BBQ Pit
Anyone make a BBQ pit out of bricks/blocks, mortar, and steel grating?
There are a lot of designs out there, and I want to make a decent one on the first try. I will probably make it out of block, concrete, some steel piping, flue liners, metal roof. Just wondering if anyone had built one, had any suggestions, or warnings, that's what I was asking. Experiences, hints, caveats, do-overs, facts, etc. appreciated. Steve |
BBQ Pit
"Steve B" wrote in message ... Anyone make a BBQ pit out of bricks/blocks, mortar, and steel grating? There are a lot of designs out there, and I want to make a decent one on the first try. I will probably make it out of block, concrete, some steel piping, flue liners, metal roof. Just wondering if anyone had built one, had any suggestions, or warnings, that's what I was asking. Experiences, hints, caveats, do-overs, facts, etc. appreciated. I made a fire pit out of fieldstone Keyhole shape The rectangular cooking area has 4 wrought iron post at the corners that are Y-shaped at the top, to receive a ceramic coated rack from a recycled propane BBQ. Rock has to be igneous to survive the heat and not split over time. The field stones help concentrate the heat in the cooking area Use pavers underneath to help with clean-up of ashes. I also have a wrought iron tripod to hand a pot, or can be converted to a spit (2 vertical - 1 horizontal) By using cast iron S-hooks, I can control the height of the spit. I also have a motor that clamps to one of the vertical to turn the spit. All the iron work was done by a blacksmith who likes to attend local "Voyageur" events To minimize rust, clean off the ironwork and rub beeswax on it. The heat will carbonize it to the iron. |
BBQ Pit
On Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:02:48 -0700, "Steve B" wrote
Re BBQ Pit: Anyone make a BBQ pit out of bricks/blocks, mortar, and steel grating? There are a lot of designs out there, and I want to make a decent one on the first try. I will probably make it out of block, concrete, some steel piping, flue liners, metal roof. Just wondering if anyone had built one, had any suggestions, or warnings, that's what I was asking. Experiences, hints, caveats, do-overs, facts, etc. appreciated. Steve Be sure to line the fire pit with fire brick. Something like this http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...&storeId=10051 Shop around for price and ignore the "replace on a regular basis" bull****. |
BBQ Pit
On Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:02:48 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote: Anyone make a BBQ pit out of bricks/blocks, mortar, and steel grating? There are a lot of designs out there, and I want to make a decent one on the first try. I will probably make it out of block, concrete, some steel piping, flue liners, metal roof. Just wondering if anyone had built one, had any suggestions, or warnings, that's what I was asking. Experiences, hints, caveats, do-overs, facts, etc. appreciated. Steve BBQ is often confused with "grilling" on a grill. Real BBQ is a slow process, usually long hours at low heat as low as 170° F. BBQ is using indirect heat - the fire box is offset and not directly under the food being cooked. "Low-N-Slow" sometimes up to 14 hours or so. Indirect heat prevents the meat from drying out, so it stays tender and moist. See the fire box on the bottom right of this unit. http://assets.smokingmeatforums.com/9/97/97b5f9ae_BrickSmoker.jpeg The heat is indirect so the low heat and smoke travels over the meat. |
BBQ Pit
On Fri, 15 Jun 2012 13:10:14 -0700, Oren wrote:
Experiences, hints, caveats, do-overs, facts, etc. appreciated. Steve BBQ is often confused with "grilling" on a grill. Real BBQ is a slow process, usually long hours at low heat as low as 170° F. BBQ is using indirect heat - the fire box is offset and not directly under the food being cooked. "Low-N-Slow" sometimes up to 14 hours or so. Indirect heat prevents the meat from drying out, so it stays tender and moist. See the fire box on the bottom right of this unit. http://assets.smokingmeatforums.com/9/97/97b5f9ae_BrickSmoker.jpeg The heat is indirect so the low heat and smoke travels over the meat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_(cooking)#Offset_smokers "...To cook the meat, a small fire is lit in the firebox, where airflow is tightly controlled. The heat and smoke from the fire is drawn through a connecting pipe or opening into the cooking chamber. The heat and smoke cook and flavor the meat before escaping through an exhaust vent at the opposite end of the cooking chamber. Most manufacturers' models are based on this simple but effective design, and this is what most people picture when they think of a "BBQ smoker." They are also built to be portable as a trailer unit for large events. This gives an idea of heat and smoke as it travels through the unit. http://www.amazingribs.com/images/smokers/meadow_creek_reverse_flow.jpg One trailer unit. http://outdoorchefgrills.com/thumbs/lrg-35-2005_0502image0017.JPG |
