Hello,
I am in southern Illinois where the temperature right now is unseasonably COLD. It is supposed to be in the 50's in November, but we are right at the freezing mark for our highs this week and through the weekend. I was planning to test out my new smoker this weekend and am concerned that I will be battling to keep it hot enough to cook my turkey breast and whole chicken. We will see.
My smoker is my own design. I wanted to be able to use it as a fire pit if it doesn't work out well as a smoker, so it is only about 3.5 feet tall (but taller with the kettle type lid on). It is round and open on top. I have a kettle style lid from an old fire pit that goes on top. I drilled a couple of 1" holes in the lid for the smoke to come out (I may add another hole tonight) and I also installed a thermometer on the lid. I don't have a whole lot of confidence in the lid thermometer, but I needed something for now until my new Maverick ET-732 arrives. I have a vent at the bottom that is the space of 1 brick wide and two horizontal bricks high. I will open/close this vent area by positioning bricks as needed. I installed two rows of firebrick on the inside, but it doesn't go all the way up to the top because I wanted a ledge for iron bars to hold my racks. I may add more firebrick next year if it doesn't seem to hold heat well enough.
Anyway, here is a pic of me building the smoker/fire pit. It is only about half way done in the pic. I will have to take a pic of the completed product this weekend and post it.
View media item 352245
I have spent quite a bit of time researching smokers and have made decisions based on what I have seen works well for others (like buying the Maverick ET-732). However, I have yet to find someone who has made a round smoker out of brick and mortar. Maybe because it's a bad idea, or maybe because I am a genius and need to trademark my design! ;)
Anyway, I am looking forward to reading more about smokers and smoking technique!
-Debbie
I am in southern Illinois where the temperature right now is unseasonably COLD. It is supposed to be in the 50's in November, but we are right at the freezing mark for our highs this week and through the weekend. I was planning to test out my new smoker this weekend and am concerned that I will be battling to keep it hot enough to cook my turkey breast and whole chicken. We will see.
My smoker is my own design. I wanted to be able to use it as a fire pit if it doesn't work out well as a smoker, so it is only about 3.5 feet tall (but taller with the kettle type lid on). It is round and open on top. I have a kettle style lid from an old fire pit that goes on top. I drilled a couple of 1" holes in the lid for the smoke to come out (I may add another hole tonight) and I also installed a thermometer on the lid. I don't have a whole lot of confidence in the lid thermometer, but I needed something for now until my new Maverick ET-732 arrives. I have a vent at the bottom that is the space of 1 brick wide and two horizontal bricks high. I will open/close this vent area by positioning bricks as needed. I installed two rows of firebrick on the inside, but it doesn't go all the way up to the top because I wanted a ledge for iron bars to hold my racks. I may add more firebrick next year if it doesn't seem to hold heat well enough.
Anyway, here is a pic of me building the smoker/fire pit. It is only about half way done in the pic. I will have to take a pic of the completed product this weekend and post it.
View media item 352245
I have spent quite a bit of time researching smokers and have made decisions based on what I have seen works well for others (like buying the Maverick ET-732). However, I have yet to find someone who has made a round smoker out of brick and mortar. Maybe because it's a bad idea, or maybe because I am a genius and need to trademark my design! ;)
Anyway, I am looking forward to reading more about smokers and smoking technique!
-Debbie
Last edited:
