Doing it for years, time to pass some knowledge

[MeatMaestro]

I'm located in East central Wi. My love of BBQ and my drive to do it well came from living in Florida for seven months and eating at a roadside shack no bigger than a short cargo container. I began on an offset smoker/grill and my first cut was an 8# brisket point (I know, worst choice for my first ever smoke). It was THE BEST thing I've smoked to date. The rotary blade meat slicer turned it into sandwich heaven.

I currently have another offset smoker/grill but my masterpiece is a 4'x4' outside diameter, cinder block smoke pit. The cooking grate is a single piece of expanded steel sandwiched between blocks. The firebox is two blocks lengthwise. I cut and weld a custom grate, making the second one after a decade. I dug out the ground about six inches deep so when I do a 20 hour smoke, I don't have to clear ashes. Also it is 100% hardwood fired. No coals. When I do Thanksgivings turkeys I just add another layer of bricks for space. The lid needs replacing but I keep a thermometer in the center.

It is completely custom to how I wanted it at a cost of $120 without the lid (which I'm working on and will be about $70).

Greetings all

 

[jcam222]

Welcome from Ohio looking forward to your posts.

 

[MeatMaestro]

As the first respone, in the last estimated hour of smoke...throw a loaf of store bought frozen cheese bread on (halves apart, crust down) and stoke with some wood chunks or chips without letting them ignite before closing. The smoke the cheese picks up makes the bread unbelievable...

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Welcome aboard from SE AZ.

When you get a chance, post up some pics of your pit.
It sounds killer.

 

[MeatMaestro]

Maintenance/rebuild in two days...picking up some fresh bricks to replace heat cracked ones and used the chop saw to size material for welding a new fire grate today. Will take photos. The firebox cinder blocks need replacing every year but I usually wait until they are on sale for $1 each. A dozen a year is nothing since only 4-8 need replacing. If I'm diligent I rotate the extra space blocks with intact firebox blocks, but a few are needed every year regardless