Maggie’s Built Your Own Grill/Smoker/Pit?

[Sean the Nailer]

Hey all, I won't say that I'm a Professional Grillologist, but I have cooked a few things in the past, and I have made a method/apparatus or two before. Did what's needed to get the job done. Ie: my Tandoor thread in one of the old 'Hide's of past. Among other things.

But, I've a few ideas on a "meat-magic-maker" design that I'm thinking about starting relatively soon. Still haven't come up with the right name for the "charcouterie-center" yet, but it'll come. But not sure I've covered all my bases and just want some input as to what ya'll think is important when cooking/grilling/smoking.

Heat source:
Solar
Briquettes
Chunk 'n Stick
Pellet (Edited to add)
Propane
Natural Gas
Electric

Considering accoutrements, there is also the separate yet added 'electrical' component:
Solar
12 v Battery
120 v Household

I won't even get into the "electronical" end of things ie: Bluetooth, wifi, HiFi, or even Dolby Digital. This is a "protein processor" not a dance-party attraction.

We do a fair amount of grilling and smoking here, though what we have and how we do things it just always seems that "if I could only just...." then things would be better. Hence why I want to build my own setup. But once I get steel ordered, have it cut up, then assemble and weld it, it pretty much is decided that THAT is how it stays. Ergo, I want to make as many mistakes on paper first, to do the job as "rightest" as I can before starting to lay beads.

Size is a huge factor. Not 'footprint in the yard' so much as "grill rack square footage" and "smoking cabinet cubic footage" which will coincide with "fire-box volume" which all obviously goes hand in hand with "stack velocity" and overall breathing/venting designs.

I see some fancy-schmancy grills now have LED lighting offered INSIDE the lids. I know of many who have PID controllers on their Egg's and whatnot for controlling small fans on the burn-boxes. I know there are a multitude of temperature probes that could be placed in various locations in-and-through the setup AS WELL AS separate ones for individual meat sensors.

Now, so many folks/members here have such a varied background and additional hobbies/interests that even though this is a Long Range Shooting site,,,, the Brisket at the end of the day/match is a very close second. So there's that. Hence why I ask here.

But also to consider is trays of butterflied Trout to be smoked, or even racks of hanging Oolichan by the hundreds. Or hanging a haunch of beast. Then there's the simple drying of jerky, and whatnot too.

So, help a guy out here, if you would. What have you done to your 'pit to make it better? What would you rather have/do 'next time'? What am I missing/forgetting? Or, any other input or suggestion you have? I really do want to do this the best that I can, and I don't know what I'm not thinking of. No, I'm not starting a business or anything, just doing a gooder system for my needs. And yeah, I've a few things up my sleeve that I need to do, due to my own ailments and whatnot.

Thanks for reading this far. Sing out, and let's hear it. I look forward to the rapport.

 

[diverdon]

Just an observation. Back when I was a Kid my dad and uncles just took an old fridge and hooked a firebox to a stove pipe and put a stove pipe chimney with a damper and a rain cap. Total invested usually under $10. Every piece of fish or sausage that came out of them was just so good it was hard to describe. Now a days, people have these huge smokers built in factories costing thousands of dollars with pellet fed fireboxes and and PLC controllers, they buy commercial rubs sold by guys who win BBQ cook offs on cable tv. Most of what comes out of those smokers is not that good, but you can't tell them what they are doing wrong because their feeling are so fragile.

So here is what I have to say. If you are gonna bother building a smoker get plant a little herb garden and grow some fresh herbs. Use good kosher salt. Don't rely on packaged rubs, spices or herbs.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Diver, you're so right. Eloquently done, too. It's the ingredients and the process, not the 'mag wheels and chrome valve-covers' that do the job. I'll put some pics up, of what we've got here. Think "old fridge" on 'roids, as it was a commercial food-warmer from a large restaurant. It was used to hold plates on trays until the whole table was ready to be served at once. Thing is, we've got a tandoor, a propane bbq, it has a burner on the side, a charcoal bbq, and my big-assed cold-smoker. That is a lot of appliances/apparatus.

It is in my mind to put it all together into one unit, and I want to be able to cover all bases to the best of my/our ability. It ain't rocket-surgery, it's controlled heat and controlled air-flow.

