There’s two barrel house cooker one looks like the pit cooker so it’s not fair to compare a product using two different cooker I have both barrel house cooker and one one I can only fit one turkey on the other one I can fit two as well and it don’t have any dripping pans.
NoGain NoPain I hear the comparisons complaint. However, as I’ve explained to many like you the past 2 months, at the time of filming there was no Barrelhouse 18c nor was there a Pit Barrel Jr. These 2 cookers were the only products to compare from there respective brands at that time.
I am a dad/chef, who has been tasked to smoke two 16 lb turkeys, for my daughter's 2020 Thanksgiving dinner party. I have a generic pellet smoker, and a PBC. Your DETAILED amount of information concerning the deeper flavors derived by the PBC from the turkey drippings have convinced me to go the PBC route. Then, you spatchcocked the birds, and showed the difference of bird coloring when finished. I want to thank you for your WONDERFUL presentation, as it answered ALL of my questions, as to which way I could best fulfill my daughter's request. I WAS going to spatchcock the birds, but time is not a concern for me, and the finished bird-coloring is. So, I am going to just brine, inject, and then smoke my birds whole, with an added honey-glazed spiced coating! Big Shticks, THANK YOU!! I look forward to many more of your videos!..
I’ve had my PBC for years and love the results as much as you. Excellent, descriptive video you put out! I love your dedication to the craft.........great job.
Great video. I've never had either of these so forgive me if this is a dumb question, but could you not just remove the drip pan in the BHC and cook direct? It seems like that would take care of your cooking time issues (and color)? Thanks for serving in the USMC. Very grateful for guys like you.
Baby Back Maniac First, thanks for watching! In regards to removing the water pan, I’m almost certain I could. However, turkeys generally contain quite a bit of water, plus I injected them with a brine which added to the overall water content. In previous turkey cooks using the same method minus the drip pan, the coals got extinguished from all the moisture. So I elected to follow the manufacturers directions this time. In watching the barrelhouse turkey video, they cook a 20lb bird with no injection, use just a dry rub & use a drip pan. I’m assuming they used a 20lb bird to show its capacity because people are often fixated on cooking larger birds to serve lots of people. But in that video, the bird comes out pretty dark. To some, those in the know of bbq, that color is a beautiful thing. However, to most that coloration is off putting. So the pan to me was a necessity to kill two birds with one stone. 1) keep the coals going 2) keep it from over browning I can only assume how much darker their bird would have been had barrelhouse not used the pan in the video as it was in the cooker for upwards of 6 hours & I’m almost positive the end result would have been less than video worthy. Cooking turkeys is the only instance I’ve used the pan during a cook. But, I’ve found it necessary at least for the first few hours. I want to thank you for the recognition of my service. It means a great deal!
Thank you for your service and Semper Fi. I sent a surprise PBC to my nephew who is now a Lt Colonel in the USMC with the USMC plate on it . He loves it and even built a utility cart with a hole in it for the PBC.
John Doe No thank you necessary. Serving this country was one of the greatest honors of my life! At some point I’m going to have to do the same & get a cart to make it a bit more mobile. Thanks for stopping by
@@BigShtickssend me an email to jaycee993@gmail.com and I will send you some pics of him and his cart. I think my nephew is in Japan right serving but he was in charge of Light Armor Expeditionary in 3 tours, including Fallujah. I love the kid although he is a total man now and so well adjusted. Peace Mr Big
Extensive look at these smokers!! I'm looking at getting a smoker and this may have convinced me. Vet to Vet? Great video brother!! U.S. Army here! Great work jar head 😉.
Thank you soldier! Barrelhouse is now owned & operated by PBC so you can now enjoy the same customer service & take pride in supporting another veteran owned company. Thanks for stopping by & commenting
Oh wow, now that is a lot of turkeys my friend, good for you. Enjoyed your video my friend, so we subbed you as well. Keep up the fun videos and good luck on getting the other smoker to add it to the next comparison video my friend.
Excellent Video Devildog. Thanks for helping me make a decision on which one to get. Pit Barrel wins out.Thank you for your service to this country and Happy Fourth of July Marine. (USMC 1978-1986)
I have both cookers. I'll be doing some turkeys this year during holidays. Your video was very helpful. I don't like using the water pan or heat deflectors. I like the direct pit cook to get better flavors infused into the meat. However, water pans usually act as a heat regulator. Oh, by the way, I did a side by side of these same two cookers with baby back ribs last weekend, and the cooked very similar and both were done with same time results in 4 hrs & 20 minutes. The ribs looked almost identical. I filled each charcoal basket with charcoal , then removed about a dozen brikettes and lit them in two seperate chimneys. I pushed all the unlit charcoal out and made a hole in the center of each basket, then poured in the lit charcoal in the center only. This was a type of minion method to begin the fire in the center then allow it to crepe out to the edge over time. My first cook, I just poured the hot coals all over the basket to light, and on both cookers the temps went over 300 pretty quick. This last way, the temps actually stayed down around 255-260 all the way through the cook until the end when I had to the lid open for saucing. It did go up to about 310 degrees for the 20 min the sauce was setting which didn't hurt anything. Thanks-Phil
Phil N Florence That’s a pretty interesting method of coal ignition & one I probably would’ve never thought of. I may have to give that one a try sometime! Lately I’ve been lighting with a propane torch which seems to be slightly better than dumping lit coals on top of unlit coals. You may want to do a test run on your turkeys. While I agree the cookers do cook rather similar, cooking something as large as turkeys that contain large amounts of water can be quite tricky. I brine mine, either by soaking or injection which further adds to the water content & retention. This in turn means a lot of fluid dripping, coals extinguishing & rapid temperature declines.I’m sure you’ll do fine, it’s just something to consider & have in the back of your head to prepare for. Thanks for watching!
I've had my pit barrel for over a year now I use it religiously on my days off twice a week. I also have a Oklahoma Joe wood burner I use and a Weber. My favorite thing to cook on my pit barrel are big beef ribs with cold beer in hand.
Juan Castillo Tough to find quality beef ribs out here in Cali. Most stores strip them down of all the meat. I’ve resorted to ordering from the Mexican meat shop & take them when I can get them. But I agree beef ribs on the pit barrel with a cold beer in hand...just a little piece of heaven
If you are in San Diego Kennedy's in Escondido will hook you up. Best butcher ever. They got all the good stuff. I love there pollo asada green chili, chipotle or garlic herb. The tritips are also on point.
Try Sprouts, or stater Bros. I know they both carry whole plates if you ask. If not all they have on the floor is cut up beef ribs for like Korean BBQ.
Bad Beast Barbecue Thanks man! Really appreciate it. I’m gonna have to check back into your channel. It’s been awhile. I think it was Filipino style pork chops that got me watching before.
Almost baled half way through the video but you came out rockin’ the USMC shirt so this retired Navy corpsman decided to give you the benefit of doubt and stick around until the end.
Thanks, I've been eyeing both of these units. I wonder if the barrelhouse would still function without a drip pan? I'll bet that pan blocks some of the direct heat and slows down the cooking a little. I do like the room in that Pit Barrel unit. I'll have to see if BatrelHouse makes a wider unit. One question, what type of wood do you use? I smoked 2 turkeys in an electric smoker and both times the birds came out with a bitter tasting skin. I brined the first one and natural the 2nd time. I smoked at 250 and used oak pellets in ny basket. I just wonder if turkeys maybe get bitter if they take too much smoke or what. Or make I should try a milder wood?
HomeValue Glass So in my experiences using both cookers I realize that the barrelhouse only requires the drip pan for prolonged cooks of larger birds simply to prevent over darkening. Ive cooked several 12-16lb turkeys without the drip pan with zero issues. To answer your question barrelhouse does make the 18C. It’s a unit similar in size & footprint to the PBC. To make things even sweeter, PBC has purchased the BHC & now you can enjoy the same customer service & piece of mind that come with owning a PBC. As to your questions about wood. I prefer mesquite, hickory or apple when I smoke turkey. I always brine my birds. In regards to that bitter flavor it may be your wood choice & amount. However, I’ve only experienced that bitter flavor as a result of having a dirty flame. Meaning it’s a black smoke instead a bluish hued smoke.
Still torn over the Pit Barrel and Barrel House. I like the BHC so that one can take the barrel off if more wood or charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal can be easily added to the charcoal basket/pit. Pit Barrel is cumbersome in that respect, taking out food and lifting out charcoal basket, rinse repeat. Also, are the temp gauges, which the BHC has and not the Pit Barrel, really that bad, inaccurate? One last question... Is one suppose to spray the inside of the barrel before each use? Spray meaning: Canola spray or Pam, etc? Thanks for the share!
