Cinder block pit experimenting

Casey3115 · 09-09-2019, 09:29 PM

So last year I put together a cinder block pit at a buddy's house so we could cook a whole hog. I don't think I posted pics of that build or cook but it was pretty standard. Large rectangle with openings on both ends to shovel coals all day fom a separate fire pit. Probably why I didn't take a lot of photos. It was a lot of work.

A few weeks ago I decided to do something with all the cinder blocks that have been sitting around. I decided to change the dimensions a bit a try to make an offset smoker.

I have experimented a bunch and changed things around, and around while doing test burns. This version seems to be working pretty good now.

I ended up digging the firebox down one course which has worked out great. There is a sideways block under the grate from fire box to cook chamber, and the chimney starts below the grate as well on the other side. When the firebox was up higher the heat wouldn't flow well over the food because the pass through was not high enough in the fire box. Digging down allowed for the fire to be plenty low and far from the lid while also making the pass thru at the very top of the firebox if that makes sense.

I got a piece of steel for the fire box lid but still need to come up with something better for the cooking chamber lid. That corrugated stuff worked fine for the hog pit but now as a smoker that I want to draft well, it isn't great. I was waiting to make sure the design was going to work well before getting a big piece of steel to make a tighter sealing lid but after this weekend cook of ribs and pastrami I think I'll go ahead and do it.

patrickd26 · 09-09-2019, 09:34 PM

Are you an engineer by profession? This was WAYYYYY too thought out. lol

cowgirl · 09-09-2019, 09:38 PM

Nice work!
Mine's not air tight. I just add hot coals to each end, (under hams and shoulders when cooking pigs) the center cooks by indirect heat.

Casey3115 · 09-09-2019, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickd26

Are you an engineer by profession? This was WAYYYYY too thought out. lol

Well it didn't start thought out. Was just a pile of blocks but after lighting fires in it and watching it draft, checking temps at the grate in different spots, etc it turned into this.

And I am actually an engineer too. Coincidence though.

patrickd26 · 09-09-2019, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casey3115

...And I am actually an engineer too. Coincidence though.

Funny! I'm not an engineer, but I work with a $hit ton that are. I can spot your breed a mile away. Anyone reading this... Don't argue with this man! He definitely knows what he's doing! And, most likely... he's correct. Have a good night!

Weaverspitbbq · 09-10-2019, 01:52 AM

Ife is trial and error ...necessity is the mother of inventing

ebijack · 09-10-2019, 04:09 AM

Nice!
Here is just one from another Brethren.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=246017

effinUker · 09-10-2019, 05:56 AM

That's just awesome.

creek bottom · 09-10-2019, 07:26 AM

Very cool!!! The food looks pretty amazing too!!!

charcoalwilly · 09-10-2019, 08:00 AM

That is fantastic. How did it compare to cooking with other traditional smokers?

BBQ Bacon · 09-10-2019, 08:01 AM

Nice. How well would this hold up to real high temps? Wondering how this would work for a outdoor oven/pizza oven.

ModelMaker · 09-10-2019, 08:22 AM

This is what happens when you sit in a lawn chair with a beer and get a stupid idea...

As a rule Engineers engineer and Model Makers make models. Once in a while you find a few of us that excel at both!
Ed

Casey3115 · 09-10-2019, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charcoalwilly

That is fantastic. How did it compare to cooking with other traditional smokers?

Very similar to other offsets I have used. The thing is really big though so I am adding wood more frequently.

Casey3115 · 09-10-2019, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBQ Bacon

Nice. How well would this hold up to real high temps? Wondering how this would work for a outdoor oven/pizza oven.

I don't think it would. The blocks around the firebox get hotter than I thought they would. It would need to be lined with fire brick. And the metal lid I have on there is only 12 gauge. It starts to deform if I get the smoker up to 300 in the food chamber at grate level.

Casey3115 · 09-10-2019, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ModelMaker

This is what happens when you sit in a lawn chair with a beer and get a stupid idea...

As a rule Engineers engineer and Model Makers make models. Once in a while you find a few of us that excel at both!
Ed

This is interesting. I'm actually a design engineer. I am a builder, designer, do a lot of model making and prototyping.

