OT - first cook with PBC

Canugghead

PBC intrigued me so I picked up a used one, fired it up the first time. The capacity is incredible, cooked four racks of back ribs, four half chickens and a curtain of chorizo sausages, all in an 18" diameter drum. Staggered cooks to complete chicken and ribs almost at the same time. Ribs came up really well and rival those cooked in BGE or Traeger. Chicken was smoky similar to BGE (still prefer chicken cooked in Traeger), especially the tip of drumstick collecting skin fat and nearest to the fire. Surprised that the top of ribs cooked as evenly as the bottom, I'm guessing the top gets hotter convection heat but the bottom is closer to the radiant heat source; hence the even cook. It has its place in my toy collection 

logchief

PBC ?  Looks like a UDS (Ugly Drum Smoker).  Certainly showing some great eats coming out of that device.

blasting

@Canugghead  Looking good.  You went big with your first swing!

@logchief  PBC is the hanging version of a UDS

Canugghead

@logchief aka glorified drum smoker
https://www.pitbarrelcooker.com/product-category/pit-barrel/
what better way to celebrate Remembrance Day than firing up the smoker from a veteran owned business?

logchief

Always learn something new here everyday

Canugghead

@blasting Thanks! Figured I'm spending as much time and fuel regardless of quantity, so might as well load it up and invite all the kids home!

caliking

Gary - the ribs and chicken look amazing! I could eat that pic of the ribs. 

I've always wondered how the hanging ribs in the PBC cook evenly. Meant to drill some holes and put in rebar in one of my drum smokers, but never got around to it. The capacity of the PBC is indeed impressive.

And as far as acquiring new toys goes, you remain my hero!!

caliking

blasting said:

@Canugghead  Looking good.  You went big with your first swing!

@logchief  PBC is the hanging version of a UDS

It is basically a UDS, but "idiot-proof". Intake and exhaust are predrilled/fitted so the PBC runs at a consistent temperature once your charcoal is lit.

Correct me if I'm wrong @Canugghead, but you don't really tweak the temp on these? 

FrostyEgg

caliking said:

Gary - the ribs and chicken look amazing! I could eat that pic of the ribs. 

I've always wondered how the hanging ribs in the PBC cook evenly. Meant to drill some holes and put in rebar in one of my drum smokers, but never got around to it. The capacity of the PBC is indeed impressive.

And as far as acquiring new toys goes, you remain my hero!!

I assume you'd run the more thick side low, but it might get residual heat off the top too so idk. I'm intrigued. 

lkapigian

I just saw they have a Jr at 14 inches , great find awesome cook 

lousubcap

Great cook and outcome right there.  Nailed it.  
I am firing up mine early this PM to crank out some chix for the local small staffed firehouse.  It is a hacker and a true "fire and forget" machine.  

Jeremiah

Awesome! We love ours. Turkey is especially great. 

Canugghead

@FrostyEgg it is intriguing indeed, I had mix of thick side up and down, didn't notice much difference. One thing I'm going to do is fabricate more hooks and double hook every slab ... one of them broke while I was lifting it to check for doneness!

Canugghead

@caliking haha, it's supposed to be set it and forget it but curiosity got the better of me; I hooked up a therm for the entire cook. I did tweaked the vent setting and raised the lid few times, because I was opening the lid to add/remove different food.  Temp dropped from high 200's to low 200's through the cook, the slab shown in the sliced pic was double the thickness of the other three, it took forever and I had to foil it.

Canugghead

@lkapigian yes the 14" looks real cute, however even the 18" is portable ... I brought it home in the passenger seat of a compact car.

Canugghead

@lousubcap @Jeremiah Thanks! Going to dig out your PBC posts and pick your brain.  Have two unused turkey lifters that came with the fryers, plan to retrofit one to hang between the rebars. 

lousubcap

@Canugghead - I can't recall posting any PBC cooks here (BGE forum) but will occasionally post a finished product.  I have not gotten creative and generally follow the website recipes.  I have opened the lower vent further than called for my by altitude but my cooks still run longer than advertised.  
I do light it (using the lighter fluid) and insert the rebar after about 15 minutes but don't land the food until about 45 mins to an hour after lighting to make sure the fluid has burned off.  FWIW-

Canugghead

@lousubcap sorry may be I was thinking of @Jeremiah's posts. The seller threw in a chimney starter so I used the Minion method. btw, do you use briquettes or lump?  I noticed the briquettes closest to the vent burnt out first, thinking of putting a shield in front of the basket rim facing the vent to redirect the air intake.

lousubcap

I use the recommended briquettes.  The burn pattern is as you describe but with the duration of the total burn I haven't played around with any changes.  

caliking

Canugghead said:

@lousubcap sorry may be I was thinking of @Jeremiah's posts. The seller threw in a chimney starter so I used the Minion method. btw, do you use briquettes or lump?  I noticed the briquettes closest to the vent burnt out first, thinking of putting a shield in front of the basket rim facing the vent to redirect the air intake.

