# PIT BARREL COOKER



## races pig

Folks Noah over at PIT BARREL COOKERS sent me my PIT BARREL and man I love this new cooker. This is a rock solid cooker that you load light hang your meat in put the cover on and walk away. I cant tell ya how juicy the meat turns out. I am very impressed with it. Now I got 3 other Smokers that wont see much use. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






I like it so much I am gonna start selling them. And will use 4 in Competition cooking. As you can see it is not much larger then my Brinkman













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__ races pig
__ Jul 30, 2012


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## daveomak

RP, evening and welcome to the forum.....  So, you have joined the ranks of those who swear by cooking on an Ugly Drum Smoker....  Congrats.....  we have a few members that have won many trophies cooking on those beauties....  they swear by them also...... 

Anyway, glad you stopped in...  enjoy the forum and recipes our gifted members have to share.....  Take pics (q-views) of your smoking accomplishments to share here.... we love pics....  Enjoy the long smokey ride...  Dave


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## scarbelly

Congrats on the new smoker. It looks great

I just read the instructions from their website and they recommend starting the charcoal with lighter fluid. I would suggest using a chimney instead so you don't have the starter fluid taste in your food or your drum


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## races pig

I use a chimney to start it and use the minion method. This last cook was a mix of woods green peach persimmon oak and hickory what a great flavor it added to the beef. As for usd yep I want folks to be able to cook like comp cooks at home. You should not have to spend 20 grand to enjoy good Q Thanks for the kind words folks.


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## rbranstner

I sure do love my UDS as well.


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## aquaduck

I recently obtained one of these as well. It does do a good job but in smoking Jeff's recent chuck roast recipe I modified it to accept my Digi Q as the company states the temp in the barrel is 275 - 290 with the vent set as it came from the factory. I wanted to cook slower so hence the changes. (250 is as low as I could get it)

I just cut a piece of steel and used a standard adapter and the same mounting hole that the factory vent cover was attached to. Worked well and after about 6 hours I still had plenty enough heat left to crank up the fan and grill some sliced rib eye for Philly cheese steak sandwiches. The smoke really helped the flavor.

Not as big as my other units but it will hold a lot set up in the hanging configuration. So far it is quite good.













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__ aquaduck
__ Jan 9, 2013


















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Factory


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## flyweed

you guys should head over to BBQ Brethren and read the threads on this unit..Quite the PISSIN MATCH!!

I think they price is a bit high for basically a UDS that can't  hold a low temp like a UDS can.

Dan


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## sam3

flyweed said:


> you guys should head over to BBQ Brethren and read the threads on this unit..Quite the PISSIN MATCH!!
> 
> I think they price is a bit high for basically a UDS that can't  hold a low temp like a UDS can.
> 
> Dan


I've had a PBC for a while now, and love it.

I paid a little over $200 for mine, with free shipping from a Kingsford promotion.

I'm happy.


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## lenny60098

Hi y'all -

Been smoking a little while, after I figured out how to get my Weber gas grill down to 225 and used chips and foil to get the smoke going...Got some decent Q going on that...

New PBC was delivered to work last week, and we did a couple roaster chickens on it - Juicy  - awesome - flavorful in slightly over an hour and a half.  The cooker maintained 250-260 th3 whole time. Monitored meat temp with a leave-in thermo. Used my digital Fluke meter to monitor cooker temp, the chamber temp went up to 370 after we pulled the meat and stayed there, which I found curious.  Noting the burn pattern, the coals burned across the basket from the air inlet side.  Anybody else see this happening?


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## aquaduck

When I don't use my  fan, I have closed the inlet almost all the way.


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## pitmstr3

I just ordered a PBC, my question is can I close the vent from the preset opening to reduce heat to around 250?


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## aquaduck

I had recently contacted the company to see what the normal operating range was. They stated 275-295 if the vent was set to your elevation. I had mine all the way closed at about 800 ft and the lowest I could get down to was 253.


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## pitmstr3

Sir thank you for your response, I believe the elevation near Seattle is around 450 ft.  I'm excited about the PBC but would like to cook around 250F tops.  I will trust the process, again appreciate your feedback.  I have BGE and thinking about picking up the DIGI QX2.

Thanks


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## camping hoosiers

I think I'm going to get one of these... I like the ease of use and the higher cooking temps. The compact size will fit well in the bed of my truck without interfering with my fifth wheel camper.


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## pitmstr3

Trust me when I say the Pit Barrel is worth the money and more.  I have had the PBC for the last two months, the food comes out perfect no matter what you are cooking.  I have done ribs, pork butt, chicken, game hens etc.  Follow the directions to light it and the rest is history, no more prepping the day before.  Start that morning and you can have up to 8 slabs of ribs, 8 qtr chicken and a brisket at days end on the Pit Barrel.

NW Pit master


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## rustywedges

I'm looking at getting a PBC, but I have one concern.

I've used the 3-2-1 method on my ribs since the day I found this site.  Do any of you guys use this method with the PBC?  I'm guessing I could start with them hanging, then wrap them and put them on the grates, then hang them to finish'em at the end.

What do you guys do?


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## aquaduck

When I do ribs on the PBC, I do as you describe but do not hang them a 2nd time. I either use the grates (if enough room for the amount I smoked) or use my Weber or a gasser for the final step..


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## fanning206

Hi there has anybody tried lump charcoal or competition Kingsford in their pit barrel cooker and if so how much do you add to the basket because I know it gets a little hotter than the regular Kingsford briquettes I just don't like the taste of the regular Kingsford


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## aquaduck

I have never tried it, but if you do please let us know how it went.


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## wood river bbq

RustyWedges: I use my Pit Barrel Cooker for St Louis Ribs, Buffalo Wings and Salmon -- the rest of the stuff I cook on a Lang, with the exception of Chicken, which my wife cooks on a Weber 22.5. I was skeptical about the method Noah suggests for those 3 products, especially the ribs, but decided to give his method a try (check out the video's on their web site). They came out perfect and the were the best I've cooked -- same for the wings and salmon. This is no surprise since Noah spent a lot of time testing his product to determine what works.

