Loaded PBC Time Adjustment Question

[cgrover60]

I will be hanging 8 split chicken halves in the PBC tomorrow to cook hopefully at 325. Expecting an hour and 45 minute to two hour max cook but wonder if I need to adjust expectations due to running fully loaded.

[Jerod Broussard]

I'd get that dude up to 375+, then hang and get ready to crack the lid if you don't have a VENTA.

[awm77]

I've not cooked that many chicken halfs at once so not sure how it will affect your time. I do however agree with cracking the lid for a higher temp. In my opinion the method and time the Pit Barrel guy suggests doesn't get hot enough to crisp to the skin. The chicken is good with this method, but I prefer a little crisp to the skin. Good luck with it.

[JeffJ]

I cooked a single chicken in mine last night. I didn't crack the lid and the skin wasn't quite as dark and crisp as I like (everything else about the bird was excellent). Plan on cracking the lid, or, consider using lump or Kingsford Competition - something that burns hotter.

[Butchman]

I'd add a little more charcoal and it will probably take a little longer. Good luck and show pics!

[TroyOHchatter]

At my level, lighter fluid method, they call for 12 to 15 minutes before hanging and putting the lid on. I have found simply letting it go for a few more minutes prior to putting the lid on gives me the crisp skin I desire. The barrel then goes from "searing heat" to normal temp.

[fzxdoc]

cgrover60 , I've done 6 split chickens and 3 racks of Italian sausages (18 total) all at the same time in the PBC many times. (The sausages are taken out at 180°F about 40 minutes into the cook). Be prepared for a longer cook, as many here have said.

Here's what I do for these big chicken/sausage cooks:

1. Use Kingsford Professional

2. Overfill the basket. You'll get a lot of juices dripping into the fire and it will struggle to keep up with that load. Chickens can drip a lot.

3. Rotate the chickens if you can halfway through the cook (about 45 minutes in). Some chickens drip more than others and real drippy ones can easily put the fire in that portion of the basket out.

4. Use the 15-10-10 lighting method (or some variation of it) if you don't already. That way the fire gets around 400°F before adding the chickens.

5. At the first sign of a steady temperature drop, crack the lid. You'll probably have to leave it cracked the whole time.

When I follow all of these steps, the chickens are done in 1.5 hours or maybe just a bit longer, but I have to babysit the fire much of the time throughout the cook.

For the several large chicken load cooks I've done, the average PBC temp is around 315°F, much higher in the beginning and lower at the end of the cook. The range of the average PBC temps over all my cooks like this is 285°F to 335°F The temp is not rock solid with such a large load. Even at the 285°F average big chicken load cook I did, the birds were still done in 1.5 hours.

Have fun with this cook!

Kathryn

[SoCalTim]

I have a related question, I plan on doing 6-8 babybacks (whatever fits) on my PBC soon, assume the same general rules (except time) for that cook also? By the way, what is max BB's on a PBC?

[MBMorgan]

8 ... according to the PBC folks.

[abandonedbrain]

Just watch the length. I think I've seen 19" is the absolute max before it's too close to the basket. 8 HOOKS is what you can hang; if you have to cut your rack in half, each half takes a hook.

[Brewmaster]

I do 8 racks of ribs all the time, double hook em, and if you don't have a top vent you may have to crack the lid to keep the temp up, make sure you have a full load of coal, have fun, they sure smell great when cooking