First cook question

[thunndarr]

PBC is supposed to show up Thursday. I'm planning on doing a chicken for the trial run. The question is, whole chicken, spatchcock, or chicken halves?

Thanks in advance!

[sparky]

1/2's.

[Bart57266]

Be sure to let your charcoal get good and hot - mostly ashed over - before hanging the meat.

--- CORRECTION 7/15/15 ---

I don't want this post to mislead anyone, because it's really frustrating when a cook doesn't go as planned. Therefore, I need to retract the above statement.

After e-mailing Pit Barrel Cooker Company about the lighting procedure, Amber called me within a couple of hours (on a Sunday!) with this advice:

 - Use charcoal only.
 - If chimney starting the charcoal, let +/- 40 briquettes burn for only 12 minutes.
 - Immediately dump them on the unlit coals in the PBC.
 - Immediately hang meat.
 - Immediately add the lid.

[Chief Mac]

I recommend you go to the PBC web page and watch the videos. There has been a bunch more videos added since I received mine. Follow the videos for the lighting and the chicken cooking procedures and you wont go wrong. Don't follow the procedures, you could be very disappointed in the results. Keep notes on what you are doing and how you did it. You will have plenty of time to venture and experiment. Get used to it and read about other peoples methods, success and failures  here on the site. 
Keep Cookin.      
CM

[jjjonz]

I agree with chief Mac.....Go the their website and check out the lighting instruction first. I started with chicken halves, but had a little problem with lighting...mess up and didn't let it get hot enough before putting the lid on. If it's right the stating temp might be 500 degrees , but it will come down when you put the lid on. I usually put the lid on and wait about 20 or 30 minutes before putting the meat on. jmo You are going to love this little cooker.....Since I got mine and I start cooking something my wife says...you are going to use that little barrel thing aren't you...she loves everything that's cooked on it.

[akruckus]

Personally like halves so I can do more than one rub at a time.  Only the wife and I usually so the leftovers I like having in different flavor worlds so I don't feel like I'm eating the same thing over and over again.

[Pit Barrel Cooker Co.]

Be sure to let your charcoal get good and hot - mostly ashed over - before hanging the meat.

Thanks for the response although you do not want to let your coals get ashed over with the PBC, it's key to follow the lighting process outlined in the User's Guide that comes with your PBC.

Enjoy!

[thunndarr]

Be sure to let your charcoal get good and hot - mostly ashed over - before hanging the meat.

Thanks for the response although you do not want to let your coals get ashed over with the PBC, it's key to follow the lighting process outlined in the User's Guide that comes with your PBC.

Enjoy!

Fed-Ex is telling me tomorrow...Should not have waited til last Thursday to order 

[Bart57266]

Be sure to let your charcoal get good and hot - mostly ashed over - before hanging the meat.

Thanks for the response although you do not want to let your coals get ashed over with the PBC, it's key to follow the lighting process outlined in the User's Guide that comes with your PBC.

Enjoy!

PBC,

What would be a good guide regarding the degree of ashing over?

Halfway?
Three-fourths?
Etc.

[thunndarr]

Be sure to let your charcoal get good and hot - mostly ashed over - before hanging the meat.

Thanks for the response although you do not want to let your coals get ashed over with the PBC, it's key to follow the lighting process outlined in the User's Guide that comes with your PBC.

Enjoy!

Fed-Ex is telling me tomorrow...Should not have waited til last Thursday to order 

Out for delivery!

[Aclarke44]

Be sure to let your charcoal get good and hot - mostly ashed over - before hanging the meat.

Thanks for the response although you do not want to let your coals get ashed over with the PBC, it's key to follow the lighting process outlined in the User's Guide that comes with your PBC.

Enjoy!

PBC,

What would be a good guide regarding the degree of ashing over?

Halfway?
Three-fourths?
Etc.

Bart, the best way in my opinion is using a chimney to start the coals.   Fill your coal basket up.  Then take out 34-40 (Noah recommends 40) coals and put them in a chimney starter.  Lite the chimney and allow those coals to get good and red.  Put the coal basket inside the PBC and dump the lit coals evenly over the top of the unlit coals.   Put the rebars in and put the lid on.  Wait about 15-20 min and start cooking.  That's the best way to get'er going in my opinion.

[smokeasaurus]

I have had my PBC for darn near 4 years and have done the lighter fluid method with great results every time.................just sayin...........

[Aclarke44]

I don't doubt that.  I don't and never will use lighter fluid but from what I hear it works well in the PBC.  I just think it's harder to get consistent results.   You obviously have the method down.  I have a friend who has a PBC who used the lighter fluid method at first but switched to the chimney method.  He said his cooker got very hot when first starting with lighter fluid.  That and other things I've read from other PBC owners using lighter fluid and getting a hot start is where I arrived at my conclusion.   Starting the exact same number of coals every time just allows for a better consistency in my opinion.  I use a maverick thermometer in my PBC and when I light the PBC and put the lid on it'll top out at 280-290 every time...I light 36 briquettes. .. 

[Bart57266]

I've come to two conclusions on the whole lighting process:

• The initial burn is the critical detail. Get it to a certain level - no more, no less - then hang the meat.
• Lighter fluid vs. chimney makes no difference, as long as you do #1 correctly. It's more of a personal preference, and whatever works best for you.

[Aclarke44]

I've come to two conclusions on the whole lighting process:

• The initial burn is the critical detail. Get it to a certain level - no more, no less - then hang the meat.
• Lighter fluid vs. chimney makes no difference, as long as you do #1 correctly. It's more of a personal preference, and whatever works best for you.

I can agree with that.  I think what I was trying to explain above is it seems easier to count out and light an exact amount of briquettes to get a consistent temperature from the start without having to adjust anything.   I have no doubt that lighter fluid can provide consistent results, but it just seems like it would take more practice (especially for someone inexperienced) to get the right amount on the coals and to know how long to leave the lid off the cooker.  Although Noah does explain his processes very well on the videos.

With my vent at 1/4 open I have figured out that if I want a 250-260 temp I start with 34 briquettes.  If I want 275-285 I light 36.

I think we all know the PBC is an awesome cooker.  Noah put a lot if time into perfecting it and if you do things exactly how it's explained in the videos on YouTube you'll make some awesome Q.  It's a pretty new cooker though and I think we are still realizing it's potential.   I think Noah has started a new trend .....the meat hanging trend.  I'm  a member of another Q forum and there's guys over there coming up with all kinds of ideas of how they can hang meat in their non-PBC vertical smokers.