BBQ Pit
"Oren" wrote in message ... On Fri, 15 Jun 2012 13:10:14 -0700, Oren wrote: Experiences, hints, caveats, do-overs, facts, etc. appreciated. Steve BBQ is often confused with "grilling" on a grill. Real BBQ is a slow process, usually long hours at low heat as low as 170° F. BBQ is using indirect heat - the fire box is offset and not directly under the food being cooked. "Low-N-Slow" sometimes up to 14 hours or so. Indirect heat prevents the meat from drying out, so it stays tender and moist. See the fire box on the bottom right of this unit. http://assets.smokingmeatforums.com/9/97/97b5f9ae_BrickSmoker.jpeg The heat is indirect so the low heat and smoke travels over the meat. I want to build one, but not that big. Mine will be fairly large, however, and will probably have a metal roof over it. I have been toying with ideas on how to transfer heat and smoke from firebox to cooking chamber, and have even thought of a series of sch 40 steel pipes with dampers on them. I would say mine would have a footprint of about 50 square feet. Steve |
BBQ Pit
On Fri, 15 Jun 2012 19:27:07 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote: I want to build one, but not that big. Mine will be fairly large, however, and will probably have a metal roof over it. I have been toying with ideas on how to transfer heat and smoke from firebox to cooking chamber, and have even thought of a series of sch 40 steel pipes with dampers on them. I would say mine would have a footprint of about 50 square feet. Steve Series of pipes with dampers? Sounds overly complex. Look at some of the pits here http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/pits.htm be sure to check out the details on Dave's pit http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/wdh.htm This is my favorite http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/beast.htm Mike put a lot of research into what will work well. |
BBQ Pit
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message ... On Fri, 15 Jun 2012 19:27:07 -0700, "Steve B" wrote: I want to build one, but not that big. Mine will be fairly large, however, and will probably have a metal roof over it. I have been toying with ideas on how to transfer heat and smoke from firebox to cooking chamber, and have even thought of a series of sch 40 steel pipes with dampers on them. I would say mine would have a footprint of about 50 square feet. Steve Series of pipes with dampers? Sounds overly complex. Look at some of the pits here http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/pits.htm be sure to check out the details on Dave's pit http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/wdh.htm This is my favorite http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/beast.htm Mike put a lot of research into what will work well. I had seen these sites already. The idea of the pipes came from one of these sites, can't recall which. A small network of pipes would be made, welded together to be airtight, and then set in concrete to help transfer both heat and smoke. It would be easy to make cleanouts, and keep them clean with a round brush. I mainly want to make it out of block, with concrete filling all the voids in the blocks, and passageways to be simple, able to be kept clean, and retain heat. Steve |
BBQ Pit
On 2012-06-16, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
Look at some of the pits here http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/pits.htm I like the cinder-block pits. No muss, no fuss, no mortar, jes throw together and start Q'n. I've noticed 2-3 similar no-mortar brick Qs around here. One is regular old red brick with some refrigerator shelves. Another is red brick with what appears to be regular concrete holding it together in a half dome style. This wuz once a snow-bird trailer park, now turned co-op, so many of these pits go unused fer years, their owners elsewhere. I'm looking to get back into Q'ing, but am more concerned about the meat than the pit. But, I'm not going back to eating that hormone/toxin soaked crap now sold in stores. I've found a source for grass fed beef and have a lead on organic goats for slaughter. Haven't found any organic swine, yet, but someone has to be raising them, somewhere. nb -- vi --the heart of evil! Support labeling GMOs http://www.labelgmos.org/ |
