dkeage wrote:Ive never used any electronics with my WSM cookers. EZPZ
May grab a Pit Barrel some day though. Looks interesting
Neither did I Kipp, I was just poking fun at Shawnski for going and buying a digital controller for the WSM from virtually the word go...
The PBC really kind of surprised me, I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it is. I had the WSM, I had two 55 gallon UDS drums, one with hanging rails like the PBC, and I simply did not want to believe that the 30 gallon PBC could maintain a temp and cook as well as it claimed with so little effort and no tinkering while it's running short of occasionally cracking the lid to increase airflow and boost temp at end of the cook.
It's a somewhat different design than the others, it runs at a higher temp than the WSM, and it's not fuel reloading friendly, but it makes it work because at the higher temp it should finish everything in less than one full load of fuel (6-8 hours burn time). So much heat is reflected back onto the food and it traps enough moisture that stuff cooks wonderfully. The big shocker for me was having racks of ribs hanging in there, the bottom tips of which were only 4 inches from the coals and they not only didn't burn, the racks cooked completely evenly from top to bottom. My 55 gal drum with rails couldn't do that. I put the UDSes up for sale on craigslist the next day.
I have the original as it was all they made at the time, but the new PB-jr is very intriguing. a 14" drum that does 6 racks, 3 chickens, 1-2 briskets, a butt, a turkey. More than enough capacity for a family and even small events. And at $230 delivered, it's no wonder they can't build them fast enough.