Special Projects
Black & Decker Custom grills & smokers - build your own backyard cooking
Source: Black & Decker Custom grills & smokers - build your own backyard cooking.pdf
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CUSTOM GRILLS
& SMOKERS
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© 2017 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Cool Springs Press, issuing body. | Black & Decker
First published in 2017 by Cool Springs Press, an imprint of Corporation (Towson, Md.), contributor.
The Quarto Group, 401 Second Avenue North, Suite 310, Title: Black & Decker custom grills & smokers : build your own
Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA. T (612) 344-8100 F (612) 344-8692 backyard cooking & tailgating equipment / by editors of Cool
www.QuartoKnows.com Springs Press.
Other titles: Black and Decker custom grills and smokers
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any Description: Minneapolis, Minnesota : Cool Springs Press, [2017] |
form without written permission of the copyright owners. All images Includes bibliographical references and index.
in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior Identifiers: LCCN 2017030791 | ISBN 9780760353547 (pb)
consent of the artists concerned, and no responsibility is accepted Subjects: LCSH: Outdoor cooking. | Barbecues (Fireplaces) |
by producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of copyright Gas grills.
or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every Classification: LCC TX840.B3 B5566 2017 | DDC 641.5/78--dc23
effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017030791
information supplied. We apologize for any inaccuracies that may
have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing information in a Acquiring Editor: Mark Johanson
subsequent reprinting of the book. Project Manager: Jordan Wiklund
Art Director: James Kegley
Cool Springs Press titles are also available at discount for retail, Layout: Danielle Smith-Boldt
wholesale, promotional, and bulk purchase. For details, contact Photography: Paul Markert
the Special Sales Manager by email at specialsales@quarto.com Photo Assistance: Brad Holden, Ian Miller
or by mail at The Quarto Group, Attn: Special Sales Manager,
401 Second Avenue North, Suite 310, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in China
ISBN: 978-0-7603-5354-7
Digital edition: 978-0-76036-248-8
Softcover edition: 978-0-76035-354-7
Custom Grills & Smokers: Build Your Own Backyard Cooking & Tailgating Equipment
Created by: The Editors of Cool Springs Press, in cooperation with BLACK+DECKER.
BLACK+DECKER and the BLACK+DECKER logo are trademarks of The Black & Decker Corporation and are used under license. All rights reserved.
NOTICE TO READERS
For safety, use caution, care, and good judgment when following the procedures described in this book. The publisher and
BLACK+DECKER cannot assume responsibility for any damage to property or injury to persons as a result of misuse of the
information provided.
The techniques shown in this book are general techniques for various applications. In some instances, additional
techniques not shown in this book may be required. Always follow manufacturers’ instructions included with products,
since deviating from the directions may void warranties. The projects in this book vary widely as to skill levels required:
some may not be appropriate for all do-it-yourselfers, and some may require professional help.
Consult your local building department for information on building permits, codes, and other laws as they apply to
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Contents
Custom Grills & Smokers
Introduction 5
Custom Cooker Gallery 6
GRILLING & SMOKING BASICS 18
Cook with Confidence 21
Why Build Your Own Cooker? 22
SMOKERS & OVENS 38
Backyard Barbecue Your Way 41
Clay Pot Smoker 42
Smokehouse 46
Double-Barrel Smoker 60
Brick Pizza Oven 74
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Contents (Cont.)
GRILLING & OUTDOOR COOKING 86
Build & Cook Like a Professional Pit Master 89
Fire Pit Rotisserie 90
Barrel Grill 96
Brick Barbecue Grill 102
Outdoor Masonry Kitchen 112
Patio Prep Cart 120
Pitmaster’s Locker 126
Outdoor Kitchen Walls & Countertops 132
TAILGATING 136
Tailgating Gear 139
Tailgate Smoker 140
Tailgating Toolbox Grill 146
Trailer Hitch Table 156
Pub Table Cooler 164
Metric Conversions 170
Resources/Photo Credits 172
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Introduction
F ew summer pleasures rival cooking and eating outside. Whether you’re just throwing
together a simple burgers-and-hot-dogs backyard cookout, or planning a full-blown
smoker session to prepare delectable brisket for twenty of your closest friends, you’re
part of an American tradition. Even the early colonists had the cookout bug, capturing
wild pigs and slowly roasting the beasts on spits over pits filled with applewood coals.
Food cooked out in the open just tastes better. to your backyard, and one that will give you decades
A quick-seared chicken breast beats an oven- of delicious service? Prefer a project that’s a bit
broiled version hands-down. And a pork shoulder more modest? Why not tackle a simple barrel grill
smoked to fall-apart perfection? There’s just no (page 96), an ideal way to recycle a used container
comparison with anything that comes out of a into a long-lasting cooker? And all that just scratches
kitchen. The only way to make those outdoor flavors the surface. Leaf through this book and you’ll find
even better is to prepare the food in a cooker you instructions for cookout accessories, pizza ovens,
crafted yourself. Sure, you could be like all the complete outdoor kitchens, and more.
other people on your block and buy a nice shiny Of course, sometimes you want to cook on the
grill or plunk down a small fortune for the latest go, putting together a delicious feast in the parking
trendy smoker. But why? Why spend your hard- lot outside the biggest game of the year. That’s why
earned cash on something that is really quite BLACK+DECKER Custom Grills & Smokers also
simple to build? The truth is, constructing a grill, covers tailgating. That section includes intriguing
smoker, or even a true barbecue oven is a fairly and useful projects, from a smoker you can bring
basic DIY project. These structures are generally with you to the game (page 140) to a pub cooler
forgiving of small imperfections, and the use you’ll (page 164) that will keep your liquid refreshments
get out of a homemade smokehouse or brick pizza perfectly chilled.
oven will more than repay you for the time and The truth is, if there’s a way to cook something
effort invested. outdoors, you’ll find it in this book. Choose a project
Outdoor cooking structures come in all sizes, that suits your cookout style and preferences,
shapes, materials, and capacities. Familiar with plan for where you’ll put it, and then get to work.
basic masonry techniques? How about building a Summer’s not going to last forever, and you want to
brick barbecue (page 102) as a handsome addition enjoy every last bite of it.
INTRODUCTION 5
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Custom Cooker Gallery
Size a simple smoker
to accommodate
what you’re most
likely to smoke. This
barrel smoker allows
for two briskets at
a time—more than
enough to feed a
large crowd and have
plenty of leftovers.
Put basic metalworking skills to work in
crafting a simple backyard grill for easy
and quick cookouts. A fundamental
cookout unit like this takes very little
time, expertise, or energy to throw
together and it works just as well as a
store-bought model would. The capacity
is limited, but for modest cookouts, this
will more than do the trick.
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Create a basic smoker from nothing
more than a drum, a couple pieces
of rebar, and an extra drum lid. At its
heart, smoking meat just requires a
consistent low temperature, with a
fuel source producing smoke that is
trapped with whatever you’re smoking.
So making the bottom of a drum a fire
chamber and the top a smoker box can
be easy as pie. Just make sure that the
drum is scrupulously clean.
Slice a barrel in half lengthwise to make a handy grill with plenty of cooking area. The length of a halved barrel allows for
multiple heat areas, and the structure can comfortably sit on many different supports, including a table base like the one
used here.
INTRODUCTION 7
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Ensure success in an outdoor brick oven
by building in removable, adjustable
grates. Adjustability allows you to
cook different foods, or different
cuts, to perfection. It also enables
you to accommodate different
woods and fuel sources burning at
different temperatures.
Combine the convenience and control
of a manufactured grill with the
customization of a DIY project by
incorporating a “drop-in” grill unit into
a masonry wall or outdoor kitchen
surface. The simple structure of
stacked stone in this yard supports a
fully functional gas grill, leaving more
than enough room for whatever the chef
might want to cook.
Go fancy with a built-in, wood-fired
brick oven. An outdoor structure like
this can be built right into a stucco wall
of a patio and is the perfect cooking
cavity for delicious pizza and breads.
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Mount a barrel smoker on wheels and
you can have true barbecue at your next
tailgating party. This tow-behind rig can
be fired up hours before you’re ready to
leave for the game (depending on what
you’re smoking) and then brought along to
provide an authentic feast for friends and
other fans.
Use a moveable screen for maximum control.
This homemade tray grill provides plenty of
room for different heating areas, but rather
than move the meat, a sliding grill allows
the cook to just slide it to a cooler or hotter
part of the grill.
INTRODUCTION 9
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Build a luxury garden feature in the form of an outdoor oven Match the outdoor oven to your home and skill level. A simple
with a separate firebox. A structure like this takes expertise wood-fired oven tower like this one can be fairly easy for the
and expense to build, but will easily last as long as your home DIYer because the design is based on straight lines and
house, and the oven will just get better with age. is fairly forgiving. It’s also a modest size that won’t take forever
to construct. The cavity beneath the oven leaves plenty of
room for firewood, and the entire unit needs only a modest
corner of the patio.
Create a patio centerpiece out of
a wood-fired oven. Whether you
have the masonry skills or need
to hire help to build an oven like
this, it can easily be ground zero
for all your outdoor entertaining.
Cover it with a patio roof like the
one shown here and you can
even use the oven to cook pizza
in the winter.
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Bring the barbecue to your next campout. A portable smoker like this one is ideal for a long-term campground where you want to
enjoy the taste of smoked meat, fish, or poultry. Vent holes in the bottom allow the smoke to fill the interior, and the unit can be
set up wherever you can lay a bed of flaming logs.
INTRODUCTION 11
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Make it easy with a
grill basket. Grill
baskets come in
many forms, from
perforated trays to
handled containers
like the basket shown
here, but they all
allow you to grill
smaller, or less solid,
items. Choose a
handled basket and
whatever you cook
will be easy to flip
and control.
Press your fire pit
into double duty.
All you need to
turn a fire pit into a
grill is a grate that
fits neatly on top.
The simple fire pit
here was formed of
interlocking curved
pavers, but just about
any patio fire pit can
serve as a simple
grill for cooking dogs
or burgers.
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Build large if you plan on
cooking ahead. One of the great
things about smoked barbecue
meat is that it can keep. Build a
large smoker like this brick structure
and you can smoke a lot of meat
at one time—a great way to take
advantage of meat on sale.
Add a glorious visual to your yard
by building a true fieldstone
smokehouse. Smoke your food
year-round in a structure such as
this, which is a handsome fixture
in the yard and the sign of a
serious barbecuer.
INTRODUCTION 13
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Apply your woodworking skills
to build a smokebox. A simple
construction like this cedar unit can
be a great home smoking option
and won’t tax your woodworking
skills. It’s also an attractive look that
will weather well and add a nice
visual wherever you place it.
Combine a smoker box with a
homemade grill for a dynamic duo
that can handle any task. This
crude box grill is great for grilling
anything from ribs to burgers, but
it can also serve as the firebox
for a box smoker. The smoker is
simply placed on top of the grill to
create an easy-to-maintain smoking
operation that will yield perfectly
smoked meat.