Cold smoking - less than 115 degrees
Hot smoking - less than 280 degrees
Grilling - 300 to 575 degrees
Tandoor - up to 975 degrees

Some requires 'no' airflow whereas others call for a fair amount of airflow.

Yes, we get our meats from local ranchers/producers, or harvest them ourselves. We do grow some herbs and whatnot, but the vast majority that we purchase is grown locally. We really do support our local growers. As opposed to the 'major supermarkets'. I would MUCH rather hand the farmer money at his door, than the cashier at the store.

It was many years ago that we built our first Tandoor, thanks to Veer's influence and assistance. I've been helping my father smoke (and build this smoker) [okay, 'adapt' this smoker] when I was barely a teenager. It ain't perfect though, and I've a number of improvements that I want to make. Have had for a number of years, but there's always been something "importanter" to take care of. So unless I start converting over to Buddhism because they believe in reincarnation and "maybe my next life will have the time and money to do what I want", I'd better start working on these projects as I'm able, or forget the whole idea before it goes too deeply.

And I'd like to see at least some of my ideas and projects come to fruition, because that which I see on the market frustrates the hell out of me because of the cheap/simple items being sold for cubic dollars. Suckers born every minute..... you know the adage.

If you want something done right, then you have to do it yourself. Add that to the Texan theory, of "if one's good, then go for three" and then top that with "bigger/badder/better/more-gooder" and you've got a proper start down the right path.

It costs nothing to talk about this, and for me to incorporate details into my sketches. Same goes for changing my sketches and figuring down different paths. Like I said, "make my mistakes on paper" before putting torch to sheet.

And the making of good food always starts with good ingredients. You're right, and I should have started with that. Otherwise, lipstick on a pig,,,,

 

[MtnCreek]

SS conveyor for spreader truck makes a good grate. I'd use SS where practical.

You know this thing needs mag wheels and a chrome smokestack from a road tractor for vent pipe. Go big or go home...

 

[Major Wader]

I prefer an offset firebox smoker for versatility. Mine has a cooking deck that is 24 x 28, with the firebox hooked to one of the 24" diameter ends of the pipe. Smokestack exits high on the opposite end, which gives me a good range of grate surface temp inside. I can also build a fire inside the main chamber if I want to grill. Damper on firebox door and top of smokestack.

 

[MrSmith]

Decades ago I was in LaCenter picking up the food for a large feed. The cook was swabbing, with his dedicated floor mop, the sauce onto about 300 split chickens cooking over oak logs on crusher screens in an indoor 20' X 8' cinder block pit. Kinda hard to see him across the room for the smoke and steam. He saw me walk in and hollered out "son, they just ain't no way to make good barbecue an comply with the health code".

He was absolutely right. Took two pickups to haul it to the meeting. It was melt in your mouth delicious.

I'm making my cooker out of a four drawer fire proof file cabinet. Won't do the real hot stuff but I think it'll be fine for smoking and BBQ.

Thank you,
Mr.Smith

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

Here's my reverse flow. The firebox is on the right, but there's a plate in the cook chamber that directs heat and smoke to the left before coming back to the right, over the food and out the stack.

I can get as low as 200 degrees, but not much, if any, lower. I can get to 325 or 350 for chicken though.

No electronics, just man, fire, and meat!

Between me and the smoker, we can put out some damn tasty food!

I can fit about 12 racks of ribs on rib racks, six or 8 chickens and probably 8 pork butts.

But only about 15 pounds of sausage. I need a vertical for making sausage.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Decades ago I was in LaCenter picking up the food for a large feed. The cook was swabbing, with his dedicated floor mop, the sauce onto about 300 split chickens cooking over oak logs on crusher screens in an indoor 20' X 8' cinder block pit. Kinda hard to see him across the room for the smoke and steam. He saw me walk in and hollered out "son, they just ain't no way to make good barbecue an comply with the health code".

He was absolutely right. Took two pickups to haul it to the meeting. It was melt in your mouth delicious.

I'm making my cooker out of a four drawer fire proof file cabinet. Won't do the real hot stuff but I think it'll be fine for smoking and BBQ.

Thank you,
Mr.Smith

I totally agree with pretty-much everything suggested by all, so far in this thread. But I have to say, the "4-drawer fire-proof file cabinet" pit DOES sound interesting. Link/sketch/drawing, anything you can or will share?