Fanning206: I use Lump along with wood chunks in my Lang. Lump burns hotter than regular charcoal. I don't like using regular charcoal because of all the junk they put in it to act as a binder. Competition has a lot less junk. With that being said, I decided to stick with what Noah suggests for the same reason I provided to RustyWedges -- Noah extensively tested the charcoal and knows what works. I'm not saying not to use lump but since it burns hotter you're cooking times will change. I don't cook by time but by temperature so if I used lump I'd have to carefully monitor the product so as to not overcook it.The PBC maintains a temp around 280* to 295*.  Lump and competition will push the temperature over 300* so you'll have to watch what your doing and experiement.  

This is unrelated to the topic but one thing I do is load the PBC charcoal basket with an amount of charcoal appropriate for what I'm cooking. In other words, St Louis ribs is a long cook but wings and salmon are a short cook. The PBC will cook for 5, 6 or 7 hours on a full charcoal basket, which is a waste of charcoal on a short cook.


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## countmahdrof

I tried ribs exactly the way the makers recommend in their online video. Hang until nearly done, then slather and rehang for 20-30 mins. Absolutely perfect. The secret to the PBC is the drum size. 33 gallons apparently is the perfect size for even heat convection, allowing the meat 2" from the coals to cook at the same rate at meat at the top. I was dubious of their claim until I tried one. Perfect cook every time. For larger cuts like whole briskets and pork shoulders, you may have to wrap and either place back on grate in PBC or in the oven to finish. The PBC seems to be good for 7-8 hours on one load (7-8 lbs of Kingsford original).


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## aquaduck

Always works for me as well. I sometimes still wrap. I did a brisket and if you do one, be prepared for it to come up to temp faster than you are used to. My very large one cooked so fast I thought it may be ruined but it was great!


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## tmr612

Hello,

I just purchased a Pit Barrel Cooker and am getting ready to fire it up this weekend.  I'll probably stick to Noah's recommendations for my first run, but I'm wondering if anyone is using smoking wood in their pit barrel cooker....  Please feel free to share any other tips or tricks you've learned when using yours.

Regards,

Tim


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## aquaduck

Yep, I throw a few pieces in every time. I usually use fruit wood. I have noticed you do not need as much as with an offset or other smokers. Works well.


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## wood river bbq

trm612: I do the same as aquaduck. The length of the the cook determines how many chunks I use -- 3 hours would equal about 6 chunks of fruit wood. I don't add chunks after the product reaches 145* because it won't take any more smoke.

One thing I'm fooling around with is the amount of charcoal I use. As countmahdrof indicated, the PBC will burn for a long time on a full basket and on short cooks (chicken wings, tri-tip) it's a waste of charcoal so I've cut the charcoal in half for those cooks and had good results. Even a half basket burns forever. I pretty much follow Noah's proven method's but I do deviate and use some of the meat preparations that have worked well for me on my offset. My suggestion would be to try Noah's method first and then experiment. 

The last St Louis Rib I purchased was the longest suckers I've ever seen so I cut it in half and they came out great -- better than on the offset. I probably could have cooked them as one unit and obtained the same result.

I don't know where you live but, depending on your altitude, be sure to set the air intake as they suggest.


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## tmr612

Thanks for the advise guys.  The 1st run was very successful!  No leftovers.  Can't wait for next time.


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## fastback

sam3 said:


> I've had a PBC for a while now, and love it.
> 
> I paid a little over $200 for mine, with free shipping from a Kingsford promotion.
> 
> I'm happy.


I missed the promo and would jump on one immediately if it were still going on...

C'mon Kingsford - let's get the end of Summer rolling!


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## jburn244

I think I'm just about sold on one of these as s Christmas present to myself. I got rid of my WSM to try stick burning but now I realize I do need a set and forget it cooker also. This seems to be the ticket!


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## clarkgriswald

Hi everyone.  Well after much debate I finally purchased a PBC yesterday.  (Total BBQ newbie)  Can't wait to get it and do my very first charcoal cook.  I have always had a gas grill.

I have a question for you guys.  I am going to try Noah's method of just using charcoal the first time but after the first cook I want to add wood.  Do I add wood right away and do I have to soak it first?

Thanks,

Clark


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## b-one

I looked at the PBC but bought a WSM instead. But I never soak my wood, they have done tests that show the water doesn't penetrate very far. The best bet "wood" be to use 2-3 chunks and add more if needed the next cook. Congrats on the new cooker!


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## clarkgriswald

Thanks for the response b-one.  What kind of wood do you use and how do you like your weber?


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## fastback

Clarkgriswald said:


> Hi everyone.  Well after much debate I finally purchased a PBC yesterday.  (Total BBQ newbie)  Can't wait to get it and do my very first charcoal cook.  I have always had a gas grill.
> 
> I have a question for you guys.  I am going to try Noah's method of just using charcoal the first time but after the first cook I want to add wood.  Do I add wood right away and do I have to soak it first?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Clark


I grabbed a PBC recently as well and this is how I set things up yesterday... Seemed to burn & smoke just fine.

I didn't soak the wood, just used some dry peach and poured the hot coals right on top...













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__ fastback
__ Oct 26, 2014


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## clarkgriswald

Looking good Fastback.  What did you cook?  How did it turn out and was it easy to do?

Clark


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## fastback

I hadn't done ribs in a while so that's what I had going this weekend.

For the life of me I couldn't get the membrane off the back of any of them (normally then come off just fine...) but I kept on with the plan and had great results.

I was looking for a cooker that would provide good results without me having to babysit it in bad weather situations. The off-set in the summer is fine...

This thing did great. Yesterday was full of scattered showers and strong winds all day. I estimate that I was outside for 10 minutes total, which includes getting the coals started and into the barrel.