Smoke the day’s catch with a handy
portable smoke box. Caught more
fish than you can eat on your
camping trip? No worries—smoke
the extra in a simple box like this
one. A crude grill holds the box out
of the fire, and a perforated bottom
allows the smoke to saturate the
interior of the box and the fish.
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Get your grilling off to a perfect start.
A coal-starter chimney like this
one can be bought or just as easily
made. Either way, it’s just about an
essential accessory for any outdoor
griller looking to lay down a bed of
hot coals as quickly and efficiently
as possible.
Skewer your grilled goods for optimal control. Your homemade grill doesn’t necessarily need grates. A set of skewers are perfect
for grilling small hunks of meat, kebobs, various vegetables, and smaller proteins like prawns.
INTRODUCTION 15
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Make perfect pizza. Although it can seem a significant
investment in time and effort, build an outdoor pizza
oven and you may be shocked at how much use you
get out of it. Not only does an oven like this one create
incomparable pizza crust, you can use it to bake
delectable breads and even traditional picnic dishes
like casseroles.
Stylize your outdoor oven to match the look of your
yard and home. Just because it’s a functional
cooking structure, there’s still no excuse not to put
your own signature touches on an outdoor oven. The
brick showpiece in this yard includes a stone roof,
concrete counter, and plenty of room for the requisite
firewood—all in a very attractive structure.
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Use your ingenuity to find a grill just about anywhere. The simple grill on the left is the ultimate in recycling—it’s a retired
toolbox. The simple quick campground grill on the right is an old car wheel. These prove that grills can be just about any metal
structure with a cavity for coals and an opening over which to roast your dinner.
Plan for size. If you throw big cookout parties with scores of extended family and friends, or if you like to barbecue large cuts of
beef or pork, it only makes sense to build a grill big enough to handle everything. These side-by-side stone-and-brick monsters
are capable of handling a forty-person cookout or just about a complete pig. Building both at the same time meant the project
wasn’t much harder than building one.
INTRODUCTION 17
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GRILLING & SMOKING
BASICS
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Cook with Confidence
C ooking a meal outdoors can seem exceedingly simple, but success
depends on managing many variables. Construct your own cooker
and you take control over the process from the start. Rather than trying
to make the force fit between what’s available at retail and the type
of cooking you want to do, you have the chance to design a cooking
chamber that is exactly the size you want it to be, with space for the fuel
source you prefer and the controls you’ll find most useful. Of course,
along the way you’ll be saving a good deal of money.
But even before you start, you’ll have to make some cooking decisions.
Are you looking to grill small cuts rapidly over high heat? If so, you can
make do with a simpler structure, incorporating a fixed or adjustable
grill directly over where the fuel source will lay. But maybe you’re a fan
of traditional “low-and-slow” barbecuing, cooking larger cuts for long
periods of time over temperatures as low as 200 degrees Fahrenheit. In
that case, you’ll need a larger space for the fuel source with separate
access (to feed the fire over long cooking sessions), and grates capable of
supporting heavier loads. Or perhaps you’re all about smoking meat (even
lower temperatures and longer cooking periods). If that’s your preference,
you’ll need a completely separate firebox with a proper air-movement
design to feed smoke into a tightly enclosed cooking chamber (and a way
to vent the smoke).
The decisions don’t end once you’ve built your cooker. Fuel
sources vary. Maintaining any cooker’s heat source can be tricky,
especially when you need to keep the temperature steady over long
periods of time. Different types of cooking make different demands
on the cook.
All those basics are what this section is about. Consider this
the foundation of knowledge you need to cook exactly the food
you want to eat, with a minimum of fuss, wasted effort, or burned
meat. Understanding all the variables is the first step in building a
cooker that will serve you for years, and help you make delectable,
unforgettable meals.
GRILLING & SMOKING BASICS 21
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Why Build Your Own Cooker?
I f you’re into cooking with fire, you probably already
know that customization is big part of the fun,
whether you’re concocting your own special blend of
On the other hand, if you’re new to grilling or
smoking, building your own cooker is the ideal way to
start, for all of the reasons mentioned above.
fuels, perfecting a new cooking method, or modifying
your equipment to fine-tune its performance. Tradition
And building your own cooker is the ultimate in Grilling and smoking are deeply rooted in traditions
customization. It’s true to the creative and primal of invention and innovation. The barbecue masters of
traditions of cooking outdoors, and it teaches you the old days used the equipment, animals, and
about the relationship between fire and food. It also wood fuel they could gather nearby. They performed
can save you a lot of money and perhaps let you try their magic in cinder block pits and tin smoke
some cooking methods you otherwise might not shacks, making modifications as they learned from
venture into due to the high cost of new equipment. experience and tweaking their equipment and
technique to suit their own style. In fact, a lot of
barbecue masters today do exactly the same thing.
Building your own custom cooker follows that
longstanding tradition and brings you a little closer to
the essence of cooking with fire.
Cost
Buying outdoor cooking equipment—good
equipment—can require a significant investment. It
seems to be one of those categories of products that
automatically comes with an extra markup. You can
find inexpensive versions of most kinds of grills and
some types of smokers, but you usually get what you
pay for. When an offset smoker comes in a box of
parts, and you can easily carry it inside by yourself,
you know it’s not going to last very long. Building your
own equipment saves you a lot of money because
you’re using ordinary building materials without the
extra markup (and, of course, your labor is free). This
goes double for pizza ovens, which, when bought at a
store can literally cost as much as a trip to Italy.
Customization
Building your own cooker lets you customize your
setup in many ways, from the mechanics of the design
to the decorative touches. You can choose the size,
the materials, and the configuration as you like. You
Custom cookers have always been integral to cooking with fire can add a grate here, a vent there. When you’ve built
and smoke. a cooker from scratch, you get a better understanding
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of how it works and can make adjustments and
modifications over time. With this in mind, it’s easy to
understand why there are so many homemade grills
and smokers out there. For a lot of serious outdoor
cooks, the cookers themselves become a hobby and
a source of pride, almost as much as the food they
turn out.
Grilling Methods & Equipment
Since grilling is something that’s done in almost every
backyard and in almost every culture throughout
the world, grilling itself doesn’t need much of an Put your mark on your project with personal touches or
introduction. But what might be less familiar are the custom design features.
differences between grilling and smoking or other
types of outdoor cooking. The main differences are
temperature and proximity to the fire. Grilling is done
Conventional Grilling
Conventional grilling is cooking on a grate over a
with a hotter fire and with the food much closer to the
charcoal or gas fire. Conventional grills include all
fire than with smoking. This also usually translates to
of the standard backyard or patio varieties, such as
a much faster cooking process.
kettle grills and rectangular gas grills, plus traditional
There are many sizes, shapes, and types of grills,
brick barbecues on the large end of the spectrum, and
and nearly as many ways to categorize them all. An
simple portable grills on the small end. For custom
easy way to choose your equipment is to consider
designs, it’s hard to beat a simple barrel grill made
where you will use the grill and for what type of
with a repurposed steel barrel. This works as well
cooking. If you’re primarily into grilling but want to
as most store-bought grills and offers a great deal of
try smoking, or you just don’t have a smoker yet, there
cooking capacity.
are a few easy ways to bring extra smoke to your grill;
Because they’re easy to fire up and are often used
see Smoking on a Grill on page 26.
for everyday meals, conventional grills may be seen
as an extension of the home’s kitchen. And that’s
probably why conventional grills are the centerpiece
of so many outdoor kitchens.
Conventional grills typically have two grates, one
for cooking and one for holding the coals. The coal
grate allows air to flow beneath and up through
the coals. This is essential for fast starting and for
maintaining a hot fire. The grate also allows ashes to
fall to the bottom of the grill so they don’t smother the
burning coals.
Another key feature of a grill is the lid, for those
that have them. Grills that don’t have lids are
sometimes called open grills. These are ideal for hot
fires and quick cooking—things like steak, vegetables,
satay, and seafood. Grills with lids are covered grills.
With the cover off, grills with lids work just like open
grills, but having a lid makes a covered grill much
more versatile. Covering a grill gives you more control
over the fire, and it allows for lower temperatures and
slower cooking. Grills are usually covered for indirect
Outdoor ovens—both traditional and custom—are made with cooking (see Direct and Indirect Heat on page 24)
humble materials, like brick, mortar, and concrete. and always for smoking on a grill.
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DIRECT AND INDIRECT HEAT
Generally speaking, there are two basic methods of
cooking on a grill: direct and indirect. Direct heating
is placing the food directly over the fire. The hot coals
usually are spread evenly over the entire coal grate
to deliver even, intense heat straight upward to the
cooking grate. Direct heat is used for fast cooking of
relatively small or tender foods: burgers, steaks, sauté,
vegetables, and most seafood. These are foods that can
cook sufficiently on the inside in the time it takes to give
the outside a nice char.
Indirect heating involves moving the coals to one or A barrel grill (above) and kettle grill are classic conventional
both sides of the grill and placing the food in the center grills that use charcoal or wood. Both have covers and work
of the cooking grate so it is not directly above any coals. well for direct and indirect heating.
The most intense heat moves around the food, cooking
it more gradually. This is how you cook whole chickens
and other large pieces of meat, like butts, roasts, and
ribs. These foods require lower, slower heat to cook
internally and tenderize over time. Cooking them with
direct heat would produce an overcooked outside and
undercooked inside.
Sometimes it’s best to use both methods, starting with
direct heat to sear or char the exterior, then moving the
coals and cooking the rest of the way with indirect heat.
Taking a different approach, when you’re smoking on a
grill, the heat is always indirect.
Brick barbecues are large open grills ideal for “cookout”
foods, like burgers, steaks, and kebabs.
Open-Fire Grilling
Open-fire grilling is cooking over or in front of an
open fire. You can do it with any campfire and open-
fire grilling is ideal for a backyard fire pit. It can
require a lot of attention to both the fire and the food,
Direct heat is for fast, hot grilling.
but it’s a primal and social method of cooking that’s
perfect for friendly gatherings and outdoor events.
Depending on the equipment you bring to the fire,
open-fire cooking can be just like grilling, with either
direct or indirect heat, or it can be a much slower
process, such as roasting. Conventional grilling simply
requires a grill grate supported over the fire. Roasting
requires a rotisserie setup. There are also many other
traditional methods of cooking over an open fire,
such as with a Dutch oven or a cowboy grill. When
building your own outdoor fire pit, you can design it
For indirect heat, coals can simply be pushed to either
side, or they can be corralled in a charcoal basket. for the type of cooking you’ll do most as well as for
how you’ll use the pit when you’re not cooking.
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Tailgating
Cooking with fire is an essential part of tailgating, and
for most tailgaters that means grilling. Tailgating grills
tend to be relatively small and highly portable, for
easy transport. They’re also easy to set up and break
down. The same is true for tailgating accessories,
like prep tables, coolers, and places to eat and drink.
