Lighting up the PBC for the first time today

[SmokinLearner]

Ok....enough staring at this beautiful porcelain finished drum... time to cook something... Followed fzxdoc lighting instructions. Wasn't sure how much to gap the breather at the bottom of the barrel so I guess-timated about one-half inch opening at the widest part. I am about 800ft above sea level here in the plains of central mn...
taking notes on this PBC baptism and already forgot the pics. So I will endeavor to get some as the day progresses.. I currently have a slab of ribs on (Last meal ribs with Meatheads Memphis Dust Rub) and in about 2 hours I am going to put on two chickens prepared like the video on the PBC website.. I plan on using Simon and Garfunkel on two of those halves and PBC's all purpose rub on one while keeping one naked. Dry brined the three NOT rubbed with PBC's all purpose as I see he adds salt to his rub. Everything was prepared last night and the inside of the fridge smells good enough to eat... will keep you all posted how this goes...

[fzxdoc]

Have a lot of fun with that cook, SmokinLearner . You're going to be eating really well very soon.

Kathryn

[JeffJ]

Good luck. The PBC is pretty easy to use. I have confidence you are going to be very pleased with your maiden voyage.

[SmokinLearner]

ok.... I couldn't find any Kingsford but I did find some Royal Oak briquetts... Everything was progressing fine but once I put the chickens on my temp began falling a lot. Holy cow, the charcoal basket was almost all ash already... Hurriedly pulled all the meat, added more charcoal and actually had to go through the igniting sequence again... 30 min later I replaced all the meat and all is cooking again.... Does anyone else have quick burns with the Royal Oak??... If so, I better find me some Kingsford....

[HawkerXP]

Never used Royal oak. I've never had to add charcoal using KBB. Luckily you caught it. Smoke on!

[Butchman]

Have only used KBB solely and sometimes mixed in some lump added to KBB so don’t know about Royal Oak.

[SmokinLearner]

8:36pm central time and finally finished cleaning up before the snow hits again tonite.... The chicken turned out darned good.. the ribs were a little undercooked, even after 6 hours on the grill... not the fault of the PBC as it is the fault of the operator (me)... Still learning but danged that chicken was good...
cheers to all, and I will post up some pics tomorrow...

[JeffJ]

The PBC was engineered to use KBB. I know people have had success using other fuel but this thing was designed around KBB.

[MBMorgan]

Yup

[hogdog6]

I’m amazed the royal oak is easier to find in Minnesota than Kingsford. Crazy how things can be in different parts of the country. Definitely suggest find some of the blue bag. Congrats on a successful chicken cook. PBC chicken is amazing.

[fzxdoc]

Good to hear that you had some tasty chicken, SmokinLearner . That PBC is a chicken cooking monster machine. Chicken was my first cook on it too, it took 2.5 hours to cook and the skin was rubbery, but it tasted amazing. For that first cook, I followed Noah's video to a "t". Then I started playing with lighting methods and began to maintain the temperature in the 300-400°F range and ended up with crispy-skinned chicken in about an hour.

Many folks here call the PBC the Chicken Whisperer, a name first coined here by Ernest . He was right.

For me it's difficult to cook chicken and ribs together (because they each have different optimum PBC temperatures), but I love chicken along with sausage cooks! That sizzling sausage adds a wonderful flavor to the chicken, IMO.

When you're ready for it, and if you're interested, here's how I cook chicken on the PBC:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...668#post186668

Kathryn

P.S. Which chicken did you like best--nekkid, PBC rub, or Simon and Garfunkel?

[hogdog6]

SmokinLearner I highly suggest when you can follow fzxdoc Chicken advice using her guidance is why many of us call our PBC the chicken whisperer. 🔥