Shooting myself in the foot

[jhapka]

Short read: I’m finally going to let the PBC do its thing and hopefully share some pictures of some good food. Hello to the PBC section, I’ve been reading and not posting for a while.

I started using a PBC a couple of months ago. To summarize my self inflicted turmoil: I had a really leaky lid but I’m a compulsive fiddler so by the time I got on The Pit months later and realized that my lid was the issue, I had changed my lighting method and deviated from protocol in numerous other ways. PBC’s excellent customer service team sent me a new lid, which fit wonderfully, and I added a gasket to the lid for good measure (love the satisfying THOOMP sound it makes when put on the barrel). My problem now that my lid is good is that I’m not getting a smoke ring on anything and the meat’s dried out when brought to temperature. Thermoworks smoke probes have been verified. I’m pretty sure the reason that I can’t get it right at this point is a failure to abandon the modifications to my cooker and method that I developed when I had a lid leak. This weekend I’m going to open up the bottom vent slightly more than a quarter to keep the fire fed because I’m at 1600 feet, going to light 40 coals (15-10-10) instead of only 15-20 coals and spread them out instead of pouring them into a divot in the middle of the coal basket, and I’m going to refrain from using the gasket rings I put on the rebars to Plug 1-2 top holes.

I know, I should follow the instructions and stay out of the PBC’s way.

If anybody has any other input I’d love to hear it and I am looking forward to posting some beautiful pictures of (hopefully) beautiful food!

[HawkerXP]

I stopped doing the divot as well. Remember for most big meats (butt, brisket) its probe tender and not internal temperature your looking for. Costco prime brisket could be done around 190* others as high as 210*. Make sure your meat is cold when hanging to help with smoke ring. Good luck!

[jhapka]

Thanks! Pork butts gotta let go of that bone before I’ll pull them off. Thought I had probe tender at 197 last time I dared try a prime brisket and it was at least an improvement on my first. It felt pretty buttery but I either pulled too soon or too late. Last weekend I even threw my chuckie in the freezer for a few minutes after I hooked it and it went from freezer to pit. No luck. I’m betting my problem is keeping the fire too small and stifled, not enough byproducts of combustion.

[jhapka]

On that note, I pulled the chuck roast at 180 because I read that was the pull temperature for slicing and that the probe tender rule didn’t apply unless I want to pull it. 2 hours in the FC at rest before slicing but it was sure dry. Not sure what the deal was there.

[klflowers]

If you haven't already, take a look at this post by fzxdoc :

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/grills-and-smokers/charcoal/pit-barrel-cooker/12614-light-my-pbc-fire-tips-on-lighting-and-maintaining-temperatures

[jhapka]

Thank you, it’s a great post. Saw it for the first time a few weeks ago, read every reply on every page last weekend and I found lots of nuggets of wisdom.

[klflowers]

I don't even have a pbc but i read that just in case.

[au4stree]

jhapka , i bought a used PBC off CL last summer. I tinkered with it and left it at the hunting camp shortly after purchase. Well, this spring, while turkey hunting, I decided to cook ribs for us to eat. Come to find out I had a lid leak, the barrel was running hot. I confirmed this after a few runs with small stuff and running my TW Smoke in there. The PBC would not settle in the 275-325F range. It wanted to run 350F+. I say all this to say, I know where you're coming from, I tried different lighting techniques, different charcoal, etc. I decided, before I'd call PBC about another lid, to install a felt gasket on the lid (thanks to the fine folks in here for that tidbit). IT WORKED! My PBC runs like a champ! I cook everything like the website says, I don't do anything different (anymore). I get consistent temps, in the 265-325F range. I do, on occasion crack the lid, especially when cooking chicken.

NOTE: The PBC got blown around by a pretty bad storm in the fall, that's likely what caused the lid issues. Needless to say, I brought it home and we cook on a weber kettle (at the camp) now.

[mountainsmoker]

Meteorologically there is not a signifigant difference in air pressure between 0 feet sea level and 2000 ft sea level. I have been on other web sites where this has been proven true. It has been more than 5 years ago when my house burned down and I lost my computer and back ups. Using a calculator psi at sea level is 14.70, psi at 1600 ft. is 13.89, less that one psi different, and meaningless in the cooking world. Most chefs I know don't start adjusting till 4000 ft where the psi is 12.75 where water boils sooner and the heat is lower.

Well good luck on your cook. Here is the calculator, use the blue part. As always make any adjustments gradually.