You want your setup to be efficient, comfortable, and
welcoming; you just don’t want to spend a lot of time
getting set up.
Cooking equipment for tailgating includes open
grills, covered grills, and even portable smokers.
The Tailgate Smoker project on page 140 is a small
covered grill that you convert to a smoker with the
addition of a large steamer pot. It’s small enough to
fit into any tailgating setup, and if you decide to grill
instead of smoke, simply leave out the pot.
Lightweight and road-ready is the name of the game for
smoking methods & Equipment tailgating equipment.
Smokers come in even more varieties than grills.
On top of that, many grills can be used as smokers, smoking Temperatures:
giving you still more options. Perhaps the best way cold, Warm, and Hot
to narrow the choices is to consider the type of Most smoking is done at temperatures between 65°
smoking you’d like to do most. Smoking methods and 300°F. To put that into perspective, conventional
can generally be grouped by the temperature ranges grilling is done at about 400° to 600°F, and cooking
used during the smoking process. Some smokers in an outdoor oven usually starts at about 750°F. The
are suitable for all temperatures, while others are range of smoking temperatures can be broken down
best suited to one temperature range or method into three categories: cold, warm, and hot.
of smoking. Cold smoking temperatures range from about 65°
to 100°F, and is usually somewhere in the 80° range.
When you consider that this is no hotter than a mild
summer day, you realize that cold smoking is mostly
about smoke and not much heat. It imparts a mild
smoke flavor without cooking the food. This is used
for very slow smoking of salmon (and other fish) and
ham as well as for quicker smoke-flavoring of things
like cheese, salt, nuts, fruits, and any other foods that
would do well with a hint of smoke. Curing foods like
salmon and ham with this process takes a lot of time
and expertise, and most home smokers aren’t suitable
for days of smoking at such low temperatures.
Warm smoking temperatures range between
150° and 175°F. Right in the middle of this range is the
sweet spot for making jerky, which is dehydrated and
cured (with the help of salt) as it’s smoked. This is a
great smoking method for beginners because it’s hard
to get wrong and the results are fantastic. Homemade
Rotisserie cooking over an open fire uses radiant heat from beef jerky is a different world from store-bought, and
the fire to slowly roast the food. homemade salmon jerky is out of this world. Warm
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SMOKING ON A GRILL
Can you really smoke food in a conventional grill? Yes, but your options are
somewhat limited. You can certainly add plenty of smoke to grilled food,
by simply adding wood chunks or chips to an existing charcoal fire (or
even gas heat). And you can keep the fire low and use the indirect cooking
method (see Direct and Indirect Heat on page 24) to slow-cook chicken and
large cuts of beef or pork, again while adding smoke. But true barbecue,
which requires a temperature between 225° and 275°F sustained for many
hours, can be challenging on a grill and might not be worth the trouble.
In most cases, the food is just too close to the heat for classic “low and
slow” smoking.
There are a few easy ways to introduce wood smoke to grilled food, whether
you’re using a charcoal or gas grill (see Fuel Sources on page 31 for more
information on wood chips and chunks):
Smoker box: A smoker box is a metal box with a perforated lid. Some are
rectangular, some are curved (to fit along the inside of a round kettle grill),
and some have V-shaped bottoms (to fit between the flame deflector bars
of a gas grill). Simply fill the box with wood chips or small chunks and set it
onto the grill directly over the heat source. The wood pieces will smolder and
smoke. Replenish the chips or chunks as the burnt pieces turn to ash. A
cold smoker (or smoke generator) is a similar device that can work on top of
a grill grate; see Cold Smokers on page 28.
Wood chip pouch: Add 1–2 cups of dry or soaked and drained wood chips to
a large piece of aluminum foil. Fold the foil over the chips and enclose the
ends to form a completely enclosed pouch. (Some people like to fold in
the ends and roll it up like a burrito.) Poke a dozen or so holes in the top
of the pouch, using a skewer or the tip of a knife. Place the pouch onto the
grill’s cooking grate, directly over the heat. Or, you can nestle the pouch
directly into or under the hot coals or place it directly onto the burner of a gas
grill. If you’re using a gas grill, heat it on HIGH until the pouch begins to smoke, then turn down the heat. When grilling
with indirect heat, use a pouch at each end (wherever the heat is). You can also buy a reusable metal mesh pouches that
works just like a homemade version, only better.
Wood chunks: Place a few large wood chunks onto burning coals of a charcoal grill or directly onto the briquettes or heat
diffuser bars of a gas grill. Let the wood smolder and burn while you cook. This is a good technique for adding smoke
while you’re grilling, rather than slow-cooking or smoking. If the chunks flare up, spray the flames with a mist from a water
bottle; it’s best not to let flames touch the food.
smoking can also be used to smoke—and precook— barbecue, which is typically smoked between 225° and
large cuts of meat, like ribs, butts, shoulders, and 275°F. The key difference between warm smoking and
roasts. Once these are smoked for a while, they must hot smoking is that hot smoking methods typically
be fully cooked in an oven or grill. Warm smoking cook the food completely. In addition to preparing
also can do a lot of what a cold smoker does but in favorites like ribs, brisket, and pulled pork, hot
a shorter time. For example, if you want to smoke smoking can be used for whole chickens and even
cheese or nuts and your smoker just gets too hot for whole hogs. Most barrel- and kettle-type smokers
true cold smoking, you can warm-smoke the food and are designed for hot smoking (but can be used for
take it off before much cooking occurs. lower-temperature smoking). Any smoking done on
Hot smoking temperatures range between 200° a conventional charcoal or gas grill is likely to be hot
and 300°F. This is the realm of classic American smoking, given the proximity of the food to the fire.
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Types of smokers (page 140), the bottom of the steamer pot serves as a
(including tailgating/small smokers) heat diffuser and has holes that allow for airflow.
Despite the wide range of smoker designs, all smokers
have many of the same essential parts: Double-barrel smoker
The classic backyard barbecue rig, a double-
• A place for the fire: may be a separate chamber barrel smoker (also called an offset smoker) is
or simply an elevated grate for the coals or a characterized by its two chambers: a burning
smoker box for holding smoldering wood chips or chamber, or firebox, and a cooking chamber, or
other fuel smoke chamber. The firebox may hang off the
side of the smoke chamber or it may be below.
• A place for the food: usually a cooking grate or Separating the firebox allows you to keep a relatively
hanging rack; always located higher than the hot fire while maintaining a relatively low, even
fire so that smoke naturally rises up and around temperature inside the smoke chamber. A standard
the food offset smoker has a chimney on the opposite side
of the smoke chamber from the firebox. This draws
• Vents: for fueling the fire with oxygen, creating the smoke from the firebox over the food on its way
circulation for smoke, and controlling to the chimney. An alternative design, sometimes
the temperature inside the smoker; more called reverse-flow, has a chimney on the same
airflow means a hotter fire and higher side as the firebox (or the opening between the
cooking temperature firebox and the smoke chamber). This draws the
smoke and some of the heat underneath the food
In addition, some smokers include a heat diffuser before it brings it back across the upper area of the
of some kind. This may be as simple as a metal sheet smoke chamber.
or a shallow bowl full of water. A heat diffuser is Double-barrel smokers are also called “stick
located between the fire and the food and deflects or burners” because they are designed specifically for
diverts some of the fire’s heat so it doesn’t reach the burning wood or charcoal. They are primarily used
food directly. for traditional barbecue and other foods prepared
In the Double-Barrel Smoker (page 60), the baffle with hot smoking. They can also be used for warm
plate serves as both a heat diffuser and a barrier that smoking if the fire is kept very small.
creates a smoke channel. In the Tailgate Smoker
Double-barrel smokers have some similarities with The Double-Barrel Smoker (page 60) is a two-barrel design
conventional grills but include a separate firebox and with a firebox (the lower barrel) underneath the smoke
a chimney. chamber (upper barrel).
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Smokehouse & Other COLD SMOKERS
Warm/Cold Smokers
A smokehouse is a traditional smoking outfit with a Cold smokers, also called smoke generators, are
history of producing smoked sausage, Virginia ham, perforated metal containers that hold wood pellets,
smoked fish and cheeses, Scotch whiskey, and many chips, or sawdust. Once the fuel is ignited (a small
other artisanal foods. As impressive as it may look propane torch works best), it smolders on its own until
in your backyard, a smokehouse is little more than a all of it is completely burned, leaving tidy piles of ash
inside the smoker container. These smokers are handy
tiny shed or outdoor closet with shelves or racks for
for adding smoke when grilling or smoking with heat,
holding the food and an area at the bottom for the
but they’re really designed for cold and warm smoking,
fire. And unless the bottom is made of solid masonry, where they are the sole source of heat and smoke.
the “fire” in this case is probably a smoker box with
smoldering sawdust or pellets or an electric burner Cold smokers can burn a full load of fuel from one to
heating up a pan of wood chips. ten hours, depending on the size and design of the
smoker, the fuel, and the temperature of the interior
The best thing about a smokehouse (apart from
of the cooker. With many designs, you can burn the
how cool it looks and how fun it is to use) is the
fuel starting at only one end (called a single burn) or
large capacity. Even a small version can include four from both ends (called a double burn). A double burn
or five shelves, all of which you can fill for a single creates about twice as much smoke and heat and lasts
smoking. A smokehouse like this, with the fire inside about half as long as a single burn.
the structure, is suitable for warm smoking and
Cold smokers come in a variety of styles, including
some cold smoking only. Burning a fire large and
cylindrical and square tubes, maze-like trays,
hot enough for hot smoking would likely turn the
discs, and even hanging baskets similar to incense
smokehouse into a house fire. burners. These smokers are available from A-Maze-N
(www.amazenproducts.com).
Cylindrical tube smoker.
A backyard smokehouse makes a great conversation piece
and is ideal for all kinds of warm-smoked foods. It is similar in Maze smoker for pellets.
function to a basic metal-box smoker.
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If you’ve ever used a basic electric smoker—the
kind consisting of a metal box with some wire racks
inside, and heated with an electric burner—you have
an idea of what you can do with a small backyard
smokehouse, just on a bigger scale. Essentially, it’s
a big warm smoker. By contrast, many traditional
smokehouses are designed with the fire or smoke
source separated from the smokehouse itself, and
the smoke is channeled into the food area via a flue
or duct. This allows for much cooler temperatures
and true cold smoking for foods like smoked
salmon orham.
Upright barrel smokers
An upright barrel smoker is just what it sounds like;
it’s a steel barrel or cylinder set on its end, with a fire
in the bottom and the food at the top. The smoke
and heat go straight up and are controlled by vents
The Tailgate Smoker (page 140) has an upright-barrel
near the bottom and top of the barrel. As simple
design and can be made with one or two racks for smoking.
as their design is, upright barrels are uncommonly removing the center “barrel” turns the smoker into a
versatile. Most can double as grills as well as smokers, standard covered grill.
and because they’re assembled in a few pieces
and are relatively small and lightweight, they’re
generally considered portable. Inside the barrel, most TIP
smokers can accommodate two grill racks, which
provides extra cooking area as well as additional Hanging the food inside a tall upright barrel significantly
increases the cooking capacity (when making ribs)
temperature control.
and provides even smoke and heat (especially helpful
Upright barrels and similar cylindrical smokers are
for turkey).
typically best suited to hot smoking at 225° to 300°F.