No need to be torn my friend. Simply purchase the one that makes the most sense to you. Here’s the best part...Pit Barrel owns both companies! Now on to your questions. 1. No the thermometer is not that bad. Just realize that the lid temp & where the cooking is taking place is two different things. But what really matters is that you keep a steady temp for the duration of any cook & that you cook to your desired internal food temp. All that “need to know exactly within 5 degrees” is for competitors & those whom need to feel in control. 2. Do you need to spray oil internally before cooking? ABSOLUTELY NOT! The cookers generate so much humidity from rendered fats & juices falling on the lit coals that it’s pointless. Feel free to ask more questions if I’ve failed to address any
@@BigShticks Thank you. I have been leaning toward the BHC for about 3 months. I still wasn't even sure on the Weber Smokey Mt over the other two. But, the BHC keeps calling to me. :) I see that BHC has some great accessories too. Someone had posted about rust with the BHC inside the barrel and another suggested about spraying the inside of the BHC barrel, thought it was odd, that is why I asked if this was even common, cooking spray. Do you know if BHC has a package deal? Cover, extra racks, half rack etc? I would rather go package deal and maybe save a few bucks vs buying individually. Some have posted that the BHC has a way to elongate for ribs? Some part one needs to buy, not sure if 3rd party mod or manufacture made. Do you know anything about that?
KILLAMANJARO3 BHC does have package deals for sure. However, I’m almost positive they don’t have one that’s “all inclusive”. But they should have one that will suffice till you get to know the cooker more intimately. Just like any cooker there is nuance to it. Once you get acclimated it will be easier to choose what you’ll need vs. what you can work around. BHC is an outstanding cooker. I don’t think you can go wrong with this purchase. As for the elevator, I know some guys out there manufactured there own & I believe BHC created one for the 18D to provide additional spacing to ribs & briskets from the heat source.
Great video! I keep coming back to learn new things. One question: what hook or lifter are you using to place the coals into the pit barrel at 3:20? Do you have a link? Thanks!
I have the Barrel House. I have used it with and without the drip pan. I will use the drip pan every time. It tastes cleaner with a water pan catching than grease and fat instead of incinerating it up on the meat.
Yes sir. I've got 2 PBC and a BHC. You gotta do em both the same way. Because the flavor off drippings into the coals are different when with a drip pan. It will cut the time of the cook without a pan. Totally optional
hello, please can you provide me, without haste, this pit barrel measures: - diameter of: all holes (inlet and 4 outlet ventilation) and bars - distance between basket and grid and between grid and bars - depth of the basket without calculating the handle Thank you so much
Hey man! Great video, thankyou. Cant believe i found this at the time i did. How do you keep the turkeys once cooked before they go to customers and how long for? Would really appreciate your help :)
Foil pans & covered with foil. Depending on how long it will be before they arrive. If within an hour I place them on an electric warming tray. If longer, in the oven @ 200.
Hello great video man. I'm actually thinking of doing my first Turkey cater this Thanksgiving. Any recommendations on how to pull this off? I have a PBC. Can I start the night before and keep them in the fridge once done or would you recommend cook them the day of and have people pick them up as they're done?
Honestly, it depends on how many birds you’ve committed to, what the weather is going to be & what your pick up times are & what your clientele’s expectations are. Do they expect a hot turkey or do they expect to reheat? At midnight I pull 6 thawed & prepped turkeys out to rest at room temp & prep for smoking. At 3am I begin getting the all the fuel ready. By 4am the cookers are ready to add birds. When I first started generally I would run 3 cookers with 6 whole birds & allot 4 hrs to that cook. While those are cooking (6) other birds are coming out of the fridge to take the chill off of them before they go in the smoker. Once the turkeys are done I remove excess ash & add more fuel. Both lit & unlit. Allowing 5 mins to fully ignite. Then add the next batch of birds. Repeat the process. If the weather is excessively cold or you have rain in forecast. Expect to add an addition 30-60 mins to those allotted 4 hr cook times. Hope this helps.
@@BigShticks man thank you so much for this info I really appreciate it really. So when you do it do people pick them up almost when they're ready if not where do you store them? Also have you smoked them before and sold them chilled and have them just reheat them?
@@jesusdiaz455 I’ve done both. You just gotta be upfront with what you can actually do. Sometimes people have their reasons & don’t care about it being cooked the day before and stored overnight in the fridge. Others want theirs the day of, as close to when they plan to host. I give them my scheduled pick up times & they come then. Remember, the turkey has to rest for at least an hour anyways & it will carry heat for a good 2 hrs after cooking.
Don't compare Temps between breast meat and thigh meat.They are different densities and will require different cooking times.Loose the drip pan unless you wish to add water or juice to flavor meat.
Danny Burnett When cooking any bird whole or halved it’s almost a necessity. Simply by not having the luxury of two separate cooks. Your now forced to achieve a happy medium at a temperature that doesn’t dry out the breast while bringing thighs to a doneness that isn’t still raw. While the proteins are of two different densities, collagen & fat content they do not necessarily require more or less cook time to achieve the desired results. I’ve had birds that I’ve pulled at 155 breast & 165 thigh allowing for a 10 degree carryover while tented. In other words...I don’t always associate a required higher internal temp to take longer to achieve it. I want to thank you for stopping by, watching the video & commenting.
Hutch Thanks! It’s not easy maintaining grass here in drought prone California. But I’ve always been partial to having a nice lawn & pride in ownership. I wish more folks in my neighborhood would do the same. Thanks for watching & commenting!
Thanks for posting this amazing video. Cannot imagine doing all those turkeys. Between this video and the one from Ballistic BBQ it has helped me in choosing one of these smokers. For me it is all about the taste. What is your brine recipe if you don't mind me asking? Thanks in advance.
FISHNUTSS Thanks for taking the time to watch & comment! If you want to keep it easy & cheap a simple injector is the route to go. Simply mix 1/4 cup of brown sugar & 1/4 cup of kosher salt in 1 quart of water & mix until completely dissolved. Add 1 quart of apple juice, 2 tblspn of soy sauce, 1tblspn granulated onion & 1 tblspn of granulated garlic & mix thoroughly again. Inject the mixture all over the bird & place in large plastic bag & allow to brine overnight in the fridge. Prior to cooking any method allow it to sit at room temperature at least an hour. Hope this helps! For an added twist, boil the mixture with a bay leaf & a few pieces of crystallized ginger. Then allow the mixture to chill in the fridge before injecting the bird.
I have a small catering business that gets pretty busy through the holidays. My clients have built up through the years from word of mouth. Over a 5 day span (Wednesday thru Sunday) of thanksgiving I’ve been turning out 125 turkeys. A blend of both deep fried & smoked...it helps pay the Christmas bills...lol!
@@Bill-N-Carolina Before they created the turkey hanger the method was to use 4 hooks through the back with the breast side down. This pooled a lot of juices that kept basting the breast. If I had to guess, hanging it breast side down employs this same theory. That the juices must pass down to the breast rendering a moist product.
GeeDeeBird It’s quite possible, but I think the core temp of the bird at the start of cooking may have been the culprit, in addition to ambient temperature.But I couldn’t say for sure. I’ve cooked with & without the pan & the cook time pretty much stays the same. The only difference is the the bird gets much darker without the pan. Thanks for chiming in & being part of the conversation!
I have a Traeger. One of the best investments hands down! I hardly use my grill. I do miss charcoal smoking though. Definitely looking into getting a barrel cooker or big green egg next
Cameron Kiley I too had a Traeger, & a GMG pellet smoker. While they were easy use (knob & digital temp settings) the smokey flavor you expect simply wasn’t there. Not to mention the traeger auger motor & firepot igniter both went out within 6 months of moderate use. Ever call traeger? Good luck, they got every excuse in the world that it isn’t the product, but rather the user. & god forbid you use pellets not their own...warranty voided. I know that’s not everyone’s experience with traeger, but it is mine & I’ll never go back. Maybe when I get older & to lazy to tend a flame I’ll give Yoder, Rec Tec, Grilla grills or MAC a try for pellet grills. Right now, you really can’t go wrong with either a PBC or BHC. They both produce wonderfully flavored foods that are very similar. They both have a smaller & larger model. The BHC has a clear advantage in terms of loading fuel because the base separates from cooking vessel.Thanks for watching!
