Can anyone talk me out of buying a PBC?

[reallyalexsc]

I have just seen that they are now much more available in the UK, after vanishing from these shores just before I bought my last cooker (a Weber Kettle, with a Slow N Sear v 1).

The PBC seems to be too good to be true, but I think it's probably time I took the plunge.

I've got one concern -- how do you manage the temperature in it for different cooks?

Everything I've read seems to suggest you just don't, and just monitor internal temp /outside colour for done-ness and bark, and it just worked.

Is this true -- and if so, how much difference does quality of fuel make? We can't get Kingsford over here, really, but the Weber briquettes do a pretty similar job, and I've seen Heat Beads getting good reviews too.

The one other potential issue is that I'm cooking on a roof terrace that can get quite windy -- it makes temperature control on the Weber very difficult some days as the wind either whips the heat away, or ups the burn rate.

Was just looking at the thread about wind going straight into the intake, which seems to suggest some shielding would solve the problem, but any other info on how widespread people find issues with the wind would be good.

Any feedback or advice is greatly appreciated!

[RobertC]

Nice terrace.

You can wrap the barrel in a welder's blanket; if you want you can also use a fan-controlled thermo regulator.

[klflowers]

OK, seriously, do you really expect any of us to try and talk you out of buying a pbc

[ComfortablyNumb]

If anything we'll try to talk him into buying a PBC and a KBQ!

[fzxdoc]

I'd be the last one to talk you out of purchasing a PBC, reallyalexsc , because I enjoy using mine so much.

About temperature control: some folks set and forget, but I don't, since I want to know the ETA of the food as closely as possible. Sometimes, after getting a good light on and adding the meat, the PBC will settle right in to its sweet spot temp, and other times it will start higher and slowly trend down during the course of a longer cook. Keeping an eye on the temps will help you decide whether to let that long slide do it's thing or whether, in the interests of bringing the cook in on time, to adjust the temp up by cracking the lid for 5 or 10 minutes.

For poultry cooks, where I want the temps to be in the 350°F range, I keep the lid cracked during much of the cook, and/or use only one rebar placed diagonally or use a skinny stainless steel rod(s) in place of the rebars. That gets a whole or split chicken done in just over 1 hour and a turkey done in 2 to 3 hours. If you just let the PBC do its thing, whole or split chickens can take 2-3 hours or longer and the skin will most likely be flabby, so you can decide.

I put two remote thermometers inside the barrel for each cook, one on the vent side and one on the side opposite, hanging about the level of the middle of the meat but a couple of inches away from the meat. Those two thermometers can read 40-50°F different from each other during a cook, coming closer together usually, as the cook progresses. Plus the high-reading one will often become the lower-reading one as the cook progresses.

Having two PBC temp readouts keep me from messing too much with the temperature, but when intervention is wise, I do so.

I use Weber briquettes in my PBC, but it takes longer to light and I have to let it get a super good fire going before adding the meat in order to lock my PBC in to its sweet spot temperature. Usually I put Weber in the basket (using it pretty exclusively for longer cooks) and Kingsford Original (KBB) in the chimney. The KBB gets the Weber coals going pretty well. The Weber briquettes make more ash than Kingsford, but I just let it go, even if the ash accumulates from the floor of the barrel to the underside of the basket. That messes a bit with air flow for a longer cook, but cracking the lid for a little bit usually rights the temp where I like it.

I don't usually smoke during windy conditions, as my smokers are on my deck and I'm respectful of flying sparks. I'm sure that those who do use the PBC in windy situations will pipe up soon. I honestly don't see many sparks once the meat is happily tucked in to the PBC. I see them when I'm using the chimney at the beginning of the cook to get the fire going.

As far as light wind messing with the PBC temp, I just usually make sure the vent is pointing away from the direction of the wind. I've never had a wind-related problem, but some here report that they have.

