Help Me Build an Old School BBQ Pit!

[Willie G]

Originally Posted by Bludawg

You need to dig the base out 12" deep pack the bottom with sand to 4" lay down some wire mesh( old cattle panels work good ) fill with concrete to a deph of 6", let it set for a week. Lay down fireplace mortar and top the slab with fire brick then start up the walls two bricks wide. frame the openings with 3" angle iron an put "T" channel in around the perimeter at grate height, go up 2 more rows and add a top cap. The lid can be made from 11ga. with a counter weight system.

^^^^What he said^^^^^

These type of pits are common where I'm from (Western KY). In fact we have two mobile pits that we use in competition based on this idea. Our pits are actually metal with insulation. I'm planning on starting a permanent pit behind my house this spring as well.

[Boshizzle]

Originally Posted by Bludawg

You need to dig the base out 12" deep pack the bottom with sand to 4" lay down some wire mesh( old cattle panels work good ) fill with concrete to a deph of 6", let it set for a week. Lay down fireplace mortar and top the slab with fire brick then start up the walls two bricks wide. frame the openings with 3" angle iron an put "T" channel in around the perimeter at grate height, go up 2 more rows and add a top cap. The lid can be made from 11ga. with a counter weight system.

Thanks, bro! That's exactly what I have been looking for.

Now, I need to figure out the chimney system. Is the chimney on the end opposite the fire, spread across the top, or both?

I want to cover all the bases, if possible. To me, Scott's in SC and Smitty's in TX have nailed the old school pits. That doesn't mean that Lexington, NC hasn't, because there are some great pits there too. But, I want to build a pit that can do both styles.

So, does the Smitty's style pits have the chimney above the grate or below? Also, does the NC/SC style pits have the chimney at the end or just in the lid?

[MilitantSquatter]

Originally Posted by HeSmellsLikeSmoke

I have had the same thought. I didn't measure the pit at Smitty's, but it looked to be about 4' wide and 4 foot high. The key to it working is the 4' square smoke stack at the intersection of the two pits, which protrudes through the roof. This creates a good draft.

Kreuz's has a metal top protruding over the end of the firebox which seems to diminish the amount of smoke that escapes.

I noticed that the section nearest the fire is too hot to use, but is necessary to the length calculation. Kreuz's pits are much longer than those at Smitty's so there is more cooking area.

This pic I took at Smitty's had fairly new briskets loaded at the hot end

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by MilitantSquatter

This pic I took at Smitty's had fairly new briskets loaded at the hot end

That picture is very helpful. They must have already moved the newer briskets toward the center when I was looking at Smitty's. There was much less meat on at the time.

[Boshizzle]

Kreuz's uses high tech fans in their pits nowadays that helps even out the heat. I won't have that luxury in my backyard pit.

[MilitantSquatter]

Originally Posted by Boshizzle

Kreuz's uses high tech fans in their pits nowadays that helps even out the heat. I won't have that luxury in my backyard pit.

DId not know that.. did you see it or they told you ?

Unrelated, I was surprised to real that City Market in Luling, who used brick pits, also has a Southern Pride in the back that they have when things get real busy...

[Boshizzle]

Originally Posted by MilitantSquatter

DId not know that.. did you see it or they told you ?

Unrelated, I was surprised to real that City Market in Luling, who used brick pits, also has a Southern Pride in the back that they have when things get real busy...

The owner mentioned the fans in a TV show. I think it was in a TV show named BBQ Paradise. They have fans that spread the heat unlike what they left behind at Smitty's.

[Boshizzle]

Pitmaster T can offer some insight, if He feels funky enough to add to the conversation.

[Boshizzle]

Originally Posted by MilitantSquatter

DId not know that.. did you see it or they told you ?

Unrelated, I was surprised to real that City Market in Luling, who used brick pits, also has a Southern Pride in the back that they have when things get real busy...

A Southern Pride would indicate a great surrender, IMO. SP cookers may be great cookers but they pale in comparison to true wood smoked BBQ.

[SC_Dave]

Originally Posted by Militant83

I too have thought this idea over and my thoughts were to build the structure from congrete block then line with fire brick. Leaving a hole in the front big enough to shovel coals into it and using corrugated metal sheets to cover the top and the opening in the side. And have a grate made or make a grate for it.

CUT/CHOP/COOK on Vimeo

This is a real good watch if you havent seen it.

Scott's is about 30 mins from my house!
David

[MilitantSquatter]

Originally Posted by Boshizzle

A Southern Pride would indicate a great surrender, IMO. SP cookers may be great cookers but they pale in comparison to true wood smoked BBQ.

I read it here

http://fcg-bbq.blogspot.com/search?u...max-results=50

After that meal I strolled back to the alley behind the building and walked to the open door of the pit room. Pitmaster Joe Capello was there and greeted us warmly. He showed us the smallish steel pit and the wood pile that was just disorderly enough to know that somebody was actually using it. Joe didn't explain much about their smoking process, but did fill us in on some history of the Bar-E Ranch that was owned by the family that started City Market (the sign above City Market reads "Bar-E Barbeque & Sausage"). The ranch still exists north of town, but the briskets aren't from the cattle at the ranch any longer. As I turned to leave I noticed a stainless steel Southern Pride rotisserie smoker in the corner. I tried to hide my disdain when asking Joe why it was there hoping that it was just a joke, but Joe said they had to crank it up during busy weekends to keep up with demand. The smoker felt cold and hadn't been fired up recently enough to cook the meat I ate on this day, but the fact that a recognized pillar of Texas barbecue tradition uses it at all is alarming.

[LT72884]

Originally Posted by Militant83

I too have thought this idea over and my thoughts were to build the structure from congrete block then line with fire brick. Leaving a hole in the front big enough to shovel coals into it and using corrugated metal sheets to cover the top and the opening in the side. And have a grate made or make a grate for it.

CUT/CHOP/COOK on Vimeo

This is a real good watch if you havent seen it.

OMG OMG OMG... i have been LOOOOKING for this video for the last year. thank you thank you thank you for posting it.

[Carolina gamecock]

Originally Posted by SC_Dave

Scott's is about 30 mins from my house!
David

Me too! I'm in Lake City!!

[LT72884]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f34eGi2HQto

here is a fun pit to try and build. i imagine you could add your own touches to it

[lastmajordude]

I agree.....started with Gas and electric...now down to charcoal and stick burner....next evolvement is a cinder blk pit......GREAT POST!!!