Small barrel smokers are ideal for tailgating and for
cooking at home when you don’t have a lot of space,
and this is where the two-in-one grill-smoker feature
really comes in handy. At the other end of the size
range, large smokers (often made with 30- or 55-gallon
steel drums), can accommodate hanging the food
from bars set across the top of the barrel. This is
a popular method for smoking full racks ribs and
whole turkeys.
One variation of the upright barrel is the water
smoker, which has a rack or shelf directly above
the fire that holds a shallow water pan. Filled with
about two inches of water during most smoking
processes, the water pan adds moisture to the air
and serves as a heat deflector to prevent drying
out or overheating the food. It can also be removed
for crisping things like chicken skin. If you have a
standard upright barrel smoker, you can experiment The Clay Pot Smoker (page 42) is a fun-to-build variation
with using water by adding a pie pan filled water to using a couple of terra cotta planter pots. You don’t need a
a lower shelf. barrel (or a grill) to have an upright smoker.
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Cooking with Outdoor Ovens Pizza ovens are cousins to traditional stone or
If you’ve wondered what the hubbub around pizza masonry bread ovens. The magic to their cooking
ovens is all about, imagine this: for your whole life, quality comes from the deep, even heat retained in
every steak you’d ever eaten was cooked on a broiler the brick floor and oven dome, and in the hint of
pan in a conventional oven. Then one day you’re wood smoke from the fire. It’s not a strong smoke
invited to a barbecue and your host serves you a flavor because most of the smoke goes up through the
sizzling steak right off a charcoal grill. The meat is chimney, but it adds a complexity and flavor profile
juicy and infused with wood smoke. It has burn marks that you can’t get with any other method of cooking.
and bits of char with intense caramelized flavors. The radiant heat from the fire provides another
There’s variety from one bite to the next. Your steak dimension to the cooking, allowing you to char foods
never had these things before because it was cooked by briefly facing them to the heat.
with electric heat, not a wood fire. A wood-fired oven To cook in an outdoor oven, you start the fire in
does the same thing for pizza. The smoke, the char, the center of the oven floor, which is made of high-
the variety—you simply can’t get these qualities with temperature fire brick. As the fire burns, the entire
a conventional oven. oven heats up. The dome gets the hottest because
A brick oven with a barrel-shaped dome follows traditional Dome-style pizza ovens can be purchased as kits that you
Italian oven designs and is the easiest masonry oven to build. assemble on a new or existing concrete slab or a custom-built
masonry base.
Infrared thermometers are widely available for under $50 and Fire is control. Adjusting the oven temperature and the size
provide accurate (and safe) readings of the temperatures and position of the fire and coals are the keys to an oven’s
anywhere inside an oven. versatility. Mastering this comes with experience, and that’s
half the fun of cooking with fire.
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it’s directly above the fire, but the floor is where you
monitor the temperature. For pizza, the floor should
be about 700° to 800°F. (measured with an infrared
thermometer, not your hand). When the floor reaches
the target temperature, you push the fire to one side
of the oven and cook directly on the brick floor. Direct
contact with the fire brick creates a crisp, perfectly
charred crust, while the radiant heat of the dome
cooks the top of the pizza. The more intense heat of
the fire can bubble and blacken the edges of the crust
as much as you like; this is why pizza cooks rotate the
pizza and move it closer or farther away from the fire.
Of course, outdoor ovens can cook a lot more A combination of charcoal and wood is the main source for
than pizza. They’re great for bread and many kinds of most grilling and smoking. Together, they often provide the
meats, seafood, and vegetables. You can cook directly ideal amounts of heat and smoke.
on the oven floor, as with pizza, or you can bake,
roast, casserole, fry, or even grill food, with the use fire. This is because charcoal is easier to burn in the
of an appropriate pan, crock, or grate. The trick to relatively small equipment used by home cooks, and
cooking any other food is to control the temperature. it requires less tending. Also, many smokers and grills
Since the oven takes a while to heat up, it makes simply aren’t designed for wood-only fires. However,
sense to cook more than one thing with each firing. there are a few notable exceptions: cold smoking and
For example, you can roast vegetables or whole garlic warm smoking typically are done with wood chips or
bulbs while the oven is heating up, cook pizzas when sawdust, technically making these wood-only fires.
the heat is at its peak, then bake some bread or a Most offset smokers can handle wood fires and work
dessert as the fire and is dying down. just as well with charcoal. Cooking in ovens typically
is done with just wood. Open-fire grilling in a fire pit
Fuel sources can use any type of fire—logs, charcoal, scrap wood,
Once you have the decisions about equipment out stumps, whatever.
of the way, the next big question is what kind of fuel
you’ll use to burn in that equipment. This seems like logs
a critical call, and there’s no shortage of opinions Small- to medium-size split logs are suitable for
on the matter, but the fact is, it’s no big deal, for a outdoor ovens and some offset smokers, while hefty
couple of reasons. First, as long as you choose decent- campfire logs are best for fire pits and other open-
quality fuel sources and avoid the obvious pitfalls, fire cookers. Regardless of the size, there are a few
like green wood or dumping match-lightable charcoal basic rules to follow when choosing and using logs
on the fire, you can’t go too wrong. And second, you for cooking:
can always try something else, even during a single
burn. That is, it’s fine to throw on a different type of • Hardwood: With some exceptions for specialty
wood or charcoal, and you can always add wood to smoked foods (like cedar-plank salmon), stick
a charcoal fire that needs more smoke. In any case, with hardwood for cooking with wood. Generally
experimentation is the name of the game. Once you that means wood from deciduous trees rather
get started, it won’t be long before your own opinions than evergreen trees. Common softwoods like
are adding fuel to the fire. pine, cedar, and spruce have too much sap and
emit a sooty smoke with off flavors. See A Quick
Forms of Wood Fuel Guide to Wood Types on page 34 for basic
Wood can play different roles for different types of characteristics of common hardwoods.
outdoor cooking. For most backyard grilling and
smoking, wood is used as a secondary fuel, primarily • Split wood: Split wood starts more easily and
to add flavorful and aromatic smoke to a charcoal burns more evenly than whole logs. It’s also more
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onto hot embers throughout the cooking process (or
as long as you want to add smoke). Because chunks
burn more quickly than logs, they’re not economical
or time-smart as a primary fuel option for large or
sustained fires.
Chunks come in all the same varieties of
hardwood that are popular for smoking, including
oak, apple, alder, maple, cherry, mesquite, pecan,
hickory, and many others. Shop around for good
deals and good sources, especially local sources. You
might be surprised at what’s available in your area.
For example, peach wood is a favorite of smokers in
Georgia, for obvious reasons, but you can also find it
in Colorado, where they grow peaches on the western
Split, well-seasoned hardwood logs are ideal for smokers, slope of the Rockies.
ovens, and fire pits.
Wood Chips
Wood chips are small, mulch-like pieces sold by the
likely to be properly seasoned (see below). It’s fine
bag in many wood varieties. They’re good for adding
if your logs have bark on them, but don’t burn a
a bit of smoke when grilling or hot smoking. You can
pile of bark for a fire because it smokes too much
drop a handful onto a hot charcoal fire, repeating as
and can add a bitter flavor.
needed to achieve the desired amount of smoke. Or,
you can add them to a smoker box or a foil pouch and
• Seasoned or kiln-dried: Your wood must be
smolder the chips slowly. Chips are also used as the
dry. Seasoned wood is best. This has been split
primary fuel for cold smoking and warm smoking in
and dried in the open air for at least six months.
something like a smokehouse, a box-type smoker, or
Kiln-dried wood is ok to use, but often it’s actually
a small smoker like the Clay Pot Smoker design on
too dry and it burns up quickly and produces little
page 42.
smoke. Bundles of small, uniform firewood logs
Most cooks like to soak wood chips in water before
sold at grocery stores usually are kiln-dried. You
adding them to an existing fire, to make them burn
might use them in a pinch, but otherwise they’re
more slowly. However, this is not necessary when
too expensive and, again, can be too dry. Never
using them as a primary fuel source. See Should You
burn “green” ( fresh or unseasoned) wood for
Soak Your Wood Chips? on page 37 for more on
cooking. It’s hard to light and maintain, it smokes
this subject.
too much, and a lot of its heat is lost in the smoke
(due to the wood’s high water content). Also
avoid burning moldy wood, which produces an
acrid smoke.
Wood Chunks
Chunks are pieces of dried hardwood that have been
split and cut into sizes from about two inches to six
inches. They are commonly sold in bags at grocery
and hardware stores and through barbecue supply
retailers and wood suppliers. Chunks are the best
all-purpose option for producing wood smoke. You
can add them to a charcoal fire in a grill or smoker,
and because they’re nice, dry hardwood with lots of
surface area, they light quickly and produce flavorful
smoke in no time. This makes them ideal for dropping Hardwood chunks add both heat and smoke to an existing fire.
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Chips add lots of smoke and a small amount of heat.
sawdust & Pellets
Sawdust for smoking is processed from hardwoods,
typically hickory and maple. Pellets are compressed
sawdust and are available in many single wood
types and in blends, such as oak-hickory-cherry or
oak-apple. Always use sawdust sold for smoking
or cooking to be sure it doesn’t contain unsavory
additives or contaminants.
Sawdust is often used in smoker boxes and trays,
for cold and warm smoking and for adding smoke
when grilling. It should smolder, not flare up, so it
doesn’t make sense to add it to an existing fire. It
burns (when smoldering) more slowly and creates Sawdust adds smoke with the least amount of heat (top).
Pellets burn hotter but are easily controlled for various
less heat than wood chips, making it a good choice for smoking processes (bottom).
low-heat smoking of foods like sausage and fish.
Pellets also can be used in some smoker trays and
boxes, but they are primarily used in auto-feed pellet lump charcoal
smokers. Unless you’re a mechanical engineer or are Also called pure or natural charcoal, lump charcoal
a modern-day Rube Goldburg, you probably won’t be is charred wood in its natural form. There’s nothing
building one of these yourself. Pellets burn hotter yet added, and the pieces are randomly shaped and
more slowly than wood chips, making them suitable sized—however they come out of the burning
for some hot smoking processes with the right type process. Because charcoal comes from wood, it’s no
of smoker. surprise that you can find lump charcoal in different
wood species, like oak, maple, cherry, apple, and
charcoal mesquite. While the source wood of charcoal can
If you’re new to grilling or at least charcoal grilling, it impart some flavor to the food, it’s not as effective at
might surprise you to learn that charcoal is a wood flavoring as adding regular wood chunks or chips of
product. It’s produced by burning wood in a kiln at the same wood.
very high temperatures and with very little oxygen
present. This burns off organic compounds, moisture, charcoal briquettes
gasses, and other components and leaves little more Briquettes start out as natural-wood charcoal, but
than carbon. Charcoal comes in two basic forms: then it is pulverized and combined with additives
lump and briquettes. before it is shaped into the familiar rounded lumps.
