PBC first cook, brisket

[fzxdoc]

Looks like a great cook, phoccer . Congratulations! I've never been able to find a prime brisket at Sam's. Hope they're going to start carrying them in my neighborhood.

As far as running hot goes, making sure the lid is good and snug is a place to start. Even a small leak can make a big difference in the temps, sending them higher than the PBC normally runs at. But even with a tight lid, I'm not surprised at your 300°F temps since you used Professional. I run Professional for my poultry cooks where high temps are the goal. For all the other stuff, I prefer smoking at my PBC's sweet spot of 275°F with KBB. After a few cooks, you'll find your PBC's sweet spot as well. It will be fun for you to see how it settles out.

Kathryn

[phoccer]

fzxdoc Not sure what's going on but I see Prime brisket in my Sam's all the time now here in KC. I did notice a very small leak, at least I think I did, at one point. I pushed on the lid but there was no give or movement(unlike my Weber Kettle lid that moved significantly). I know that's an issue, just a little unsure how to look into it.
Yes, I expected the temps to run a little high using the KP but I'm good with that after reading a lot about high temperature brisket cooks coming out great. I figure the PBC also runs more humid so cooking at 300 shouldn't be an issue AFAIK.

[fzxdoc]

If there's a leak, phoccer , you'll see it unless it's in the area of the rebar holes. Then it's tough to see. My PBC, after a few years of use, went out of round and began to leak at the seam area between the rebar holes. I used a piece of cardboard to divert the smoke from the rebars so I could see if any smoke was coming out that lid seam, and sure enough it was. No amount of pounding on the lid would make that leak go away. For a while I crimped a 3 inch wide strip of aluminum foil across that area, but eventually put a gasket on my PBC lid.

I like higher temp cooks as well, preferring 290 or so if my PBC will perform stably that way, but usually it likes a bit lower temp. I'm not a huge fan of Professional for long cooks in my barrel, but if your PBC holds those high temps over the length of the cook as your first cook did, then, hey, go for it!

Kathryn

[jecucolo]

My lid leaks a little so last time I put an unopened bag of charcoal on top. It helps seal that last little bit.

[DWCowles]

Beautiful!

[rototiller78]

Next cook, use Kingsford regular blue bag and compare temps and results and see which one you like better.

[phoccer]

I used to use KBB all the time but I've come to not care for the smell of it burning compared to the all natural stuff I've started using(KP and B&B), personal quirk. Plus, I can take the ash from all natural charcoal and spread it across my lawn.

[supergas6]

Kathryn

I've noticed that ever since I replaced my original PBC with the new model that it runs a little hotter. I've always suspected that the lid just isn't quite as snug as the old model (at least for me). So I am curious about how you made your gasket. I've been stuffing foil in the rebar holes to throttle mine a bit, and also playing with the lighting a bit to adjust. Been a little frustrating because I had it totally figured out with the original PBC. Food has been great, by the way, it is just the timing that is getting messed up a bit (not a huge deal since I just put it in the Cambro if early).

phoccer, I love your graph--right up my alley. I don't cook a lot of poultry (my family doesn't like smoked bird that much), so all most of my cooks are beef or pork (with occasional salmon), and I shoot for 270-290F as my target temps once in steady state.

[fzxdoc]

supergas6 , I bought a new fire basket which is a different design from the one that came with my older PBC. I wondered whether, with more air space open, it would cause the PBC to burn hotter, and perhaps I should modify my lighting procedure accordingly. I've only done a couple of cooks on it, so the results are not in yet. For sure that first cook took off like a rocket, though, holding temps in excess of 300 until I foiled the rebars. I haven't foiled rebars in years. That's what made me want to look into it some more.

I bought the Lavalock gasket that many folks here use on their PBC lid rims.



Works great. Better than wrapping foil strips around the leaky rim edge areas like I used to do.

Kathryn

[phoccer]

Next run I'll add a little weight to the lid at the start and see if I can get back down in the just under 300 range for longer. That would be MY ideal range. As it turned out, the point on this brisket was outstanding. I at the flat first and it was good but a little tougher than I want. Has me considering separating them for the next cook and taking them off at different times.

[TroyOHchatter]

Note that this is a temporary thing. My 16 month old and well seasoned PBC has a lid that basically sticks on and requires a firm hand to remove. Also, I think because of the way the PBC cooks one must crutch to maintain the juiciness. I tried a push through and I tried butcher paper. I always come back to Noah's double foil at 160ish, be it brisket or pork butt.