Orlando Avalos The answer to both questions is yes when cooking whole brined turkeys as I do. The reason is simple, they drip liquid profusely & while it imparts strong Smokey flavors it also weakens the coals to the extent that refueling is necessary for both cookers. With that said, should you cook a simply seasoned turkey without brine you would only need to add coal around the 5-6hr mark in the PBC & 4-5hr mark in the BHC as both will start to gradually decline in stabile temperature if you plan on doing multiple cooks. In my experience the PBC will stabilize & cook at 285 for hours, the BHC will settle in at 315. However, whenever I cook them halved I only need to add wood between cooks. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
Orlando Avalos Whoops, let me answer your last question better. My experience with PBC is that the first hour of cooking its peak is 335F and settles to 285F for about 4hrs before it begins a steady decline into the low 200’s so I’d say for the PBC a basket will give you around 6hrs of steady good temps. As for BHC it peaks at around 360F for an hour & settles at 315F for around 3-4hrs delivering around 5hrs of steady temps before declining into the low 200’s.
I have a question. It looked like you hung the barrel house cooked turkey upside down, compared to the 2 cooked in the PBC. Did I see that wrong? Do you think that has something to do with the difference in cook time? Turkeys looked great, by the way.
Steve Olson That is correct. The PBC turkey hangers are designed to go through neck cavity first and hang breast side down, whereas the BHC is designed to hang the turkey legs down. I can’t say for certain that is the reason for the PBC turning turkeys out with irregular coloration. I do believe however that it is possible to hang smaller turkeys in the PBC the same way because the cavity is smaller. But, I don’t believe it would be feasible to larger turkeys upwards of 15lbs & above that way. Some day I’ll try it out & test that theory. One other thing of note is that the BHC bird hangs roughly 3-4 inches higher from the coals & it’s possible that plays a role to. I will say that while the BHC produced a bird with markedly better color & appearance, it takes longer & most everyone I served agreed that the PBC turkeys tasted better and more smoothly smoked than that of the BHC bird. Thanks for watching & commenting!
Thanks for the quick response! I couldn't tell the hangar was different on the BHC. I like the hangars from PBC; I usually hang chickens in halves, dark meat down. I'll have to check those out!
Really enjoyed the video. I'm a PBC guy and thought about selling/doing turkeys this past Thanksgiving for friends and family. Great idea on splitting the turkeys. I've got a few questions if you don't mind answering. Did you start over with fresh coals each cook? What did you wrap the turkeys with with done? Did you deliver or have them pick up? What instructions did you give to the purchaser to "reheat" the turkey? Approx. how much did you charge or what was the profit margin per turkey?
Tom Evans It really depends on how much you pick up your turkeys for. I’ve seen them as low as .29 cents per pound. At that juncture virtually any price point you set will determine how good your margins are. As far as packaging I typically place them in foil pans and tent in foil. I require people pick them up. When you cook as many as I did in total (63) over two days, there is no time to deliver. In regards to reheating, most eat theirs that day, however, if reheating place the bird still in the foil packaging in a 300 degree oven for 30 mins or so. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
Tom Evans Also forgot to mention. If your cooking the birds whole, you definitely need to refuel after each cook. If cooking halves the coals are still strong enough to go another cook.
Thanks for the help. I have 6 PBC's that I use to cook at my daughter's school. Lots of tri tip for functions. They are perfect when you don't have a lot of help. Instead of baby sitting the meat on a Santa Maria grill, I can get the meat going and step away to get the beans, salad, and garlic bread ready.
Just picked up the 6th. I'm retired, so I scour Craigslist for deals. I still support Noah and PBC by buying accessories (covers, ash pans, etc.) Looking forward to purchasing the new hook tool and hanging accessories. Keep up the good work!
Adam Coe When this video was made the 18C did not exist & the PBJ was nearing release. So at the time this was the only comparison that could be made between the respective companies & their cookers.
On the BHC it’s much simpler because the cooking vessel detaches from the base & you can simply add more fuel. On this cooker, fueling is a done anywhere between 4-6 hours depending on ambient conditions & water content of your meats. The PBC requires removing food items & rebar. The coal basket can then be refilled with fuel. This usually occurs somewhere in 6-8hrs. Occasionally the ash needs to be removed to allow for proper coal ventilation to ensure even cooking results. Generally I’ll refuel either cooker when the cook is done & just prior to adding more items to be cooked if the coals ashed past half. I hope I’ve answered your questions. Thanks for stopping by!
Edward VanHook If I had to guess it was the waterpan. Haven’t used one since & haven’t had that issue again. I’d probably use one if I maxed out the size of turkey because they tend to get really dark the longer they are in the BHC. Thanks for watching Devil Dog! SGT C USMC 0326
Jeffrey House Thank you & thanks for watching! I agree about removal of the drip pan. Particularly, considering the size of turkeys I was cooking, I believe it to be nonessential. A 20lber might be a whole different story.
I support my Veterans but I could kinda tell where this was headed and when I saw the shirt I knew it was never going to be unbiased. 18 inch versus 14 plus drip pan is option because the wives need the drippings from the turkey to make the dressing. I own neither one but just observing. Thank you for your service.
Dale Hauser I get it. But to be fair, sure I served in the corps, the badge on the pit barrel may seem as a Dead giveaway to where I was headed. Truly it wasn’t. The truth is they both have downfalls. The size of each cooker IS plus & a downfall as noted in the video. However, in this video the pit barrels capacity & level of deep smoke permeation was its plus. It’s downfall was the exteriors uneven coloration. The Barrelhouse on the other hand was limited in capacity but turned out an absolutely beautiful bird. I have subsequently cooked birds without the drip pan & it cooks wonderful turkeys up to 14lbs. But, any larger & they suffer from over coloration & more burnt flavor which for some is off putting. Truth be told I like them both. A truer test however would be barrelhouses new 18inch model against the original pit barrel or the pit barrel jr. Against the original barrelhouse. Thanks for watching! It’s much appreciated.
I start out with 1 gal of water. 1 cup each of kosher salt & brown sugar. 64oz bottle of apple juice. 1 cup soy sauce. 1 onion halved, 3 bay leaves & 1/4 cup of peppercorns.
Great video! You might want to talk to Mr. Grill Beast about the Barrel House smoker though. When he smokes meat on his Barrel House there is smoke coming out of it just like the Pit Barrel.
Russyl Royer Will do! I think that drip pan was really hindering the smoke production. Once I removed it, almost instantaneously it began cooking like I’m accustomed. I think because the company says you can cook up to a 20lb turkey in it, that with a bird of that size & the time required to cook it, over coloring/ blackening may occur. Thanks again for watching!
Cpt Lynx I have a REALLY big sharp knife! Lol! Once you cut out the backbone, lay the bird skin side down. Press firmly on both sides of the breast at the same time & push hard like you are going to do chest compressions. This will crack/break the breastbone & this will make it way easier to cut through.
@@BigShticks that was my deciding factor to go with barrel house. Easy access to the coals and the clean up is easier. I’m sure both are great smokers tho
Larry M. I agree, however when this video was made Barrelhouse had only released the 14d 3 months prior. I now have a 18c & imo the only advantage it has is the ability to load fuel easily. The results are similar between the BHC & PBC. I will give the PBC the advantage cooking 2 whole turkeys at the same time. I found the H frame didn’t allow for using BHC’s own turkey hanger with multiple birds. But rather having to use multiple hooks through the breast was a pain.
Mark Silva The easiest one I use I actually inject keep costs low & reduce the use of storage containers for fully immersed turkeys. 1 quart of water, 1/4 cup of salt, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 quart apple juice, 2 tablespoons granulated onion, 2 tablespoons granulated garlic. Boil this mixture with a bay leaf & crystallized ginger (optional) until the solids are dissolved. Allow to cool to room temp then place in the fridge. Inject the bird all over, but remember you don’t need to use all the brine. Allow the the bird to rest overnight in the fridge in a garbage bag to fully brine.
Mine too! But it appears in bbq that the rivalry between the BHC & Pit Barrel runs deep like Chevy & Ford. Because I own both I guess it’s only natural I get a little bit of flak for it.
jl patriot Thank you for watching & taking the time to leave a comment. I’ve only had that experience with larger tough cuts of meats such as brisket or Boston butts if you intend to open smoke them hooked for the duration of the cook. The pit barrel you have the option of wrapping and placing those on the grill grate. Im certain you can do the same in the BHC 18D, but that is not an option on the 14. However , I will agree with you the ease of tending to the flame in the BHC is a major plus!