BBQ Pit
On 06/16/2012 04:46 AM, notbob wrote:
I like the cinder-block pits. No muss, no fuss, no mortar, jes throw together and start Q'n. I've noticed 2-3 similar no-mortar brick Qs around here. One is regular old red brick with some refrigerator shelves. Another is red brick with what appears to be regular concrete holding it together in a half dome style. This wuz once a snow-bird trailer park, now turned co-op, so many of these pits go unused fer years, their owners elsewhere. That's my outlook, too. Brick BBQ's look neat, but are you really going to be using it for decade after decade, do you really have that much space, and are you really going to be using it all the time? Personally, if I wanted a BBQer, I'd cook up (NPI) an L-style unit and build a small trailer underneath it. This way it could be used at the house, it could be moved out of the way in the off-season, and it could also be moved to any location where it was needed (reunions, gatherings, etc.). When you roll up to an event towing a smoker full of meat, you're everyone's friend. Jon |
BBQ Pit
On Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:58:55 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote: I had seen these sites already. The idea of the pipes came from one of these sites, can't recall which. A small network of pipes would be made, welded together to be airtight, and then set in concrete to help transfer both heat and smoke. It would be easy to make cleanouts, and keep them clean with a round brush. I mainly want to make it out of block, with concrete filling all the voids in the blocks, and passageways to be simple, able to be kept clean, and retain heat. Steve I'm not sure that cleaning the pipes with a brush is a good idea. Walk into some BBQ places in the South and the smell of 'good cooking fills the place. I've not seen them cleaned or resulting in a fire -- just smoke flavor. |
BBQ Pit
"Jon Danniken" wrote in message ... On 06/16/2012 04:46 AM, notbob wrote: I like the cinder-block pits. No muss, no fuss, no mortar, jes throw together and start Q'n. I've noticed 2-3 similar no-mortar brick Qs around here. One is regular old red brick with some refrigerator shelves. Another is red brick with what appears to be regular concrete holding it together in a half dome style. This wuz once a snow-bird trailer park, now turned co-op, so many of these pits go unused fer years, their owners elsewhere. That's my outlook, too. Brick BBQ's look neat, but are you really going to be using it for decade after decade, do you really have that much space, and are you really going to be using it all the time? Personally, if I wanted a BBQer, I'd cook up (NPI) an L-style unit and build a small trailer underneath it. This way it could be used at the house, it could be moved out of the way in the off-season, and it could also be moved to any location where it was needed (reunions, gatherings, etc.). When you roll up to an event towing a smoker full of meat, you're everyone's friend. Jon You have changed my way of thinking. I am a retired welder, and was even thinking of going to an old friend who owns an LPG refiller site, and has many large tanks. Probably some old ones that are out of date that he may want to get rid of. I want to build a gen-yoo-wine barbecue. I have a Vermont Castings gas grill that I like a lot, but want a real slow speed barbecue. There actually IS a difference, although some people may argue the point. And yes, portability is something to be taken into account. When it's not needed, I can park it on blocks on my patio, put a couple of potted plants around it, and make it look permanent. Thanks. Just the kind of info I requested. Steve |
BBQ Pit
"Steve B" wrote:
-snip- You have changed my way of thinking. I am a retired welder, and was even thinking of going to an old friend who owns an LPG refiller site, and has many large tanks. Probably some old ones that are out of date that he may want to get rid of. thank dog! I couldn't believe you weren't going metal. I can't find a picture of the local outfit that has a 12'(?) black pig in a trailer. It has "You never forget your first pig" painted on the side. Looks a little like the piglet here- but 12' long, 2 doors, on a trailer, and black. http://www.neatorama.com/2006/06/08/...st-bbq-grills/ Some other interesting ideas there, too. Jim |
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