Need some advice from the experts here

M

MEATSMOKIN

Guest
I built an open wood pit out of cinder blocks and expanded metal for cooking grate, 4FT X 8FT, direct heat. Just put coal as base, followed by soaked logs of oak and hickory right undernieth rack. How would I cook a brisket for 15 hrs on this? How far should I put my expanded metal grate from the fire? Should I make a plywood cover for it? Should I leave the front completely open, so its just 3 sides so I can just throw my wood under, or should I just leave an opening in front middle to add wood an have a plywood cover for that as well? Please help, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you in Advance, and have a great Quing season
 
24" in from heat, why you soak the logs? WHy such a huge cooker??? Use metal for cover. I would close the front also in case wind was blowing in that direction
 
Well I soak the logs because someone told me they will put off smoke and burn slower instead of high flames that will cook the meat too fast, Don't know if thats true or not. And being metal is so dang expensive what kind of metal, and how thick can I get away with? I saw videos on You tube where most used Plywood, was wondering how that didnt burn through
 
If I understand your Pit design, I think you are going to have some issues trying to Smoke anything without the cooker being enclosed. You also will have problems keeping the heat low enough for smoking.
 
galvnize metal roofing will be ok if the galvanize police don't arrest you. ever who told you about soaking logs is full of chit.
 
SOAK THE LOGS IN WATER, NOT GAS....LOL iF I GO UP A COUPLE EXTRA BLOCKS ABOVE THE COOKING GRATE, CAN i GET AWAY WITH PLYWOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFO, ITS GREATLY APPRECIATED
 
ok, any ideas of how I could control temp? And should I put the opening that will be closed with plywood in front, in the middle, or to one of the sides? Someone told me to keep main fire to the side and just a small bed of coals under meat
 
does anyone know where i can buy pecan shells online? I watched a segment on the food channell. thats where i got the open pit thing. Its supposedly the only texas joint that has an indoor open pit. the cook used the densest oak, (wouldnt say what oak) and soaked pecan shells.
 
MEATSMOKIN said:
does anyone know where i can buy pecan shells online? I watched a segment on the food channell. thats where i got the open pit thing. Its supposedly the only texas joint that has an indoor open pit. the cook used the densest oak, (wouldnt say what oak) and soaked pecan shells.
Click to expand...

:tsk:

MEATSMOKIN, my suggestion is you read more here and watch less TV.
 
would it be better if I could build a side compartment out of cinder blocks to have the fire in, with one block removed in the wall into the cooking area, to make it like an offset somewhat? And if I did this, should I still have a small bed of coals under meat in cooking area?
 
lol northwest.......I'm a beginner, thats why I'm here, you guys are the masters, I'll listen to anything you say. Just throwing some stuff out there
 
Meatsmokin, build your pit with four walls of cinder block and build your fire on one side of the pit and smoke your meat on the other side of the pit (you shouldn't need any coals under the meat)... you may want to put an adjustable bottom vent in next to the fire side, and put your lid vents on the same side as your meat... you can use those vents to draw the smoke across your meat, and adjust the temp of your fire.

if you are doing a slow-cooked brisket, you can search this forum for any number of methods, but generally speaking you will need a temperature at grate level of 220-250... for the fire in my open pit, I use a 20-pound bag of charcoal for a base... and I put a lit chimney of charcoal in the middle of that and let the fire spread slowly (called the Minion method) and I mix a few chunks of smoking wood into the lit charcoal and the unlit charcoal... then cook away until you get an internal temp of 195-200, and a probe goes through the meat like butter... you may want to foil wrap it at some point to retain moisture, but like I said there are literally thousands of methods to try on this forum... Good Luck.
 
Sounds to me like you built an Argentinian open style grill. Search Argentinian BBQ (Asado)and you will get lots of info.

I made one out of bar grate that I just place over an open fire. The food wont get smoked but will take on a milder smoke flavor. I built one that is 48" x 36" with a much smaller one that stacks on top and gives to tears one hot one hotter.

Im gonna make another grate that has some way to adjust the height so the temp can be controlled through raising and lowering. I want it to rasie and lower at each side independently too so I can raise only one side and have a hot side and a warm side.
 
Jeff Selle said:
Meatsmokin, build your pit with four walls of cinder block and build your fire on one side of the pit and smoke your meat on the other side of the pit (you shouldn't need any coals under the meat)... you may want to put an adjustable bottom vent in next to the fire side, and put your lid vents on the same side as your meat... you can use those vents to draw the smoke across your meat, and adjust the temp of your fire.

if you are doing a slow-cooked brisket, you can search this forum for any number of methods, but generally speaking you will need a temperature at grate level of 220-250... for the fire in my open pit, I use a 20-pound bag of charcoal for a base... and I put a lit chimney of charcoal in the middle of that and let the fire spread slowly (called the Minion method) and I mix a few chunks of smoking wood into the lit charcoal and the unlit charcoal... then cook away until you get an internal temp of 195-200, and a probe goes through the meat like butter... you may want to foil wrap it at some point to retain moisture, but like I said there are literally thousands of methods to try on this forum... Good Luck.
Click to expand...

Good advice. The famous Salt Lick BBQ restaurant in TX cooks on an open pit. There is a way but it is not for begginners. What's happening, Jeff?
 
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