PBC Set up and Times...

[Braddymac]

Hello all,

First time poster, long time lurker, new PBC owner.  Also have a small charbroil horizontal, and a bastard modified Brinkman horizontal water smoker. (The green one)

Been getting good results with the old toys, each having their specific role on big cook days.

Have done 2 Chickens as a first cook, came out a little under cooked on the PBC, but still ok and amazing flavor.  Pulled them earlier than the suggested time due to my lower altitude here in DC. (Rockville, MD)

This made me put my scientist hat on...  Question:  if I get the cooker set up correctly for my altitude (oxygen saturation), shouldn't cook times be similar?  I mean, if I am compensating for the oxygen saturation at my closer to sea level altitude, essentially I should be creating the same burn environment for the charcoal (minus the chimney/flue around the bars which does not adjust.)

Removing ambient temp from the equation, my times should be similar to the suggested times in the Colorado videos, yes?

Thoughts welcome while I cook a trisket tonight.  Pics of both the chicken and the beef forthcoming!

Cheers!

[mikecorn.1]

Welcome aboard, from south Texas. I cook by temp and not by time in all my cookers. PBC, SRG, Traeger and Bradley. I saw the videos on the PBC site about the times for cooking but I still go by temp. I use a maverick Et-732 and to spot check I use a thermapen. The fastest one made ( the black one)!


Mike
Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

[smokeasaurus]

You can probe the meat and run the probe lead through one of the holes that holds the rebar and your thermo will rest on one of the horse-shoe handles...............

[muebe]

There are different conditions besides ambient temps that will affect cook times. For example those chickens may not have been completely thawed in the middle. Or maybe they were just larger than the ones they cooked on the videos.

My PBC keeps solid temps between 270F and 310F. But the thing is that ambient temps and how I light the charcoal load has an affect on temps. So the time is a way to know around how long it takes to be done but not exact.

A wireless meat probe or instant read thermometer is a great asset to any outdoor cooker

[Braddymac]

Agree,

I've avoided using my wireless grill thermometer (can't remember the model, but it's the one from all the BBQ sites!), I wanted to break my temp viewing addiction and test the set and forget aspect.

ALWAYS use a spot thermometer, always check before pulling off, however also go by texture once it's "in the zone".  Similar to someone else here, my bride has her tastes, and a firm, more firm than is my preference, chicken breast is her standard.

And the frisked came out awesome!  (Pics to follow, promise!). In fact, we had a pop in just as I started slicing, who of course couldn't stay for dinner, so I parked the sliced trisket in a bowl with the au jus, then realizing it was gonna be girl time for a while as the moms chatted, through a couple brown and serve frozen sour dough rolls on the PBC, and threw some onions in a skillet to brown...

Yep, French Dip sammies.

No pictures of these, but they were awesome!

Regarding temp vs time, Was less concerned about learning the cooker, and more interested in the science of temp vs altitude.

BTW, gave Noah a cal while the trisket was wrapped and we had a great conversation about the altitude thing.  PBC support is the best.  Thanks Noah!

Pics coming, just need to get on the computer, iPad won't let me upload them.

[smokeasaurus]

Didn't know Unicorn would fit in a PBC......

[Braddymac]

Was one of them small ones, a quartercorn.   

[smokeasaurus]

 

[drholly]

Like most of the replies - I use a probe to test for temp / done. However, I have to say - I set my PBC up according to the instructions from the PBC Company. I split the chicken as they suggest and 9 times out of 10 they are done at 2 hours, just like the video says. In my mind, outdoor cooking doesn't get much more "set & forget" - or delicious!

[Pit Barrel Cooker Co.]

Agree,

I've avoided using my wireless grill thermometer (can't remember the model, but it's the one from all the BBQ sites!), I wanted to break my temp viewing addiction and test the set and forget aspect.

ALWAYS use a spot thermometer, always check before pulling off, however also go by texture once it's "in the zone".  Similar to someone else here, my bride has her tastes, and a firm, more firm than is my preference, chicken breast is her standard.

And the frisked came out awesome!  (Pics to follow, promise!). In fact, we had a pop in just as I started slicing, who of course couldn't stay for dinner, so I parked the sliced trisket in a bowl with the au jus, then realizing it was gonna be girl time for a while as the moms chatted, through a couple brown and serve frozen sour dough rolls on the PBC, and threw some onions in a skillet to brown...

Yep, French Dip sammies.

No pictures of these, but they were awesome!

Regarding temp vs time, Was less concerned about learning the cooker, and more interested in the science of temp vs altitude.

BTW, gave Noah a cal while the trisket was wrapped and we had a great conversation about the altitude thing.  PBC support is the best.  Thanks Noah!

Pics coming, just need to get on the computer, iPad won't let me upload them.

Glad to hear it all worked out! Please let us know if you ever have any questions, we are here to help! - Amber