She's burning hot

[thunndarr]

What I find interesting about the PBC is that it restricts the exhaust of the cooker. Most other smokers keep the exhaust wide open and manage the temps using the intake. Generally the exhaust can flow more volume than the intake can allow in. On the PBC it is the opposite and the intake is larger than the exhaust.

It's something I'm a big fan of. I used to worry about whether I'd gotten the intake set to the correct width, and eventually realized I could have it wide open, it didn't make much difference. I regulate the temps with the rebars, and if that's not enough, it gets plenty hot with the lid just slightly cracked. (Usually when I'm crisping things up.)

[teesquare]

What I find interesting about the PBC is that it restricts the exhaust of the cooker. Most other smokers keep the exhaust wide open and manage the temps using the intake. Generally the exhaust can flow more volume than the intake can allow in. On the PBC it is the opposite and the intake is larger than the exhaust.

Cody -

Think about the intake vs exhaust this way, if you are familiar with cars: We know that no matter how much fuel, and air we can push into an engine...it does not matter if the path for exhaust is encumbered or restricted. You will only be able to efficiently utilize the amount of fuel and air - that the exhaust can handle.

So  - the PBC is kind of like that. In fact, if you just "crack the lid" -  I make up a small piece of aluminum foil that is folded until it is a little less than 1/8th" thick, and slip it in between the lid and barrel - and the temperature will climb rapidly to almost grilling temps. Bear in mind, that charcoal contains a finite amount of BTU's, so  the hotter we run the pit, the shorter the run time will be before you need more fuel/charcoal.
Conversely - you can run a PBC at low and slow temps for an easy 8 hours if you really learn your pit. Have done it.

[Gentleknight]

Good thread for a new PBC user.  My first cook at hot temps, so I partially blocked the vent with foil as it is impossibe to adjust during a cook (although I saw one reviewer suggest putting a wing nut on it.  I might do that). I now have it in the A position discussed on page 1 of the thread... the minimal opening.  also, since you can't get Kingsford here, the briquettes are smaller in most cases and likely burn hotter and faster. Will be interesting to see how the almost closed vent does with the temp.

[Gentleknight]

Have now done me second cook on Pit Barrel. The first was detailed in my Greetings from the Netherlands posting.

This time, I hung a pair of rather meaty pork ribs. Ambient temp was in upper 40s F and it was quite windy. The cooker was on a patio sheltered on 3 sides. Considering the issues of first cook, I had put the lower damper in closed position, and my cheap thermometer at hanging bar level.

A half hour after dumping coals, temp was only 200. I turned the barrel to face wind, and opened damper to about a quarter. Another half hour later, temp was 350. Returned damper to closed position. Another half hour and temp was about 250, and I left it to finish the cook.

Granted that these were difficult weather conditions, but not all that unusual for spring in Netherlands. A major motivation in buying it was to not have to monitor it as closely as the Weber kettle. Do other folks have similar issues?

[Hub]

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.

I'm with muebe.  If you want to obsess over temperatures and controls, the PBC is a poor tool.  A Weber Smoky Mountain is the cooker you need.  With the PBC, all you really control is time and differences in meat will make even that a little loosey-goosey.  It isn't a precision cooker, but is sure turns out fine chow for very little work 

Hub

[muebe]

If you are using a chimney starter to light your coals then you need to let the coals get established and the barrel to warm up before placing the lid. I might sound like a broken record but in my experience in this forum many times the issues arise with proper lighting of the coals. IMHO there is more of a learning curve with the chimney vs. lighter fluid method. Not that it cannot be done just that it takes more of a technique. I believe that the 15-20 minutes of time that the coal bed is burning while inside the barrel is the step that you are missing when you use the chimney method. This is heating up the barrel at the same time while starting the coals. The coals have nice hot air in the interior of the barrel instead of cool/cool air to fight against to draft. Drafting is critical for this cooker because of it's design.

And the lower air opening does not do much. You have more control over the temp from the holes for the rebar and slightly cracking the lid. If your temps drop then crack the lid for a bit to get the coals established again.