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A QUICK GUIDE TO WOOD TYPES WHY DOES SMOKE TASTE GOOD?
There are many ways to categorize woods for smoking: The smoke from a wood-burning fire smells undeniably
how they burn, how strong their flavor is, where they good, but that doesn’t make anyone want to nibble
come from, what kinds of food they’re traditionally used on a piece of charcoal. So what is it about smoke that
for, etc. Because most cooks are ultimately looking for has such a magical effect on food? Actually, it’s not so
flavor, perhaps the best way too group woods is by the much the smoke that we see but the gasses released
character of their smoke. with the smoke that give the food its coveted smokiness.
The gasses contain aromatic wood compounds, called
Mild woods are characterized by sweetness and mild, if
phenols, that both flavor and color the food.
not deep, smokiness. They are popular for fish, poultry,
and pork: Different phenols are released at different fire
temperatures, and each imparts its own flavor, such as
• Alder (mildest)
vanilla or caramel. Artisans and commercial operations
• Apple may keep fires at controlled temperatures to highlight
one flavor or another, but for most cooks the ideal
• Cherry
temperature for phenols—and flavor—is about 750°F.
Full-flavored woods are good all-arounders and are That’s the temperature of the fire, not the air inside
popular for most meats, seafood, and vegetables: the cooker.
• Oak Wood smoke consists of three main elements: solids
(carbon particles), liquid (water, oil, tar), and gases
• Hickory
(some containing phenols). When a fire is young and
Strong woods can be too aggressive for many foods, relatively cool, the solid and liquid particles are large,
especially when burned without other, milder woods. resulting in thick, dark smoke that leaves carbon
They’re popular for adding flavor to grilled food and for deposits, or soot, on the food. A hot fire burns wood
smoking red meat and game: more completely, resulting in finer particles. The
invisible wood gasses are allowed to do their thing
• Mesquite
without sooty or ashy buildup on the food. That’s why
• Walnut it’s important to maintain a proper fire that burns added
fuel evenly without an excess of heavy, sooty smoke.
That shape is no accident; it ensures that air flows
evenly through the briquettes even when they’re
piled up. The additives in briquettes vary by brand
and type, but some common ingredients are coal,
borax, limestone, and corn starch. Some brands also
use sand, which explains the little dunes you may
have seen at the bottom of your kettle grill. There are
“natural” briquettes that have no additives other than
a vegetable-based binder.
NOTE: Avoid charcoal briquettes with lighter fluid
added so they can be started with a match. This
is not the kind of fuel smoke you want on your
food. Even if you start the coals away from the
cooking fire, you can’t be sure all of the petroleum
has burned off. It’s also best not to use lighter fluid
when starting coals; see Lighting a Charcoal Fire
on page 35.
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lump vs. briquettes experimentation, and fine-tuning of technique. It’s
Looking at sales figures alone, briquettes far outsell also most of the fun of serious grilling and smoking
lump charcoal in the general marketplace, but among (apart from the eating, of course). Getting a fire
serious grillers and smokers, lump has many devoted started is the easiest part, and maintaining it properly
fans. Here are the basic pros and cons of each: just takes some attention and good judgment. If
you’re smoking, you’ll also probably spend a lot of
Lump charcoal burns hotter and cleaner; you time checking the thermometer.
can throw fresh pieces on a fire and not worry
about off-tasting smoke hitting your food. It also lighting a Wood Fire
produces less ash, and there are no additives Most people have a preferred method of lighting
you have to think about. On the downside, lump a wood fire, experience gained from scouting
burns out more quickly and burns less evenly, challenges, camping trips, or lighting fireplace fires at
due to its irregular shapes and sizes. home. The same technique should work just fine for
Briquettes burn longer and more consistently, cooking fires, unless it involves lighter fluid or other
requiring less tending and replenishing. On the petroleum-based fire starters, which create nasty
downside, they create more ash, and they can smoke and might gunk up your cooker. You can’t go
produce an unsavory smoke when they first wrong with plain kindling wood and some newspaper.
ignite; for this reason, it’s a good idea to start This is particularly recommended for starting a fire
new coals separately from the grill or smoker in a pizza oven. Alternatively, if you’re planning to use
before adding them to your cooking fire. Then a mix of charcoal and wood, the easiest method is to
there are the additives to come to terms with: start the charcoal first (see below), then add the wood.
Some cooks don’t like the idea of coal smoke
and other (often unknown) additives on their lighting a charcoal Fire
food; others feel that pre-burning new coals There are numerous tools and methods for lighting
before adding them to the cooking fire or letting charcoal: chimney starters, wax squares, electric
a new fire get to temperature before adding any starters, even blow torches. All of these are just fine.
food takes care of any concerns of toxins or The one common method you don’t want to use is
bad flavors. lighter fluid (or instant-start charcoal with added
lighter fluid). Lots of cooks use it and never have a
How to light and maintain a Fire problem, but if it’s not burned off completely, you can
Mastering grilling and smoking is mostly about taste it in your food. Charcoal lights easily enough
mastering the fire. This can take years of experience, without it, so it’s not worth the risk.
Lump charcoal looks like charred wood. Charcoal briquettes look like . . . charcoal briquettes.
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HOW TO USE A CHIMNEY STARTER
Many cooks like chimney starters because they don’t
need lighter fluid and they ignite the coals evenly so
when you add them to the fire there aren’t any big cold
spots. You can use a chimney starter for lump charcoal or
charcoal briquettes:
2. Light the newspaper with a match. Let the coals burn
until they are covered with a light layer of ash.
1. Fill the bottom of the chimney starter with crumpled 3. Pour the coals onto the coal grate or fire grate of your
newspaper and fill the rest with charcoal. cooker. Time to cook!
Adding Wood to a Fire when the wood burns hot, producing a much lighter,
There are a few tricks to learn about adding wood blue-tinged haze. This is the smoke you want for the
to either a wood fire or a charcoal fire. The first and majority of the cooking process.
most important is not adding too much at once. It’s fine to have some white smoke when you’re
When wood ignites and starts to burn, it creates a lot adding new wood, but throwing too much wood on
of dense, white smoke. This is good for flavoring food a fire and creating lots of white smoke can give the
but only in limited amounts. The better smoke comes food a bitter flavor and contributes to over-smoking,
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resulting in a sharpness that can have a numbing starter or other method. Once the coals are covered
effect on the tongue. with ash, add them to the cooking fire. Charcoal
The second trick to adding wood is to do it gently, briquettes tend to give off an unsavory smoke during
preferably using tongs or fireplace gloves. Tossing the initial burn, and starting them away from the
wood onto burning embers stirs up ash that can land cooking fire keeps this smoke away from your food. It
on the food. also makes it easy to replenish your fire without a lot
The final trick is the trickiest: knowing when of monkeying with vents and opening doors to make
and how much wood to add. This varies widely, sure the coals are starting.
depending on the cooker, the wood, the outdoor
temperature, the rate of ventilation, and the food and
how quickly you want it to cook and/or how much SHOULD YOU SOAK YOUR WOOD CHIPS?
smoke it should get. As with most aspects of grilling
and smoking, experience is the best teacher, but here There are a lot of opinions for and against soaking,
are some general suggestions for how much wood but the bottom line is, you don’t have to soak them, so
you’ll need to add: try it both ways and see which you prefer. Soaking is
most commonly done before adding chips to a burning
• Wood chunks: two to four medium-size pieces charcoal fire, to make the chips last a bit longer before
they turn to ash. It also adds a bit of moisture to the
every hour
air inside the cooker. Some people soak their chips
overnight, while many chip manufacturers and expert
• Wood chips: 1½ to 2 cups every 30–45 minutes, grillers say 30 minutes is sufficient. Always drain the
when adding to a fire; when smoking with chips in chips well before throwing them on the fire.
a pan (or grilling with a foil pouch or smoker box),
replace the chips once they stop smoking, perhaps
every 40–50 minutes
• Logs: one to three pieces every hour after the fire is
going well
Adding Charcoal to a Fire
You can add lump charcoal directly to your cooking
fire. No pre-lighting or starting is necessary.
Depending on the heat of the fire and the size and
type of coals, you’ll likely need to add 10 or 15 pieces
every hour or so. Scatter the new coals around the fire
so they’re not all in one place. Increase the ventilation
as needed until the coals ignite, then lower it back to
your cooking rate.
When adding charcoal briquettes to a fire, it’s best
to start the new coals separately, using a chimney
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SMOKERS & OVENS
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Backyard Barbecue
Your Way
T here is nothing quite like a well-smoked piece of meat or fish, or
the crispy crust of a four-cheese pizza baked outdoors. Those are
distinctive flavors and textures even among cookout foods, and they
share a unique method of outdoor cooking: indirect heat.
A smoker uses a separate firebox to create heat and smoke that cooks
the food slowly. An outdoor oven generally works more quickly, but the
idea is the same. The heat source is kept separate from the food itself,
heating the environment rather than directly cooking the food.
Outdoor ovens can be very basic because the heat source is often
burned in the same space as the food. You don’t even necessarily need a
door. Many outdoor ovens are just large caves crafted of bricks and mortar.
The do, however, require some sort of vent—usually a chimney. Regardless
of the design, they aren’t limited to baking pizza; an outdoor oven can also
be used to bake bread or even to cook dishes such as casseroles or pies (as
long as you have experience with the dish and can tell when it’s done).
Crafting and cooking with a smoker is a bit more complex. Because
a smoker’s heat source is entirely separate from the cooking chamber,
the temperatures are always relatively low. That’s why it takes a good
amount of time to smoke even small cuts of meat. Unfortunately, this
doesn’t mean you can “set and forget it.” The trick to proper smoking
is to maintain an even temperature by closely monitoring and feeding
the firebox as needed. You also have to ensure that the smoke is flowing
efficiently into the cooking chamber, and that the chamber is properly
vented to alleviate pressure buildup. A wonderful side effect of the
process is that the smoke impregnates the meat with a deep layer of
crusty goodness that carries a hint of the wood’s fruit.
Ovens are a more basic construction, and you’ll find a typical pizza
oven on page 74, which can be adapted to your own outdoor space and
preferences. Because smokers are more complicated, there are several
ways to build one. The three in this chapter represent different sizes and
varying degrees of difficulty. Tackle the one you feel most comfortable
executing, and that will serve your smoking needs best.