 

[4cDragon]

The best thing I have ever done with my BBQ Pits are to install a BBQ Guru https://bbqguru.com/

I think they were originally for Green Eggs, but I saw one on a pit's firebox a few years ago and did the same. The BBQ Guru has two sensors, one for the pit temp and one for meat temp. It has two small fans that are mounted at the bottom of the firebox. The fans blow in oxygen in as needed to regulate temperature. It usually holds temp within 2-5 degrees of the desired pit temp. You can preset the meat temp you desire and it will reduce the pit temp when the meat reaches the set amount. I open the dampers about 1/3 open and let the BBQ Guru do the rest. The pit is doubled walled, so it holds temps stabile and does not burn through a lot of wood. Most of the time I keep 225 degrees with 3-4 split logs for 2-3 hours depending on wood, moisture and outside temperatures. There is also a Cyber model, so you can operate on WiFi/Bluetooth. The gadget runs on 110V, but it has a transformer on the plug, so it could probably be modified to operate on a battery and solar if needed.

Suggestions for Building a New Pit Cook Center

• BBQ Guru Installed
• Insulated or Doubled Walled Pit and Firebox – Real wood burning
• Charcoal Cooker Adjacent to Firebox w/Adjustable Grate Level * When I am smoking I use it to rest the meat without any charcoal burning. I like this because the Charcoal Cooker works as a “warmer” generating heat from firebox and can be used to store cooked BBQ at 160-170 degrees.
• Charcoal Cooker - Can be used to cook with wood coals or charcoal for steaks, burgers, fajitas etc.
• Gas Grill - To help with anything that needs grilling and or warming
• Side Gas Burner - For pots or pans
• Turkey Fryer / Big Pot Burner – I like this for crawfish or shrimp boils or to fry turkeys
• Deep Fryer – This is a lot of fun to make fair food, fries and you and your guest fat!
• Sink and Prep Area – A sink with hot and cold water and a garbage disposal is awesome. This comes in very handy. The disposal helps with all your prep and clean up.
• Shelves and Cutting Areas – You need places to prepare, cut and store without cross contamination.

I have a Traeggar pellet cooker at our main home, but I do not have a Green Egg. The pellet cooker is ok, but nothing like the real wood trailer pit or pit cook center I have at another other house.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Excellent input. It is these types of posts that I'm looking for, especially. "Charcoal cooker" that is adjacent. That right there is something that I hadn't thought of. Thanks for that.

Hot/cold running water is good too. Off of a garden hose, I'm thinking, because I'm already creating the heat. Will probably be an 'on demand' type of thing, by wrapping a coil on the stack. Depends on how I plumb it.

 

[hermosabeach]

Heat location

Do you want a fire under the meat?
Or do you want the fire 1-5’ to the side so you can get smoke with less heat?

 

[Sean the Nailer]

@hermosabeach , actually what I'm thinking in my design is a combination/best of ALL worlds. Or at least one that has the heat/smoke flow divertable/convertable/changeable. (those are technical terms ;D )

The outcome of my design (for what I want it to do and how I want it to work, as well as look) won't have a tandoor in it. Simply because that is a completely unique design and process in itself. But the way I want this to be both "portable" as well as "permanent" is unique to say the least.

I know. What I'm asking, and what I'm alluding to, ain't exactly clear. But it IS in my head, and will be in the end. This will take time though, and I'm still in the planning stages.

 

[MtnCreek]

Sean, I thought about building a stationary (built in place fire brick with stone finish) cooker / smoker. Never gotten around to working out the details. The thought was chimney on one side. Fire pit in the bottom of that with steel doors / grates above. To the side would be more an open pit for cooking direct on coals. The goal would be possibility of either direct or indirect heat for either side. If I could figure out where I'd want to put it, I might have already built it.

If you need some measurements or photos of a steel cooker on wheels, let me know. Basic steel cooker with offset firebox. Mag wheels too! :-D

 

[MrSmith]

NECRO Thread alert!!

With the grill threads lately I realized I had not answered @Sean the Nailer 's query on the smoker build. Here are a few photos. Cooking screens in the drawers, Traeger firebox, relocated controls, adjusted pause setting. Works well.

Questions? Ask away or PM and allow the thread return to the darkness from whence twas summoned.

Thank you,
MrSmith