Brick BBQ Pit And Smoker Build (Kansas Style)

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Looks awesome David!    Congrats on a job well done!   Them ribs look awesome!

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Hey, Looks like my doors there! You are doing a super job and keep the pace moving so  you can enjoy some of the summer when your done.

Wes W. actually helped me to go where I am today with mine.
 

Here is the smoker up close. Used aluminium angle brackets on all sides to hold the grates up. Anchored with concrete hammer sets (1/4 x 1 inch). Need to descale the grilling grate and drill 2 small holes in the charcoal pan so that when it rains it can drain. I started smoking some ribs rather than finish this. Just couldn't wait to test all the meats. I need to also brick the flue and landscape around it. But, that can wait until August. Here are some picks of the food. I must say that this smoker holds the heat very very well!

I made a brisket. Had great flavor but a little tough. Should have left it in there longer but was starving and I am learning this as I go. 


Happy 4th of July to all and a good weekend for our friends across the pound!!!!! Leoric, my dad is from Scotland and I just loved the week I spent in London. Hope to go back one day.
 
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Very nice. I've got what I hope is not a stupid question. In all the builds I've seen on here I can't tell if there is a division between the smoking area and the fire box. Is that just open from top to bottom or is there some sort of adjustable plate to vary the heat/smoke?

Frank
 
Thanks. Mine is a verticle smoker and I use a water pan to keep the fire indirect for bigger meat. When I cook ribs I don't use one until midway through the cook. I really don't have to for ribs but it gives me insurance and the vapors keep the meat moist. If you ask one person to the next everyone will have a different idea from water pan to no pan to the wood being used. The other types of smokers you see are probally offsets. That's where the fire box is at a horizontal
 
Thanks. I am by no means a grill master but have been churning out some good stuff. Here are my thoughts:

Mine is a vertical smoker and I use a water pan to keep the fire indirect for bigger meat. When I cook ribs I don't use one until midway through the cook. I really don't have to for ribs but it gives me insurance and the vapors keep the meat moist. If you ask one person to the next everyone will have a different idea from water pan to no pan to the wood being used. The other types of smokers you see are probably off-sets. That is where the fire box is horizontal to the cooking chamber. With those, some use a water pan for just moisture. The heat is already at an indirect method (because it is horizontal and there is an opening for the heat to get into the chamber. It really is just preference. I did mine vertical. I am just more comfortable with it. If you do do a vertical I believe that the suggested height from the fire box to the first grate (where the water pan will be) is 18 to 22 inches. Mine is at 22 inches; however, I have a charcoal grate that is 4 inches in height. As for controlling the amount of smoke, you use the dampers on the fire box and the flue (also you don't want to add too much wood depending on your smoker). With mine, I can burn all the wood I need to and it won't over smoke my meat because of the pan and the way I use the dampers. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks. Still not done with it though. I have to build the flue and install the dampers. I've been burning my wood and coals too fast because I don't have the dampers on (just the front for has one) but it can wait another few weeks. I thought about making it mobile. I've seen people lay the concrete with forms for a fork lift to pick it up. Of course the smoker was half the size I have but it's an option. It didn't cost too much to build so I didn't bother. When I do sell it will help sale the house. I live in a tract hood so all the houses are basically the same but, when they see this (need to landscape also) it should help tremendously when u do sell. I figure that given the cost, I'll get the value back out from good food and satisfaction that I built it.
 
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