Results were great despite the weather, and everyone enjoyed dinner.













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## clarkgriswald

Those look really good!  I can't wait to get mine going.  How long did yours take to get?  If you bought it online.


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## fastback

Clarkgriswald said:


> Those look really good!  I can't wait to get mine going.  How long did yours take to get?  If you bought it online.


Total time was 4 days - Placed the order on Monday and it landed on Friday.

Shipping time was 3 days FedEx Ground.


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## b-one

The webers great. I use for pork mesquite/cherry blend or pecan/cherry blend


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## lonwlf

Do these cook differently that the meat doesn't fall apart? How would you cook a butt for pulled pork? I am partial to having a grate to sit stuff on.


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## aquaduck

They come with a grate as well. 

Dennis


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## fastback

Just a quick follow up after a month or two of use with the PBC.

I've used this a bunch since the weather has moved away from summer, and I've had great results with every cook.

My wife likes food off the PBC better than any other cooker\grill\smoker I've owned or used so far. I showed her how to use it and she's already had a successful cook on her own as well.

18 lb Turkey
12 lb Prime Rib
3 Chickens at once
7 Racks of Ribs at once
3 Racks of Short Ribs
Tri TIp
The cooker as it stands does a fantastic job of cooking evenly & efficiently. I enjoy the ribs and rib roast the most, but all who had turkey this past Thanksgiving raved about the meat. The only thing I plan to do this next year is punch a few holes in the side allowing for the grate to be dropped down another 4-6 inches - I'll just use some stainless nuts & bolts.This will allow for a small drip-pan to sit under future turkeys & roasts.

I'll be buying a lot of Kingsford Blue this next season


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## aquaduck

I like the idea of adding a drip pan.


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## elsos

Fastback, with all your experience now, can you offer some additional pointers?
Must have been good on Christmas, santa got one for me!

I've done babybacks a couple times now and think they need a little longer than 4 hours, but pulled them because I've heard a few folks say that they've had them fall into the coals. But they are not as done as I like, a little hard to pull from the bone still.

How do you do them, and how did the cook of seven come out?
Thanks!


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## camping hoosiers

I've been keeping an eye on the PBC for about a year now and following the reviews of folks like you actually using the PBC. I finally tired of watching everyone else having all of the fun so I've ordered mine and am just waiting for it to arrive. I noticed that for 2015 that they are making these with a heavier gauge steel and using an enamel paint job more like Weber. I should be in business by this weekend...


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## tomd

Has anyone tried chuck roast or other "tuff" cuts?


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## the aporkalypse

Just arrived!!  My new PBC. I can't wait to try it.













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## camping hoosiers

I'm very impressed with the PBC... it's everything that I hoped it would be... 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			


















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## the aporkalypse

Me too.. So far, I've done chicken, pork shoulder, brisket and ribs and all have turned out wonderfully. Not sure why some are slow to embrace the PBC. It's the Q that matters.

Q-view













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## rastur

Hi All, my first post here. I received my PBC a couple of days ago and was anxious to try it out. My problem is I have about 20 18 pound bags of Kingsford competition charcoal I bought on sale at Costco. I wrote to Amber at PBC and she said I could use that but that I should use less. So I tried a little experiment today ( without any meat to ruin). I load the PBC basket only half full of the competition charcoal and only enough in my chimney to get these started. After 20 minutes in the chimney I dumped it on the charcoal basket in the PBC, inserted the rebar rods and put a remote thermometer hanging off the rebar. The opening at the bottom was set to 1/2 open. ( I'm at 5000 feet). I put the cover on and waited. Here are the results:

10: 20 added coals to PBC basket - 338 degrees

10:40 -300 degrees

at this point it gave no indication of going lower so I close the vent to 1/4 open

11:00 - 319 degrees

closed the vent all the way which still leaves a small slice open

12:30 - 320 degrees

1:00 - 300 degrees

I have come to the conclusion that the competition charcoal burns way to hot for trying to smoke on the PBC, but might be suitable for grilling. Guess I'll go pick up some original!


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## elsos

Raster,
Happy Easter!
I think your temp log verifies the consistent temp I have assumed. The PBC certainly runs hotter than a lot of people's idea of cooking, but it does a great job at cooking in those temps.  I stopped keeping track of temps with a thermometer a while back because it was freaking me out.  I decided to run on faith of the words of the guys before me and just cook some meat.  Comes out great.
Happy cooking! [emoji]127831[/emoji]


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## jd kenny

Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum. I was wondering if any had any experience smoking a boneless leg of lamb in their PBC.  I have a six pound leg of lamb.  My plan is to simply coat it in olive oil and a beef and game rub.  I was going to bring it to an internal temp of 130, wrap it and let it sit for 20 mins.  My question is if I should hang it on the hooks or use the grate.   I was also wondering if any had a prediction as to how long it would take to get to 130 degrees.
 Any thoughts would be appreciated.


Just a little background, been smoking meats for about a year, exclusively on the PBC.  I have done ribs, pulled pork, venison, wild turkey, and chicken.  Never lamb though 


Thanks


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## aquaduck

I have not done Lamb yet either. Will be watching.


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## remmy700p

rastur said:


> Hi All, my first post here. I received my PBC a couple of days ago and was anxious to try it out. My problem is I have about 20 18 pound bags of Kingsford competition charcoal I bought on sale at Costco. I wrote to Amber at PBC and she said I could use that but that I should use less. So I tried a little experiment today ( without any meat to ruin). I load the PBC basket only half full of the competition charcoal and only enough in my chimney to get these started. After 20 minutes in the chimney I dumped it on the charcoal basket in the PBC, inserted the rebar rods and put a remote thermometer hanging off the rebar. The opening at the bottom was set to 1/2 open. ( I'm at 5000 feet). I put the cover on and waited. Here are the results:
> 
> 10: 20 added coals to PBC basket - 338 degrees
> 
> 10:40 -300 degrees
> 
> at this point it gave no indication of going lower so I close the vent to 1/4 open
> 
> 11:00 - 319 degrees
> 
> closed the vent all the way which still leaves a small slice open
> 
> 12:30 - 320 degrees
> 
> 1:00 - 300 degrees
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that the competition charcoal burns way to hot for trying to smoke on the PBC, but might be suitable for grilling. Guess I'll go pick up some original!


