Recommendation on build

[josephny]

I'm hoping someone with more knowledge and experience can help (that would be all of you).


Several years ago I poured a concrete slab (8" thick -- I got carried away) and built a 3 sided grilling pit out of cinderblock (hollow concrete block).


I capped it with stones and used angle iron and expanded steel metal for the grill grates.


Well, the stones got loose (don't know if it was the heat or something wrong with my concrete mix) and the grill grates warped terribly.


So I replaced the expanded with stainless and welded additional supports in the hopes that it wouldn't warp again.


I was wrong. It's all warped.


So I removed the cap stones and filled the hollow blocks with concrete and used forms to build a 2" lip of concrete above the blocks.


I've been reading and talking to people for many months now about what to do about the grates and getting lots of good but wildly different suggestions -- from Argentinian Quincho to hinged top sections, round bar, open for skewers, etc.


The grate size is 57" x 26" (I sometimes cook for a large group).


The coal grate isn't even fixed in place -- it's just supported by bricks.


I'd really appreciate hearing some suggestions.


Oh, I cook steak, chicken, sausage. No BBQ, but the chicken does need time (as opposed to steak).


Here's some pics of what I have now:


https://ibb.co/YbQ7kxB



https://ibb.co/f99W0CL


https://ibb.co/qgJJBN8



Thank you,


Joseph

 

[josephny]

Here's the pics

 

[Sid Post]

Your expanded metal looks a bit thin to me and the span is pretty wide so, with heat and a good amount of weight (meat), it's going to warp. I suspect your cook temperatures are either too high or you have some flare ups with intense concentrated heat.

Angle iron will carry a lot of weight and resist warpage better. Solid rod barstock would work but, it would be pretty heavy and darn expensive. Angle iron can also collect a lot of grease in a bucket making clean up easier and reducing the chances of flare ups.

Hollow cinder blocks crack pretty easy with any real heat. Filling them with concrete and some rebar might help. If you manage the heat away from the cinder blocks, they won't crack as long as things heat and cool consistently without having any high heat flare ups. Concentrated heat and high heat are the enemy of your cinder blocks.

The cinder block pits I have seen all had a generous amount of free space between the fire and coals and the blocks themselves. Keep things low and slow and you shouldn't have problems.

 

[Big Andy]

I have cooked on a similar set-up several times. We did low and slow whole hog. It looks like you are doing high heat. Find a piece of sheet metal to put over the open side. put some sand in the bottom and maybe put coal rack there. Move cooking rack to where coal rack is, and make some kind of top. You can get that screaming hot with a smaller fire if you close things up a bit.
I would reinforce the racks with angle iron. beef up the sides, and run maybe 3 cross members.