In my opinion, you can't go wrong with the PBC. You can cook for a few or a bunch; that little barrel turns out really great food no matter what.

Kathryn

[HawkerXP]

This is what you need to know before you buy. You don't really control the PBC like traditional cookers.
1. Learn to light the coals
2. For long cooks rebar in and let it go. Normally hangs around 270* when it gets settled.
3. For short cooks, chicken, turkey...., leave one rebar out and let it go. Normally around 360*.

If you are someone who likes to fiddle with a cooker during a cook. The PBC is not for you.

[LA Pork Butt]

Normally I could talk you out of it, but having just succumbed to MCS I am in a weekend State.

[reallyalexsc]

Thank you, everyone .

I had been thinking of making heatproof wind shielding using some sort of frame with a fireproof insulator of some sort, so the welder's blanket tip is a good one.

I'm happy not having to fiddle if there is a relatively easy way to crank the temp a bit when needed - knowing the tips about the rebar and lid make me feel much better about the level of control.

The multiple probe idea also sounds great; will definitely try that out.

[HawkerXP]

Love mine, just need to know some things before you buy.

[VideoWolf88]

I definitely will not talk you out of buying a PBC. I'm still nowhere near an expert on all this yet, but the wonderful noises and comments my friends and family make when they try whatever I have cooked on it make me feel like friggin' genius. As to a point fzxdoc brought up (and she is definitely a genius with the PBC), I've had mine high up in the Sierra Nevadas and now down in the Upper Cumberland valley, and I've never had an issue with wind and sparks. Only ever seen them when dumping coals out of the chimney starter.

[THE Humble Texan]

let me talk you out of buying one. GET 2!!

[Spinaker]

Hahaha, that's what happened to me.

[BRic]

It would be a crime to tell you not buy one !! We love are PBC , the food is . When you buy one make sure to get the ash pan and hinged grate . There is large group of people here that can help you out . if you go to fzxdoc she has done a wonderful

job at gathering infor . She is the most knowlegdeable person when it comes to the PBC.

[Polarbear777]

It will run well stock as stated above, but if you add a fan controller you can get it to be stable at any temperature you want, regardless of weather since the controller compensates.

On on the other hand, you could add a controller to your kettle and get the same effect, so unless you need the capacity, maybe you don’t need a PBC.

[klflowers]

Of course he needs a pbc! Come on, man!!!

[Spinaker]

I love the way the PBC runs. As going as your lid seasl well, it will run great. I ran mine this weekend and I stuck at 250 F for 5 hours with out a problem. The PBC is a rib cooking machine, which is why I have two of them.

Almost nothing in the BBQ world is set and forget. Great flavor takes time and effort and the PBC is no different. However, it is very easy to control and it runs great in pretty much all weather conditions.

Follow the words from fzxdoc she is the queen of the PBC!

[Polarbear777]

I added a lid gasket n my PBC when brand new. Never had any issues running stock or controlled.

[Spinaker]

Yeah, that is a good move. Polarbear777

[Corvus]

I can give you 10 reasons not to buy a PBC;
-you have to stand outside to cook
-you have to buy fuel for the fire
-you will get smoke in your eyes
-you have to buy special tools and equipment to cook with
-you could burn your fingers
-your food will develop a "smoky" flavor
-you food may develop an outer layer sometimes called "bark"
-family and friends will want to come to your house for meals
-McDonald's and Famous Dave's will never taste the same again
-one cooker will never be enough

pardon me a moment while I check on my ribs and cowboy beans.

[Spinaker]

Well said!! LOL

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

My coworker regularly kills it with his PBC cooks, and there's so many helpful gadgets to expand into your arsenal. If I had time (and wife approved space) for 3 grills, a PBC or UDS would be on my list for sure. I personally like the way some things cook on the vertical better. Sorry can't help ya

BTW, your view is to die for. All the times I've visited London I never could imagine living there, but with that view I'd live with my cookers

[FireMan]

Nope! 🕶