PBC Brisket Cook with Pit Temp Graph

[Danjohnston949]

stev, Welcome to "The Pit"! You are Now Enrolled in the BBQ Univ.! Attendance and Participation are Mandatory!
Enjoy "The Pit"!
Another Weber Kettle User Here, No Help with Your PBC, I am just Snooping in Case I Ever Get a Wild Hair and Buy One❓❓❓
Eat Well and Prosper! From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

[Spinaker]

Let that thing ride those whole way in the PBC. Your missing out on some incredible flavor and bark. Taking it off at 150 F is part of the reason your getting Good not GREAT food. The longer that brisket can sit in that barrel, the better. As it cooks, the drippings vaporize on the fire. In turn, this bastes the meat while it cooks. You simply can not replicate this in the oven.

Also, I would put weight on top of the lid to help seal it. I used a good spray of PAM under the rim and put the lid on. Then put a heavy dumbbell on the lid. After two or three cooks, with weight applied, I had a lid that it seals it self.

stev @abandonedbrain

[stev]

Spinaker I hear you, that's where I want to get to. Still working through some trust issues with the PBC though . Doesn't take many petrified briskets after only 4 or 5 hours to get gun-shy.

[Spinaker]

What grade are you buying? And how many coals are you lighting in your basket, at the start out your cook. Does your lid still leak?

[lschweig]

stev I do suggest that you go to the forum area in the pit scroll down to charcoal, click on it, and then scroll down to PBC cookers. Once there you will find an endless wealth of information to help solve your frustration and questions.

All of us here are ready and willing to help guide you down the path to BBQ PBC Nirvana.

[fzxdoc]

Spinaker I hear you, that's where I want to get to. Still working through some trust issues with the PBC though . Doesn't take many petrified briskets after only 4 or 5 hours to get gun-shy.

It makes me sad to think you've done 50+ cooks over the past year or so and had so many disappointments with the PBC, stev .

As lschweig says, there's no need for you to go it alone in this. The sooner you head a PBC problem off at the pass, the happier you'll be, and the better food you'll turn out. Plenty of folks here to help.

Also, I agree with Spinaker . For my briskets, the bark doesn't set nicely until it reaches 170-180°F or so. That's when I crutch, if I do at all.

When you put that brisket in the oven, was it wrapped in foil or put in a covered pan? Just curious. It looks marvelous.

Kathryn

[stev]

It makes me sad to think you've done 50+ cooks over the past year or so and had so many disappointments with the PBC, stev .

When you put that brisket in the oven, was it wrapped in foil or put in a covered pan? Just curious. It looks marvelous.

Brisket went onto the upper rack of the oven, no foil, with a water pan on the rack beneath.

And please don't hear me saying that my PBC experience has been all bad. Enough good cooks to keep me coming back (particularly the chicken...unreal flavor). It was just kind of maddening to go from the WSM (with which my only complaints were size and cleanup effort; food was always great) to the PBC and feel like I couldn't turn out two good cooks in a row, even though it's advertised as somewhat idiot-proof. Hoping I've turned a corner with the consistent lighting procedure, air leak issue resolved, and tips on monitoring and controlling temperature (all courtesy of this forum!). Will update after my next cook.

[fzxdoc]

I wish you all the best, stev . I'm sure you'll get to the point where that PBC works like a charm for you for nearly every single cook. A leaking lid has been a problem in cook consistency for many new PBC owners, so hopefully fixing it solves most of your problems.

I look forward to reading your updates.

Kathryn

[tjguidry]

You are right about a leaking lid. Cooked brisket three separate occasions first two came out perfect, the third for some reason the lid didn't seat correctly and let it cook for about 6 hours it cooked way too hot for a short period of time. It was tough, like it was cut "between the horns".

[Spinaker]

Once the lid is sealed up.....

The most important thing to do is master your lighting procedure and have patience. Allow the cooker to change to the adjustments that your making.
I use my Donut OCD method to cook on my PBC. It doesn't work for everyone and some say I am crazy. But it works like a charm for me. Every time.

With the basket out of the barrel, I arrange all of the briquettes into the basket by stacking them, in a circular fashion all the way around, in two levels. This forms a kind of donut of charcoal. (This is really just an OCD method of the Minion Method. )
In the middle, I add some wood chips, and I fill the void left with charcoal.
Then I take out the charcoal of the middle and place it into the chimney. This will be what I start the fire with. So basically, I am using the void left in the middle of the donut as a measuring cup for how many briquettes I need to light prior to the cook.
I light the charcoal in the chimney and let it get hot, they don't all have to be white hot, but they need to be burning pretty good. Then give the chimney a good shake and toss the briquettes in the chimney to remove excess ash. Do this a few times to make sure the coals are good and clean.
Then carefully, dump the lit coals into the center of the donut. Make sure they fill up the whole donut. Then use something to lower the OCD basket into the barrel. I use a large claw hammer and a Pit glove to do this. Then give the basket about 2 mins, not much more, with the lid off. Then place the lid on, and let it smoke for about 10 mins. Set up your probes, hook your meat and put it on the fire.
Here are a few pictures of my process. I am not saying this is how to fix your problem. But I am saying that this works great for me. EVERYTIME. I have cooked for hours and hours on 100+ cooks using this method with great success!

[PappyBBQ]

Have to agree with Spinaker. While I don't use his OCD method for anything other than REAL LONG COOKS (think packers or large clods of pork butt) I do follow his lighting procedure. I do 40 in a chimney, dump on top (or in donut hole for OCD method), place basket in PBC and place lid on within 2 to 3 minutes. Usually put rebar in as well. Then I sit back to do stuff like hook the meat etc and then wait until the PBC stabilizes. By that I mean it's not gushing white smoke and the temp has settled into the 270 range. Sometimes I have to crack the lid for a minute or two during this process if the initial temp doesn't hit the sweet spot (270 range), sometimes not. Once it's settled I quickly hang the meat and foil 1 rebar hole. Temps will vary 10 degrees up and down during the cook in a wave pattern. It's just how my PBC rolls. I don't like to start with a raging PBC (temps over 300) unless I'm doing chicken, and that's a whole different lighting process. Like fzxdoc I have charted every cook I've done, and that includes the lighting procedure and how the PBC reacts to that process. My PBC is super consistent now. I guess I'm lucky because it was pretty consistent right out of the box, but there WAS a learning curve to the lighting process and how the PBC reacted to it. The consistency at the beginning was probably because my lid fit VERY well right out of the box and I've never had any issues with it leaking. I set the bottom vent for Sea level (live in Los Angeles) and haven't touched it since. Gotta find some wood to knock on because now that I've opened my mouth I'll probably drop the darn lid and tweak it!

When I do the OCD I get a strong 11 hours and can stretch that to 12, but if you peek the time will drop pretty dramatically. When I just dump in the charcoal for a level basket I'll do 8 hours very consistently. Like many have pointed out, while the PBC IS pretty simple to operate, there IS a learning curve one goes through (sorry Noah). Now that I've gone through that process I have left it cooking for 3 to 4 hours unattended without worry. Ok, some worry but that's just me! I have learned that this little barrel (along with this wonderful site) turns out BBQ that brings the neighbors running when they smell it purring along, and consistently puts a smile on my face as I sink my teeth into the result of it's labor. Stay with it, it's well worth it.

[Spinaker]

Well said, my friend. Your exactly right, there is a learning curve. But it ain't a mile long like other cookers.