My PBC Fling - A Story of MCS(?)
Last Christmas Santa was awesome enough to bring me a PBC. I haven’t been at this outdoor cooking thing nearly as long as many of you. Started on my 22†kettle using a snake, joined AR a couple years ago, graduated to my 26†with SNS, and the PBC opened up new learnings and experiences for me (and the best damn poultry on the planet).
Fast forward 10 months... I’ve used that cooker on average more than once a week, sometimes 3-4 times in the same week. The sticky articles on the PBC sub forum (nod to fzxdoc ) and something ColonialDawg said (~don’t try to manage the temps, you’ll go crazy, let it roll) were invaluable. That PBC smoke fog is a beautiful thing!
All that said, there are some things I’ve experienced that have left me wanting more... (opinions expressed here are just that, nothing more. I realize there are ways/mods to address most of them and they may not be issues for everyone... I look at this like I’m lucky enough to have enough experience to form an opinion!)
Ok, I hope that all comes across as sharing experience, learning on my part, and not ignorant whining. I’ll repeat - I love my PBC! So much so that I’m hauling it to my parent’s house the Wednesday before Thanksgiving so I can cook the turkey on it. And then I’m leaving it there...😞 It’ll have a great home in a beautiful courtyard with a fountain. I’ll have visitation rights, and a GREAT tool for smoking meat for family when I’m there. So... I’m kind of looking at it like I’ll still have a PBC just at a remote location. And no, I just got something in my eye... that’s all... pardon me a sec 😂
But lets be real - any void created by one less cooker must be filled! So Santa got an early start. I’ve been keeping an eye on these... Max has a very favorable review on the free site. Kevlar gasket, hmm I’ll run my probes under that. Air intake & exhaust for some temp control... wonder if it works? Ah, it actually CAN turn into a grill for a great sear, nice design! Oooh and a diffuser to rid it of hot spots, i like it. â€Rock me momma like a wagon wheel...†it’s mobile too 👍ðŸ». What’s that? $247 at Walmart, are you kidding? Now my biggest problem is... how do I wait til Christmas?? 🎅ðŸ»
Fast forward 10 months... I’ve used that cooker on average more than once a week, sometimes 3-4 times in the same week. The sticky articles on the PBC sub forum (nod to fzxdoc ) and something ColonialDawg said (~don’t try to manage the temps, you’ll go crazy, let it roll) were invaluable. That PBC smoke fog is a beautiful thing!
All that said, there are some things I’ve experienced that have left me wanting more... (opinions expressed here are just that, nothing more. I realize there are ways/mods to address most of them and they may not be issues for everyone... I look at this like I’m lucky enough to have enough experience to form an opinion!)
- Running probes thru the rebar hole is a pain. Sure, I figured out the best method that worked for me, but it is what it is - less than ideal.
- Temp mgt... I still am of the mindset that, generally speaking, it’s best to just let it do it’s thing. I even reached a point where I was so confident in the behavior I’d forgo an ambient thermometer. But if I’m doing poultry, I want higher temps - gotta take action. Lid cracking, 3/8†rebar, one rebar run diagonally... etc.
- Temp mgt... It makes good ribs, but they taste more grilled than smoked to me and are slightly tougher. I’d like lower temps. Smoking salmon? Need lower temps... aluminum foil over a couple rebar holes helps. And trying to get that ambient probe hung in the right spot and not in a meat shadow, well... not the end of the world but it’d be cool if it was easier, like with a well placed probe port. Meh.
- Hot spots! If you’re using the grate, I learned you better rotate it during the cook. No matter how evenly I spread out the lit coals when lighting it, there are always hot spots in the charcoal basket. And they move... the hot spots that is. It might be in one spot the first hour, and somewhere else later. Wanna rotate that grate? While you got multiple probes in meat and one clipped to the grate? Mmm... suboptimal.
- Big cooks... yes, it comes with 8 hooks. But in my experience overloading the PBC will lead to issues. I’ve done multiple butts at once, 2 just yesterday, and keeping temps up can be problematic. I did 3 butts once (yes, they’ll fit!) and actually had to add a full lit chimney after a few hours. Try 3 or more yardbirds at once... those juicy buggers will do their best to douse that charcoal basket. ðŸ“​​​​​​​​​​​​​​💦
- Placement... I cook on my deck. It stays out there on 2 layers of pavers proudly displayed, and without wheels. Yep, I know some folks have purchased a dolly that fits. My wife sure as heck wishes it could be wheeled aside like the kettles. Happy wife, happy life. Just sayin’.
Ok, I hope that all comes across as sharing experience, learning on my part, and not ignorant whining. I’ll repeat - I love my PBC! So much so that I’m hauling it to my parent’s house the Wednesday before Thanksgiving so I can cook the turkey on it. And then I’m leaving it there...😞 It’ll have a great home in a beautiful courtyard with a fountain. I’ll have visitation rights, and a GREAT tool for smoking meat for family when I’m there. So... I’m kind of looking at it like I’ll still have a PBC just at a remote location. And no, I just got something in my eye... that’s all... pardon me a sec 😂
But lets be real - any void created by one less cooker must be filled! So Santa got an early start. I’ve been keeping an eye on these... Max has a very favorable review on the free site. Kevlar gasket, hmm I’ll run my probes under that. Air intake & exhaust for some temp control... wonder if it works? Ah, it actually CAN turn into a grill for a great sear, nice design! Oooh and a diffuser to rid it of hot spots, i like it. â€Rock me momma like a wagon wheel...†it’s mobile too 👍ðŸ». What’s that? $247 at Walmart, are you kidding? Now my biggest problem is... how do I wait til Christmas?? 🎅ðŸ»
But my PBC isn't going anywhere. It's scheduled for making your chicken lollipops recipe tomorrow evening. Looks like we were recipe swapping at almost the same time.
LOL. 
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