Wished you lived closer. I'd take that KC off your hands!!


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## remmy700p

JD Kenny said:


> Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum. I was wondering if any had any experience smoking a boneless leg of lamb in their PBC. I have a six pound leg of lamb. My plan is to simply coat it in olive oil and a beef and game rub. I was going to bring it to an internal temp of 130, wrap it and let it sit for 20 mins. My question is if I should hang it on the hooks or use the grate. I was also wondering if any had a prediction as to how long it would take to get to 130 degrees.
> Any thoughts would be appreciated.
> 
> 
> Just a little background, been smoking meats for about a year, exclusively on the PBC. I have done ribs, pulled pork, venison, wild turkey, and chicken. Never lamb though.
> 
> 
> Thanks


I've done bone-in and boneless leg of lamb on my Weber kettle (offset) with Kingsford and chunk wood. One thing about this protein is that you can run it hotter than typical BBQ, i.e. like a tri-tip. 300F-350F works great.

I'd guess that targeting a 130F internal temp on a 6# boneless leg @ 325F will take anywhere from 25-30 minutes/lb. Always use a digital therm. You're looking for an extraction temp of 125F. Lamb WILL climb in temp due to holdover heat.

I wouldn't hang a lamb leg... unless you can catch the drippings in a pan; the juices are too damn good to lose. (Chunk up some Yukon Gold taters and toss them with a little melted herb butter and salt and lay them in the drip pan to cook!)

When you do it, make sure to take some pics and post em up.


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## jd kenny

Well, it went pretty well yesterday. I made a homemade rub with the following ingredients,
Rosemary, thyme, basil, fresh garlic, sea salt, peppercorns, and crushed red pepper. I just eyed everything up when mixing it. The flavor profile was pretty good. I then coated the leg of lamb with olive oil, put the rub on it, and let it sit for an hour.
I then set up the cooler with some blocks of cherry wood and charcoal. I cooked the lamb by hanging it on the hooks of the PBC. I brought it to an order all temp of 130. I then took it out of the PBC, sprinkled lemon juice over the lamb, covered it with foil for about thirty minutes. I then sliced the lamb up. It was cooked pretty well, I would say it was more medium to medium rare, but the meat was moist with great flavor. It took about 2.5 hours in the PBC. Served it with Greek potatoes and Tzakiti sauce. Pretty happy with the cook. Got great reviews from the family about it. My dad said it was the best meat he has ever had. I'm sure that is an overstated. I attached images from the start to the finish  













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__ May 5, 2015


















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## worktogthr

Wow, that looks great!  I am loving the PBC but I haven't tried lamb yet.  Looks  awesome!


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## plixs

Hi Guy I'm a virgin to the smoking world but not to cooking .













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__ plixs
__ Aug 15, 2015






I just got my PBC in a few days back and have used it 3 times.

As a matter of fact its going right now with 2 racks of beef ribs 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





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Can't believe the flavor and moister that the meat has !!

Any tips and tricks I'm a sponge !

Thanks Guys


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## plixs

Is the 250 the lowest you can get it with the BBQ guru and the pit viper ?

I also have the same set up but haven't done it yet . Just want to see what its like

without the BBQ guru set up . Your the first person i have seen with that .

Not saying it has not  been done yet . Nice Work !!


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## plixs

Hey Auqaduck,

I also have the same set up but have yet to do it just want to get a good feel for the PBC before i mod her up.

What temps do you get when you run the pit viper?

Thanks Aquaduck !

I recently obtained one of these as well. It does do a good job but in smoking Jeff's recent chuck roast recipe I modified it to accept my Digi Q as the company states the temp in the barrel is 275 - 290 with the vent set as it came from the factory. I wanted to cook slower so hence the changes. (250 is as low as I could get it)

I just cut a piece of steel and used a standard adapter and the same mounting hole that the factory vent cover was attached to. Worked well and after about 6 hours I still had plenty enough heat left to crank up the fan and grill some sliced rib eye for Philly cheese steak sandwiches. The smoke really helped the flavor.

Not as big as my other units but it will hold a lot set up in the hanging configuration. So far it is quite good.


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## aquaduck

Hey,

        Still higher than my other pits. 250 is about it. Does not seem to need the fan at all.


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## scraggy58

Hello folks. I just took delivery of my PBC last week so i'm a real newby. I tried out a chicken first of all and it came out great. Really succulent and done in about 2 hours. Yesterday I tried some ribs and although I got there eventually, I had some problems along the way. I'm hoping that someone here may be able to tell me what went wrong. It took quite a while for the temperature to come up but it settled eventually around the 250 - 275 f  mark. It stayed there for 2 hours or so and then started rising until it peaked at 390f !  I had to take the ribs out, wrap them and put them in my oven to finish them off. That worked fine but I'm obviously concerned about the PBC temps. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers.


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## aquaduck

Do you have the air control set right for your altitude?


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## rsol

I purchased mine a few months ago. I have been following everything exactly as specified.  My cooks of ribs, lamb, brisket, chicken have come out perfect however it seems my temperatures of the barrel climb over 325-350 at times which concerned me so I placed a temp gauge next to the pit barrel tag near the top.  I used a 3" river country gauge.  Even when my air vent is closed it's still open almost a quarter on mine.  I used a vinyl magnet for a first time yesterday on the hole to adjust the temps. I was able to bring it down to around 250 fairly quick.   I cooked a brisket 7lb. it took 4 hours to get to 195 internal temp. I pulled it at 160 wrapped it and put 1/2 cup beef broth before putting it back on.  When it hit 195 I pulled it and wrapped it in a towel and put it in a cooler (no ice).  After two hours it was perfect.  My buddy smokes and BBQ's all the time for many many years and he can't get over how good everything comes out.  I am happy with it but was wandering if anyone else is having temps this high at a quarter open?????  There was somewhere I read where after the coals are lit for approx. 10 minutes the lid and rebar was put back on to keep it the temp from climbing.  any advice?


