Brick smoker - Compete how to

[jim williams]

My picture did not go through, but the

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• jim williams
• Nov 16, 2014

good news is it is warming up here in Lincoln, Nebraska this week to 52*  WOWSA!! Hopefully flows south for you all!   pic went through and my project at stall!

 

[wes w]

Its starting to warm up here a bit.  Last two nights we been in the low teens.   Sunday suppose to be 60F.

Your neighbors got  to be loving you man!    I'd be hanging over the fence asking when dinner was ready!    I've still got my old chargriller that I started smoking in.   I took the  side box off and use it for cold smoking bacon.    Loved that thing.   Now it just sits in the garage taking up space.

We really didn't get any snow to speak of, but we got the cold.   NOW!, spring..... :-)

 

[wes w]

I hope everyone is having a good evening.

Finally after 2 years, I finally got my grill rack build for my fireplace.   It fit perfect and work flawlessly.

My  smoker, fireplace is now complete.   It has served me well, and should for many years to come.   

My next project is staked out.   As soon as the weather breaks,  I'll be digging the footings for a brick oven.    I can't wait to get started.   This will be my last masonry project.   I'm not sure my back will endure, but hopefully with  the right amount of brew,   it will get done.

As always, if you have question about my build,  just ask.    If you want what no one else has in flavor,  it has to have a fire under it.   

Well,  I thought I had a picture of the grill rack.  As soon as I figure out where its at, I'll post it....

 

[foamheart]

 
I'll be digging the footings for a brick oven.  

WFO?  I was just at that point when I found SMF.  I happily changed boats midstream. I figured out how hot that sucker had to be and how long it takes to cool back down. We're talking bunches and bunches of bread at a time and I still make bread by hand!

If you have not already, The Fresh Loaf; http://www.thefreshloaf.com/  is much to baking as SMF is to smoking. They have some few articles on WFO's and pizza ovens and some linked areas of  good plans if you can understand them.

So after the WFO you putting in your own crawfish pond? <Chuckles>

Looking forward to your pictures.

 

[wes w]

Thanks for the link Kevin.

I'm looking forward to the bread as much or more then pizza.   My Mother used to make the best bread.  

I've got a pretty good set of plans.   I'm always open to ideas though.   

Crawfish,   I'd love to try them.   They sound awesome!

 

[gary s]

I'll be watching  Hard to beat fresh baked bread,   and  Crawfish 

Gary

 

[daveomak]

Wes, morning..... That's good news... Count me in, as one of the ardent bystanders watching your next build... Ol' Dave gets one more chance at learning more about masonry... :2thumbs:

 

[wes w]

Thanks guys.   Ya'll keep talkin about  crawfish.   They just don't survive in the mountains.  :-)   Hopefully before my time is up I can get down into the mid south and give it a try.    It sounds so good!!

Dave,  this will be my last masonry build.   My back is to the point of no return.  If I can push myself through this build,  I'll be a happy camper.   I'm really looking forward to getting started.   I have a good set of plans, from an awesome mate from down under.   Got in touch with him online and he is more then willing to help.   I'll probably wait till it finished to   post the build.   I just hope I don't get kicked out for a oven build.  Its not smoking, but its the next best thing.    Kevin gave me a great link to a bread forum.   I'm really looking forward to all aspects of a brick oven.  

Right now, I'm waiting on the rain to stop.  

I hope everyone has a great evening!

 

[gary s]

10 - 4  on the rain !!    we are supposed to get from 1 to 3 inches more

Gary

 

[krabby patties]

I may have missed it, but if your running 5-10 lumps of coal and a chunk of wood, what's the height from the coals to the baffles, first rack, and preferred rack? I'm sure that affects the temps some. I started a thread last night on one I started on Monday.

 

[foamheart]

 
Thanks guys.   Ya'll keep talkin about  crawfish.   They just don't survive in the mountains.  :-)  

I hope everyone has a great evening!

Are you kidding? They just call 'em a strange name "crayfish" but the look like crawfish to me.

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/201...s-up-new-species/9241428687154/?spt=sec&or=sn

 

[wes w]

I may have missed it, but if your running 5-10 lumps of coal and a chunk of wood, what's the height from the coals to the baffles, first rack, and preferred rack? I'm sure that affects the temps some. I started a thread last night on one I started on Monday.

KP,  toward the end of a long smoke (10-12hrs)  you don't need hardly any fire.   I usually have one vent barely cracked and the other closed to keep the fire down.   As the mass of meat gets hotter the less fire it takes to keep the chamber hot.  Something to remember also is, the brick are soaking in the heat all day too and reflecting heat along with the small fire.  

The first rack- baffle is about 20 inches off the fire.  My water pan sits on top of it.     The  heat coming through is about 1/2 in. on each side and about a 1/4in. front and back

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• wes w
• Feb 10, 2013

   I put a full sized foil pan in the middle here for a water pan.    Smoking Kabasa on this day.  No water pan needed.  

 

[gary s]

Cool

 

[wes w]

 

 
Thanks guys.   Ya'll keep talkin about  crawfish.   They just don't survive in the mountains.  :-)  

I hope everyone has a great evening!

Are you kidding? They just call 'em a strange name "crayfish" but the look like crawfish to me.

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/201...s-up-new-species/9241428687154/?spt=sec&or=sn

Yeah we got them.  I didn't know if they was good eat'n or not.   Damn things dig holes in the yard along the creek.   I'll have to see if I can trap a few.   Impossible to catch.

 

[konrad]

Love your build Wes and I'm so glad you posted your build. It's what I wanted to build for a while, but I couldn't find much information about it.

I'm still trying to figure out where to build it. Next to the house or behind the shed.

Brick smoker is sort of like a tattoo - you're kind of stuck with it for life.

 

[wes w]

Thanks konrad,

That was the biggest reason I posted it.   I researched for better then a year and only found a few pictures.  No real detail as to how to.   I guess I'm lucky enough to be able to count brick and get dementions from a picture.    Not sure if you read the whole thread, but I also went back and talked about things I'd have done differently, such as making it at least 8in. wider.   

Man, you don't want to hide a work of art!   Put your smoker front and center where you can show it off.    The more you use it,  the more you'll like it.    You can also build a grill into it.   Several guys here are in the process of building with the grill on the side.   They look awesome!

If you have questions, there are lots of good men here willing to help with ideas and info.    

 

[rabbithutch]

Howdy, Wes!

Lookin' forward to seeing pics on the progress of your oven build. Thumbs Up

 

[moikel]

I am going to drop this in here because Wes is working his way towards a brick oven.

http://www.firedoor.com.au

I just went for a look & got talking to the chef.He worked in a famous place in Spain that I saw on Bourdain he was the Aussie offsider to the chef in a totally wood fired place. I think it made the top 50 restaurants in Europe. 

Now he is back with his own place just near me in what used to be the garment district in the city.

Its 2 brick ovens side by side with these very sexy steel doors on pulleys .Not sure about the chimney set up. I will go back to eat soon.I will bring bacon or smoked fish & try to get a better look.May even stop in before service to see the internal section of the ovens.

The fit out is all recycled industrial timber & steel. Feels like a foundry or a blacksmith shop in some ways.My sort of place.

 

[moikel]

Correction it was 50 best restaurants in the world.Place called Asador Etxebarri won a Michelin star.

Point seems to be you transfer what hot coals you want from oven to grill station depending on what you are cooking,load different wood in for different flavours. I will have to eat there to be sure!

 

[david1975]

Hi Wes, 

What type of mortar should I use for firebrick?