I own a PBC. I've cooked Boston butts (usually two at a time), briskets, ribs, and all manner of bird without ever tending to the fire. I do tend to wrap butts and brisket because that's how I learned to cook them, but one basket of coals lasts me for anything I've ever cooked.
My PBC is by far the best outdoor cooking product I have ever used. One basket of coals has always been enough to cook anything I have ever done, to include a 16 pound Thanksgiving turkey.
When someone isn't cooking birds for money and concerned with capacity and cook times, it looks like the Barrel House is the clear winner. Much prettier birds... and I bet tastier, too.
Banjoliope Hey thanks for watching! It’s a subjective thing & as stated in the video a matter of preference. I do agree with you in terms of the appearance. I think it may be because of the way they hang in the cooker. I may try to hang them legs down in PBC sometime. In regards to taste, hands down everyone agreed the PBC turkeys were far better & smokier. No knock on the BHC, still a good turkey too.
I think we can all agree we may have different opinions I have both and now barrel house has the bigger one coming out in Feb which I will get.. There all good products no matter what and there both worth every penny..
The makers of the barrel house are getting sued by the PBC folks over stealing the design. I wouldn't call their cooker worth every penny because it seems like you'd be dealing with thieves who stole from a veteran. amazingribs.com/smoker/barrel-house-cooker-review
It’s fairly simple. 4 cups water, 2 cups of apple juice. 1/4 cup of kosher salt, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 tblspn of peppercorns, 3 bay leaves & half an onion. Bring it to a boil to dissolve the salt & sugar. Allow to cool to room temp & place in the fridge to cool further before injecting.
ro866432 My bad, I do have a magnetic oven thermometer I place inside before cooks. & just from experience cooking with the PBC I know that it peaks around 335 degrees & settles in at 285. The BHC peaks at 360 & settles in at 315.
That's pretty impressive you could fit two good size turkeys in there. Any room left over? Like I'm seriously considering following your actions for a thanksgiving party I am attending. But I also thought to throw in some ribs there was anymore room.
Danny Javier It’s totally worth it. It’s one of the few pits I don’t regret purchasing. They even make a Jr. model now. But $299, free shipping. Hard to beat. As for rust, I haven’t had any issues at all. I do however store it in a small outdoor enclosure.
PUNKem733 Yeah, I spoke with Noah the owner of the PBC company about it. In reading the court complaint it appears Noah got screwed by sharing his proprietary business information with guys whom took advantage of him & created the barrelhouse cooker. But, in looking at the PBC Jr it appears as thought they may have struck a deal with the same barrel maker whom produced them for barrelhouse. I think these were originally canisters for vacuums if I’m not mistaken.
Dick Hertz I hear ya! My purchase of the barrelhouse was quite an interesting thing. I became interested in PBC through RUclips videos by Ballistic BBQ by researching the RecTec pellet grill. When I realized it was going to cost $1200 & had a pretty large footprint that I simply couldn’t house, my mind began to change. So I went to google and searched barrel smoker and the first thing that came up was the barrelhouse & bigpoppa UDS kits. I figured the barrelhouse was what I was seeing on the videos & hastily made the purchase without further research. Once the barrelhouse arrived & I began to search how to videos on it, I quickly realized the mistake. Because I had cooked in it already it was non returnable. As I did more research I came across the court filings & became irate. I am a veteran & I try really hard to support veteran owned business whenever possible & to see what happened to Noah made me sick. I sent an email to him explaining what happened & he called me personally about 3 days later. I subsequently ordered a PBC & they sent me quite a few “extras” simply for expressing my regret over the BHC purchase. But, it has also been noted that BHC has found a way to manipulate search results so that their product shows up before others. Just shady all around I think. I’ve managed to get over the mistake & I try to see the positives in the BHC. There are positives & negatives for both cookers. I could list them all, but I’d be here typing for an hour!
There’s two barrel house cooker one looks like the pit cooker so it’s not fair to compare a product using two different cooker I have both barrel house cooker and one one I can only fit one turkey on the other one I can fit two as well and it don’t have any dripping pans.
NoGain NoPain
I hear the comparisons complaint. However, as I’ve explained to many like you the past 2 months, at the time of filming there was no Barrelhouse 18c nor was there a Pit Barrel Jr. These 2 cookers were the only products to compare from there respective brands at that time.
I hate when ppl that doesnt know what they are talking about because they have not conducted the experiment themselves
I am a dad/chef, who has been tasked to smoke two 16 lb turkeys, for my daughter's 2020 Thanksgiving dinner party. I have a generic pellet smoker, and a PBC. Your DETAILED amount of information concerning the deeper flavors derived by the PBC from the turkey drippings have convinced me to go the PBC route. Then, you spatchcocked the birds, and showed the difference of bird coloring when finished. I want to thank you for your WONDERFUL presentation, as it answered ALL of my questions, as to which way I could best fulfill my daughter's request. I WAS going to spatchcock the birds, but time is not a concern for me, and the finished bird-coloring is. So, I am going to just brine, inject, and then smoke my birds whole, with an added honey-glazed spiced coating! Big Shticks, THANK YOU!! I look forward to many more of your videos!..
Thanks for checking out the video & taking the time comment. I appreciate the support & Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family!
I’ve had my PBC for years and love the results as much as you. Excellent, descriptive video you put out! I love your dedication to the craft.........great job.
alemeplease
I appreciate the kinds words. Thanks for stopping by, watching & commenting.
Great video.
I've never had either of these so forgive me if this is a dumb question, but could you not just remove the drip pan in the BHC and cook direct? It seems like that would take care of your cooking time issues (and color)?
Thanks for serving in the USMC. Very grateful for guys like you.
Baby Back Maniac
First, thanks for watching! In regards to removing the water pan, I’m almost certain I could. However, turkeys generally contain quite a bit of water, plus I injected them with a brine which added to the overall water content. In previous turkey cooks using the same method minus the drip pan, the coals got extinguished from all the moisture. So I elected to follow the manufacturers directions this time. In watching the barrelhouse turkey video, they cook a 20lb bird with no injection, use just a dry rub & use a drip pan. I’m assuming they used a 20lb bird to show its capacity because people are often fixated on cooking larger birds to serve lots of people. But in that video, the bird comes out pretty dark. To some, those in the know of bbq, that color is a beautiful thing. However, to most that coloration is off putting. So the pan to me was a necessity to kill two birds with one stone.
1) keep the coals going
2) keep it from over browning
I can only assume how much darker their bird would have been had barrelhouse not used the pan in the video as it was in the cooker for upwards of 6 hours & I’m almost positive the end result would have been less than video worthy. Cooking turkeys is the only instance I’ve used the pan during a cook. But, I’ve found it necessary at least for the first few hours.
I want to thank you for the recognition of my service. It means a great deal!
Thank you for your service and Semper Fi. I sent a surprise PBC to my nephew who is now a Lt Colonel in the USMC with the USMC plate on it . He loves it and even built a utility cart with a hole in it for the PBC.
John Doe
No thank you necessary. Serving this country was one of the greatest honors of my life! At some point I’m going to have to do the same & get a cart to make it a bit more mobile. Thanks for stopping by
@@BigShtickssend me an email to jaycee993@gmail.com and I will send you some pics of him and his cart. I think my nephew is in Japan right serving but he was in charge of Light Armor Expeditionary in 3 tours, including Fallujah. I love the kid although he is a total man now and so well adjusted. Peace Mr Big
PBC Rocks! Can't say enough about mine.
Ballistic BBQ
Thanks for watching! You are without a doubt my favorite channel to watch & try recipes from.
Just ordered one today...looking forward to using it!
Extensive look at these smokers!! I'm looking at getting a smoker and this may have convinced me. Vet to Vet? Great video brother!! U.S. Army here! Great work jar head 😉.
Thank you soldier! Barrelhouse is now owned & operated by PBC so you can now enjoy the same customer service & take pride in supporting another veteran owned company. Thanks for stopping by & commenting
Oh wow, now that is a lot of turkeys my friend, good for you.
Enjoyed your video my friend, so we subbed you as well. Keep up the fun videos and good luck on getting the other smoker to add it to the next comparison video my friend.
