She's burning hot

[cody0707]

I have 2 cooks in my PBC so far. Just for reference I am located 232 feet above sea level. The instructions say I should have my vent 1/4 of the way open. My first 2 cooks were done using this setting.

The first cook was a whole chicken split and half. The chicken was juicy but I should have opened the cooker during the last bit to crisp the skin. I didn't have a pit probe in it during this cook.

Then 2nd cook was 3 racks of ribs. I halved the ribs and hung them. Each half rack had a different rub. I did this to see which rub would work best for my sons birthday party in which I will be cooking some Q. During this cook I had my Maverick probe in between an outer rack of ribs and the middle rack (I had 3 halves on each rebar). During the cook the probe read about 280*. I didn't think much of it. The racks went just shy of 4 hours. They were also juicy but slightly overcooked as the meat fell off the bone instead of being pulled off by a bite.

Just to make sure I was doing everything right I decided to do a dry run yesterday with no meat. I loaded up the charcoal basket with KBB. I took 20 briquettes from the basket and put them in my chimney starter and lit them till they ashed over. Once ashed over I dumped the coals on the one side where I took the coals from. It didn't take long for the cooker to settle and finally settled at 330*. Everything I read said the cooker usually runs at 275*. I closed the vent all the way to see if it would come down. I think it was a lost cause as it never really dropped.

Today I decided to redue the dry run. The bottom vent is what is considered closed although there is still a small gap bellow the metal plate (the metal plate is closed as best that it could be). I loaded up the charcoal basket. This time with Stubbs (I know, not KBB like recommended and I am aware it likely will run hotter than KBB). I took only 10 briquettes from  the basket and lit them in my chimney starter. To gradually bring the cooker up to temp I decided to only let the coal ash over half way. I then dumped the coals randomly throughout the charcoal basket to see if this may help. The starting temp when I closed the lid was 156*. It took the cooker about 30 min to get up to an acceptable Q temperature. I checked it an hour later and it was chugging along at 316*. Still not around the 270* I had read about.

I had some magnet sheets laying around. I cut a good size magnet and covered the intake to where only a half of the hole that was left with the damper closed is now open. I did this about 40 minutes ago an the temps dropped very fast when I first did it. I decided to let it run its course and see where it would settle. After about 40 minutes I am down to 261* it's still dropping slowly.

I've watched videos and everything else and just cannot understand why I can't get this to chug along at the 275* I hear others talking about. I have made sure the rebar is in the cooker and that the lid is correctly secured.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Kona]

I'm in south florida so I'm at the same setting as you for the bottom vent. I also use nothing but Stubbs, I think it gives a much better flavor to the food than the kingsford. I haven't used a chimney yet, I use lighter fluid. I have yet to check my temperature of the PBC so I'm not sure what temp mine runs at. When I did ribs recently it only took 90 minutes and they were done. I sauced them and returned them for 15 more minutes. What I've been doing is lighting my coals, letting them burn for about 20 minutes, cover the cooker for another 20 or until the coals are white and then I hang my meat. My first cook was a split chicken as well, I didn't have a probe at the time but the chicken came out incredible. This is how it looked...

[jjjonz]

Cody some people seem to have a hard time controlling the temp. At your elevation you should have the vent at 1 inch open. Now you can control the temp by cracking the lid to get it hotter or putting foil around the rebar to cool in down. I can cook as low at 200 all day or jack up the temp to whatever. One thing I do is let the temp stabilize (to the temp I want to cook at) before I put the meat on. Just my way of doing it.

[sparky]

I'm at sea level too.  I close my vent as much as I can and it works perfect.  Try it.

[muebe]

IMHO the PBC is just fine at temps between 275F and 350F.

The PBC is not a low and slow cooker or traditional smoker. No moving parts. No fancy controller. Just a great and simple power cooker.

I just load the basket, light and wait for 20 minutes, then load the meat.

Don't fret about temps too much. Just monitor the internal temp of your food your cooking.

[akruckus]

Part of the issue with the dry run is the fat from the meat helps cool the coals, which is why you have had higher temperatures.  I am a little under 300ft elevation, and when cooked the ribs without plugging the holes at the top to keep the temperature in the barrel between 225-240, I've had ribs done in 3-3 1/2 hours.  I usually leave them be until about 2 hours into the cook then check every 30 minutes until I think they are close then start checking them every 15 minutes or so.  When I sauce to glaze and will start saucing everytime I check the ribs starting at the 2 1/2 hour mark.  I hope that helps.

[drholly]

IMHO the PBC is just fine at temps between 275F and 350F.

The PBC is not a low and slow cooker or traditional smoker. No moving parts. No fancy controller. Just a great and simple power cooker.

I just load the basket, light and wait for 20 minutes, then load the meat.

Don't fret about temps too much. Just monitor the internal temp of your food your cooking.