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## aquaduck

Yes, use the rebar whenever smoking.


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## fastback

Elsos said:


> Fastback, with all your experience now, can you offer some additional pointers?
> Must have been good on Christmas, santa got one for me!
> 
> I've done babybacks a couple times now and think they need a little longer than 4 hours, but pulled them because I've heard a few folks say that they've had them fall into the coals. But they are not as done as I like, a little hard to pull from the bone still.
> 
> How do you do them, and how did the cook of seven come out?
> Thanks!


4 hours is a strong estimate on the time I cook ribs - 3 or 7 racks took the same time.

If ambient temps are high or if there's direct sunlight on the PBC things will cook faster.

I will hang my ribs and revisit them in 3:50 (on a hot day I'll revisit in 3:30) - Typically I'll add sauce and put them back on the cooker for 30 more minutes before moving them to a platter.

I like my ribs so I can pull them apart as well - and if you're scared they'll fall to the bottom use two hooks.

Place one on top normally and then rig a 2nd hook mid-way down. The bottom hook should be hooked on the top hook.

If you watch the brisket video on the PBC page you'll be able to see what I'm talking about if this doesn't come across well.


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## stinky74

I got my new pit barrel and was expecting the lid to fight tightly like my friend's first gen pit barrel. I was under the impression that the only place that was designed to release air/smoke at the top was through the rebar holes. I lose a little bit of smoke from the lid opening because the lid doesn't sit perfectly flat on the barrel or fight tightly. I also noticed a little bit of smoke escaping from one of the handle mount holes as well. As long as my cooker stays at a good temperature (and doesn't get too hot) do you think this is ok? Or should it fight tightly and truly only release smoke from the rebar holes?

Thanks, Stinky


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## stinky74

I have another question.  I want to do a rack of ribs and a small chicken tomorrow.  Seems like a waste to fill it full of 160 kingsford briquettes to me when I will only need it to burn for 4 or 5 hours.  It would make sense that the number of briquettes you start in the chimney will determine the initial temperature, and the number of briquettes in the cooker will determine the length of time that it burns.

Does that make sense?  I will likely try this, but if someone else has tried it already I'll save myself the test run.

When I use 160 briquettes and start 30 of them (Noah's recommendation when I talked to him)..  it gets up to 250 in an hour or so and never gets above 280...  but burns at least 8 hours.  I figure if I use 120 and start 30 that the temp should be the same, but just not burn as long.  I'm at 700 feet above sea level.

Thoughts?


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## daveomak

The max. temp depends on how much air flow in the smoker....


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## worktogthr

Stinky74 said:


> I have another question.  I want to do a rack of ribs and a small chicken tomorrow.  Seems like a waste to fill it full of 160 kingsford briquettes to me when I will only need it to burn for 4 or 5 hours.  It would make sense that the number of briquettes you start in the chimney will determine the initial temperature, and the number of briquettes in the cooker will determine the length of time that it burns.
> 
> Does that make sense?  I will likely try this, but if someone else has tried it already I'll save myself the test run.
> 
> When I use 160 briquettes and start 30 of them (Noah's recommendation when I talked to him)..  it gets up to 250 in an hour or so and never gets above 280...  but burns at least 8 hours.  I figure if I use 120 and start 30 that the temp should be the same, but just not burn as long.  I'm at 700 feet above sea level.
> 
> Thoughts?



I have tried this and it does work.  Like you, I don't want to waste 8 hours worth of charcoal for a 1-4 hour cook.  I usually would fill half the basket and then take 30-40 briquettes out and I get the temps I. The 280-300 range.  30 briquettes like you said would probably put you in that 250 range.


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## jdelage

Complete newbie question: has anyone tried to set-up the coals in a C-shape (fuse / snake method) to control the burn rate and maybe lower the temp?


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## daveomak

JDelage said:


> Complete newbie question: has anyone tried to set-up the coals in a C-shape (fuse / snake method) to control the burn rate and maybe lower the temp?




That is a common method...  If your barrel is "air tight" with only small exhaust area, the inlets at the bottom "should" control the temp. anywhere you need it...  when the valves are closed, the fire "should" go out....


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## legrand

You guys are killing me.

I've seen all YouTube clips on the PBC even communicated with the company, but with the CDN $$ so low, it's just out of my range, for now. Just a matter of time before I make the jump.


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## scorpion

I looked at them as well and do to funds chose the Orion Cooker.  It's half the price and cooks amazingly well!


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## ppower

Just jumped into the smoker realm by ordering the PBC and accessories. On one hand, it seems silly to spend so much on a barrel, but on the other, everybody's reviews seem to justify it at least enough for me to part with my dollars. 

I was just thinking about the similarity between this and a trash can cooker. One of the best turkeys I've eaten was cooked this way. Technically, the trashcanturkey.com method is more like an oven or Caja China, but it almost seems like you could test out this style of smoker with a trash can and an air hole drilled. Has anybody ever tried this? Seems like a 31 gallon trash can might be an easier way to build a DIY knockoff instead of the thicker metal of a barrel. Something like this but with holes drilled for rebar to be mounted for hanging racks. Something similar to this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Garbage-Can-Turkey-Smoker/


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## daveomak

ppower said:


> Just jumped into the smoker realm by ordering the PBC and accessories. On one hand, it seems silly to spend so much on a barrel, but on the other, everybody's reviews seem to justify it at least enough for me to part with my dollars.
> 
> I was just thinking about the similarity between this and a trash can cooker. One of the best turkeys I've eaten was cooked this way. Technically, the trashcanturkey.com method is more like an oven or Caja China, but it almost seems like you could test out this style of smoker with a trash can and an air hole drilled. Has anybody ever tried this? Seems like a 31 gallon trash can might be an easier way to build a DIY knockoff instead of the thicker metal of a barrel. Something like this but with holes drilled for rebar to be mounted for hanging racks. Something similar to this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Garbage-Can-Turkey-Smoker/


The zinc coating is poisonous when heated....    That smoker could make you violently ill or worse.....   You must become aware of idiots putting up ideas on the web that aren't good...