Excellent Video Devildog. Thanks for helping me make a decision on which one to get. Pit Barrel wins out.Thank you for your service to this country and Happy Fourth of July Marine. (USMC 1978-1986)
David Carlisle
Likewise leatherneck! Thanks for stopping bye & dropping a comment.
I have both cookers. I'll be doing some turkeys this year during holidays. Your video was very helpful. I don't like using the water pan or heat deflectors. I like the direct pit cook to get better flavors infused into the meat. However, water pans usually act as a heat regulator. Oh, by the way, I did a side by side of these same two cookers with baby back ribs last weekend, and the cooked very similar and both were done with same time results in 4 hrs & 20 minutes. The ribs looked almost identical. I filled each charcoal basket with charcoal , then removed about a dozen brikettes and lit them in two seperate chimneys. I pushed all the unlit charcoal out and made a hole in the center of each basket, then poured in the lit charcoal in the center only. This was a type of minion method to begin the fire in the center then allow it to crepe out to the edge over time. My first cook, I just poured the hot coals all over the basket to light, and on both cookers the temps went over 300 pretty quick. This last way, the temps actually stayed down around 255-260 all the way through the cook until the end when I had to the lid open for saucing. It did go up to about 310 degrees for the 20 min the sauce was setting which didn't hurt anything. Thanks-Phil
Phil N Florence
That’s a pretty interesting method of coal ignition & one I probably would’ve never thought of. I may have to give that one a try sometime! Lately I’ve been lighting with a propane torch which seems to be slightly better than dumping lit coals on top of unlit coals. You may want to do a test run on your turkeys. While I agree the cookers do cook rather similar, cooking something as large as turkeys that contain large amounts of water can be quite tricky. I brine mine, either by soaking or injection which further adds to the water content & retention. This in turn means a lot of fluid dripping, coals extinguishing & rapid temperature declines.I’m sure you’ll do fine, it’s just something to consider & have in the back of your head to prepare for. Thanks for watching!
Thanks, will definitely do a test run before we get to the holidays and keep your tips in mind.
@@progers5019 Rest in peace, Phil. You were a true asset to the BBQ community.
I've had my pit barrel for over a year now I use it religiously on my days off twice a week. I also have a Oklahoma Joe wood burner I use and a Weber. My favorite thing to cook on my pit barrel are big beef ribs with cold beer in hand.
Juan Castillo
Tough to find quality beef ribs out here in Cali. Most stores strip them down of all the meat. I’ve resorted to ordering from the Mexican meat shop & take them when I can get them. But I agree beef ribs on the pit barrel with a cold beer in hand...just a little piece of heaven
If you are in San Diego Kennedy's in Escondido will hook you up. Best butcher ever. They got all the good stuff. I love there pollo asada green chili, chipotle or garlic herb. The tritips are also on point.
Try Sprouts, or stater Bros. I know they both carry whole plates if you ask. If not all they have on the floor is cut up beef ribs for like Korean BBQ.
Great cooks. I like the idea of splitting the turkeys. I'm definitely trying that this year.
Othello it’s going to cut down the cook time by a lot!
Great video. Thinking about getting a barrel style cooker. This video helped tremendously. Thank you.
goody869
Thank you for taking the time to watch & comment!
I just got a PBC, love it....glad I saw you video about cutting the turkeys in half, great idea, nice video
Bad Beast Barbecue
Thanks man! Really appreciate it. I’m gonna have to check back into your channel. It’s been awhile. I think it was Filipino style pork chops that got me watching before.
Awesome idea on splitting the birds! Thanks.
Almost baled half way through the video but you came out rockin’ the USMC shirt so this retired Navy corpsman decided to give you the benefit of doubt and stick around until the end.
Hey this Marine certainly has a ton of respect for corpsman. They spent many of night home & abroad in the shit with us.
Thanks, I've been eyeing both of these units. I wonder if the barrelhouse would still function without a drip pan? I'll bet that pan blocks some of the direct heat and slows down the cooking a little. I do like the room in that Pit Barrel unit. I'll have to see if BatrelHouse makes a wider unit.
One question, what type of wood do you use? I smoked 2 turkeys in an electric smoker and both times the birds came out with a bitter tasting skin. I brined the first one and natural the 2nd time. I smoked at 250 and used oak pellets in ny basket. I just wonder if turkeys maybe get bitter if they take too much smoke or what. Or make I should try a milder wood?
HomeValue Glass
So in my experiences using both cookers I realize that the barrelhouse only requires the drip pan for prolonged cooks of larger birds simply to prevent over darkening. Ive cooked several 12-16lb turkeys without the drip pan with zero issues. To answer your question barrelhouse does make the 18C. It’s a unit similar in size & footprint to the PBC. To make things even sweeter, PBC has purchased the BHC & now you can enjoy the same customer service & piece of mind that come with owning a PBC. As to your questions about wood. I prefer mesquite, hickory or apple when I smoke turkey. I always brine my birds. In regards to that bitter flavor it may be your wood choice & amount. However, I’ve only experienced that bitter flavor as a result of having a dirty flame. Meaning it’s a black smoke instead a bluish hued smoke.
Still torn over the Pit Barrel and Barrel House. I like the BHC so that one can take the barrel off if more wood or charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal can be easily added to the charcoal basket/pit. Pit Barrel is cumbersome in that respect, taking out food and lifting out charcoal basket, rinse repeat. Also, are the temp gauges, which the BHC has and not the Pit Barrel, really that bad, inaccurate? One last question... Is one suppose to spray the inside of the barrel before each use? Spray meaning: Canola spray or Pam, etc? Thanks for the share!
No need to be torn my friend. Simply purchase the one that makes the most sense to you. Here’s the best part...Pit Barrel owns both companies!
Now on to your questions.
1. No the thermometer is not that bad. Just realize that the lid temp & where the cooking is taking place is two different things. But what really matters is that you keep a steady temp for the duration of any cook & that you cook to your desired internal food temp. All that “need to know exactly within 5 degrees” is for competitors & those whom need to feel in control.
2. Do you need to spray oil internally before cooking? ABSOLUTELY NOT! The cookers generate so much humidity from rendered fats & juices falling on the lit coals that it’s pointless.
Feel free to ask more questions if I’ve failed to address any
@@BigShticks Thank you. I have been leaning toward the BHC for about 3 months. I still wasn't even sure on the Weber Smokey Mt over the other two. But, the BHC keeps calling to me. :) I see that BHC has some great accessories too. Someone had posted about rust with the BHC inside the barrel and another suggested about spraying the inside of the BHC barrel, thought it was odd, that is why I asked if this was even common, cooking spray. Do you know if BHC has a package deal? Cover, extra racks, half rack etc? I would rather go package deal and maybe save a few bucks vs buying individually. Some have posted that the BHC has a way to elongate for ribs? Some part one needs to buy, not sure if 3rd party mod or manufacture made. Do you know anything about that?
KILLAMANJARO3
BHC does have package deals for sure. However, I’m almost positive they don’t have one that’s “all inclusive”. But they should have one that will suffice till you get to know the cooker more intimately. Just like any cooker there is nuance to it. Once you get acclimated it will be easier to choose what you’ll need vs. what you can work around. BHC is an outstanding cooker. I don’t think you can go wrong with this purchase. As for the elevator, I know some guys out there manufactured there own & I believe BHC created one for the 18D to provide additional spacing to ribs & briskets from the heat source.
On my Barrel house I didn’t use the drip pan never have and it has been the best turkey. Family alway requests it.
Chad Bryant
Yeah, it’s been a learning experience. It does turn out a fantastic turkey too! Happy thanksgiving!
Great video! I keep coming back to learn new things. One question: what hook or lifter are you using to place the coals into the pit barrel at 3:20? Do you have a link? Thanks!
Thank you so much! Appreciate you coming back for more. Believe it or not that’s a turkey fryer lifter for the butterball XL 😂
I have the Barrel House. I have used it with and without the drip pan. I will use the drip pan every time. It tastes cleaner with a water pan catching than grease and fat instead of incinerating it up on the meat.
Yes sir. I've got 2 PBC and a BHC. You gotta do em both the same way. Because the flavor off drippings into the coals are different when with a drip pan. It will cut the time of the cook without a pan. Totally optional
bill mariano
Hey thanks for watching & btw the 9ers are gonna make a lot of noise this year! I can’t wait ...
hello, please can you provide me, without haste, this pit barrel measures:
- diameter of:
all holes (inlet and 4 outlet ventilation)
and bars
- distance between basket and grid and between grid and bars
- depth of the basket without calculating the handle
Thank you so much
Hey man! Great video, thankyou.
