PBC Musings

[Hub]

I'm firing up my PBC later this afternoon to cook my favorite PBC delicacy -- chicken halves -- just like Noah does in the video but with my own rub instead of his.  Nothing tastes better than PBC chicken and I'm looking forward to the feast and some leftovers for later.  As I was getting it ready, a couple of thoughts hit me:

1.  I'm getting the same rust and wear that has received a lot of comment here.  Most of it is around the bottom seams and on the lid.  I don't care about how it looks, but I do care about it losing functionality by rusting out.  I read a lot of comments about sanding it down and using engine enamel to repaint.  For those friends here who have done this, how is it lasting?

2.  I use good ol' Kingsford blue bag charcoal and love the results.  A couple of times I've tried lump and it doesn't burn as long and doesn't give as much wood smoke flavor.  Has anyone used Kingsford hickory or mesquite?  If so, any interesting results?

Worst-case scenario if the thing falls into a pile of rust is I'll buy another one.  But, I'll always have this lazy man's cooker in my shack because nothing else in the world cooks chicken as deliciously as it does    .

Hub

[Las Vegan Cajun]

Worst-case scenario if the thing falls into a pile of rust is I'll buy another one.  But, I'll always have this lazy man's cooker in my shack because nothing else in the world cooks chicken as deliciously as it does    .

Hub

That's kind of how I see it, if and when this thing rusts out I probably would have burned $$$ worth of charcoal and cooked $$$$$ worth of meat in the PBC, so what's another $289 to replace it if that should be necessary.

[muebe]

Mine just has surface rust. It is the deep pitting and flaking rust that I would be concerned about.

And I believe that Bigg ER uses Stubbs lump charcoal in his PBC with great results.

[1Bigg_ER]

Muebe is correct, I have used Stubbs, now I use Ozark oak lump charcoal almost "exclusively."
Less ash, great flavor.
As for the rust, I'm planning on using the high heat paint per Teesquare's advice.

[smokeasaurus]

I was probably the first member here to have a PBC and luckily I do not have any rust as of yet. I worry about the bottom of the barrel rusting out so I have lined the bottom with HD foil and every once in a great while, I use my fireplace poker and scrape out around the seam where the barrel body is attached to the bottom. This makes clean up a snap and ya never have the "Sandy trail" running down the inside of your barrel.

I really feel the PBC was designed with Kingsford original in mind but I have had good results with the Kingsford hickory and mesquite, but even better results with Stubbs or Kingsford comp briquettes. Much more woodsy of a flavor. I am picking up some Royal Oak briqs tomorrow which are supposed to be mostly wood and used in the food service industry and I will post back later on those.

I have gone towards the natural wood briquettes because using wood chunks just dont cut it in the PBC (imho). The flavor from the grease fog is what separates the PBC from other smokers. Once the meat starts dripping on the unlit wood they are just not going to burn correctly and ya wont get much flavor (this is my take on it) Natural hardwood briqs really make this gem of a smoker stand out from the pack.