X2 - what he said

[Kona]

Is it odd that my pork spare ribs were done at 90 minutes? They were tender, nice smoke ring, had a nice pull from the bone. Could the Stubbs cook that much hotter than the kingsford? Either way, the ribs were outstanding

[cody0707]

Part of the issue with the dry run is the fat from the meat helps cool the coals, which is why you have had higher temperatures.  I am a little under 300ft elevation, and when cooked the ribs without plugging the holes at the top to keep the temperature in the barrel between 225-240, I've had ribs done in 3-3 1/2 hours.  I usually leave them be until about 2 hours into the cook then check every 30 minutes until I think they are close then start checking them every 15 minutes or so.  When I sauce to glaze and will start saucing everytime I check the ribs starting at the 2 1/2 hour mark.  I hope that helps.

I think your on to something here that doing a dry run doesn't factor in. I didn't think about this. The fat and juice that sweats and drips down on the coals create a fog. I don't know if this aids in keeping the temperature down or not but it seems logical that it would. I will have to keep this in mind.



- When my Pit Barrel arrived I set the vent like shown in figure B. It would run at around 330* without any meat in the cooker.
- When I set the vent as shown in figure A the temps would hover at 316*.

This weekend I need to cook 4 butts. Should I have the vent set like figure A or figure B at the altitude of 232 feet? I know the instructions show Figure B being correct but I am still apprehensive about the heat. Also I only used 8 briquettes to start the fire and it still got to 316* with the vent looking like figure A.

Some of you are lighting 20+ briquettes and are getting high 200s when in your PBC. Should I leave in like figure A shows or should I trust the system and trust that the 4 butts will lower the temps to acceptable levels based off the drippings and fog?

[muebe]

That lower air adjustment has very little affect on temps. The holes at the top and amount of lit coals in the bed are your biggest factor.

I am amazed at how this uncomplicated cooker can be made to be so complicated. One of the easiest cookers I have used honestly. I used to try and completely control temps and monitor when I first got it but then I realized the simplicity of it.

The beauty of this cooker is that even when cooking at higher temps the juices from the meat create a very humid and moist environment inside that barrel. That humid environment allows for those kind of temps without drying out meat. It works great. The more you cook in it the more you will find out for yourself.

Honestly if you really want total temp control then get an air controller for it. Then you can set the temp to the exact one you like digitally. It is a fan that will turn on and off air to the coals and regulate temps.

[tlg4942]

That lower air adjustment has very little affect on temps. The holes at the top and amount of lit coals in the bed are your biggest factor.

I am amazed at how this uncomplicated cooker can be made to be so complicated. One of the easiest cookers I have used honestly. I used to try and completely control temps and monitor when I first got it but then I realized the simplicity of it.

The beauty of this cooker is that even when cooking at higher temps the juices from the meat create a very humid and moist environment inside that barrel. That humid environment allows for those kind of temps without drying out meat. It works great. The more you cook in it the more you will find out for yourself.

Honestly if you really want total temp control then get an air controller for it. Then you can set the temp to the exact one you like digitally. It is a fan that will turn on and off air to the coals and regulate temps.

I agree, we tend to over-complicate many of the cookers we use.  Practice , Practice, Practice....  Watch the internal temp of the meat that's the ticket.
 

[akruckus]

Muebe is spot on, Get her going and just enjoy the ride.  I have only once used a thermometer to keep an eye on the temps in the barrel.  I keep an eye on the smoke coming from it.  Thick and nasty I crack the lid to give it some air and clean up the smoke.  Thin blue smoke, just let it do it's thing.

[Pit Barrel Cooker Co.]

Practice is always good! Temperature is all about the lighting process, feel free to call us to help troubleshoot the problem easier!

[Kona]

Practice is always good! Temperature is all about the lighting process, feel free to call us to help troubleshoot the problem easier!

does one lighting process tend to produce higher temps then the other? I've been using lighter fluid for all my cooks as I don't have a chimney. I know pork spare ribs have been done in 90 minutes. I generally let burn with the lid off, bars in for about 15 minutes, lid on for about 20 minutes to let it settle a bit then hang my meat.

[Pit Barrel Cooker Co.]

Practice is always good! Temperature is all about the lighting process, feel free to call us to help troubleshoot the problem easier!

does one lighting process tend to produce higher temps then the other? I've been using lighter fluid for all my cooks as I don't have a chimney. I know pork spare ribs have been done in 90 minutes. I generally let burn with the lid off, bars in for about 15 minutes, lid on for about 20 minutes to let it settle a bit then hang my meat.

No. As long as each lighting process is done correctly, the temperature should run between 273-310. Depending on where you are at on elevation you are going to let your coals burn for 12-15 minutes, then hang your meat immediately. You do not want your coals to peak before you put the meat on.