Temperature Control

[ChrisD46]

I was always one for tinkering with the circular vent opening at the bottom and still experincing fluctuations in cooking temps which could push 400 degrees F and then dive a couple of hours later to 200 degrees F. Finally I had enough of this and decided to perfectly measure 1/4 size vent opening (which is stated to be correct for my elevation ) and gave a firm tighten to the inside nut to hold the vent opeing in place . Now I am regularly hitting 275 - 290 degrees F. and it stays there . I find this change plus waiting for coals to be evenly coated in grey ash before cooking are the two refinements that have impacted better consistency the most while using my PPC . By removing such fluctuations in cooking temperature has allowed me to focus more on recipes and cooking times to achieve improved results ... Your mileage may vary .

[Kona]

a while back the issue I was having was my food was cooking far too fast. I spoke to Noah and I was letting my coals go too long and get too hot before hanging the meat. I was waiting 20 minutes. He told me no more than 12 which I have been doing. I'm also just above sea level. My coals are barely ashed over when I put my meat on and now my cooks are taking the appropriate time.

[Pit Barrel Cooker Co.]

The large fluctuations usually occur when people deviate from the lighting process that is recommended for the Pit Barrel Cooker. The proper lighting process can be found on our website at www.pitbarrelcooker.com in the Video Recipes. When the ashes ash over before a long cook two things happen, first, your starting temps are too high and second, your barrel temps will fall due the coals becoming exhausted too soon because they were too hot at the beginning. They should not be ashed over before a long cook. Hope this helps. Feel free to contact us at the office if you have any questions or concerns.

[Kona]

The large fluctuations usually occur when people deviate from the lighting process that is recommended for the Pit Barrel Cooker. The proper lighting process can be found on our website at www.pitbarrelcooker.com in the Video Recipes. When the ashes ash over before a long cook two things happen, first, your starting temps are too high and second, your barrel temps will fall due the coals becoming exhausted too soon because they were too hot at the beginning. They should not be ashed over before a long cook. Hope this helps. Feel free to contact us at the office if you have any questions or concerns.

That was exactly my issue, my ribs were well done in 90 minutes because I was waiting on the coals to heat for 20 mins. I've been using the lighter fluid method of starting my coals.

[smokeasaurus]

Briquettes have a heat spike of 900 degrees and then go downhill.......add to that the drippings hitting the briquettes and you can see why starting to cook to late will not work in the PBC............

[hikerman]

It seems to me that far too many "newbies" do not follow this basic lighting procedure, and then panic ensues when the cook goes awry!  I tinker, I experiment but only after I understand. The PBC is so much of a set-it-and-forget-it cooker, that too many try to reinvent it and then can't understand why they have issues!
Just my $00.02!

[ChrisD46]

Good replies - I should have stated "barely ashed over" coals which does equate to that approx. 12 minute mark as recommended .

[smokeasaurus]

When I got my PBC almost 5 years ago, I was such a basket case with it that Noah almost hopped on a plane to set The Smoke straight.

Follow those videos and let the PBC do its thing, I still watch the videos before I cook on it