NEW CINDER BLOCK SMOKER/GRILL

[smokinhot25]

THIS IS A DESIGN THAT I ACTUALY SAW ON HERE. I MADE A FEW ADJUSTMENTS. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, OR WHAT I COULD DO TO MAKE IT BETTER

This is the new combination smoker/grill I made. Not quite finished yet. The smaller cinder block area is the FIRE BOX, its where you put your wood/coal. The hole seen on the outside of it will have a steel door with air adjustments. This is where you'll load the wood and adjust air/temp. There is also a hole between the firebox and the main cooking area which is the larger cinder block area with the grates ontop. The hole allows the heat to flow into the food area and cook/smoke the food with indirect heat. The larger cooking area will also have a lid

It will be all cemented together, and I'm putting creek stone all over the outside of it, and having a steel lid made for top of cooking area with a smoke stack, and I'm also making a lid for the fire box, also steel door on outside of firebox to adjust heat and load more wood.

View of firebox and inside where the hole that allows heat to travel from firebox area into cooking area

Main cooking area. This area will also have racks close to the ground inside to put charcoal/wood should you choose to grill instead of smoke

view of hole between the firebox and large cooking area. The inside will also be lined with fire brick and all holes in the cinder blocks will be filled to retain heat

 

[SmokinAl]

I'm not a builder, but I wonder if it would be better to have the hole from the firebox in the second course of blocks instead of the bottom.

 

[africanmeat]

 

[sunman76]

I have never built or been aroud one, but I also think you would get more heat to the cook chamber if it was higher like Al said...

like I said thats new to me can't wait to see some "Q" off of it though.

 

[venture]

That is an interesting build.

Somebody here must have the link to that Wembly or something like that site about building smokers?  Help!

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[meateater]

I've seen a  few on here but none with a steel door, great thinking. I can't wait for a qview. After the test run are you going to cement it in permanent? 

 

[lignac]

I'm with Al, if you built up the top a little could you use it as a pizza oven?

 

[colorado shawn]

Looks like a great project!

I did a fire pit this summer out of cinder blocks and some of my suggestions are concerning heat on mortar and cinder blocks.

I did some research just through Google myself and it seems that these materials don't do well holding up to excessive direct exposure to heat (they dry out, crack, and can explode).

If you line it with Fire Brick it should help.  I lined mine with some fire brick and added a rebar insert that supports a fire platform... so that my cinders and mortar don't get much direct heat.  I've done probably 8 fires in it so far this summer and haven't had any problem.  Good luck, and I'm excited to see the end result.

Here's a couple pics of my firepit.

 

[hdflame]

Remember that loading wood and stoking the fire requires a little room.  You may want to think about a little larger door opening and I would want the bottom of the fire box even with the bottom of the door to make clean out easier.  Also, having the firebox elevated would keep you from having to bend over or get down on your knees when adding wood or cleaning out.

Good idea on the cinder block.  Firebrick lining is definitely a good idea.

Can't wait to see some pictures of the Que!

Bobby

 

[dougmays]

i am also not an expert by any means....but it seems to be like the "smoking chamber" is a little close to the heat source...do you think you'll be able to regulate heat that close to the heat?  looks like a really cool build please post pics of the building process! i'd love to do something like this in my back yard! 

 

[dougdwh]

i agree with hd flame i think his idea would help us old guys from getting on your knees and having to call the wife to you back up i also like the pizza oven idea

 

[michael ark]

Just a few things i see .I agree with al heat rises and so should your hole in the smf. You may want a damper their to close when you check your meat so you don't get a huge back draft in to your firebox.Causeing a ash to fly and your fire suddenly getting alot of air causeing a flare up.If it's perment i would fill the blocks with sand that way it will mantain heat better.If you want a pizza oven too.Just build a small chamber over the fire box and it could be used as a warmer too.

Good luck.

 

[mossymo]

Some great pictures and ideas here - http://www.traditionaloven.com/ovens.html

 

[meatinc]

I'll start by saying I'm not a pit builder -

1.  Seems like a typical ratio of fire box to cooking chamber is 1:4

2.  When you are adding fuel or even more difficult, removing ash from the fire box section - the bigger the opening, the better. 

3.  The idea of a damper that you can isolate the fire box from the cooking chamber actually sounds pretty good.

Did you see the episode of pitmasters when they had to cook on a cinder block pit?  I thought it was interesting that the teams seemed to position the coals for higher temp areas.  Maybe a large access door on the main pit area would be a good idea too in case you wanted to direct fire the grate - and since it is such a large area, a large door would be necessary to access the pit for adding fuel and removing spent fuel.

 

[dunamous]

This thread definately has my attention. I've been doing some research on various builds and like this idea so far.

Here are some pics of  a cinderblock build/design: http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z77/grantime/

There are a few other ideas on YouTube as well. Definately keep us posted. Can't wait to see your first Q.

 

[venture]

I finally got around to finding this link for you:

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/smokehouse-plans

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[daveomak]

smokin hot, Evening.

I've seen smokers built like that.... Try it..... If it doesn't work like you want....rebuild it....It may cook just the way you want........we could all learn something......

Post pics and give your evaluation of the outcome...Dave

 

[cowgirl]

Good looking block pit SmokinHot! Looking forward to your progress on it.

I use a regular ole block pit for pigs and other cooks http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2011/07/cinder-block-pit-cooking.html   it's ugly but I love it.

Colorado Shawn your fire pit is beautiful!

 

[ben franklin]

We have been using much less sophisticated versions of the pit smoker at our hunting camps for years. The one at Deer Creek has been cooking for over 20 years that I know of. They consist of unmortared concrete blocks stacked on a sand bed for leveling. The pits are 4 blocks wide by 12blocks long by 6 blocks high. We have a 4X4 foot steel grate laid in between the 3rd and 4th courses on one end. The top is covered by 2 4X6 foot sheets of 1/4 inch steel with handles welded on. Borrow some pecan wood from the farmer's old grove, load some fresh wild pork onto the steel mesh grate, set the smoke hole and lids to get just the right burn and throw away the bottle cap. Dinner will be ready when the bottle is empty.

 

[cowgirl]

We have been using much less sophisticated versions of the pit smoker at our hunting camps for years. The one at Deer Creek has been cooking for over 20 years that I know of. They consist of unmortared concrete blocks stacked on a sand bed for leveling. The pits are 4 blocks wide by 12blocks long by 6 blocks high. We have a 4X4 foot steel grate laid in between the 3rd and 4th courses on one end. The top is covered by 2 4X6 foot sheets of 1/4 inch steel with handles welded on. Borrow some pecan wood from the farmer's old grove, load some fresh wild pork onto the steel mesh grate, set the smoke hole and lids to get just the right burn and throw away the bottle cap. Dinner will be ready when the bottle is empty.

Ben that sounds great.. my kinda cookin.

Sometimes we dig a trench with a backhoe, burn wood to get a hot bed of coals then lay rebar and metal racks across the trench and lay the meat on top to roast.  Sit back and have a cold beer while the meat roasts.  Nothing tastes better than food cooked with friends. :)