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## ppower

Thanks. The turkey I had sure was tasty, but it's good to know not to do it continually.


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## ppower

My PBC arrived just in time to go camping with it on Friday, and it fits like a glove in the back of the van next to a cooler (Yeti 45). Taking this campaign ng is going to become a regular event. I smoked St. Louis style ribs and thick pork belly in 2 hours. Nice smoke ring on both, but the belly didn't have much smoke flavor. I suppose I need to cook it longer next time. 













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__ ppower
__ Apr 17, 2016


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## fire me boy

New poster here. Kansas City native now living in Alabama. Found the site through this particular thread. I got my PBC on Friday and doing my first smoke tomorrow. Have about 10 pounds of pork belly I've been curing for a week for bacon, a 3-pound bologna (if you've never had a bbq bologna sandwich, you're missing out on one of the finest delicacies Memphis has to offer), and a chicken.

Thanks for all the advice throughout this thread. I'm really stoked for tomorrow!


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## fire me boy

Got her loaded. Will check on it in an hour.


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## fire me boy

Got her loaded. Will check on it in an hour.


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## brandar75

Hey all, new to forum but had my PBC for about two years now.  I use it extensively; I cook chickens 2-3 times/week for friends as well as other goodies for the family.  I've done plenty of experimenting, as well...I have a pretty good handle on what works, and what doesn't on the barrel.  I'd be more than happy to share my thoughts with anyone that has questions about the Pit Barrel.  I also have a GMG Jim Bowie, but that's more like a big outdoor oven...lol

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## fire me boy

Brandar75 said:


> Hey all, new to forum but had my PBC for about two years now.  I use it extensively; I cook chickens 2-3 times/week for friends as well as other goodies for the family.  I've done plenty of experimenting, as well...I have a pretty good handle on what works, and what doesn't on the barrel.  I'd be more than happy to share my thoughts with anyone that has questions about the Pit Barrel.  I also have a GMG Jim Bowie, but that's more like a big outdoor oven...lol
> 
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Where'd you get your grate?


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## krj

Double that on where'd that beautiful grate come from, and can I get it in a 22" also?


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## brandar75

Fire Me Boy said:


> Where'd you get your grate?





KRJ said:


> Double that on where'd that beautiful grate come from, and can I get it in a 22" also?


http://www.cast-iron-grate.com/cast-iron-grate-for-18-5-grills.html

And yes, they make a 22''.

http://www.cast-iron-grate.com/cast-iron-grate-for-22-5-grills.html


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## fire me boy

I have some fresh kielbasa, a chicken brinerating in soy sauce and bourbon and some aromatics, and turkey legs marinating in seasoning rub and Worcestershire sauce for the PBC today.


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## fire me boy

Brandar75 said:


> http://www.cast-iron-grate.com/cast-iron-grate-for-18-5-grills.html
> 
> And yes, they make a 22''.
> 
> http://www.cast-iron-grate.com/cast-iron-grate-for-22-5-grills.html


Thanks! Amazon sells these, too!


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## fire me boy

Been working to improve the meat on my PBC. This was about a 60:40 split charcoal to hickory. Best smoke flavor yet, and got a little smoke ring, too.


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## killbane

Well I have my second cook on this and let me just say this is a chicken cooking machine!


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## elsos

That looks great!

You say its a 60/40 split, is this wood chunks ratio or something else?

Do you experiment much with the charcoal, or do you use the Kingford bluebag?  I've been using the Kingsford on long cooks, but for chicken I like a hot and fast cook with Royal Oak from Homedepot.


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## fire me boy

Yep, 60:40 charcoal to wood chunks. I typically use the blue bag, haven't really ventured away from that yet.


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## michael rushing

Hi everyone. Let me introduce myself, my name is Michael. Wanted to  post about the concerns of the temps of the PBC. I have had mine for 6 months now and the first few cooks I checked the temp of the PBC and realized there is really no need to, unless you just like to do that. I have cooked several beef briskets and beef ribs chicken and wings and salmon to cheese and this thing is set it an forget it. Works as advertised I am at 450 ft sea level and use it at the lowest setting. I usually add a few wood chunks to my cooks (mesquite)  or other wood depending on the protein I am cooking. Meat is moist and tender and well never have had an issue with it. I stick with kingsford blue bag and it works fine. tried stubbs and it did ok but i guess i just like the old blue! Going to try some lamb riblets this weekend, Will post Pictures and thoughts once done! Cheers!


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## bobnfl

Hello to all.  I have been using my PBC for about 6 months.  I'm not an expert smoker or griller so I follow AmazingRibs.com pretty closely.  There are a 3 simple things I use to smoke at lower temperatures and to extinguish the fire to save charcoal and wood.  I bought some food grade silicone grommets to seal around the rebar and solid silicone plugs for the wholes with the rebar removed.  The 3rd item is 2 magnets to hole a piece of aluminum foil over the bottom vent.  One tray of charcoal last for several cooks.


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## windquest2

I installed a temp probe just under where the rack goes with good results...for those (like me) who like to see the temp in the cooker.....although I have to admit, It cooks just fine without peaking or taking it's temp.

The biggest thing to learn is how to build the fire.  If you fill the pan with charcoal and remove enough to fill you chimney...start them and then button up the cooker I get temps about 250 through out the cook.  If I let them burn with the lid off for about 10-15 min before closing it up then I can expect temps about 290 to 315.  Works for me.

