PBC: Brisket & Ribs in Sequence???

[grampa]

I plan on doing a brisket (flat) and 3 slabs of baby back ribs one after the other (with some overlap time). My plan is once the brisket is up to 165F, I'll wrap it and finish it in the oven. Going by PBC videos, I'm figuring this will take about 9 hours from lighting to finish.

My question is: should I add more coals when I put in the ribs, or will the original coals take it all the way? If I add, should I add unlit or burning coals?

I'm planning on putting a 4 oz chunk of oak in with the brisket, and perhaps a similar chunk of apple with the ribs.

Suggestions, comments, and warnings welcome!

[MBMorgan]

If your 9 hour estimate is about right, why not just put the ribs in with the flat at the appropriate time in hopes of everything being done at roughly the same time?

[lschweig]

Do remember that you will want to hold the brisket in a cambro or oven at 170 for an hour or two and thus adjust your rib start accordingly.

The original coals might take it all the way, but I would add some to make sure and you can judge that when you take a look.

If your original coals are still going along fine you can add a reasonable amount of unlit coals to it.

[grampa]

Thanks for the suggestion on the coals - and yes, I plan on having the brisket sit in a faux cambro while the ribs are smoking. I'm convinced the longer they sit in the cambro (within reason!), the better they turn out!

[grampa]

If your 9 hour estimate is about right, why not just put the ribs in with the flat at the appropriate time in hopes of everything being done at roughly the same time?

I want the brisket to sit for a couple hours in a faux cambro - they always seem to get a bit more tender that way!

[MBMorgan]

I want the brisket to sit for a couple hours in a faux cambro - they always seem to get a bit more tender that way!

That's consistent with what I'm suggesting. I'm just saying that you don't necessarily have to cook them sequentially. Just take into account the brisket holding time that you anticipate and figure out when to start the ribs cooking while the flat is still in the PBC. You might be able to avoid having to fiddle with a potentially messy charcoal reload that way.

[grampa]

Ah, I understand. They are going to overlap by at least an hour and a half, more if the brisket hasn't reached 165F by then. That will give the ribs time to cook, and the brisket time to rest in the cambro. Thanks for the explanation!

[BigBear]

Sounds like a solid plan to me.

[jecucolo]

I have done this several times. Most of the time there is plenty of fire. You can back into the time and add the riibs a couple of hours before you crutch the brisket.
I have just started some coals in a chimney if it does look like I need some. Very easy to add 20 or 30 hot coals and not miss a beat.

[jecucolo]

Also have you seen the OCDC coal arrangement? It is in one of the post. This is where you carefully place each coal side by side around the basket in 2 layers. This method seems to get a couple more hours of fire.

[Spinaker]

jecucolo

Oh you mean this?!?! This is what i do every time. I can get 10 hours out of this, easy. Ni fiddling. IT does take some time to set up but its not that bad, maybe 15 mins. Worth it as far as I am concerned.

​​​​​​​But if your cooking them in sequence, you should not have to add any fuel to the fire. Just put the ribs on 3 hours before your ready to eat. I would cook the brisket to 180 F on the PBC then wrap and place in the oven to finish. You don't wanna take that brisket off too soon before you have some good bark built up on that sucka.

[Spinaker]

Oh man, I would say 25 to 30 maybe. its about half a large chimney or almost full small chimney. Bob's BBQ

[Bob's BBQ]

Thank you Sir! I will give it a try. I've got a 15# brisket and a couple of butts on hand - just need to decide which to try.

[Spinaker]

No problem! Let me know how it goes brother! Bob's BBQ

[grampa]

@Spinaker
I'm not sure what the "DC" is for, but my wife the psychologist would definitely say I was being "OC" if I lined up the briquettes that way! Now I'm gonna have to try it! Thanks!

And I hear you on the bark too.

[Spinaker]

I call it my OCD method. Give it a try. You will be satisfied.

[fzxdoc]

If your 9 hour estimate is about right, why not just put the ribs in with the flat at the appropriate time in hopes of everything being done at roughly the same time?

I agree with MBMorgan , since the flat will take longer (including faux cambro time), you should be able to time your ribs accordingly.

Take a look at this post to give you an idea for cook times at the temperature you like to run your PBC:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...ible#post12774

It might help you zone in on a good time to load those ribs.

Also, for me, it never hurts to add another chimney of lit coals when I'm changing things around in a cook. I never like to add coals that are not lit because of the dreaded dense white/grey smoke that could result in the PBC, hence the chimney full of lit coals.

I usually get 8 to 9 hours of cook time from a full basket when my PBC perks along at 275ish. I can get up to about 12 hours of cook time at this same temp if I overload the basket to start with. Overload=rounded over with coals.

Kathryn

[grampa]

Thanks, Kathryn, I had your time & temp page open when I was working on the timing!

I hadn't thought about teh dense white smoke issue - that's a good word!

[jecucolo]

Sorry, getting to sound more like my father the older I get. I meant OCD! Thanks for the photo and the correction!

[grampa]

Yes, that is definitely an Obsessive Compulsion Disorder charcoal arrangement! Neatness counts!

[jecucolo]

Here is my ocd

[grampa]

Not a briquette out of place! OCD indeed! Magnificent!

[EdF]

Have to agree: OCD! Poetry.

[Spinaker]

I like it. I usually leave the center open. To fill it with LIT coals. I put some chips on the bottom then load the lit colas into the hoel in the middle of the basket. grampa EdF

[Danjohnston949]

@jecucola, grampa, fzxdoc,@Spinaker, MBMorgan, BigBear, Gator Lau, Just when I was thinking a PBC would be added to My Wish List some "Genius" comes up with a Plan for Stacking Charcoal? This means I would have to Buy a Second Coal Basket so I could start Stacking Charcoal as Soon as I lit the Thing in order to be ready for My Next Cook? Ruin My Budget Sure as Hell! 🤔😚😳😚🤔
Eat Well and Prosper! From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

[jecucolo]

I'm actually settings up an enterprise that had the briquettes all stacked and read to place in your PBC. 😚😀😀

[fzxdoc]

You know we'll lure you into the PBC bunch one of these fine days, Danjohnston949 . It's inevitable. Don't fight it. Plus you might like stacking charcoal. Just kidding.

I actually love Spinaker 's and jecucolo 's photos. All those briquets in a row like little soldiers ready to do their job appeals to the perfectionist side of me. One of these days I'm going to give it a try to see whether I notice any difference in how the fire behaves for a long cook. Plus it would be just plain fun to watch it burn.

Kathryn