Cant believe i found this at the time i did.
How do you keep the turkeys once cooked before they go to customers and how long for?
Would really appreciate your help :)
Foil pans & covered with foil. Depending on how long it will be before they arrive. If within an hour I place them on an electric warming tray. If longer, in the oven @ 200.
Wow. good job brother 👏
Thank you!
Hello great video man. I'm actually thinking of doing my first Turkey cater this Thanksgiving. Any recommendations on how to pull this off? I have a PBC. Can I start the night before and keep them in the fridge once done or would you recommend cook them the day of and have people pick them up as they're done?
Honestly, it depends on how many birds you’ve committed to, what the weather is going to be & what your pick up times are & what your clientele’s expectations are. Do they expect a hot turkey or do they expect to reheat? At midnight I pull 6 thawed & prepped turkeys out to rest at room temp & prep for smoking. At 3am I begin getting the all the fuel ready. By 4am the cookers are ready to add birds. When I first started generally I would run 3 cookers with 6 whole birds & allot 4 hrs to that cook. While those are cooking (6) other birds are coming out of the fridge to take the chill off of them before they go in the smoker. Once the turkeys are done I remove excess ash & add more fuel. Both lit & unlit. Allowing 5 mins to fully ignite. Then add the next batch of birds. Repeat the process. If the weather is excessively cold or you have rain in forecast. Expect to add an addition 30-60 mins to those allotted 4 hr cook times. Hope this helps.
@@BigShticks man thank you so much for this info I really appreciate it really. So when you do it do people pick them up almost when they're ready if not where do you store them? Also have you smoked them before and sold them chilled and have them just reheat them?
@@jesusdiaz455
I’ve done both. You just gotta be upfront with what you can actually do. Sometimes people have their reasons & don’t care about it being cooked the day before and stored overnight in the fridge. Others want theirs the day of, as close to when they plan to host. I give them my scheduled pick up times & they come then. Remember, the turkey has to rest for at least an hour anyways & it will carry heat for a good 2 hrs after cooking.
@@jesusdiaz455
Also, I keep the ones that are late picking up in the oven or on a hot chaffing pan.
Don't compare Temps between breast meat and thigh meat.They are different densities and will require different cooking times.Loose the drip pan unless you wish to add water or juice to flavor meat.
Danny Burnett
When cooking any bird whole or halved it’s almost a necessity. Simply by not having the luxury of two separate cooks. Your now forced to achieve a happy medium at a temperature that doesn’t dry out the breast while bringing thighs to a doneness that isn’t still raw. While the proteins are of two different densities, collagen & fat content they do not necessarily require more or less cook time to achieve the desired results. I’ve had birds that I’ve pulled at 155 breast & 165 thigh allowing for a 10 degree carryover while tented. In other words...I don’t always associate a required higher internal temp to take longer to achieve it. I want to thank you for stopping by, watching the video & commenting.
Nice job, I love my PBC, had it 2.5 years 125++ cooks I did a turkey on my channel Ep 67. Subbed to you my friend!
Nice vid. Beautiful grass you got there as well.
Hutch
Thanks! It’s not easy maintaining grass here in drought prone California. But I’ve always been partial to having a nice lawn & pride in ownership. I wish more folks in my neighborhood would do the same. Thanks for watching & commenting!
Stumbled across this. Cool idea smoking holiday birds for folks. Out of curiosity, what the charge for that?
$60 a 14-16lb bird. But it could vary if they want something larger.
@@BigShticks good stuff...has my wheels spinning for next holiday season.
@@JVig77 have fun!
Thanks for posting this amazing video. Cannot imagine doing all those turkeys. Between this video and the one from Ballistic BBQ it has helped me in choosing one of these smokers. For me it is all about the taste. What is your brine recipe if you don't mind me asking? Thanks in advance.
FISHNUTSS
Thanks for taking the time to watch & comment! If you want to keep it easy & cheap a simple injector is the route to go. Simply mix 1/4 cup of brown sugar & 1/4 cup of kosher salt in 1 quart of water & mix until completely dissolved. Add 1 quart of apple juice, 2 tblspn of soy sauce, 1tblspn granulated onion & 1 tblspn of granulated garlic & mix thoroughly again. Inject the mixture all over the bird & place in large plastic bag & allow to brine overnight in the fridge. Prior to cooking any method allow it to sit at room temperature at least an hour. Hope this helps! For an added twist, boil the mixture with a bay leaf & a few pieces of crystallized ginger. Then allow the mixture to chill in the fridge before injecting the bird.
Thanks, I will run with this and see how it works out. Keep up the great videos.
I hate to speak negative but I agree with one guy about remove the drip pan and you did Stick those turkeys in different places get you
Thanks for the video which is helping me decide on which barrel to buy.
Semper Fi Devil Dog
1997 and counting
Awesome, we like our pit barrel too
jen wallace
Skies the limit with that cooker & I love everything that comes out of it!
Never mind the smokers.. how goods that lawn! 😍😍
Have a nap My bro
😂 still going strong
@@BigShticks nice bro 👌 Turkeys look awesome too.
Have a nap My bro
Thanks!
Great vid, do you have a restaurant? Who do you sell the turkeys too. I love cooking but I often cook way too much
I have a small catering business that gets pretty busy through the holidays. My clients have built up through the years from word of mouth. Over a 5 day span (Wednesday thru Sunday) of thanksgiving I’ve been turning out 125 turkeys. A blend of both deep fried & smoked...it helps pay the Christmas bills...lol!
HAPPY THANKS GIVING to You and your Family!!🤗
I'm in Fairfield bro. We should throw it down sometime on our cookers during football season. As of right now. It's the dubs
bill mariano
I’m in FF to! I hear ya on the dubs, but since the end of last season I can’t stop following every move we’ve made.
I noticed you hung the PBC turkeys breast down and the Barrel House breast up. Any reason why or just wanted to do it differently?
The hangers for each respective cooker are different. I used them as prescribed by the manufacturer.
@@BigShticks Gotcha. I wonder why the PBC goes with breast down.
@@Bill-N-Carolina
Before they created the turkey hanger the method was to use 4 hooks through the back with the breast side down. This pooled a lot of juices that kept basting the breast. If I had to guess, hanging it breast side down employs this same theory. That the juices must pass down to the breast rendering a moist product.
@@BigShticks makes sense, thanks for the info.
Sounds like you had the BH open more (taking drip pan out). That could easily account for the time difference.
GeeDeeBird
It’s quite possible, but I think the core temp of the bird at the start of cooking may have been the culprit, in addition to ambient temperature.But I couldn’t say for sure. I’ve cooked with & without the pan & the cook time pretty much stays the same. The only difference is the the bird gets much darker without the pan. Thanks for chiming in & being part of the conversation!
That’s an awesome skill you got there. Happy thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing. I wonder if you can roast a duck in there?
andrew chu
And a happy thanksgiving to you as well. Thank you for watching!
I have a Traeger. One of the best investments hands down! I hardly use my grill. I do miss charcoal smoking though. Definitely looking into getting a barrel cooker or big green egg next
Cameron Kiley
I too had a Traeger, & a GMG pellet smoker. While they were easy use (knob & digital temp settings) the smokey flavor you expect simply wasn’t there. Not to mention the traeger auger motor & firepot igniter both went out within 6 months of moderate use. Ever call traeger? Good luck, they got every excuse in the world that it isn’t the product, but rather the user. & god forbid you use pellets not their own...warranty voided. I know that’s not everyone’s experience with traeger, but it is mine & I’ll never go back. Maybe when I get older & to lazy to tend a flame I’ll give Yoder, Rec Tec, Grilla grills or MAC a try for pellet grills. Right now, you really can’t go wrong with either a PBC or BHC. They both produce wonderfully flavored foods that are very similar. They both have a smaller & larger model. The BHC has a clear advantage in terms of loading fuel because the base separates from cooking vessel.Thanks for watching!
How much do you charge do smoke a turkey whether you buy the turkey or someone else buys the turkey for you to smoke
John Romanowski
It can depend on the size of the bird &/or cooking time. Generally a13-14lb bird will go for $60 with 20lb birds for $100
Did you add any more wood after the first Turkeys...??? How long does a full basket of charcoal last..???
