Our Story
Since its patent in 1972, the P.D.Q. Cooker has garnered a devoted following with the high quality, hand-forged cookers often passed down through families with as much fanfare as the family silver. First designed and built by Henry Rast of Johns Island, SC, the P.D.Q. Cooker uses indirect, reflective heat to achieve unrivaled results. Easy-to-use, the meat never has to be turned, yet is cooked evenly with all sides grilled to juicy perfection. Another key element is the cooker’s ability to shorten the average cooking time i.e. P.D.Q. (Pretty Damn Quick).
With each cooker made-by-hand, the original producers were unable to keep up with consumer demand and for years the Original P.D.Q. Cooker fell into obscurity—inaccessible to loyal fans and unknown amongst the younger grilling community. Johnny Hanckel, an avid barbecuer and P.D.Q. devotee, saw a business opportunity in shimmering stainless steel and formed Lowcountry Cookers. Hanckel explains “there is a multitude of cookers and grills on the market, from the Big Green Egg to your average Weber, but none are built with such pride and craftsmanship. My family has used one for years and nothing is as indestructible, easy-to-clean, and produces the tenderness and flavor as a P.D.Q. It’s time that grilling fanatics everywhere get a test drive.”
