First dry run

[kill2grill]

Outside of using the lighter fluid technique, I've had to pretty much ignore the directions that came with the PBC and had more success with a variation of the sticky topic thread fzxdoc created a few years back. It has produced pretty reliable results.

Here are a few quick suggestions for you to try:

1. For your hot & fast cooks - fill chimney with 40 briquettes, let burn for 15-17 minutes so its got a nice ash action going, dump it in the barrel, leave lid off for 10, put lid on for another 10. Add rebar and start cooking.
2. Prep before your take the lid off. The longer it's off, the higher the temps will jump before they settle back down again.
3. For you low/slow cooks - 22ish briquettes in chimney, let burn for 15 minutes so its got some ash action going, dump it in the barrel, leave lid off for 10, put lid on for another 10. Add rebar and start cooking. This is the only way I've been able to get barrel temps like others on here talk about...aka 275-290 for multiple hours. Maybe around hour 4 you might have to crack the lid a bit to get it back on track.

Hope this helps...if not, grab a bottle or two of Lagunitas A Little Sumpin Sumpin! Good luck

[phoccer]

They have Lagunitas here in KC. That Little Sumpin Sumpin looks great, I'll give it a try. Thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking about going with fewer briquets to start with and sounds like that has worked for you. Looks like I need more excuses to cook and try things, along with the beer.