Orlando Avalos
The answer to both questions is yes when cooking whole brined turkeys as I do. The reason is simple, they drip liquid profusely & while it imparts strong Smokey flavors it also weakens the coals to the extent that refueling is necessary for both cookers. With that said, should you cook a simply seasoned turkey without brine you would only need to add coal around the 5-6hr mark in the PBC & 4-5hr mark in the BHC as both will start to gradually decline in stabile temperature if you plan on doing multiple cooks. In my experience the PBC will stabilize & cook at 285 for hours, the BHC will settle in at 315. However, whenever I cook them halved I only need to add wood between cooks. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
Orlando Avalos
Whoops, let me answer your last question better. My experience with PBC is that the first hour of cooking its peak is 335F and settles to 285F for about 4hrs before it begins a steady decline into the low 200’s so I’d say for the PBC a basket will give you around 6hrs of steady good temps. As for BHC it peaks at around 360F for an hour & settles at 315F for around 3-4hrs delivering around 5hrs of steady temps before declining into the low 200’s.
Thanks for Replying...Great Videos..!!!
I have a question. It looked like you hung the barrel house cooked turkey upside down, compared to the 2 cooked in the PBC. Did I see that wrong? Do you think that has something to do with the difference in cook time? Turkeys looked great, by the way.
Steve Olson
That is correct. The PBC turkey hangers are designed to go through neck cavity first and hang breast side down, whereas the BHC is designed to hang the turkey legs down. I can’t say for certain that is the reason for the PBC turning turkeys out with irregular coloration. I do believe however that it is possible to hang smaller turkeys in the PBC the same way because the cavity is smaller. But, I don’t believe it would be feasible to larger turkeys upwards of 15lbs & above that way. Some day I’ll try it out & test that theory. One other thing of note is that the BHC bird hangs roughly 3-4 inches higher from the coals & it’s possible that plays a role to. I will say that while the BHC produced a bird with markedly better color & appearance, it takes longer & most everyone I served agreed that the PBC turkeys tasted better and more smoothly smoked than that of the BHC bird. Thanks for watching & commenting!
Thanks for the quick response! I couldn't tell the hangar was different on the BHC. I like the hangars from PBC; I usually hang chickens in halves, dark meat down. I'll have to check those out!
Really enjoyed the video. I'm a PBC guy and thought about selling/doing turkeys this past Thanksgiving for friends and family. Great idea on splitting the turkeys. I've got a few questions if you don't mind answering.
Did you start over with fresh coals each cook?
What did you wrap the turkeys with with done?
Did you deliver or have them pick up?
What instructions did you give to the purchaser to "reheat" the turkey?
Approx. how much did you charge or what was the profit margin per turkey?
Tom Evans
It really depends on how much you pick up your turkeys for. I’ve seen them as low as .29 cents per pound. At that juncture virtually any price point you set will determine how good your margins are. As far as packaging I typically place them in foil pans and tent in foil. I require people pick them up. When you cook as many as I did in total (63) over two days, there is no time to deliver. In regards to reheating, most eat theirs that day, however, if reheating place the bird still in the foil packaging in a 300 degree oven for 30 mins or so. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
Tom Evans
Also forgot to mention. If your cooking the birds whole, you definitely need to refuel after each cook. If cooking halves the coals are still strong enough to go another cook.
Thanks for the help. I have 6 PBC's that I use to cook at my daughter's school. Lots of tri tip for functions. They are perfect when you don't have a lot of help. Instead of baby sitting the meat on a Santa Maria grill, I can get the meat going and step away to get the beans, salad, and garlic bread ready.
Tom Evans
Wow! 6 PBC’s...I hope Noah @PBC gave a deal on those. I have 3 & I thought that was a lot!
Just picked up the 6th. I'm retired, so I scour Craigslist for deals. I still support Noah and PBC by buying accessories (covers, ash pans, etc.) Looking forward to purchasing the new hook tool and hanging accessories. Keep up the good work!
Maybe if you got the 18" Barrelhouse so it was the same cooker it would be vaguely the same, but these are 2 different animals you're comparing.
Adam Coe
When this video was made the 18C did not exist & the PBJ was nearing release. So at the time this was the only comparison that could be made between the respective companies & their cookers.
How often do you add charcoal and how
On the BHC it’s much simpler because the cooking vessel detaches from the base & you can simply add more fuel. On this cooker, fueling is a done anywhere between 4-6 hours depending on ambient conditions & water content of your meats.
The PBC requires removing food items & rebar. The coal basket can then be refilled with fuel. This usually occurs somewhere in 6-8hrs. Occasionally the ash needs to be removed to allow for proper coal ventilation to ensure even cooking results.
Generally I’ll refuel either cooker when the cook is done & just prior to adding more items to be cooked if the coals ashed past half. I hope I’ve answered your questions. Thanks for stopping by!
Good Video Brother. I'm trying to figure out why the one Turkey went into a stall mode. SSGT V USMC RET
Edward VanHook
If I had to guess it was the waterpan. Haven’t used one since & haven’t had that issue again. I’d probably use one if I maxed out the size of turkey because they tend to get really dark the longer they are in the BHC. Thanks for watching Devil Dog!
SGT C USMC 0326
Barrel House Hater, this is not an unbiased video. Just kidding, I love my PBC!!! 😆 Great video, Devil Dog!
Thanks! 😂 kinda hard to barrelhouse now that it’s owned by PBC!
You got yourself a new sub.. Nice review..
Thanks! Very much appreciated.
I forgot to mention great video and a lot of work good job
Jeffrey House
Thank you & thanks for watching! I agree about removal of the drip pan. Particularly, considering the size of turkeys I was cooking, I believe it to be nonessential. A 20lber might be a whole different story.
You are awesome, my friend!!!😎☺️🤣😁
I support my Veterans but I could kinda tell where this was headed and when I saw the shirt I knew it was never going to be unbiased. 18 inch versus 14 plus drip pan is option because the wives need the drippings from the turkey to make the dressing. I own neither one but just observing. Thank you for your service.
Dale Hauser
I get it. But to be fair, sure I served in the corps, the badge on the pit barrel may seem as a Dead giveaway to where I was headed. Truly it wasn’t. The truth is they both have downfalls. The size of each cooker IS plus & a downfall as noted in the video. However, in this video the pit barrels capacity & level of deep smoke permeation was its plus. It’s downfall was the exteriors uneven coloration. The Barrelhouse on the other hand was limited in capacity but turned out an absolutely beautiful bird. I have subsequently cooked birds without the drip pan & it cooks wonderful turkeys up to 14lbs. But, any larger & they suffer from over coloration & more burnt flavor which for some is off putting. Truth be told I like them both. A truer test however would be barrelhouses new 18inch model against the original pit barrel or the pit barrel jr. Against the original barrelhouse. Thanks for watching! It’s much appreciated.
Looking good.
Charles Brown
Appreciate it!
Nice I just picked up the pit barrel
cooking with webby
Once you get that baby dialed it, learn the way different items cook in it, you won’t be disappointed. Happy cooking!
Can you share brine, amount/ratio?
I start out with 1 gal of water. 1 cup each of kosher salt & brown sugar. 64oz bottle of apple juice. 1 cup soy sauce. 1 onion halved, 3 bay leaves & 1/4 cup of peppercorns.
@@BigShticks Thanks Devil Dog, Semper Fi!
How do you wrap the turkeys when they're done?
ACH 44
Usually I just place them in the foil pans & cover with heavy duty foil.
Great video! You might want to talk to Mr. Grill Beast about the Barrel House smoker though. When he smokes meat on his Barrel House there is smoke coming out of it just like the Pit Barrel.
Russyl Royer
Will do! I think that drip pan was really hindering the smoke production. Once I removed it, almost instantaneously it began cooking like I’m accustomed. I think because the company says you can cook up to a 20lb turkey in it, that with a bird of that size & the time required to cook it, over coloring/ blackening may occur. Thanks again for watching!
when you sliced your turkeys in half, how did you slice through the breast bone? btw awesome video going to use this on my next orders!!!!!!!!!
Sub'd!
Cpt Lynx
I have a REALLY big sharp knife! Lol! Once you cut out the backbone, lay the bird skin side down. Press firmly on both sides of the breast at the same time & push hard like you are going to do chest compressions. This will crack/break the breastbone & this will make it way easier to cut through.
tyvm sir
Great vid! I'll be doing one 12lb on my PBC and one 12lb on my KJ.