09-09-2019, 09:29 PM	#1
Casey3115 Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 04-08-12 Location: Portland Oregon	Cinder block pit experimenting So last year I put together a cinder block pit at a buddy's house so we could cook a whole hog. I don't think I posted pics of that build or cook but it was pretty standard. Large rectangle with openings on both ends to shovel coals all day fom a separate fire pit. Probably why I didn't take a lot of photos. It was a lot of work. A few weeks ago I decided to do something with all the cinder blocks that have been sitting around. I decided to change the dimensions a bit a try to make an offset smoker. I have experimented a bunch and changed things around, and around while doing test burns. This version seems to be working pretty good now. I ended up digging the firebox down one course which has worked out great. There is a sideways block under the grate from fire box to cook chamber, and the chimney starts below the grate as well on the other side. When the firebox was up higher the heat wouldn't flow well over the food because the pass through was not high enough in the fire box. Digging down allowed for the fire to be plenty low and far from the lid while also making the pass thru at the very top of the firebox if that makes sense. I got a piece of steel for the fire box lid but still need to come up with something better for the cooking chamber lid. That corrugated stuff worked fine for the hog pit but now as a smoker that I want to draft well, it isn't great. I was waiting to make sure the design was going to work well before getting a big piece of steel to make a tighter sealing lid but after this weekend cook of ribs and pastrami I think I'll go ahead and do it.
	1 members found this post helpful.

09-09-2019, 09:38 PM	#3
cowgirl somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-18-07 Location: Oklahoma Name/Nickname : jeanie	Nice work! Mine's not air tight. I just add hot coals to each end, (under hams and shoulders when cooking pigs) the center cooks by indirect heat. __________________ jeanie Lifetime member of the Society for the Preservation of Authentic Royal Magical Rare Kaskaskian Peppers (Thanks Ash :)) RIP Ash, you are missed http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/

09-10-2019, 07:26 AM	#9
creek bottom is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 03-14-19 Location: Northwestern PA Name/Nickname : Joe	Very cool!!! The food looks pretty amazing too!!! __________________ Joe A1 Competition Smoker; Meadow Creek 96; Oklahoma Joe's Bronco (gone but not forgotten); Weber 26" & 22" Kettles; Camp Chef XXL Pellet Smoker; Blackstone 22" Portable; Weber 300 Series Gasser; Masterbuilt 30" Electric Cabinet

09-10-2019, 08:00 AM	#10
charcoalwilly Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-26-13 Location: Denver, CO	That is fantastic. How did it compare to cooking with other traditional smokers? __________________ Hybrid LSG Pellet + Chunks Smoker / Bucket-of-Bolts Grill-Smoker / Meadow Creek Chicken Cooker / BGE 1999 / Weber Kettle Rotisserie / Paella Ring / EZWok Jet Engine / KebobMaster

09-10-2019, 08:01 AM	#11
BBQ Bacon is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 09-22-11 Location: Canyon, BC Name/Nickname : Dean	Nice. How well would this hold up to real high temps? Wondering how this would work for a outdoor oven/pizza oven. __________________ I'm a griller, I'm a smoker, I'm a midnight fire stoker! 18.5" Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. They call me Dean! thecanuckfoodie.wordpress.com/

09-09-2019, 09:34 PM	#2
patrickd26 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-01-17 Location: Fremont, NE	Are you an engineer by profession? This was WAYYYYY too thought out. lol

09-10-2019, 01:52 AM	#6
Weaverspitbbq Got rid of the matchlight. Join Date: 09-09-19 Location: San Antonio tx Name/Nickname : Ron	Ife is trial and error ...necessity is the mother of inventing

09-10-2019, 04:09 AM	#7
ebijack Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-23-13 Location: Detroit Mi Name/Nickname : tom	Nice! Here is just one from another Brethren. http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=246017

09-10-2019, 05:56 AM	#8
effinUker is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-11-15 Location: rockford il Name/Nickname : Tim, Moon	That's just awesome.

09-10-2019, 08:22 AM	#12
ModelMaker Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-21-06 Location: Lake Ponderosa-Montezuma, IA	This is what happens when you sit in a lawn chair with a beer and get a stupid idea... As a rule Engineers engineer and Model Makers make models. Once in a while you find a few of us that excel at both! Ed __________________ Designer of a custom drum smoker Customized Aussie gas passer Turkey fryer Extremely seasoned hand hammered Wok Pit Boss-HART BURN Competition BBQ Team KCBS certified judge And Your not the boss of me either!!