43 Year Old Brick Pit Still Cooking

[Fire and Ice]

I helped my dad build this pit when I was about 13 or so. It is made of just house bricks two layers thick. He was a retired Exxon employee so he knew oil and gas. The propane would leave the 250 gallon tank and would condense back into a liquid so him and my uncle got a small tank to capture just the gas at the top and added the regulator. He had two burners one on the bottom to light charcoal and wood and another burner at the top to fried foods. He also had a rotisserie he had rigged up! He also added a quick connect to add a burner to boil seafood. I cooked a rack of ribs in the rain as the storm as we got some of the bands. The door was made from and old road sign. Great cook and great memories
Thanks for letting me share this pics. He was ahead of his time of a one pit man and a great dad!

 

[TC Smoke & Que]

That is a standing history of the Love of Que! The kind of pit that did what it was designed to and was made with Love.
Glad you made it through Laura Ok, and I am sure those were some great Ribs!!

 

[Stingerhook]

I really like that pit!

 

[BZar1]

Cool set up

That looks amazing! Why don’t we still see set ups like this out of brick? I would love to build something to snake and cook pizza on the side as well. Unrest would be great too. The design/engineering stumps me a bit But it could be rather inexpensive in the end.

 

[BZar1]

I have to start proofreading before sending... *smoke not snake

 

[Jrogers84]

That’s amazing. Simply amazing. When my monster is old enough I have a project planned like this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cfrazier77]

Awesome smoker and story about your dad. I hope that it keep on going for you for many years to come.

 

[HogGrog]

Ingenious!

Very cool pit and family history, thanks for sharing.

Show us more, please.

 

[onemanlan]

That's an awesome slice of history. Thanks for sharing. Glad she's still standing and capable! Sometimes I hear stuff, like you described, with your father which leaves me in awe. Makes me feel like I don't know that much lol. We're standing on the shoulders of giants.

 

[Tango Joe]

Some real sound engineering there, and also decades of great food!

 

[Garyclaw]

Pretty cool. Love your "back yard" too.

 

[Greygoose]

Awesome,,,
Sounds like you have had many family good times !!!

 

[Kanco Connection]

Post of the week!

 

[Fire and Ice]

Thanks everyone, this is actually at my mom and dads house. He passed in 2016 right after I retired. Mom is still living and 91 years old. I stayed there with her a few days while these two storms were in our area. He actually built three of them over the years. I built one using his design at the first house I bought. I used regular cinder blocks and lined the inside with regular house bricks. That worked equally as well.

He also built one out of two 55 gallon drums welded together and stood upright. He insulated with house insulation and covered it with thin sheet metal. He dug a shallow hole with a rectangle hole connected to it. Lined it concrete from Halliburton (cement company used in the oilfield) and topped the rectangle part off with steal plate to cover the fire box. He had re bar to hang turkeys and hams and whatever else he smoked. As A kid my job was to help him place the meats in cheese cloth and help with maintaining the fire. That was so much fun at ten years old in the winter time and the excitement of thanksgiving and Christmas morning up at 3 or 4 cooking with him and opening presents.

 

[charcoalwilly]

That is fantastic. Thanks for sharing. I enjoy seeing those brick pits. Your dad sounded like a clever man.

 

[Mikhail]

Fascinating history.

 

[checkrd past]

Just freakin awesome!!!!!

 

[jzadski]

Great story and cooker! Nice to see you all made it through the storm safe

 

[1MoreFord]

I love old brick pits and grills. Wish I had one. The Rube Goldberg plumbing on the side of your's stumped me until you explained it.:icon_blush:

I know a guy who has one at his old house he never fired up. He was afraid the bricks would explode on him.:tsk:

 

[slackdogbbq]

Badass!