Throwing in the towel

[Northside Brian]

you can fit a lot of legs and thighs on the grate. More than enough for a family dinner. Just leave out one of the rebars or crack the lid to get the temps up above 325 to get the skin crispy.

[JTK]

The PBC is a chicken cooking machine. My wife loves chicken thighs and they are on our menu at least once or twice a week. The All Purpose Rub that comes with the PBC has become one of her favorites and is a no-brainer when it comes to chicken on the PBC...I used it on a batch of wings last wee and on a split bird last night.

Follow the tips already given, run the PBC hot for chicken and you'll still get the smoke flavor with the crispy skin.

[Baker Dan]

Like Huskee said easy on the wood. Place it in the center so it burns during the start of the cook

[fzxdoc]

wmferg , congrats on ordering your PBC! You're going to have such a great time with it. You will experience a different flavor of smoked meat than you're used to on the COS, I'm guessing, and it will be delicious--delicious in a different way.

As hogdog6 says, you might find that a whole (or split in half) chicken will be gobbled up by the family because the breast meat is so tender and juicy. Every time I serve PBC chicken to guests, one or more of them remark with wonder at how juicy the breast meat is, like it's a revelation.

I always recommend that you start out on your PBC doing what Noah says in his videos, and then, based on the results, start tweaking with some of the methods you find here, like Spinaker 's butter-under-the-skin method which I am definitely going to try. I wrote a method for cooking chicken on the PBC here, which is a way to get a flavorful, moist chicken with a crispy skin.

About the wood, many of us PBC folks and others buy our wood from www.fruitawood.com . They have a great selection, and you can order it in mixed batches so you can try out different kinds of wood. I like their wood because it comes in just the right size for the PBC--one small 4-6 oz piece will do you on that smoker, two pieces for longer cooks. I toss the wood in about 10 minutes before adding the meat (in the last part of the 15-10-10 fire starting routine that works for me). That way some of the bad-tasting compounds released when wood first catches fire are well gone by the time I add the meat. I'm not a fan of wood chips because on my smoker they burn quickly with a lot of white smoke, which is what I try to avoid.

I don't cook with wood all the time on the PBC, because you get such a great flavor with the charcoal alone. I do like it for chicken, pork butts, brisket, and a few other cooks; for my family's taste buds, wood adds a subtle and yummy flavor.

Have a great time with that PBC--you're going to be the BBQ hero of your family and friends when you start feeding them from it.

Kathryn

[fzxdoc]

Agreed Spinaker . That's why I asked. I see squeeze bottle margarine being used all the time on the Pitmaster programs and figure it must be solely for ease of use, because butter is way better than margarine for flavor, IMO.
K.

[EdF]

No comparison: butter!

[PappyBBQ]

Yeah. Never understood the use of margarine. One chemical element removed from plastic. Yuck. Sure it's "convenient" but it ain't food.

[JPP]

Usually I'll use (for ribs n butts) 6-8 oz of hickory. Yes I do in fact weigh it. I'll use two chunks about an inch across and one or two much larger chunks. The theory I cling to, is that the smaller chunks provide a quick burst and the big chunk(s) settle in for the long haul. Doubt it'd make a real difference but that's my fantasy and I'm stickin' to it.

[wmferg]

Many thanks for all the great info, it will certainly make the transition much easier.
I received an email this morning letting me know my PBC is on the way and will be delivered tomorrow. How's that for service. Now the issue will be waiting until the weekend to do a test run then a cook.

[fuzzydaddy]

Congrats on the new PBC!

[lschweig]

No seasoning is required for a new PBC, so why wait until the weekend? Pictures are required.

[wmferg]

@Ischweig, sadly my workday is usually 10 to 12 hrs so even with an anticipated shorter cook time I must wait until the weekend. Unless of course I find myself getting somewhat ill. That's always a possibility, I have been feeling a little off today.

[fzxdoc]

Throw a chicken in it and get ready for good eats!

Kathryn

[Wolverine4400]

Has anyone ever tried a few wood pellets for smoke? Just a thought.

[CandySueQ]

I do pellets in the Gateway Drum. Just sprinkle them in right before I put the meat on.

[cgrover60]

Lots of great responses here but try not to overthink lighting and cooking on the PBC wmferg. I too did at first and finally through some experience simplified the whole process. Use KBB charcoal until you get a feel for how the PBC cooks. Set your air damper for your elevation and don't mess with it. For the first few cooks fill the charcoal basket level and then remove 40 pieces to light in a chimney starter. Timing after you dump your lit coals is where it gets fun. For lower temps dump and cook immediately. For hotter cooks use the delayed method(s) before cooking that Kathryn fzxdoc has perfected. Don't get crazy trying to hit a specific temp. Let the PBC settle to whatever fire you built and simply adjust cook times accordingly. Don't plan your first cook for a dinner party of 30 who expects to eat at 7:15. Do try the different lighting methods for your initial cooks and you will soon get a solid feel for how this beauty of a cooking machine works.

[DWCowles]

Congrats wmferg I'm sure you will enjoy your new PBC