First Post, First PBC Cook

[mayapoppa]

Hey everyone... been lurking on these forums for a few weeks. But I got my PBC last week, and thought I'd chime in with my joy over how easy it was to do some unbelievable cooking. I didn't have too many people to feed, so I just started with 3 racks of baby backs. Used a (slightly modified version of) MMR on 2, and Trader Joe's Coffee Rub on one. No sauce. A couple of chunks of mesquite thrown in at the beginning, but none added after that. PBC ran about 268 for the entire cook, and in just under 3 hours, they were perfect. One of the folks, as he was eating, asked permission to cry. I have been making some good ribs for a little while (entirely due to the knowledge on this site!) but this was on another level. I can't wait to keep cooking with this thing... almost disappointed I am headed to Mexico for vacation! (But not really...)

Rack on the right in the finished picture is the TJ coffee rub. I gotta say... it is pretty freakin' good!

[_John_]

That thing looks pretty! Ribs look great too, and by the looks of the hook placement (and double hooks) you have been reading plenty. So where are you from? I don't see a lot of mesquite cooking any more though I keep some around, habit from some time spent in Texas.

[mayapoppa]

I have certainly been doing my research, and read a few sad stories of racks falling into the coals. That one rack just seemed a little heavier, so... And as to the mesquite, to be honest, I'm not sure why we had that around. I think I got a bag of chunks of it at some fancy-ish cooking store a while back. But it worked out well. No Texas in me... Cali by way of Virginia!

[Voodoo]

Nice job Mayapoppa. Happiness is good eats.
I've had a rack fall into the fire myself, early in my PBC days. I no longer worry about it at all. I single hook everything except items too large (brisket).
The consensus seems to be, and my experience agrees, that hanging is perfectly safe and effective. The fall happens when you let the meat go too long. I've been meaning to do a write up on "the pull". I've noticed that ribs will begin to pull right when they're done. When you first hang, the hook and meat are uniform. But right when they get to that magical point, they start to show a little separation, as thought the hook is now effectively tugging and loosening the meat. That's when I pull mine out of the PBC. If they go much longer, you risk disaster in over cooked ribs, or ribs pulled from the ashes.
Hope that helps.

[CurlingDog]

flexible skewers! no more ashcovered ribs!

http://www.target.com/p/chefmate-grill-tool-set/-/A-14213891?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=google_pla_df&LNM=14213891&CPNG=Patio+Garden&kpid=14213891&LID=33pgs&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=14213891&kpid=14213891&gclid=CjwKEAjw6Z2pBRCmvaXq6d7FjUoSJAAc5LriRvzjF4CqgulyRIPwIrAejiR4yNmLPvwDXEXD1_J_fhoCWzfw_wcB

[Gunderich_1]

Ok, since this post is titled first PBC cook, I thought I would interject my first PBC cook from many moons ago. First of all you will see that the PBC is brand spanking new due to the shininess.....I don't know why I didn't take any pictures of the ribs on the cooker. I guess it was because it was getting dark and I wasn't thinking that far. The scenario was: I was dying to cook on my cooker.....things kept getting in the way during the day and I didn't get started until early evening. And this was after I had to carry the cooker to a friends house. So, rushing around....no prep.....no trimming.....no practice, which is why the ribs look the way they do....I promise it is NOT road kill or a possum I skinned, even though it looks like one of the racks has a tail....I promise! And the reason the one rack is a little darker than the other at the bottom? You guessed it! OOPS! It broke off the hook and fell into the coals. Fortunately I foundit fairly quickly so it was not a cinder block. Pulled the ribs, sauced them up and VOLIA! Anyway, lesson learned and honestly, the ribs tasted great even though they dont look the like classic ribs. I promise mayapoppa I was not trying to steal your thunder, just letting everyone in on a humorous first PBC cook.