Use and Care

Cooking with your Pit Barrel Cooker

For your first cook with your Pit Barrel®, we strongly recommend that you follow the instructions completely.

Placing Your Pit barrel

Your Pit Barrel® should not be placed directly on any flammable surface such as a wood deck or dry grass.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU EVER POUR LIGHTER FLUID ONTO HOT COALS IN THE BARREL.

Respecting the Heat

IMPORTANT: If you are using your Pit Barrel® on a deck, grass, or any other potentially flammable surface we highly recommend placing paver stones or bricks to completely cover the area under the cooker.

Ready Out-Of-The-Box

There is no need to season your Pit Barrel; it is a brand new drum with a porcelain enamel finish and is ready to cook with right out of the box. As always, please be careful and enjoy!

Proper Airflow is key to the PBC

Keep Elevation In Mind

Cooking times are approximate. Times will vary due to elevation (the times in our videos are based on an elevation of 2000 ft.), therefore, when using your Pit Barrel at sea level your cooking times may be less. For all of the Pit Barrel models — adjust the bottom air vent per the diagram

NOTE: The intake cover is set slightly above the hole, therefore will never close completely.

Setting Up Your Pit Barrel®

Step 1.

Set up your Pit Barrel® in an open, outdoor area.

Step 2.

Remove the Three-point Barrel Stand from inside the barrel and place the cooker on top with the ring facing up.

Step 3.

Remove charcoal basket from bottom of barrel and place on ground.

Step 4.

Lighting Your Pit Barrel®

Lighting the PBC and PBJ:

Fill your charcoal basket level, remove 1/4 of the briquets (this is approximately 40 coals for the PBC and 20 coals for the PBJ) and place in chimney, light the coals with the lid off and let burn for 12 minutes for elevations between sea level and 2000 ft (All other elevations will let your coals burn for 20 minutes). Dump the lit coals into the charcoal basket and start cooking immediately.

Lighting the PBX:

Fill your charcoal basket level and then fill your chimney to the top with unlit charcoal. Light the coals in the chimney let burn for 12 minutes for elevations between sea level and 2000 ft (All other elevations will let your coals burn for 20 minutes). Dump the lit coals evenly into the charcoal basket over the unlit coals and start cooking immediately.

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Prepping for different cooking methods

For Hanging

Remove grill grate and place metal rods in pre-cut holes. Insert stainless steel hooks through the meat and hang meat from metal rods inside the Pit Barrel® Cooker, put the lid on and let the meat cook to perfection. Refer to our demonstration videos for more information.

For Grilling

Remove metal rods and insert grill grate, place meat on the grate and, with the lid cracked about a 1/4 in, proceed as you would on a standard grill.

Cleaning Up

DO NOT WASH OR RINSE THE INSIDE OF YOUR PIT BARREL®

To clean your Pit Barrel®, simply wait until the barrel and charcoal basket have completely cooled to dump the remaining ash by inverting the barrel. Ash Pans can be purchased for all models for even easier cleanup.

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Frequently asked questions

  • There is no complete way to shut down the cooker to preserve charcoal as the air vent always has an opening.

  • If your Pit Barrel Cooker is running too hot, partially close the air intake vent on the side of the barrel to restrict oxygen flow. Avoid opening the lid frequently, as this introduces additional oxygen and raises temperature further.

  • To hang meat in a Pit Barrel Cooker, insert a stainless steel meat hook through the meat at least two inches from the edge to ensure secure hanging, then hang the hook over the steel rods spanning the top of the barrel. For ribs, place the hook between the second and third bone of the thicker end of the rack.

  • Pit Barrel Cookers are very easy to clean. After the cooker has cooled, empty the ash from the basket, brush down the grill grate, and wipe out heavy grease accumulation. The porcelain enamel coating resists buildup and does not require deep scrubbing between uses.

  • A meat thermometer is recommended to confirm internal temperature of cooked food, but a separate ambient temperature thermometer is not required. The Pit Barrel self-regulates so consistently that pit temperature monitoring is unnecessary for most cooks.

  • A Pit Barrel Cooker self-regulates to a cooking temperature range of approximately 275 to 310 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on weather, charcoal type, and vent settings. This temperature is ideal for nearly all BBQ applications and produces excellent results without temperature monitoring.

  • To light a Pit Barrel Cooker, fill the charcoal basket with 6 to 8 pounds of charcoal, remove approximately one-fourth of the charcoal, light that portion in a chimney starter, and pour the lit coals back over the unlit charcoal. Hang your meat and begin cooking.

  • Total time from unboxing to cooking is approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Initial assembly takes about 10 minutes, and lighting the charcoal and reaching cooking temperature takes another 15 to 20 minutes. There is no curing or seasoning waiting period.

  • No, the Pit Barrel Cooker does not require seasoning before its first cook. The food-safe porcelain enamel coating means you can cook on the Pit Barrel straight out of the box, unlike cast iron cookers or homemade drum smokers that require extensive seasoning.

  • Setting up a Pit Barrel Cooker is extremely easy and takes approximately 10 minutes. The cooker arrives nearly fully assembled, requiring only the installation of side handles and steel rods. No special tools beyond what is included are required, and no permanent assembly is needed.