Cooking the perfect steak is dependent upon preference, but everyone can agree that there is nothing like the distinctive taste of a smoky barrel-cooked steak. The Pit Barrel Cooker (PBC) is undoubtedly the most popular commercial barrel smoker on the market, and it’s perfect for cottagers and backyard barbeque kings and queens alike.
Cooking with a pit barrel is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a cylinder barrel that is extremely durable to withstand harsh weather and charcoal grilling. Who says barbecuing is only meant for hot summer days?
Using a PBC is ideal for everyone from beginners that rarely cook, to smoked meat connoisseurs. This method is not only simple, but it leaves you with a steak cooked to perfection that you would expect from a well-seasoned smokehouse. This is because heat is distributed evenly around the steak due to the round, cylindrical shape. Here’s how you can use the PBC to achieve that satisfying steak that is sure to please.
Table of Contents
Setting up the PBC
Setting up the PBC is simple, as long as you follow the instructions. To begin, place the PBC on the accompanying stand. Remove the charcoal basket and depending upon whether you are lighting with lighter fluid or a chimney, follow the associated steps to ensure you are burning the charcoal for the appropriate amount of time. Now comes the fun part. The PBC offers two cooking methods to choose from.
The Hanging Method
This method allows you to hang meat directly from metal hooks that hang from a metal rod. This simple hanging method requires the lid to be closed to achieve the perfect smoky taste.
The Grill Method
The best part about the PBC is that it can be converted into a grill, virtually eliminating the need for a separate barbeque. Simply remove the metal rods with the hooks, and replace with the included grill rack. Then, with the lid off, grill as you normally would.
Barrel Smoke That Meat
Now, let’s get to the meat of the matter (pun intended), and go over the most crucial factor of all: smoke. Whether you prefer to use apple wood, cherry wood, or hickory wood-chips, placing the wood directly on top of the charcoal will produce the smoky taste you crave. The drippings from the meat will also provide even more flavor as they hit the burning coals and simmer back up into smoke that surrounds the meat.
The Steak
The results of your PBC experience can only be as good as the steak you’re cooking. Using fresh, room temperature steaks of your choice, season as you normally would. Of course it will have a smoky taste in the end, but if you prefer a salty or spicy tasting steak, now is the time to dress it up. Once your steak is just the way you like it, decide which smoke flavor will best complement the seasoning (or stick with just charcoals), and fire away.
The PBC is the easiest and most versatile way to create succulent dishes fit for anyone’s flavor palate. Because there are cooking methods for both hanging and grilling, you can fire up steaks, chicken, pork roast, lobster, and vegetables. Try out different flavor combinations of dry rubs and wood chips to find out what you like best. The options are endless.