The Pit Barrel Cooker

The Pit Barrel Cooker

The Pit Barrel Cooker is one of my favorite pieces of gear. It is very easy to use, does a great job, and is very affordable. I reference it in several of the recipes and I highly recommend it.

The Pit Barrel is a very predictable smoker/cooker. I always use a thermometer to monitor the meat, but you could cook on time alone.
Food hangs in the Pit Barrel, this helps the food to cook evenly and the meat self bastes while it cooks.

The Pit Barrel uses charcoal, which produces a smokey heat that cooks the meat evenly and creates a nice smoke ring. You can also add some wood chips or chunks for additional flavor.

The Pit Barrel has the capacity to cook a lot of food – I can fit 4 pork shoulders, 4 prime ribs, 8 rack of ribs, 4 briskets, two whole turkeys, or a combination of these.

The Pit Barrel is also a great value. It will cost you $350 delivered to your door. You also don’t have to spend money on expensive pellets, as you get great results using regular charcoal briquets and maybe a chunk of hardwood or two.

The Pit Barrel Cooker is available from the manufacturer’s web site.

Starting the coals
A turkey, cut in two to cook evenly
Two pork shoulders, cooked perfectly on the Pit Barrel Cooker