I know this question wasn't directed to me, but I found that briqs burned more evenly and consistently than lump did. But lump burned hotter. So if going for a hot n fast type cook, or crispy skin, I'd use lump in my UDS. 

Canugghead

@caliking good to know, will keep that in mind, thanks for chiming in.

Moleman

Canugghead, lousubcap, and any other owners of one of these. Please enlighten me as to the benefits of having one. I'm looking at the pit barrel website and considering the purchase of one. I'm just not sure of the need and want to know the benefits. Also, could I use it on my deck or does this need moved off of it. This post has certainly intrigued me. Thanks you. 

Ozzie_Isaac

PBC is on my list of desired cookers.  Looks like you nailed it right out of the gate!

lousubcap

@Moleman - I got mine in Dec 2015.  I was looking for a "different" cooker and had read about the PBC here I believe.  Contacted a forum member who had one and spoke highly of it.  Perused their website and figured for $300 and the capacity it has, why not...
It can be used on a deck (has a stand) and works well especially on poultry.  As noted it can do 8 full racks of ribs as well.  I opted for the accessory that goes on the bottom of the charcoal container and that has been worth it to me.  
Shoot me a PM if you have additional questions.  

Canugghead

@Moleman you got good advice from @lousubcap , I'm counting on @Jeremiah to chime in as well. I'm definitely a PBC newbie, pretty much shared my initial thoughts in this thread. Like I said, where it really shines is high volume cook with minimum effort with the hanging method. Haven't tried cooking on the grill yet, that would be similar to cooking raised direct in the Egg I suppose.

Here's an update on leftovers:
Ribs - still nice like yesterday, no change in smoke profile.
Chicken - smokier than yesterday, just like chicken cooked in the BGE. We are not big smoke fan, therefore still prefer chicken cooked in Traeger.

Have you also looked at the WSM?  It may be more versatile than the PBC, you can add an elevated rack for hanging too. 

Jeremiah

My experience might not be of much use. Did ribs a couple of times, results were okay, but not BGE level. Tri tips are great, as are wings on the grate...but where we really like it, is hanging chickens and turkeys; that’s where it shines for us. That said, the biggest drawback is it’s gonna burn a pile of charcoal until it’s gone, no shutting it down. I love that the egg can be shut down and snuffed off. 

Canugghead

@Jeremiah I save unused charcoal by moving the fuel basket inside an idle BGE or Weber kettle.

Really looking forward to smoking a whole turkey in it!

konablue50

hey everyone, I haven't posted in some time but I do lurk from time to time as I'm a BBQ nut. I was in the hunt for an egg long ago but funds didn't allow it so ended up with a PBC. I'd still like to add an egg to my backyard in the future. I'm happy to share some cooks that I've done on the PBC. I've cooked about everything. I have a die hard egg co-worker who has told me I've made some of the best food he's ever tasted, especially ribs. The PBC generally runs between 270-310, it's a set it and forget it. You can add a BBQ controller to obtain lower temps. This is some food I've done recently...

Spicy Yucatan Wings with citrus Habanero sauce

Spatchcock chicken (my preferred method)...

Glazed ribs...

Beef ribs...

Whole beef Picanha (fat cap cut off)

Canugghead

@konablue50 Wow, incredible looking food and photos, where have you been? Did you cook the spatchcock and picanha all the way on the grid, no hanging? I'll be picking your brain for future PBC cooks! Thanks for sharing.

konablue50

@Canugghead honestly, the only thing I hang really are ribs. If I need to cook more than one chicken I'll hang chicken halves. The Picanha was slow smoked on the grate then reverse seared on the PBC. The pic below is a Picanha sliced into steaks and hung on the PBC skewers that I cook over higher heat. Feel free to ask any questions.

Canugghead

@konablue50 Thanks. Need to Mcgyver my own turkey hanger and hanging skewers since shipping to GWN is pricey.