Hi everyone, this is my first post here. Discovered The Pit via Meathead book, and have already found it really helpful!
I purchased my PBC just over a year ago, coming from a WSM 14.5. Was planning on saving for a stick burner, but opted for PBC after reading so many rave reviews and considering cook capacity vs. price. Honestly, my experience has been inconsistent. I've done about 50 cooks, some amazing and some leaving something to be desired. Despite my best efforts to precisely follow the lighting instructions, cook times were very inconsistent. Ribs over-done after 2 hrs one weekend, then 4 hrs to cook four chicken halves the next. Started using a thermometer to monitor pit temp, and I couldn't achieve the 270 deg - 290 deg described on the PBC website; I was either at 350+ deg or barely staying lit at 200 deg (smoke at that temp is DISGUSTING). Tried all kinds of vent settings, but couldn't dial it in. Long story short, I found the same culprit that many on this forum have found: leaky lid. Just bought some LavaLock tape a month or so ago, and four cooks in I feel like I'm starting to see some consistency.
I cooked a brisket flat last night, probably my most successful cook yet on the PBC. In case this is helpful to anyone else, here's my process:
1) Vent set at 1/4 open (0.5 inches at widest part of opening) for 1200 ft elevation
2) Charcoal basket filled with Royal Oak Ridge Briquets (usually use KBB, but didn't have any).
3) Followed fzxdoc's lighting procedure (which is SUPER helpful btw!), slightly modified with 30 minutes in the starter until corners of topmost briquettes started to ash over, 5 minutes with PBC lid off, and 5 minutes with PBC lid on (no rebar).
4) Hung brisket for 2 hrs until internal at 150 deg F
5) Transferred to 225 deg F oven, no crutch, for 11 hrs
6) Rested for 1 hr, sliced and devoured
Results:
Pit temp graph:
The spike at 2:24:00 is when I removed the cover to pull the brisket. Ambient temperature during the cook was 5-10 deg F (Minnesota).
- stev
I purchased my PBC just over a year ago, coming from a WSM 14.5. Was planning on saving for a stick burner, but opted for PBC after reading so many rave reviews and considering cook capacity vs. price. Honestly, my experience has been inconsistent. I've done about 50 cooks, some amazing and some leaving something to be desired. Despite my best efforts to precisely follow the lighting instructions, cook times were very inconsistent. Ribs over-done after 2 hrs one weekend, then 4 hrs to cook four chicken halves the next. Started using a thermometer to monitor pit temp, and I couldn't achieve the 270 deg - 290 deg described on the PBC website; I was either at 350+ deg or barely staying lit at 200 deg (smoke at that temp is DISGUSTING). Tried all kinds of vent settings, but couldn't dial it in. Long story short, I found the same culprit that many on this forum have found: leaky lid. Just bought some LavaLock tape a month or so ago, and four cooks in I feel like I'm starting to see some consistency.
I cooked a brisket flat last night, probably my most successful cook yet on the PBC. In case this is helpful to anyone else, here's my process:
1) Vent set at 1/4 open (0.5 inches at widest part of opening) for 1200 ft elevation
2) Charcoal basket filled with Royal Oak Ridge Briquets (usually use KBB, but didn't have any).
3) Followed fzxdoc's lighting procedure (which is SUPER helpful btw!), slightly modified with 30 minutes in the starter until corners of topmost briquettes started to ash over, 5 minutes with PBC lid off, and 5 minutes with PBC lid on (no rebar).
4) Hung brisket for 2 hrs until internal at 150 deg F
5) Transferred to 225 deg F oven, no crutch, for 11 hrs
6) Rested for 1 hr, sliced and devoured
Results:
Pit temp graph:
The spike at 2:24:00 is when I removed the cover to pull the brisket. Ambient temperature during the cook was 5-10 deg F (Minnesota).
- stev
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