The food dripping on the coals will cause the temps to lower. That is why a nice even bed if coals is important.

But again I stopped measuring the barrel temps after my first few cooks and just enjoyed the food coming from it.

[Mpls]

If you are using a chimney starter to light your coals then you need to let the coals get established and the barrel to warm up before placing the lid. I might sound like a broken record but in my experience in this forum many times the issues arise with proper lighting of the coals. IMHO there is more of a learning curve with the chimney vs. lighter fluid method. Not that it cannot be done just that it takes more of a technique. I believe that the 15-20 minutes of time that the coal bed is burning while inside the barrel is the step that you are missing when you use the chimney method. This is heating up the barrel at the same time while starting the coals. The coals have nice hot air in the interior of the barrel instead of cool/cool air to fight against to draft. Drafting is critical for this cooker because of it's design.

And the lower air opening does not do much. You have more control over the temp from the holes for the rebar and slightly cracking the lid. If your temps drop then crack the lid for a bit to get the coals established again.

The food dripping on the coals will cause the temps to lower. That is why a nice even bed if coals is important.

But again I stopped measuring the barrel temps after my first few cooks and just enjoyed the food coming from it.

I use a thermostat on the PBC just to see what going on, not necessarily to control it.  For the meats you cook to a temperature, I rarely even look at the temp of the PBC and solely watch the meat.

Ribs is what I've struggled with, primarily when I'm only cooking 1 rack.  I've done roughly a dozen cooks and feel comfortable with the starting process, but am not certain when it's for only one or two racks of ribs.  Last time I did rack, I didn't check the temps for an hour and found my PBC was running at 410 degrees.  I made some adjustments, but the ribs were pretty dried out.

[Gentleknight]

It's tough, after decades of worrying about temp control, to just let go and let the Pit Barrel do it's thing. Maybe I will get used to it after more cooks.

[Gentleknight]

Doing some more ribs in less windy and cold conditions.  Yes, I use the chimney starter in the prescribed manner.  This time, I am not putting a temp guage in it, and resisting temptation to keep looking at it, and checking the coals, so long as there is at least a bit of some coming out of the rebar holes. Crosses fingers and hopes the PBC video is accurate.

[Smokin Papa Steve]

Doing some more ribs in less windy and cold conditions.  Yes, I use the chimney starter in the prescribed manner.  This time, I am not putting a temp guage in it, and resisting temptation to keep looking at it, and checking the coals, so long as there is at least a bit of some coming out of the rebar holes. Crosses fingers and hopes the PBC video is accurate.

From my experience with the PBC, the temps are all over the place and for sure I want to know what the temp is to make any adjustments.  Why take a chance and have say, dried out ribs when only a small change would have taken care of it?

[Kona]

My past issues were I was letting the coals get too hot before hanging my meat, I was going 15-20mins (I'm in South Florida). Now I do exactly what Noah suggested and no more than 12 minutes and I have not had an issue at all

[Mpls]

My past issues were I was letting the coals get too hot before hanging my meat, I was going 15-20mins (I'm in South Florida). Now I do exactly what Noah suggested and no more than 12 minutes and I have not had an issue at all

I forget, do you use the chimney or lighter fluid method?

[Gentleknight]

Well, at 3 hours 15 minutes, I took them off. Meat was not "fall of the bone", and maybe could have used another half hour but was tasty.  I used Meathead's Memphis Dust on it, and a commercial sauce not available in USA, but is the best of the commercial brands here. It was good, but not spectacular.

Next up, pulled pork on Monday.  They don't sell shoulder here (butchering is all different here) but it looks like a chunk of loin.  Will make my signature Drunken Barbeque sauce for it (has a cup of rum in it) with the European twist, as some of the ingredients aren't available over here.  Not as much fat in the cut, so I might stop short on temp.... maybe 180 F or so.   

[Kona]

My past issues were I was letting the coals get too hot before hanging my meat, I was going 15-20mins (I'm in South Florida). Now I do exactly what Noah suggested and no more than 12 minutes and I have not had an issue at all

I forget, do you use the chimney or lighter fluid method?

I use lighter fluid