Okay, folks, let’s dive into my little weekend project – building a brick smoker! I’ve always wanted a proper smoker, but those fancy store-bought ones? Way out of my budget. So, I rolled up my sleeves and decided to get my hands dirty.
Getting Started
First things first, I gathered my materials. I scrounged around and found a bunch of old bricks – the more, the merrier, and the more uneven, the better for that rustic look I was going for. You’ll also need some mortar mix, a trowel (that’s the thing you use to spread the mortar), a level (to make sure things aren’t too wonky), and a shovel.
The Base
I started by laying out a base. I just eyeballed it, really – no fancy measurements. Just a rough rectangle, big enough for the firebox and the smoking chamber. I dug out a shallow area, maybe a few inches deep, and laid down the first layer of bricks. Then I slapped on some mortar, not too thick, and placed the next layer, staggering the joints like you see in a regular brick wall. This makes it stronger.
Building Up
Once the base was done, I started building up the walls. This is where the level came in handy – I didn’t want the whole thing toppling over! Again, I used plenty of mortar, making sure to fill in all the gaps. I left an opening at the bottom for the firebox – basically, a small space where the wood and coals would go.
- Layer by layer, I built up the walls.
- I made the firebox walls a bit thicker, figuring they’d need to handle more heat.
- Kept checking it was all good.
The Smoking Chamber
Above the firebox, I created the smoking chamber. This is where the magic happens – where the meat will sit and soak up all that smoky goodness. I continued with the bricklaying, making sure to leave a small gap at the top for the smoke to escape. And also add food.
The Lid (Sort Of)
For the lid, I got a little creative. I found a large, flat piece of metal – an old baking sheet, actually – and used that to cover the top of the smoking chamber. It’s not a perfect seal, but it does the job. I can lift it to add more wood or check on the meat.
Finishing Touches
It can be more perfect,so I decided to add some lovely stones to the smoker, and my wife was very satisfied, so I’m pretty happy about that, too.
First Smoke!
After letting the mortar dry for a couple of days (very important!), I was ready for the first test run. I built a small fire in the firebox, using some hardwood chunks. Once it was going, I added some soaked wood chips for extra smoke. Then, I placed a rack inside the smoking chamber and put on some ribs. It can smoke some chicken, ribs, and fish, which are my family’s favorite.
It took a few hours, with me adding more wood and chips every so often, but man, was it worth it! The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, with a delicious smoky flavor. My homemade brick smoker worked like a charm!
So, there you have it – my DIY brick smoker adventure. It wasn’t perfect, and it definitely took some elbow grease, but it was a fun project, and now I have a smoker that’ll last for years. And the best part? I built it myself!