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TOOLS & MATERIALS
Clay Pot Smoker Drill-driver
1¼" carbide hole saw
(for ceramic tile)
A clay pot smoker is proof that you can make a smoker with pretty
much anything. You may have seen smokers constructed from filing
cabinets, old refrigerators, and even cardboard boxes, but a clay pot is
¼" wood drill bit
¼" and ½" tile or masonry drill bits
one of the most natural adaptations. For one thing, cooking in terra cotta Scissors
vessels is a traditional method in many cultures. Clay distributes and Adjustable wrenches
stores heat well and it holds in moisture to prevent drying out the food.
Eye and ear protection
A planter pot has just the right shape for a small cooker, being smaller at
the bottom and larger at the top, where you want more space for food. Work gloves
It also looks good enough to leave out when you’re not cooking (but 16" or larger deep clay pot
couldn’t be easier to store). (for the cooking pot) (1)
The trick to building this simple smoker is to coordinate the shopping 16" or larger water saucer
so all the main parts fit together. This includes a large pot for the cooking (for lid) (1)
vessel, a shallow pot for the lid, a round grill grate, and an electric hot
Electric hot plate
plate. When choosing the parts, make sure:
(1,000 – 1,200 watts) (1)
• The hot plate fits on the flat bottom of the cooking pot. ½"-wide heatproof self-adhesive
gasket tape; 5 linear feet min.
• The grill grate fits inside the top of the cooking pot, and preferably 1¼"-diameter × 5"–6"-long
rests on a ridge near the top of the pot. hardwood dowel (1)
¼ × 4½" stainless-steel flathead
• The pot for the lid fits onto the rim of the cooking pot (when the lid is stove bolts (2) with washers
upside down) and has a flat bottom for the handle assembly. and nuts (6)
Barbecue thermometer
This smoker is suitable for smoking at temperatures up to about with mounting nut (1)
225°F. (see Smoking Temperatures: Cold, Warm, and Hot on page 25).
Use wood chips in a metal pie plate or pan on top of the electric hot Wine corks (natural cork) (2)
plate for hot smoking. For smoking at lower temperatures, you can leave 60-grit sandpaper
the hot plate off (or remove it from the pot) and smoke with sawdust Clay pot feet (3 or 4)
inside a cold smoker tray (see Cold Smokers on page 28). Check the 8"-diameter heavy aluminum
thermometer frequently when smoking because the temperature can pie plate (1)
fluctuate easily in such as small unit.
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How to Build the Clay Pot Smoker
TIP
Drill a 1¼"-diameter (or as needed) hole through the bottom of the cooking pot, using a drill and a carbide hole saw (for
ceramic tile). This hole must be big enough for the hot plate cord plug to fit through. Drill the hole in any convenient
location, but stay a few inches away from any preexisting drain holes in the pot.
Apply heatproof gasket tape along
the top edge of the cooking pot. Trim
excess at the end with scissors.
NOTE: The gasket tape creates a seal
between the cooking pot and the lid.
If this joint leaks smoke when you’re
using the smoker, add a layer of
gasket tape to the edge of the lid.
1
Create the lid handle with a 5" to 6"
length of hardwood dowel. Drill two ¼"
holes through the dowel for support
bolts, spacing the holes so the bolts will
be inside the flat area on the bottom of
the lid. Insert two ¼ × 4½" stove bolts
through the handle, and secure each
with a washer and nut. Tighten the nuts
and washer against the underside of
the handle.
2
Install the handle by drilling ¼" holes for
the handle bolts through the bottom
of the lid pot, using a ¼" tile or masonry
bit. Secure the handle to the lid with a
washer and nut on both the top and the
underside of the lid. Tighten the nuts
toward each other, being careful not to
overtighten them and crack the lid.
3
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4
5
Install the thermometer by drilling a ¼" hole in a convenient Drill two ½" ventilation holes near the top of the lid, on
location on the lid. Insert the thermometer probe end into opposite sides of the handle, using a ½" tile or masonry bit.
the hole and secure it on the inside of the lid with the Use coarse sandpaper to shave down a wine cork to fit snugly
provided nut. into each hole. Your smoker is ready to use; see Setting Up
Your Clay Pot Smoker (below).
SETTING UP YOUR CLAY POT SMOKER
Place the cooking pot onto three or four pot feet (also called pot toes) on a stable, noncombustible surface. set the
hot plate unit into the bottom of the pot, feeding the cord through the 1½" hole in the bottom. Plug the hot plate into a
grounded electrical outlet. If the pot will be exposed to the elements, make sure the outlet is GFCI-protected to protect
against a shock hazard. If you need to use an extension cord, make sure the cord is rated for at least fifteen amps. Hot
plates can draw a lot of power, which can overheat an undersized cord.
Fill a pie plate with a layer of wood chips, about one inch deep. As you use your smoker, you will fine-tune the amount of
chips to use as well as the temperature setting of the hot plate. Plug in the hot plate and turn it on. With a 1,000-watt hot
plate, a medium-low to medium heat setting will probably create a warm-smoking temperature of about 165°F, but this
may vary widely. Place the pie plate onto the hot plate burner.
set the grill grate into the cooking pot, and place your food onto the grate. Cover the pot with the lid, and you’re smoking!
Check the thermometer frequently until it levels off within the desired temperature range. Also check the wood chips
every 45 minutes to 1 hour; when the chips are completely burned to ash, dump the ash into a pan of water or a
noncombustible container, and refill the pan with chips.
Plug the ventilation holes to increase the smoke intensity, as desired.
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Smokehouse
A smokehouse is a special kind of smoker. While
most other smokers are essentially modified
barbecue grills, a smokehouse is an entire building
with them so they aren’t so jealous they call the fire
department anyway.)
A smokehouse is designed for cold and warm
devoted to smoking. It has a full-size door (or in this smoking only, using wood chips, pellets, or sawdust
case, two doors) and lots of roomy shelves that are in (see Smoking Temperatures: Cold, Warm, and Hot
full view when the door is open. It even has a hook for on page 25). It has fire-resistant materials at its base,
hanging large cuts of meat. and this is where you can set up a smoker tray (see
As a hand-built wood structure, a smokehouse Cold Smokers on page 28) or an electric burner with
also looks nothing like other smokers. And as good a pan full of wood chips. In all cases, the “fire” simply
as it looks just standing out back, imagine how much smolders, and it must be contained within a fireproof
better it looks with fragrant smoke pouring out of vessel, such as a cold smoker or pan. The smokehouse
it like a steam engine. (Although you might want is not suitable for any kind of open fire with flames or
to let your neighbors know about it so they aren’t for burning embers.
alarmed when they see your new “shed” smoldering, The double-door of this smokehouse design
and you probably should share some of the food provides easy access to the base area for replenishing
fuel without having to open up the main door and
let out all the heat. Another special design feature is
the panelized construction: the walls are made with
plywood siding, and you build all four walls, including
the trim and interior elements, on a flat surface.
When the walls are done, you tip them up and screw
them together, then add the roof and doors.
The smokehouse shown here was made with
cedar plywood siding and cedar lumber trim. Cedar
is a good option because it’s lightweight and easy to
work worth, and it looks great on a small structure
like this with a lot of trim. It also has some natural
resistance to decay and weathering, although this
varies considerably with different grades of lumber.
As with all other woods, cedar needs a UV-resistant
exterior finish (on the outside only; do not finish the
smokehouse interior) if you don’t want it to turn gray
with weathering. The masonry base, which serves
as the smokehouse floor, can be a stone or precast
concrete slab or simply patio pavers.
NOTE: Many of the project dimensions are based
on the actual dimensions (thickness and/or width)
of the siding and trim material. Measure your
materials carefully and adjust the given dimensions
as needed.
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SMOKEHOUSE
TOOLS & MATERIALS
Circular saw Pencil 16d hot-dipped galvanized common nails (16)
Power miter saw (optional) Eye and ear protection 2 × 36 × 36" stone slab or concrete utility pad (1)
Jigsaw Work gloves Exterior (waterproof) wood glue
Hammer 2 × 4 × 8' pressure-treated lumber (3) Construction adhesive (for masonry and wood)
2' or 4' level 5
⁄8" × 4' × 8' cedar plywood siding (4) 4"-diameter stainless-steel butterfly vents (1)
Wood chisel 2 × 2 × 8' cedar or pine lumber (6) 1"-thick scrap lumber
Framing square 1 × 3 × 8' cedar lumber (10) 26" × 10' galvanized metal corrugated roofing (1)
Drill-driver 1 × 2 × 8' cedar lumber (14) Decorative exterior door/gate hinges w/screws (5)
Drill bits 1 × 4 × 8' cedar lumber (3) Galvanized door hasps (2)
Countersink bit 2 × 4 × 4' cedar or pine lumber (1) 5
⁄16 × 5" stainless-steel screw hook (2)
Utility knife ½" × 3' × 5' cementboard (2) Chrome metal wire shelving, 12" or 18" wide × 36"
Mason’s blade 1" roofing screws (30) long; quantity as desired
Straightedge 1¾" deck screws (84) Compactible gravel or concrete pavers
Caulk gun 1" hot-dipped galvanized roofing nails (24) Pre-cast pavers (cut to size)
Tin snips 1¼" drywall or wood screws (250) Heatproof caulk
Tape measure 2" deck screws (4)
CUTTING LIST
KEY PART DIMENSIONS PCS. MATERIAL
A Base joist 1½ × 3½ × 33½" 4 2 × 4 Pressure-treated pine
B Base end joist 1½ × 3½ × 36½" 2 2 × 4 Pressure-treated pine
C Side wall panel 5
⁄8 × 36½ × 75" 2 5
⁄8" Cedar plywood siding
D Front/Rear wall panel 5
⁄8 × 37¾ × 82" 2 5
⁄8" Cedar plywood siding
E Shelf support (side walls) 1½ × ½ × 36½" 8 2 × 2 Cedar or pine
F Shelf support (rear wall) 1½ × 1½ × 33¼" 4 2 × 2 Cedar or pine
G Cementboard (side walls) ½ × 18 × 36½" 2 ½" Cementboard
H Cementboard (rear wall) ½ × 18 × 35½" 1 ½" Cementboard
I Cementboard (lower door) ½" × Cut to fit 1 ½" Cementboard
J Corner trim (side walls) ¾ × 2½ × 7411⁄16" 4 1 × 3 Cedar
K Corner trim (front/rear wall) ¾ × 2½" × Cut to fit 4 1 × 3 Cedar
L Base sheathing
M Roof ridge boards
N Rafters ¾ × 3½ × 28¼" 6 1 × 4 Cedar
O Beam 1½ × 3½ × 36½" 1 2 × 4 Cedar or pine
P Front wall bottom trim ¾ × 3½" × Cut to fit 1 1 × 4 Cedar
Q Door header trim ¾ × 1½" × Cut to fit 1 1 × 2 Cedar
R Roof decking 5
⁄8 × 37¾" × Cut to fit 4 5
⁄8" Cedar plywood siding
S Roofing 26" × Cut to fit 4 Galvanized corrugated roofing
T Door trim ¾ × 2½" × Cut to fit 11 1 × 3 Cedar700678 - CSP - B&D Custom Grills & Smokers_int.indd 48 21/9/17 3:23 pm 700678 - CSP - B&D Custom Grills & Smokers_int.indd 48 9/26/17 4:31 PM Job:09-700678 Title: CSP - B&D Custom Grills & Smokers (Black Text) 229_Dtp:225 Dtp:225 Page:48
BASE
Pressure-treated 2 × 4s
36½"
36½"
MIDDLE RAFTER & BEAM
1 × 4 rafters
27⁄8"
Screw hook
36½"
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FRONT ELEVATION
CORNER SECTION–PLAN VIEW Galvanized corrugated
roofing
S, R
N N
L
Side wall 1×4
Q
T cedar
C
rafter
1 × 2 cedar batten
1 × 2 cedar
J header trim
T L
Front wall Door
Side & rear walls
K Door trim get full-length
T
battens at
T
Corner desired spacing
Hinge
trim
K L K
FRONT WALL – EXT.
