How to Build an in Ground BBQ Pit

Midnight Smoke

Midnight Smoke

somebody shut me the fark up.
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This is the project, now please tell me where I may have gone wrong. This was a spur of the moment idea today. Had a plant that was killed by the hard freeze we had a few weeks ago, I need to cut back on the water bill so I started the pit in the place of the plant.

This was built with just stuff I already had around the yard.:thumb: Dug the hole another 2 feet deep.

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Layed in some brick for the base and honeycombed the sides. Back-filled the sides with more dirt and compacted the best I could.

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The area for the fire is 3 bricks down, about 12" deep and 15" across, does this seem right for just cooking Butts and chicken maybe a Brisket? :noidea:

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Needed to cover the hole so I used my top off the Fire-pit for now. thought about using it and covering the edges and top with dirt.

This is where I am not sure, I do not think this dome will work as it would seem to allow to much space. I was going to use a piece of plywood and cover with dirt. Now I am thinking the Plywood may catch fire???? :confused:

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I would appreciate any input on this, I know it is a little after the fact since I got the darn thing this far already. :doh: Thanks for looking!!!

Worse case I guess is have another hole in my yard.
 
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Dirt is going to get all over your food! And I'm not sure there's enough air flow to keep you fire going. I like the idea and think you need some a brick layer at grate level so the dirt isn't right up against your grate.
 
Hmmm with the lid on the fire will surely go out....I might use this more for chicken/tri-tip for direct cooking.
 
BBQ Grail said:
Dirt is going to get all over your food! And I'm not sure there's enough air flow to keep you fire going. I like the idea and think you need some a brick layer at grate level so the dirt isn't right up against your grate.
Click to expand...

Thanks Larry, here are my thoughts on this; wrap the food in several layers of aluminum foil then wrap in wet Burlap. Once this is done the pit will be closed, lid covered with dirt and not disturbed again until I think the food is done.

Maybe I am way off...
 
inv3ctiv3 said:
Hmmm with the lid on the fire will surely go out....I might use this more for chicken/tri-tip for direct cooking.
Click to expand...

That was my first thought until another member (cowgirl) here gave me some advice on that. I will have about 10 Inches of burned down Mesquite coals, before the Pit is closed.
 
{Midnight ☼ Smoke};1584875 said:
Thanks Larry, here are my thoughts on this; wrap the food in several layers of aluminum foil then wrap in wet Burlap. Once this is done the pit will be closed, lid covered with dirt and not disturbed again until I think the food is done.

Maybe I am way off...
Click to expand...

That would keep the dirt off, but your fire is going to go out and there isn't going to be any smoke flavor.
 
:confused: Grilling or roasting? Maybe Cowgirl can help! She pulls some amazing stuff out of a hole in the ground!!
 
I have see cow heads cooked in the ground. Build big fire to get a good set of coals and wrap in heavy duty tin foil multiple times and lay on coals. Then put a piece of tin over hole and cover with dirt, check when you think it is ready.
 
Are those regular red bricks? If so, they will likely spall when you bulid a fire on them. I'd be careful with that. You might get some hot chunks flying out of there ... Should probably use refractory brick.
 
{Midnight ☼ Smoke};1584875 said:
Thanks Larry, here are my thoughts on this; wrap the food in several layers of aluminum foil then wrap in wet Burlap. Once this is done the pit will be closed, lid covered with dirt and not disturbed again until I think the food is done.

Maybe I am way off...
Click to expand...

foil and wet burlap works great according to cowgirl

check it:

http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2008/06/underground-pit-cooking.html
 
I think if you use the fire pit lid without dirt you would get enough air to create smoke. Otherwise, you will have heat (not a bad thing) but not smoke.
 
You can cook stuff in it.But if you wrap the meat up in HDAF,Burlap or whatever,all you are gonna do is boil it in it's own grease.No smoke flavor,it will be tender and falling apart and greasey.IF you are a "saucey"person,you may camoflage it with some kinda sauce and pass it off as Q to unknowing people.
 
all of these nay-sayers... where's the hawaiian boys at??? where's the mexican boys at, you will do fine, you will get smokyness, and it will taste great, people were cookin in the ground before WSM's came about, ive had the honor of (helping) doin whole hog hawaiian style wrapped in banananannana leaves, and then burlap throwed right on the coals covered with sheetmetal, then that covered with dirt and when that thing came out it was plenty smoky, and plenty fine eatin!!!

i dunno bout the tinfoil (barbefunkcrazytalkinramaquewhateverthefarkhisnameis) has been preachin it's bad...linked with alzhimers....and junk... ya could def wrap in banana leaves then throw in wet burlap bags, wrap in bailing wire to give you a handle to pull it out by (think stick with a hook on it)

the first fire i'd be careful like grillinski said, they may pop... but traditionally rocks are used to line em... and i know them mother's pop... but after a few fires, im sure all the moisture would be outta them so you'd be ok.... i think... maybe???
 
I don't think you're aiming for smoke flavor when cooking in a pit like that. If you wrap in certain kinds of leaves (banana, lotus, etc) you may end up with certain flavors imparted by the leaves - which are usually good.

I wouldn't put a piece of plywood over the top, because I think plywood can give off some not-so-tasty vapors when heated up. In Hawaii, Kalua (sp?) pigs are done in the ground and they turn out pretty darn good. For pits that are covered, you cook mainly with the heat form the coals and whjatever heat is absorbed by other materials (rocks, bricks, dirt etc.)
 
you don't even need a hole to make a imu.. some time if the party is held and there no imu .. we just bring in a couple loads of dirt and make the imu above ground works just as well.. we do it this way when we are doing 3 or 4 pigs for a big luau...we use good size river rock and dry them well or they will blow!!!!we also put heated rocks in side the pig before putting it in the imu helps in the cooking of the bigger size pig..banana stump is put on first to control the heat and make steam.. then ti leaves are added.. then what ever you want to put in for cooking. more ti leaves then i use wet burlap bags.. and then blue tarp and then add dirt until you see no smoke coming out of the imu... then open and grind..then i add Hawaiian salt after the pork comes out of the imu...i can show you better than me trying to type this sorry..
 
Cowgirl doesn't need a vent as far as I know.

Nice looking Pit!
 
What you will come out with is what we call barbacoa. You can cook anything like this from chickens to goat to cow heads and of course pork. The idea is to basically use the heat from the coals to steam/braise the meat wrapped in foil, leaves etc. You won't get any smoke flavor, so the flavor is imparted by the marinades, seasoning, herbs, etc that you use along with the meat. The only thing I can see is that you may not have it deep enough to create a thick enough bed of coals to cook something of more weight and heft over a long period of time. Also, you will want to cover whatever lid you use with dirt also. THis will make for a further insulated environment. Some folks even build another fire on top, once it's covered, to create even more internal heat.
 
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