[MBMorgan]

This weekend I’m going to open up the bottom vent slightly more than a quarter to keep the fire fed because I’m at 1600 feet

Your lower vent opening instincts for your altitude are dead on. In fact, the calculator that I wrote (based on Noah's data points) says you should shoot for about 3/8 open ... which looks like this:



Have fun with the cook ...

[JimLinebarger]

Man that's purdy!

[JeffJ]

There is a sticky thread for the PBC regarding lighting procedure, etc. I’ve memorized Kathryn’s lighting instructions and mine cooks like a champ every time. Now that you have a proper lid, follow her lighting instructions and let the PBC do the rest.

fzxdoc

[gdsim1]

A couple thoughts on your smoke ring...

1) Probably a dumb question but I’ve gotta ask it - are you using wood? Some folks just let the meat drippings hitting the coal basket make their smoke ring and that works fine, but if you haven’t tried it yet throw a chunk or two of wood on your coal basket and see if it makes a difference.

2) As you’ve probably noted in your readings and research, smoke loves WET. If you’ve been adhering to the ol tried n true during your prep (rinse meat, pat dry, apply rub), try leaving it a little wetter than you normally do and see what happens. Alternately, get a clean spray bottle, fill with liquid of choice (depending on what pairs well with whatever meat you’re cooking), and try lightly spritzing the meat every hour or so.

[jhapka]

Good tips. I’ve been trying dry chunks. The temp was running away when the lid was loose so I was lighting a very small amount of coals and putting them all in the center of the basket together on top of the chunk. I tend to dry brine overnight leaving the meat unwrapped to dry the surface out for bark formation, I’ll try the spritz!

[gdsim1]

jhapka - please let me know if that works. If not, we’ll keep working it til we find something that does, and I’ll help all I can. 👍

[Mr. Bones]

Reckon I've shot my dang self in both feet, a hunnert times more times than 95 percenta people ever even fired a gun...

It's a Hominid thing... truly, we are supreme, in th Universe...lol

Ya treat yer wound(s), an (ideally, most don't) prosper from th Lesson presented...

When ya need to seek professional assistance, is when ya keep on a doin it, an reloadin, an repeatin...

[jhapka]

Hopefully I can avoid seeking help from professionals other than cooking professionals such as yourselves. For two years my Weber kettle with SNS pumped out top notch product, then the temptation for this PBC and it’s brisket-capable capacity came along and it’s been like starting all over. Kind of a thrill, kind of maddening. That’s why you caught me looking at a GOOR last week 😏. Think I’m turning a corner with all the guidance I’ve found here though.

[Mr. Bones]

Glad to hear it, Brother!
Yer obviously on th Right Track, an have come to th Right Place...
I am not even nearly among 'Th Professionals', but I certainly can provide guidance to them what is...

[jhapka]

OK not bad. I went from dried out jerky last week to very enjoyable, tender chuck slices this week. I dry brined the roast, coated it with BBBR (needed a change up from Dalmatian) and stuck it in the freezer for 30 minutes before I put it in the pit. I only plugged the top holes once to drop the temp from 370 down to 300 before I put the meat on. Added two chunks of pecan. Spritzed three times: before adding rub and at the one and two hour marks. Wrapped at 170, stall seemed to be from 145-155. Removed from pit at 190, seemed pretty probe tender the only thing I would change is probably letting it go to 192-195. Rested in the faux cambro in direct sunlight for two hours outside because it was 110, that cambro did not cool down. It pulled apart very easily and was quite juicy. No pronounced smoke ring, but it was there.

Thanks for the input folks!

[JimLinebarger]

Beautiful!

[Mr. Bones]

Chuck a Licious, Brother!
Smoke rings happen, sometimes...I wouldn't worry overmuch bout em

[Mark V]

If you are going to ask for the right smoke from wood, the fire has to be hot. You have to have enough charcoal lit well. I put my wood chunks on top, not the bottom. There can be other reasons for not getting a smoke ring than no smoke. Are you using citrus or other ph acidic things at all before putting the meat on? That will inhibit a smoke ring. If so, add acidic things after the meat has smoked, like when you wrap. You do not mention if it has a smoke flavor, you would still get that even with citrus, just not the smoke ring. If you get smoke flavor, all is well. The ring is just appearance then. A good seal shouldn't cause the meat to be dry, just the opposite, I think. Are you just overcooking, or using a lower grade meat? Do you wrap, what cuts are dried out? Most people have trouble with dry meat with brisket, for example, could just be a common problem that takes experience to solve.