1×4 T 1 × 3 cedar
⁄ 8"
5
cedar T door trim
rafter & X-bracing
T
N N
T T T
D
T
¾" B
1 × 4 cedar bottom trim
1×3
47¼" (approx.) cedar
trim
K K
32¾"
Upper & lower door panels cut from front-wall plywood
18¼" (approx.)
¾" plywood reveal for door stop
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LEFT & RIGHT SIDE WALLS–INTERIOR REAR WALL–INTERIOR
5
⁄8" × 3" notch
J for center rafter J
⁄16"
5 5
⁄ 8"
27"
1×3
cedar
trim 18¼" 18¼" N N
Hole for vent (size as needed)
F
1×4
F
cedar
12" 2 × 2 shelf supports rafter
1×3
F cedar
12" trim
5
⁄8" cedar plywood siding
K K
75" 82"
F 2¼"
12" C
D ¾"
1½"
18" G H
Cementboard 1 1⁄ 8 "
½ × 18 × 36½" Cementboard
½ × 18 × 36½"
4½"
5
⁄ 8"
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How to Build the Smokehouse
1
2
Build the base frame by cutting the base joist and end joist Set the base frame on a flat, level, stable surface, preferably
pieces to length from pressure-treated 2 × 4s. Set the pieces an area that drains well. Good options include a concrete or
on-edge and assemble the base by fitting the end joists over brick patio, compacted gravel, or masonry pavers. Use a 2' or
the ends of the base joists. Space the two center base joists 4' level to make sure the frame is level side to side and front
evenly. Drive two 16d nails through the end joists and into each to back.
end of the base joists. Make sure all joists are flush at the top.
Cut a plywood base cover the same
dimensions as the base frame and
attach it to the frame with deck screws. 3
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4
5
Install a layer of precast concrete pavers on top of the wood Cut one of the side wall panels to size from 5⁄8" plywood siding.
base. If you need to cut the pavers to fit, use a circular saw Mark the rafter notch at the center of the top edge of the
with a masonry blade to score deep lines and then break panel. The notch width should be a snug fit for the rafter
off the extra with a rubber mallet. You could also nail 2 × 4 material you will use. Cut the sides of the notch with a circular
forms around the perimeter of the base and pour a solid saw or jigsaw, then cut the base of the notch with a wood
concrete base that’s at least 1½" thick (remove the forms chisel and/or the jigsaw.
after one day).
NOTE: Save all of the leftover siding pieces for the roof deck.
6 7
Lay out the shelf support locations on the inside face of the side Cut the 2 × 2 shelf supports to length for both side walls
wall panel. The bottom shelf support should be about 18" from and the rear wall. Install the shelf supports on the side wall
the top of the smokehouse base, or 22½" from the bottom using wood glue and 1¾" deck screws or wood screws.
edge of the side wall. The remaining shelves can be spaced as Cut and notch the second side wall panel, and install its
desired. Here they are spaced 12" apart. Draw lines for the top shelf supports.
edges of the shelf supports, using a framing square.
NOTE: For all screws in this project, drill pilot holes and
TIP: Use this side panel as a template for marking and countersink the holes slightly so the screw heads are flush
laying out the other side wall panel. with the wood surface. (continued)
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8 9
Install the side wall corner trim. Cut two pieces of 1 × 3 trim Cut a piece of cement board for each side wall using a utility
for each side panel; these are 5⁄16 inches shorter than the knife and a straightedge. Make two or three passes with
panels. Install the side trim with glue and 1¼ inches drywall the knife to score the cutting line deeply. Snap the board
or wood screws. The trim should overhang the side edges by backward to break it along the cutting line, then cut through
5
⁄8" (the thickness of the plywood siding) and be flush with the the fiberglass mesh on the back side of the board.
bottom edges of the panels.
10 11
Apply construction adhesive in wavy beads to the inside face Prepare the rear and front wall panels. Staring with the
of each side panel, then add the cementboard. Tack the rear wall, mark the cutting lines for the overall width and
board in place with several 1" roofing nails. The cementboard length, then mark the center of the top edge. Mark each
fits against the first shelf support. It should be flush with the side edge at 75" from the bottom, then draw an angled line
side edges of the plywood and 4½" from the bottom edge of between the side marks and the top center mark to create the
the side wall. roof angle. Cut the rear panel to size. Using the rear wall as a
template, mark and cut the front wall to size. You will cut the
door panels from the front wall later.
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Install the shelf supports and cementboard on the inside face
of the rear wall, following the same techniques used for the
side walls. The shelf supports should be 2¼" from each side
edge of the plywood panel. The cementboard should be
11⁄8" from the side edges and 4½" from the bottom edge of
the plywood.
13
12
Cut two rafter pieces from 1 × 4 cedar lumber. Test-fit the
pieces on the rear wall or they should meet at the peak of the
wall and run parallel to the top wall edges. Adjust the rafter
end cuts, if necessary, for a good fit. Using one of the rafters
as a template, mark and cut the remaining four rafter pieces.
Install a pair of rafters on the outside face of the rear wall,
using glue and 1¼" screws, as with the side-wall trim. The
rafters should be 5⁄8" above the top edges of the rear wall: this
creates a recess for the roof decking. Add the corner trim and
battens (as desired) to the rear wall.
Make the hole for the vent following the
vent manufacturer’s specifications. Use
14 the vent itself to mark the hole, or use
a compass. Drill a ¼" starter hole just
inside the cutting line for inserting the
jigsaw blade, then cut out the circle
with a jigsaw. The vent (when installed)
should be close as practical to the
rafters and centered side to side on the
rear wall.
(continued)
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Mark the cutting lines for the door
opening onto the interior face of the
front wall panel. The upper and lower 15
door panels will come from the piece
cut out for the opening. Make the
initial cuts with a circular saw, then
use a jigsaw to complete the cuts at
the corners. Remove the cutout piece,
then make the horizontal cut to create
the two door panels. You can adjust the
relative lengths of the two doors; just
make sure the lower door is tall enough
to allow easy access to your smoker tray
or burner.
Complete the front wall panel by
installing the rafters and corner trim,
as with the rear wall. Install the 1 × 2 16
header trim so it butts against the
corner trim and is set ¾" above the
top edge of the door opening. This ¾"
reveal will serve as a doorstop. Add the
battens above the header trim. Install
the 1 × 4 bottom trim flush with the
bottom edge of the wall panel to create
a ¾" reveal.
Make the hole for the vent on
the front wall panel, as with the
rear wall. Install the vents on the 17
front and rear walls, following the
manufacturer’s instructions.
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Construct the middle rafter assembly
by trimming 5⁄8" from the top edge of
each of the remaining two rafters. Cut
the 2 × 4 beam to length. Join the
rafters together at the peak with glue,
then drive a 2" deck screw at an angle
through the top of one rafter and into
the end of the other. Reinforce the joint
where the rafters meet with a plywood
gusset secured with 1" screws. Fasten
the rafters to the beam with glue and
2" screws driven through the rafters
and into the beam. The rafters should
extend past the beam equally on
both sides.
18
Spacer 19 20
Prepare for the wall assembly by placing 1"-thick spacers Fit the middle rafter assembly into the notches of the side walls.
(of scrap wood or other material) along all four sides of the The tops of the rafters should be flush with the outside corners
smokehouse base. With a helper, set the rear wall and one of of the side-wall plywood. Cut two pieces of roof decking (from
the side walls onto the spacers, and join the walls by driving leftover siding) to size at 21 × 37¾". Position each piece at the
2" deck screws through the corner trim of the rear wall and lower side of the roof, flush with the ends of the rafters, and
into the trim of the side wall. Also screw through the outside fasten it to the middle rafter and front and rear wall panels
of each wall and into the base with a pair of screws every 6". with 1¾" deck screws. Cut and install two more plywood
Repeat with the other side wall, then the front wall. pieces to complete the roof deck on each side. (continued)
SMOKERS & OVENS 57
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21 22
Cut a full-width piece of metal roofing to length for each side Finish the roof peak with two strips of leftover plywood or trim
of the roof, using tin snips. You can also use a circular saw or material. Cut a 40° bevel along one long edge of each piece
jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade. Install the roofing with 1" so the pieces fit together at the roof peak, with one piece
roofing screws. Cut and install a second piece for each side, overlapping the other.
overlapping the first piece by at least one corrugation.
Measure the width of the door opening
and subtract ¼"; use this dimension
for overall width of the doors. Cut door 23
panels to size. Install the 1 × 3 door
trim along the sides and top of the
upper door panel, using glue and 1¼"
screws, as with the corner trim on the
walls. The side trim overhangs the
door panel as needed to match the
overall width dimension. Overhang the
top of the door a similar amount, and
position the bottom trim flush with the
bottom of the door panel. Place the
center horizontal trim at door’s center.
Hang the door with exterior hinges,
maintaining a ¼" gap at the side and
top edges.
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24
Add trim to the lower door panel, as with the upper door. The
top horizontal trim should be flush with the top edge of the
door panel. To cut the X-brace trim, lay a full piece of 1 × 3
OPTION: Finish the exterior of the smokehouse, if diagonally from the upper left corner to the lower right corner,
desired. An exterior stain or other penetrating finish is and mark where it intersects the side and top trim. Cut the
recommended. The wide temperature and humidity piece and fit it into place, then do the same with two pieces
changes inside the smoke may cause problems for paint. angled in the opposite direction. Cut and install a piece of
Do not finish the smokehouse interior. cementboard to cover the inside of the door. Hang the door
with two hinges.
25 26
Drill a pilot hole for the screw hook into the bottom edge of Fill the gaps between pavers with heatproof caulk to prevent
the 2 × 4 beam. Drive in the hook initially by hand, then use cinders from migrating onto the plywood base.
large pliers or a tool handle for leverage. Drive until all of the
threads are buried in the wood. Add metal wire shelving onto
the shelf supports. If necessary, cut the shelves to length
with the jigsaw and a metal-cutting blade.