Henry


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## nathanjwtx

I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger on one of these as I have some Candela's gift cards itching to be spent. Either this or an OK Joe. However I'm not sure I want to spend that amount of money and then have to mod it so it works and holds temperature.

Question though, does everything have to be pulled off and foil wrapped? Typically I don't foil wrap as I like the harder crust, especially on pulled pork. Also, can you smoke without hanging? Or is the grate to close to the fire.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


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## daveomak

Foil wrapping gets food past the "stall" and screws up the bark as you well know....   Food can be hung or grated...  for hanging, some folks have drilled holes at the top of the drum, slid rebar through the holes and hung meat from them..   that install increases the distance to the fire....


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## nathanjwtx

If I don't wrap it, will I have sufficient burn time left to get it past the stall? I'm assuming it isn't that simple to add more coals?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


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## nathanjwtx

If I don't wrap it, will I have sufficient burn time left to get it past the stall? I'm assuming it isn't that simple to add more coals?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


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## nathanjwtx

If I don't wrap it, will I have sufficient burn time left to get it past the stall? I'm assuming it isn't that simple to add more coals?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


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## millerbuilds

It all depends, pork shoulder can be very frustrating with time, I have had a 8 lb cook in 10 hours and I have had one take 12.  That said, you can add charcoal, however you have to remove the meat and rack.  When I still have some coals left, I take a big spoon (24") and move all of the coals to one side then add charcoal to the empty side, replace the meat and get another 6 hours of cooking time. Keep in mind on the PBC that if you set the intake to your elevation it will cook at 290 degrees (give or take).  I close my intake down below the manufacture recommended to lower my temp to 250, this way getting a lower cooking temp and a longer burn.  Many people have success cooking at a hotter temp on the PBC with Pork shoulder.  All in all I love my PBC and would recommend to everyone.

Let us know what you do.

Smoke ON!

- Jason


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## windquest2

Almost everyone agrees that the "Texas Crutch" softens the bark, but almost everyone agrees that you need to rest the meat , wrapped in a cooler, and that softens the bark as well.  It isn't hard to add coals to the PBC, especially if you are hanging the meat extending you cooking time by 5 hours or more.

I find that how you start the fire will make a big difference in the internal temperature and a slight adjustment of the vent. My PBC is one of the new versions and I find that even fully closed, there is quite a gap, allowing plenty of ventilation for my elevation of about 900 feet. 

Everything that I have cooked has turned out exceeding my expectations....even smoked meatloaf!   I don't think you can go wrong.

Henry


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## nathanjwtx

Ordered my PBC on Saturday! Hurry up postman [emoji]128513[/emoji]


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## david bates

People PLEASE READ the instructions and do not change it.

Only use Kingsford charcoal the Blue and white bag NO OTHERS!!!!!!

The vent setting for under 2000 feet is closed all the way.

There will be a very small slit open that is all you need.

Fill the basket to just level. then count out 40 coals.

Put those 40 coals in a chimney starter.

Lite the starter and set a timer with alarm for 12 minutes NEVER go over 15 minutes.

Depending on your elevation, will determine how long to let the chimney burn for.

For me 12 minutes is the max time.

For you guys that have used other smokers do not let the chimney burn till the coals ash over if so you just destroyed your meat that you are smoking.

This is the minion method and calls for a slow build up for temp.

When the chimney has reach 12 minutes pour that chimney coals on top of the unlit coals in the smoker.

Add your meat close the lid and sit back.

It is that simple.

If you add wood to the smoker then only use dry wood and only a hand full.

The wood burns hotter than the coals.


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## worktogthr

David Bates said:


> People PLEASE READ the instructions and do not change it.
> Only use Kingsford charcoal the Blue and white bag NO OTHERS!!!!!!
> The vent setting for under 2000 feet is closed all the way.
> There will be a very small slit open that is all you need.
> Fill the basket to just level. then count out 40 coals.
> Put those 40 coals in a chimney starter.
> Lite the starter and set a timer with alarm for 12 minutes NEVER go over 15 minutes.
> Depending on your elevation, will determine how long to let the chimney burn for.
> For me 12 minutes is the max time.
> For you guys that have used other smokers do not let the chimney burn till the coals ash over if so you just destroyed your meat that you are smoking.
> This is the minion method and calls for a slow build up for temp.
> When the chimney has reach 12 minutes pour that chimney coals on top of the unlit coals in the smoker.
> Add your meat close the lid and sit back.
> It is that simple.
> 
> If you add wood to the smoker then only use dry wood and only a hand full.
> The wood burns hotter than the coals.



With all due respect, this post has a lot of absolutes or must dos that are just not true.  

I have used Stubbs, lump of various brands, all with great success

I have used less than 40 coals for a lower cooking temp

I let my coals go for 15 minutes, sometimes longer if I lose track.

I let it burn an additional 10 minutes with the lid off before  I add the meat and close it up 

Sure, there are manufacture's instructions but that hardly means one can't get great results deviating from them.  That's the best part of grilling and smoking... experimenting

-Chris


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## david bates

Chris,

You are exactly right if you have lots of experience. I should have stated this to the newbies or for person's that have not used a PBC. I have read so many post stating their PBC runs too hot. Then when I read what they said they did the problems for the most part is they are not following the recommended instructions. They do not use the recommended charcoal or they did not adjust the vent and in most cases they lit the chimney too long. Once they learn how the PBC works then I say experiment play around with it and enjoy it. But you are right, all the things you said will work if the person has some experience. But I highly recommend they follow the directions to learn how the PBC works before experimenting. They maybe more happy with it instead of fighting it. Thanks for your input I think you give a lot of good advice.

David


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## nathanjwtx

Mine arrived last night! Now to hope the rain stays away this weekend [emoji]128512[/emoji]


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## daveomak

IMO, most of the PBC's problems arise when folks do not make them absolutely, perfectly air tight...   they can't cut down on the air supply to choke off the heat...