Jeremy Garcia
Thanks for watching! I’m sure that turkey will turn out phenomenal! Happy thanksgiving 🦃
I did my own research and I’m going with the barrel house cooker 18. Can’t wait to smoke on it 🤤
Hard to beat. Both are owned by pit barrel so you can’t go wrong. I feel like the barrelhouse has a few features that make it easier to use.
@@BigShticks that was my deciding factor to go with barrel house. Easy access to the coals and the clean up is easier. I’m sure both are great smokers tho
@@carflak1
Yup, the coal access is big. It makes refueling during long cooks a breeze in addition to spent coal disposal. Huge pluses IMO.
Compare Apples to Apples get the 18c Barrel House Cooker and see what happens then. You might be surprised
Larry M.
I agree, however when this video was made Barrelhouse had only released the 14d 3 months prior. I now have a 18c & imo the only advantage it has is the ability to load fuel easily. The results are similar between the BHC & PBC. I will give the PBC the advantage cooking 2 whole turkeys at the same time. I found the H frame didn’t allow for using BHC’s own turkey hanger with multiple birds. But rather having to use multiple hooks through the breast was a pain.
@@BigShticks copy that sir
Thanks for the video!!! Looking forward to smoking one of my own.🤔😋😁
Gerry McVeigh
Thanks for stopping by & watching. I just pulled 2 off the PBC 5 minutes ago & I can tell they are gonna be good! Happy Thanksgiving
What do u use as a brine ?
Mark Silva
The easiest one I use I actually inject keep costs low & reduce the use of storage containers for fully immersed turkeys. 1 quart of water, 1/4 cup of salt, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 quart apple juice, 2 tablespoons granulated onion, 2 tablespoons granulated garlic. Boil this mixture with a bay leaf & crystallized ginger (optional) until the solids are dissolved. Allow to cool to room temp then place in the fridge. Inject the bird all over, but remember you don’t need to use all the brine. Allow the the bird to rest overnight in the fridge in a garbage bag to fully brine.
@@BigShticks
Awesome. Thank u
My Barrelhouse works great!!!
Mine too! But it appears in bbq that the rivalry between the BHC & Pit Barrel runs deep like Chevy & Ford. Because I own both I guess it’s only natural I get a little bit of flak for it.
@@BigShticks you're right on target
BHC is hands down a better designed smoker. Forget having to remove your meat to tend to your fire. No thank you.
jl patriot
Thank you for watching & taking the time to leave a comment. I’ve only had that experience with larger tough cuts of meats such as brisket or Boston butts if you intend to open smoke them hooked for the duration of the cook. The pit barrel you have the option of wrapping and placing those on the grill grate. Im certain you can do the same in the BHC 18D, but that is not an option on the 14. However , I will agree with you the ease of tending to the flame in the BHC is a major plus!
I own a PBC. I've cooked Boston butts (usually two at a time), briskets, ribs, and all manner of bird without ever tending to the fire.
I do tend to wrap butts and brisket because that's how I learned to cook them, but one basket of coals lasts me for anything I've ever cooked.
My PBC is by far the best outdoor cooking product I have ever used. One basket of coals has always been enough to cook anything I have ever done, to include a 16 pound Thanksgiving turkey.
william spruce
I share your thoughts on the PBC. 1 basket of coals usually will cook four 12lb turkeys, cooked two at a time.
When someone isn't cooking birds for money and concerned with capacity and cook times, it looks like the Barrel House is the clear winner. Much prettier birds... and I bet tastier, too.
Banjoliope
Hey thanks for watching! It’s a subjective thing & as stated in the video a matter of preference. I do agree with you in terms of the appearance. I think it may be because of the way they hang in the cooker. I may try to hang them legs down in PBC sometime. In regards to taste, hands down everyone agreed the PBC turkeys were far better & smokier. No knock on the BHC, still a good turkey too.
I don't do many chickens on my PBC, but it is a poultry cooking beast of a machine.
I think we can all agree we may have different opinions I have both and now barrel house has the bigger one coming out in Feb which I will get.. There all good products no matter what and there both worth every penny..
The makers of the barrel house are getting sued by the PBC folks over stealing the design. I wouldn't call their cooker worth every penny because it seems like you'd be dealing with thieves who stole from a veteran. amazingribs.com/smoker/barrel-house-cooker-review
And lawsuit so far has gone nowhere.. You have your opinion I have mine I think there both good but I go hands down the barrel house but that's me
Semper Fi Devil Dog!! This video is why I invested in the PBC!! Thanks!
Yeah, possibilities with this cooker are limitless. It’s capacity vs footprint is unrivaled & it’s built like a tank! Ooh Rah leatherneck!
SEMPER FI . 1966/1970
maverickxt
SEMPER FI DEVIL! 93-97/ 01-07
Oooh Rahh! 86-92 1/5 Doc
Great video, Semper Fi
Julio To
Ooh rah, thanks for watching!
Would you share the brine recipe?
It’s fairly simple. 4 cups water, 2 cups of apple juice. 1/4 cup of kosher salt, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 tblspn of peppercorns, 3 bay leaves & half an onion. Bring it to a boil to dissolve the salt & sugar. Allow to cool to room temp & place in the fridge to cool further before injecting.
S 4
Thanks!
S 4
I genuinely appreciate the kind words. Thank you for the sub. It means an awful lot!
Yum!
wheres the grill thermometer located on the pit barrel, u said it was cooking lower temperature but yet u have showed actual temperature lol
ro866432
My bad, I do have a magnetic oven thermometer I place inside before cooks. & just from experience cooking with the PBC I know that it peaks around 335 degrees & settles in at 285. The BHC peaks at 360 & settles in at 315.
Semper Fi brother USMC 1990-1994
Kaila Ferreira
Oooh Rah devil! 93-97 & 01-06
hallo
klasse Video Gruß Peter !
Hey how big were those turkeys?
Danny Javier
All were 13-14lb birds.
That's pretty impressive you could fit two good size turkeys in there. Any room left over? Like I'm seriously considering following your actions for a thanksgiving party I am attending. But I also thought to throw in some ribs there was anymore room.
Danny Javier I’m sure you can squeeze a rack or two. One on each side right in between the birds.
I have to say you really sold me on the pit barrel. Any issues with rusting or anything? Thanks man!
Danny Javier
It’s totally worth it. It’s one of the few pits I don’t regret purchasing. They even make a Jr. model now. But $299, free shipping. Hard to beat. As for rust, I haven’t had any issues at all. I do however store it in a small outdoor enclosure.
You used the Pit Barrel Cooker gloves for the Barrelhouse turkey. That's just wrong man...
😂 I’m not gonna take off the gloves & use something different. BTW Pit Barrel owns the Barrelhouse brand.
Are you on Pit Barrel Nation FB page??
Jake Wolma
No, I’m one of the few remaining people who don’t have FB
Didn't the barrel house company get sued by the pit barrel guys?
PUNKem733
Yeah, I spoke with Noah the owner of the PBC company about it. In reading the court complaint it appears Noah got screwed by sharing his proprietary business information with guys whom took advantage of him & created the barrelhouse cooker. But, in looking at the PBC Jr it appears as thought they may have struck a deal with the same barrel maker whom produced them for barrelhouse. I think these were originally canisters for vacuums if I’m not mistaken.
I see. Well still I couldn't give money to a company that shady.
Dick Hertz
I hear ya! My purchase of the barrelhouse was quite an interesting thing. I became interested in PBC through RUclips videos by Ballistic BBQ by researching the RecTec pellet grill. When I realized it was going to cost $1200 & had a pretty large footprint that I simply couldn’t house, my mind began to change. So I went to google and searched barrel smoker and the first thing that came up was the barrelhouse & bigpoppa UDS kits. I figured the barrelhouse was what I was seeing on the videos & hastily made the purchase without further research. Once the barrelhouse arrived & I began to search how to videos on it, I quickly realized the mistake. Because I had cooked in it already it was non returnable. As I did more research I came across the court filings & became irate. I am a veteran & I try really hard to support veteran owned business whenever possible & to see what happened to Noah made me sick. I sent an email to him explaining what happened & he called me personally about 3 days later. I subsequently ordered a PBC & they sent me quite a few “extras” simply for expressing my regret over the BHC purchase. But, it has also been noted that BHC has found a way to manipulate search results so that their product shows up before others. Just shady all around I think. I’ve managed to get over the mistake & I try to see the positives in the BHC. There are positives & negatives for both cookers. I could list them all, but I’d be here typing for an hour!
I always say it was the best $300 I ever spent.