Grease at the bottom of the PBC

[Merrick Bill]

As many of you know, I used my new Pit Barrel Cooker for the first time last night.  When I removed the charcoal basket and ash pan I noticed a pool of grease at the bottom of the cooker.  Is this normal?  Should it be removed after each cook?  Today I let it cool down and I scraped it out with my charcoal hoe.  Based on the amount I scraped out, it seems like this could build of very quickly and cause a grease fire.

Any thoughts?

Bill

[hikerman]

Bill what most people do, is put a sheet of lg. heavy duty foil in bottom, being careful not to block vent. Then your charcoal basket goes on top. You can hust carefully remove, discard and replace each time.

[muebe]

I never really have a problem with grease. Most of it is vaporized when it hits the hot coals when I cook in mine.

[sparky]

2 layers of foil in the bottom of mine PBC.

[Kona]

I haven't had any issue with grease. I just use a pizza pan under my coal basket

[tomcrete1]

I had that issue just once and that's when I did two pork shoulders and the grease put out the fire. Since then I have adapted the PBC and all is well...

[smokeasaurus]

HD foil is the way to go.

[jjjonz]

Had my PBC over a year and never had that problem. I do use a 18 inch pizza pan in bottom.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UBI2OA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Hub]

Hmmmm.  I've cooked a lot of greasy, fatty stuff in my PBC but I've never had this problem -- all I ever get is the charcoal ashes in the bottom.  Sounds like maybe your fire isn't getting hot enough to burn it off.  Maybe Noah will jump in and offer up a cause and solution.

Hub

[Merrick Bill]

Hmmmm.  I've cooked a lot of greasy, fatty stuff in my PBC but I've never had this problem -- all I ever get is the charcoal ashes in the bottom.  Sounds like maybe your fire isn't getting hot enough to burn it off.  Maybe Noah will jump in and offer up a cause and solution.

Hub

I would imagine the fire was hot enough since it cooked the ribs in the exact amount of time I expected (4 hours and 15 minutes). 

Some people suggested putting foil or a pan on the bottom of the cooker, but that since the only access is from the top, that seems like a lot of messy work.  I may just continue to scrape up the cold grease with my charcoal hoe. 

Bill

[tomcrete1]

Hmmmm.  I've cooked a lot of greasy, fatty stuff in my PBC but I've never had this problem -- all I ever get is the charcoal ashes in the bottom.  Sounds like maybe your fire isn't getting hot enough to burn it off.  Maybe Noah will jump in and offer up a cause and solution.

Hub

I would imagine the fire was hot enough since it cooked the ribs in the exact amount of time I expected (4 hours and 15 minutes). 

Some people suggested putting foil or a pan on the bottom of the cooker, but that since the only access is from the top, that seems like a lot of messy work.  I may just continue to scrape up the cold grease with my charcoal hoe. 

Bill

Bill this may sound like more work but I did install three pegs actually screws and nuts about 6" above the handle of the coal basket this allow me to put a diffuser stone covered in tin foil that i then replace as needed, or if I'm doing a greaser cook such as pork shoulders Ill put a pan with a little water to catch the drippings the video is in the the video section. Hopefully this helps 

[tomcrete1]

Hmmmm.  I've cooked a lot of greasy, fatty stuff in my PBC but I've never had this problem -- all I ever get is the charcoal ashes in the bottom.  Sounds like maybe your fire isn't getting hot enough to burn it off.  Maybe Noah will jump in and offer up a cause and solution.

Hub

I would imagine the fire was hot enough since it cooked the ribs in the exact amount of time I expected (4 hours and 15 minutes). 

Some people suggested putting foil or a pan on the bottom of the cooker, but that since the only access is from the top, that seems like a lot of messy work.  I may just continue to scrape up the cold grease with my charcoal hoe. 

Bill

Bill this may sound like more work but I did install three pegs actually screws and nuts about 6" above the handle of the coal basket this allow me to put a diffuser stone covered in tin foil that i then replace as needed, or if I'm doing a greaser cook such as pork shoulders Ill put a pan with a little water to catch the drippings the video is in the the video section. Hopefully this helps 

Sorry the video is called Pit Barrel Cooker Lower Shelf Modification 

[Merrick Bill]

Hmmmm.  I've cooked a lot of greasy, fatty stuff in my PBC but I've never had this problem -- all I ever get is the charcoal ashes in the bottom.  Sounds like maybe your fire isn't getting hot enough to burn it off.  Maybe Noah will jump in and offer up a cause and solution.

Hub

I would imagine the fire was hot enough since it cooked the ribs in the exact amount of time I expected (4 hours and 15 minutes). 

Some people suggested putting foil or a pan on the bottom of the cooker, but that since the only access is from the top, that seems like a lot of messy work.  I may just continue to scrape up the cold grease with my charcoal hoe. 

Bill

Bill this may sound like more work but I did install three pegs actually screws and nuts about 6" above the handle of the coal basket this allow me to put a diffuser stone covered in tin foil that i then replace as needed, or if I'm doing a greaser cook such as pork shoulders Ill put a pan with a little water to catch the drippings the video is in the the video section. Hopefully this helps 

I'll have to check out that video.  Sounds like a cool idea.

Bill

[ClimberDave]

I never really have a problem with grease. Most of it is vaporized when it hits the hot coals when I cook in mine.

Ditto!

I have had a few occasions when the grease has partially extinguished my charcoal.