Let's Talk BBQ

FORUM SPONSORS => Pit Barrel Cooker Co. => Topic started by: enassar on July 26, 2015, 04:09:47 PM

Title: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: enassar on July 26, 2015, 04:09:47 PM
I would've loved to experiment more with my PBC but have not had much time. Taking a page from a recent post here I decided to cook without filling the whole area of the cola basket with coals. That to me feels wasteful, especially for a 3-4 hour cook. I did not have firebricks so I used aluminum foil to reduce the basket's capacity by about a 1/4. For a about a 4 hour cook total (1 whole chicken and two small slabs of spareribs) that was still too much coal. Next time half of a basket will do.

I left the ribs naked with only salt and pepper for a rub per Franklin's instructions. The chicken had a slightly more involved run with paprika, thyme, garlic and onion powder,....

Both were absolutely excellent with tons of flavor and great texture. I would not hang the chicken like that again though with two hooks. Removing it was tricky and caused it to drop into the coals when I tried to take it out. Only one hook would do.

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Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: sliding_billy on July 26, 2015, 05:54:14 PM
Tasty looking meal.
Title: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: Pappymn on July 26, 2015, 06:05:31 PM

Tasty looking meal.

X2
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: jjjonz on July 26, 2015, 06:09:57 PM
Man that's some fine looking groceries.....looks like you had plenty of coals left over.I cook with half a basket most of the time.
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: drholly on July 26, 2015, 06:10:24 PM
Looks good! Nice job!
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: smokeasaurus on July 26, 2015, 07:45:18 PM
Great looking meal. You can always wear some high heat gloves and slip the re-bar out with the meat still hanging on it. I do that all the time...especially with a big turkey...............
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: N. Ontario Smoker on July 26, 2015, 10:06:01 PM
Great looking meal.
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: TMB on July 26, 2015, 10:09:05 PM
Very nice, makes me hungry again and I just ate dinner  ;)
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: Smokin Don on July 27, 2015, 12:51:55 AM
Looks great and great color on both!!! Don
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: muebe on July 27, 2015, 06:49:45 AM
Great looking food!
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: DonR9 on July 27, 2015, 03:44:33 PM
This and posts similar to it, along with responses to those posts, will get me to try cooking with less than a full basket of coals. Usually, I'm cooking for just the two of us, and 8 pounds of charcoal seems a waste of fuel. Judging from what you and others say, less than a full basket can lead to successful cooks.
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: enassar on July 28, 2015, 08:20:15 PM
Great looking meal. You can always wear some high heat gloves and slip the re-bar out with the meat still hanging on it. I do that all the time...especially with a big turkey...............

Heh, that makes a lot of sense. Next time I will try that.
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: cgseymour on July 30, 2015, 04:56:54 PM
Hello All,
Forgive my ignorance, but I have seen the posts about using 1/2 or 3/4 basket and they all seem to block a section of the basket.
Would using the whole basket just filled less work the same, or is the stacking of the briquettes is what would be missing?

Thank you
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: mikecorn.1 on July 30, 2015, 05:10:15 PM
Looks good.  I havent used the Pit Barrel in a while, time to get a whole chicken in there again.
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: Jaxon on July 30, 2015, 06:36:05 PM
  Judging from what you and others say, less than a full basket can lead to successful cooks.

Some have said I'm a few briquettes shy of a full basket of coals.

just sayin'...
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: DonR9 on August 02, 2015, 01:05:24 PM
Hello All,
Forgive my ignorance, but I have seen the posts about using 1/2 or 3/4 basket and they all seem to block a section of the basket.
Would using the whole basket just filled less work the same, or is the stacking of the briquettes is what would be missing?

Thank you
That's a good question. My sense is spreading 1/2 the coals out over the grate isn't as efficient as stacking the same number of coals in a fire-brick-partitioned grate. It may be that I simply have to stop worrying about trying to economize on charcoal; just fill the basket every time, even if it's for only a short cook. I'll try the partitioned basket and see what happens
Title: Re: Chicken and Ribs using 3/4 of the coal basket
Post by: drholly on August 02, 2015, 03:27:28 PM
  Judging from what you and others say, less than a full basket can lead to successful cooks.

Some have said I'm a few briquettes shy of a full basket of coals.

just sayin'...

Man, you've got some good ears to hear me way up here...  ;) ;D ;D