# Bricks in the smoker



## allistah (Jun 12, 2013)

Hi there..

I was wondering if any bricks would be ok for use in the smoker to help stabilize heat. I thought about cement the plain gray cement bricks but there are chemicals in there and didn't want that. I was thinking the standard old red clay bricks would be best. Any comments from anyone of this topic of using bricks in the smoker?  

Thanks everyone!


-Alli

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## backwoods bbq (Jun 12, 2013)

you can use regular clay bricks or fire bricks (which have a higher heat tolerance) often used in wood fired pizza ovens. Not sure why you would want to use bricks though does your smoker get too hot to fast? If I use one of my smaller smokers I will take a metal cookie sheet or pan and use it as a heat sink to deflect heat, soak up heat, or deflect smoke etc.


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## allistah (Jun 12, 2013)

Hi there.. 

Thanks for the reply.   I live in a windy area so the wind is always blowing.  It has a tendency for the temp to swing up and down based on the wind.  Hoping to help stabilize that out a bit with the bricks.  I need to try some stuff to shield the flame on the burner from the wind.  When the wind blows I can hear the flame struggling to stay lit at times.  I was thinking of some sort of shirt over the legs that would leave enough open area for the air to come in but would pretty much eliminate the effect of wind blowing directly on the burner box.


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## backwoods bbq (Jun 13, 2013)

I can understand the wind I live in amarillo, Texas (it is windier here than Chicago!) ever see a semi-truck trailer get blown on its side by wind? Come here you will see it... We have 80 mph straight line winds at times. So it makes sense to me now you have an electric or gas smoker (I swear I'm the only guy on here with stick burners) yes get you a quality tarp, steaks, or an adjustable canopy. Or you can always place it behind a wall. My vertical smoker has four wheels so I can roll it around the corner of my house or change directions good luck


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## allistah (Jun 13, 2013)

Mine is a Masterbuilt 2 door gasser. I think I need to do the caster mod at some point. I was thinking of just closing off that bottom area under the legs and just leaving enough room for air to go in. You know that perforated metal that the Amazing Smoker thing uses?  Use that and some sheet around the whole bottom to stop all the heavy drafts. I was also going to buy a smoke stack or make one myself and make it a bit tall so the exit is a bit away from the main chamber. Just ideas at this point but we will see..


-Alli

Sent from my iPhone


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## allistah (Jun 13, 2013)

Oh, and the wind is so constant here there are thousands of windmills on the hills right close to the house. :-(. Pretty much a constant wind tunnel. 


-Alli

Sent from my iPhone


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## yardbird (Jun 13, 2013)

I have the same wind problem on my Smoke Hollow if I try to run anywhere around 250 or less. The flame just gets so low that it's easy to blow out. Skirting the legs is pretty easy but make sure you can easily remove whatever might need to be removed so that you could get at the burner venturi tube to clean out spiders or whatever.

For bricks, you can use anything that's been fired. The concrete patio bricks are not good for this. They'll crumble after repeated heating/cooling. If it's really cold out and you have several bricks in your smoker, it may take more time to preheat it, but in your case I think the reward will be more stable temps once it's up. And by "more time" I'm talking 15 or 20 minutes.... POSSIBLY a tad more if you're in the depths of winter and it's hovering around zero (which I don't think you have to worry about where you are). I have 2 bricks in mine right now. One on either side of the bottom opening where the burner is. Preheated about 15 minutes yesterday and stuck a 13 pound turkey in the smoker (turkey was at 38 degrees) and the smoker was back up to temp in just a few minutes. So I'd have to say the thermal mass of the bricks is helping.

So a FIRED brick is ok, but a brick that is simply molded (like a patio brick or those retaining wall ones) is not good. Fire brick if you can get it cheap (or free) but at the temps we run in the smokers (under 400 degrees....unless you're real adventurous), it's really not necessary.


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## redneck69 (Jun 13, 2013)

the bricks will help...try getting a piece of 4'x8' ply wood and cut in half to make 2 4'x4' sheets...get a couple hinges and mount them together and also get a couple handles that can be mounted for easy moving when not in use....use the wood as a wind block which will help your smoker hold a more constant temp


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