Pit Barrel Cooker
Pit Barrel Cooker Classic
The Pit Barrel Cooker Classic is an 18.5-inch porcelain-coated drum smoker that hangs meat vertically over the coals on hooks. It's beloved on r/smoking for being nearly foolproof - light it, hang the meat, and walk away.
Specifications
Features
Pros
- ✓It's the closest thing to a foolproof smoker - no vents to babysit, no water pan, no controller; light the basket, hang the meat, and come back hours later
- ✓Hanging meat vertically over the coals bastes it in its own rendered drippings, producing ribs and chicken that many owners say beat their offsets
- ✓Capacity is deceptive - 8 hanging racks of ribs or two pork butts fit in a barrel with a small footprint, feeding 10-20 people
- ✓The complete package includes hooks, rods, grate, charcoal basket, and stand - no accessory nickel-and-diming to get started
- ✓It holds its natural 250-300°F band for 6-8 hours on one basket of charcoal without any adjustment
- ✓The 18-gauge porcelain-coated barrel is sturdier than the cheap drum knockoffs and shrugs off weather
- ✓At ~$400 all-in it undercuts the WSM while being simpler to run, making it a favorite gift/starter recommendation on r/smoking
- ✓It doubles as a charcoal grill with the included grate when you want burgers instead of BBQ
Cons
- ✗You give up control - there are no real vents to dial temps up or down, so it cooks at the temp it wants (usually 250-300°F)
- ✗It can't do true low-and-slow 225°F easily, and it can't sear or grill hot without removing the lid and losing the magic
- ✗The grate is only about 240 sq in, so non-hanging cooks (brisket flat, big roasts) are cramped versus a kettle or cabinet smoker
- ✗Hanging big briskets risks the meat tearing off the hook late in the cook and landing in the coals - a rite of passage per Reddit
- ✗There's no built-in thermometer at all on the classic model, so you're trusting the process or adding your own probe
- ✗The 1-year warranty is short next to Weber's 10 years on the WSM
- ✗Ash cleanup means lifting out the basket and dumping the barrel - simple but messy
- ✗Smoke flavor is milder than a stick burner since the fire runs mostly charcoal with just a chunk or two of wood
Compare the Pit Barrel Cooker Classic
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