comment


          #6
          I second the CONGRAT! WTG!

          Comment


            #7
            Way 2 GO!!!

            Let the chicken run above 300 if you can. Crack the lid if you have to.

            Comment


              #8
              Originally posted by Jerod Broussard View Post
              Way 2 GO!!!

              Let the chicken run above 300 if you can. Crack the lid if you have to.

              Let it cook at above 300 sustained? I'm planning on doing quarters. Any tips? Final temp of the meat? Thanks!

              Comment


                #9
                Originally posted by SRA View Post


                Let it cook at above 300 sustained? I'm planning on doing quarters. Any tips? Final temp of the meat? Thanks!
                Yes, sustained. If the skin is still on, shoot for 325ish. Cook to a final temp of 165 minimum. Legs/thighs can go up to 180 and still be good. If you're doing skinless, you don't need to go to 300+, that's to help crisp the skin.

                Comment


                  #10
                  I'm doing skin on, so 325 cook temp, final meat temp 165-180. I'll give it whirl. Thanks!!!

                  Comment


                    #11
                    If you do cook @ 325 then check your chicken at 1 hour and 15 minutes mark. Those PBC videos are for Colorado altitude.

                    Comment


                      #12
                      Ok, I have to ask. Is there any reason not to follow Noah's recommendation of 2 hours with the lid closed? Is it for the crunchy skin? If so, why not cook for 1:45 and then take the lid off for the last 15 minutes or so?

                      Comment


                        #13
                        I don't like using other people's times except to get an estimate... I am more comfortable with measuring the temp of the meat and not worrying about time.

                        That being said, maybe you could take it to say 160 internal then take the lid off till the end. The PBC is gonna get pretty hot during that time frame. So ya gotta be careful.

                        Comment


                          #14
                          I agree. Cooking by time isn't the way to go. Too many variables. Start buying thermometers. Within a year or two you will own five or six, question how you ever cooked without them, and wonder how you ended up with so many!

                          So on the baby backs your PBC stayed at 230 the entire cook? That sounds perfect. Right in the low and slow range that many Pit Masters hope to attain. Noah designed the PBC so you could set it and forget it. His philosophy is you can spend time with family and friends rather than babysitting a cooker. I say go with it. If 230 is the cook temperature that is a win in many Pit Master's books. Have fun!

                          Comment


                            #15
                            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!

                            Comment


                            • mtford72
                              mtford72 commented
                              Editing a comment
                              John - What did you change? I am getting a typical 230-250, and even with cracking the lid, etc. for a big temp spike, its still dropping right back to the 230-250 range. I want to get it to the right temp 275 - 310 for consistent cooking. I've got the vent set at around 1/4. Tried slightly tighter and slighter wider. I'm pretty close to sea level. Cheers for any advice!

                            • _John_
                              _John_ commented
                              Editing a comment
                              Gotta let it get really up there, need to get well over 300 as soon as you can, put on the coals and leave the lid cracked while monitoring temp, once you are 320-360 close the lid, if it settles lower that 275 or so you need to open the bottom vent a touch.
                              Primary reason seems to be that not enough coals get lit and not enough air so it stays really low. I had this problem for my first 10 cooks or so, while they ended up ok because they were cooked to temp they were much better once I got the lighting right

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