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## nathanjwtx

Did a couple of racks of baby backs in my PBC on Sunday for its inaugural smoke. I followed the recipe on the website and sauced them which I don't usually do. The results were ok. Disappointed that the meat didn't fall off the bone but they tasted pretty good. They were in there for about 4hrs.

Some observations:
1. DON'T pick up the lid wearing silicon pit gloves. It slipped right out and now I have a slightly dented lid.
2. The ash pan attachment seems like a must as I now have ash stuck to the inside of mine from where i dumped it out :/
3. Think I'll avoid lighter fluid next time. To my mind it hadn't burnt off completely in 12 minutes and I could have sworn you could taste it.


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## nathanjwtx

Has anyone tried wrapping brisket in butcher paper rather than foil? Whilst I haven't tried it yet (hopefully tomorrow) I'm dubious about wrapping in foil and broth.


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## travisty

Ive had an eye on these for a while, but I just have a few questions about it:

-Seems like they intentionally brand it more as a "cooker" rather than a smoker. Is this a substitution for a decent smoker, or is it just a separate tool?

-Can you even do Pork butts, Briskets, or other big chunks of meat on this, or only things that can hang? I see the rack they also have, but that seems to close to the coals slow cook a butt?

-It appears there is no real temp control on this, you just have to cook in the 265-285 range for everything, and just therm the meat till its done?

-Can/ should you add chips to the coal tray if you want a more smoky flavor?

-The promos all show only briquettes, could you use lump in this cooker?

Sorry,. I know that is a lot of questions, but for $300, there are several other smokers that have had my eye for longer, so I just want to know if this is a legit smoker, or if its just a hybrid sort of thing...


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## nathanjwtx

I hung my brisket and it turned out perfect. I think the design intent is predominantly hanging. Haven't tried pork butt yet although you've now put the idea in my head [emoji]128522[/emoji]

The grill is actually higher than it looks and the chicken portions I put on it smoked without burning. I added wood chunks both times. 

IMO it is a smoker. I wouldn't fire this up to grill on. If it was already going I'd grill on it. 

Yep, no real temp control. And so far I'm dubious about the claimed cook times. 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk


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## nathanjwtx

Has anyone had issues with meat falling from the hooks into the coals late in the cook? Latest is today's pork butt. Fortunately I found after just a few minutes

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk


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## millerbuilds

I have not, when I do a Pork Butt or Brisket I use more than one hook and also, pull it an wrap it at the stall.

Smoke ON!
 

- Jason


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## nobrien1

I personally have a Good One smoker but I recently bought both my sons-in-law Pit Barrels to get them going.  That said, after watching all the videos on YouTube, I've begun to get the itch.  There's nothing wrong with having two smokers, is there?  :-)  Anyway, I have a question for the experienced Pit Barrel folks:  We went over for dinner at my daughter's and her husband cooked pot roast on his Pit Barrel.  While it generally was good, it did have a sooty taste to it.  Does anyone know what he did wrong that would cause that?


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## elsos

nobrien1 said:


> I personally have a Good One smoker but I recently bought both my sons-in-law Pit Barrels to get them going.  That said, after watching all the videos on YouTube, I've begun to get the itch.  There's nothing wrong with having two smokers, is there?  :)  Anyway, I have a question for the experienced Pit Barrel folks:  We went over for dinner at my daughter's and her husband cooked pot roast on his Pit Barrel.  While it generally was good, it did have a sooty taste to it.  Does anyone know what he did wrong that would cause that?


I've had a couple of times, the same issue. I think it's because there needs to be more time in the beginning to allow the bricketts to stop smoldering. Once the white smoke tames down, that's when I put on my meat. It can be a little nasty with that white smoke on things.
Give it a shot, let us know!

It sounds like the website method works well for starting the charcoal, but I seem to deviate, frequently.
When I pour my lit coals on top of the basket of unlit, I keep the lid open for about ten to fifteen minutes or so until the white smoke subsides. I also open the vent fully (and keep it mostly open). I'm at 2000 feet elevation, and a dry desert.
When doing a split chicken, hot and fast is my mantra; fully opened vent, lump charcoal and I'll crack the lid for five minutes or so a couple of times. I've even drilled a 1/4" hole opposite the vent, it can close with a magnet from a white board or the fridge.
Chickens can be done, fall off the bone, in less than an hour. Still haven't perfected the crispy skin...always hoping tho.


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## nobrien1

elsos said:


> I've had a couple of times, the same issue. I think it's because there needs to be more time in the beginning to allow the bricketts to stop smoldering. Once the white smoke tames down, that's when I put on my meat. It can be a little nasty with that white smoke on things.
> Give it a shot, let us know!
> 
> It sounds like the website method works well for starting the charcoal, but I seem to deviate, frequently.
> When I pour my lit coals on top of the basket of unlit, I keep the lid open for about ten to fifteen minutes or so until the white smoke subsides. I also open the vent fully (and keep it mostly open). I'm at 2000 feet elevation, and a dry desert.
> When doing a split chicken, hot and fast is my mantra; fully opened vent, lump charcoal and I'll crack the lid for five minutes or so a couple of times. I've even drilled a 1/4" hole opposite the vent, it can close with a magnet from a white board or the fridge.
> Chickens can be done, fall off the bone, in less than an hour. Still haven't perfected the crispy skin...always hoping tho.


Thank you very much for your suggestion.  It confirms my suspicion that it was because of incomplete combustion.  However, Pit Barrel is so exacting in their instructions, and my son-in-law tends to follow them precisely, that I wasn't sure if that would be the case.  We are a mile high between Denver and Boulder and it looked to me like he had the air vent set correctly.  I will find a graceful way to suggest he watch for the white smoke to subside before putting the meat on.


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## elsos

It can take a little practice for sure. My first smoke was at Christmas, a boneless turkey breast and it was going to be great.
I remember white smoke, and that bird absorbed a good amount of bitterness and funky chemical flavors. My in-laws didn't stick around too long though!  ;)


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