Smoking a chuck roast to make poor man's burnt chicken ends. I'll post pics when it's done, but I'm concerned about how hot the PBC is running. The roast ( 2.34 lbs) has been on just under an hour and it's at 142. But the PBC is at 322. The bottom vent is between 1/4 and 1/2 open (I'm at 4200 ft altitude), and I have both rebar in at the top with the Maverick probe running through a rebar hole. Is there anything else I could be doing to get the Cooker under 300?
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Just surged to 329. SMH. -
Make sure the lid is down tight. You might have to bang it with your hand. If it still stays high foil the rebar holes.Comment
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jecucolo, the lid is good. I've head lots of stories about the lids getting bent, so I'm always extra careful. It went on great and I haven't touched it since I put the roast on. I'm thinking about foiling the rebar holes, but the roast seems to have hit the stall. It's at 147 now, but it was 142 20 minutes ago.Comment
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FWIW, your bottom vent should be 5/8 open at 4200 ft. elevation. Your temp problem could either be a leaky lid or starting with too many hot coals in the basket ... or both. I'd put some weight on the lid (foil-wrapped bricks work) and probably foil the rebar holes until the temp seems to be settling below 300.Comment
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MBMorgan, here's what I did with the coals. I've had nothing but problems keeping the PBC chimney starter kit, and since my wife hates the odor for lighter fluid, I bought a box of Duraflame wax starters. I filled the PBC basket with KBB briquettes, put two of the wax starters on opposite ends of the basket, lit them, and waited 25 minutes for the coals to ash before hanging the roast.Comment
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I wanted more positive control over mine so I purchased the PartyQ. I just did 2 butt's yesterday and was able to hold it rock steady @260 for 6 hrs and then up to 280 to push past the 3 hour stall. I don't want to get lower than 250-260 because it would just be smoldering. I am also able to get steady @350 for chicken.Comment
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Your lighting procedure may be your problem. The PBC was engineered to operate in a very specific manner and prescribes only 2 methods for lighting it. One, is a lighter fluid method. The other, calls for lighting 40 briquettes in a chimney - a compact chimney holds about 40 KBB briquettes - and dumping them on top of unlit KBB once they are ashed over. Spread the coals around using one of the rebars and leave the lid off for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, if you are adding wood, add it and then put the lid on with the rebars still out and wait 10 more minutes. At this point put in the rebars and hang your meat - or put it on the grate, put the lid on and let it do its thing. That is the method I learned from Kathryn and it works like a charm. In the meantime, put some foil in a couple of the rebar holes and temps will come down. Chuck roast is a pretty forgiving piece of meat and it still cooks fine even at 300.
Run your thermometer probes through one of the holes for the rebars so the lid sits firmly.
@fzxdoc
This thread is a wealth of great information for the PBC:
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I have stuffed aluminum foil around one or two of the rebar holes to choke off a bit of the oxygen. It seems to help me at times.Comment
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Like JeffJ and HawkerXP , I'm sure you were the victim of a seriously hot start due to lighting the whole PBC basket at once. The PBC is only real finicky about one thing: lighting it properly and consistently.Originally posted by VideoWolf88 View Post
I strongly recommend that you follow the Pit Barrel Co. instructions at first ... and if they work, then stick with them:
From the PBC web site:
Method 1 – Chimney Method- Fill your PBC coal basket completely level with standard briquets.
- Remove approximately 1/4 (40 briquets) and place in the top of your chimney starter.
- Place coal basket with remaining 3/4 briquets in the bottom of your PBC.
- Set grill grate in your PBC, place crumpled paper under your chimney starter and place on the grate.
- Light the paper through vents in lower sides of chimney starter.
- 2000 ft or below let your coals burn 12-15 minutes, all other elevations 20 minutes VERY IMPORTANT! , remove from the grill grate, and pour the coals from the chimney into your coal basket in the bottom of the PBC.
- Begin your cook immediately.
If the PBC method doesn't quite work for you, you can get a bit fancier by carefully following the excellent instructions you'll find here: https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...g-temperaturesComment
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^^Try that if you haven't already. It works for me.Originally posted by ssandy_561 View PostComment
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Temps have been coming down inside the Cooker on their own. Almost four hours in, PBC temp is running between 290-300 and roast is at 162. Planning on pulling roast out between 180-190, letting it rest for 30 minutes before curing and saucing, then back on for one hour.
Oh, and before I forget, thanks to all for the good advice so far and any that is yet to come.Comment
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Foil in the rebar holes, make sure lid is tight, weight in lid if needed, foil around section of lid if it is leaking out from under the lid.... DO NOT open lid to let heat out as it will have the opposite reaction.Comment
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Chuckie got to 190 about 25 minutes ago. Sliced beautifully and the cubes were nice and tender. Got 'em sauced and brown sugared, into a tented foil pan, and back on the smoker for an hour. Will be served with butter and garlic rice. So excited, finished pics soon!Comment
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Ok, here's the finished pan and my plate with the rice. All in all, this turned out great, so happy right now.Attached FilesComment
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