SMOKERS & OVENS 59
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Double-Barrel Smoker
T he double-barrel grill is considered by many to
be the true barbecue smoker. It has two separate
chambers: a firebox for the fire and a smoke chamber
barrels, but these are not used in the smoker project
as shown. The bottoms of the barrels are lined with
firebrick to help retain heat and maintain even
for the food. The smoke and some of the heat from temperatures throughout the cooking process.
the fire flow into the smoke chamber and circulate When sourcing drums for your project, look for
around the food on their way to the chimney at one unlined, plain steel (not galvanized) drums that are
end of the smoke chamber. This design is ideal for new (preferably) or have not contained any toxic
providing lots of smoke while maintaining a target materials. Drums that are not unlined may contain
temperature between 225° and 275°F. that’s desired for a plastic coating on the interior that may emit toxic
most barbecue meats. fumes when the drum is heated. The drums shown
Most commercial double-barrel grills (also here are standard 30-gallon barrels, which measure
known as offset smokers) have a small barrel-shaped about 18 inches diameter and 27 inches long and
firebox located at one end of the smoke chamber, yield about 480 square inches of cooking surface in
but this style is difficult to build without a lot of the smoke chamber. You can also use 55-gallon drums
welding, including fabricating your own firebox. The with the same type of woodstove kit, if you prefer a
stacked-barrel design shown here is easier to build larger cooker.
because it simply uses two complete steel drums, Be sure to use tight head or closed head
and no welding is required. The design follows the drums; these have permanently attached
basic configuration of a traditional double-barrel (nonremovable) heads.
woodstove, and it uses a woodstove kit that includes
an iron door for the firebox and a flue assembly that WARNING: Remove all bungs (threaded plugs in the
creates the channel between the two barrels. drum heads) before drilling, cutting, or grinding any
This type of woodstove kit is widely available part of a drum. If the bungs are not removed, heated
from woodstove and fireplace suppliers and many air trapped inside the drum can cause the drum
online retailers. Kits often include metal feet for the to explode.
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DOUBLE-BARREL SMOKER
TOOLS & MATERIALS
30-gallon unlined steel barrels (2) 4" standard flue collar with crimp
Barrel stove kit (with door and flue parts) 4" flue pipe, 8" long (will be cut to size)
Duct tape 1¼"-diameter × 18" hardwood dowel
1 × 1 × 96" aluminum square tubing (2) 18 × 24" aluminum or galvanized expanded metal sheet
1 × 1 × 48" aluminum square tubing (1) 9 × 4½ × 2½" medium-duty firebricks (15)
1 × 1 × 96" aluminum angle (1) High-temperature stove paint rated for 1,200°F. (optional)
¼ × 2½" stainless-steel hex bolts Duct tape
with washers and nuts (14) Marker
¼ × 1½" stainless-steel bolts with washers and nuts (6) Drill-driver
¼ × 1" stainless-steel bolts with washers and nuts (12) 1
⁄8", ¼", and ½" drill bits
¼ × 4½" stainless-steel bolts with washers and nuts (2) Jigsaw and metal-cutting blades
Set of 4" wheels with solid-metal axle, washers, Bar clamps
and cap nuts
Strap clamps
1½ × 48" 26-gauge aluminum strips (2)
Ratchet wrench
1
⁄8 × ¼" stainless-steel pop rivets (22)
Small level
3
⁄8" sheetmetal screws (4)
Scrap lumber
½" self-drilling sheet metal screws (2)
Metal snips
¼ × ¾" stainless-steel bolts with washers and nuts (6)
Caulk gun
High-temperature silicone caulk
Grinder and abrasive disc
(rated for 600°F or above)
Pop rivet tool
3
⁄8 × 84" woodstove door gasket rope
Brickset chisel
Woodstove door gasket sealant
Maul
3" stainless-steel hinges (2)
Eye and ear protection
17"-wide grill grate (1 or 2)
Work gloves
4" galvanized round metal duct elbow
4 × 24" galvanized round metal duct with damper
NOTE: For a door kit for a barrel stove, see www.amazon.com/Vogelzang-BK100E-Barrel-Stove-Kit/dp/B0018JBFS8
CUTTING LIST
KEY PART DIMENSIONS PCS. MATERIAL
A Frame uprights—right side 1 × 1 × 42" 2 1" square aluminum tubing
B Frame uprights—left side 1 × 1 × 41" 2 1" square aluminum tubing
C Frame cross pieces 1 × 1 × Cut to fit 4 1" square aluminum tubing
D Frame angles 1 × 1 × 40½" 2 1 × 1" aluminum angle
E Shelf Cut to fit 1 Expanded metal sheet
F Handle 1¼ × 17" 1 1¼" hardwood dowel700678 - CSP - B&D Custom Grills & Smokers_int.indd 62 21/9/17 3:24 pm 700678 - CSP - B&D Custom Grills & Smokers_int.indd 62 21/9/17 2:44 pm Job:09-700678 Title: CSP - B&D Custom Grills & Smokers (Black Text) Dtp:225 Page:62
SIDE VIEW
Removable duct cap
Damper
4" galvanized duct
F
1½" aluminum strip
LID (cut from barrel)
D
4" galvanized elbow
1" aluminum square tubing
SMOKE CHAMBER
C Female flue collar
4" (approx.)
Flue pipe From kit
Male flue collar
B
34"
18" (approx.) (approx.)
Iron stove door (from kit)
FIREBOX
30-gallon steel barrel
C
C (behind wheel) 3"
28" (approx.) A
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FIREBOX–END VIEW FIREBOX–END VIEW
EXTERIOR CROSS-SECTION
SMOKE CHAMBER–END VIEW SMOKE CHAMBER–SIDE VIEW
CROSS-SECTION CROSS-SECTION
Chimney elbow
Chimney elbow
Grill grate
Grill grate
3" gap
for
Bolts for angle iron smoke
channel
G
G
Fire brick Flue pipe
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How to Build the Double-Barrel Smoker
Position the woodstove door from the stove kit over the end of
the lower barrel so it is centered side to side and as close as
possible to the top of the barrel. Mark the mounting bolt holes
onto the barrel with a marker.
1
2
Open the door and trace onto the barrel along the inside of
the door opening, as well as the vent opening, if there is a
separate vent area. Remove the door and enlarge the outline
as directed by the manufacturer—this is to accommodate the
flange around the opening.
WARNING: Remove all plugs covering the bung holes of the
barrel to prevent a buildup of pressure when drilling or
cutting the barrel in the next step.
Drill a ½" starter hole inside the corners
of the door opening outline. Cut out the
3 opening with a jigsaw and metal-cutting
blade, using the starter hole to initiate
the cut. Drill the holes for the door
mounting bolts with a ¼" bit. Cover
the edges of the door opening with
duct tape to protect yourself from the
sharp edges.
(continued)
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Support the barrel on both sides so the
door opening is level. Mark a reference
line on the top of the barrel to indicate 4
the exact top of the barrel. Position the
flue collar (from the stove kit) at the top
center of the barrel, near an end where
there is a smooth surface without ribs.
Mark the collar’s mounting bolt holes
onto the top of the barrel, then remove
the collar.
Remove the damper from the collar, then
trace inside the collar onto the surface
of the barrel. Drill a ½" starter hole and 5
cut out the flue opening with a jigsaw,
then drill the ¼" mounting bolt holes.
Now, measure, mark, and cut a flue
hole on the upper barrel to exactly align
with the collar on the lower barrel. Also
drill mounting bolt holes for the collar
on the upper barrel.
Cut the barrel frame uprights, cross
pieces, and angles to length, using a
jigsaw, and adjusting the dimensions 6
as needed to fit your barrels. The cross
pieces are equal to the barrel diameter
plus 2".
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Begin assembling the barrel frame using
the barrels to set the proper distance
7 between the uprights. The barrels
should fit snugly inside the completed
frame. Clamp the cross pieces to the
uprights, then drill a ¼" hole through
both pieces of tubing at each joint.
Secure each joint with a ¼ × 2½"
threaded bolt with a washer and nut.
Install the wheels by drilling a hole
through each left upright and inserting
8 an axle through the holes. Position
the holes so the barrel frame will be
level when the wheels are installed. Fit
the wheels onto the axle ends, using
washers as applicable, and secure each
wheel with a cotter pin, cap nut, or
other appropriate hardware.
Mount the flue collar to the upper barrel
using 1½" threaded bolts with washers
9 and nuts. The nuts go in the inside of
the barrel, so you will have to reach
through the flue opening to install them.
(continued)
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10 11
Set the lower barrel onto both frame assemblies and position it Lay the assembly on its side. Drill a ¼" hole through each
so the flue collar is pointing straight up and is level across the lower cross piece and into the bottom center of the barrel.
top. Strap clamps may help hold the pieces together as you Secure each joint with a 1½" bolt. Stand the assembly
do this. Make sure the uprights are parallel to the barrel ends, back upright.
then drill a ¼" hole through each upright and into the barrel
at its center. Secure the uprights to the barrel with 1½" bolts
with washers and nuts. Reach through the door opening to
install the washers and nuts inside the barrel.
12 13
Cut a piece of 4" flue pipe to extend through the flues. Slide Measure between the two flue collars to get a starting dimension
the flue pipe into the flue on the top of the lower barrel, for the flue pipe. Remove the upper barrel. Measure the depth
then carefully position the upper barrel onto the frame cross- that the flue pipe will extend into each flange and add both
piece so the flue slides over the flue pipe. Support the top measurements to the first dimension. Cut the flue pipe to the
barrel with scraps of lumber. total calculated length, using metal snips or a jigsaw.
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14 15
Fit the flue pipe onto the flue collar on the bottom barrel Outline the frame opening for the lid on the upper barrel using
and secure it in place with high-temperature silicone caulk. a straightedge. The bottom edge of the lid should be about 1"
Reposition the barrels in the frame, blocking the upper barrel above the uprights, and the sides of the lid should be about
in place with scrap wood. 4" in from the sides of the barrel. The top of the lid should run
along the exact top of the barrel.
16 17
Remove the upper barrel. Drill a ½" starter hole just inside Reposition the upper barrel on the frame, sliding the flue flange
the lid opening outline, then cut out the opening with a over the flue pipe and blocking the barrel in place with wood
jigsaw; the cut-out piece will become the smoke chamber lid. scraps. Make sure the upper barrel is level. Position the frame
Smooth the cut edges of the barrel and the lid with a grinder angles over the frame rights, then join the frame pieces to the
and abrasive disc. Cover the cut metal edges with duct tape upper barrel by drilling ¼" holes and securing each joint with
to protect them. a 2½" bolt, with a washer and nut on the inside of the barrel.
The threaded bolt end will protrude about 1" into the chamber
to serve as a support for the cooking grate(s). (continued)
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Seal the flue pipe joint inside the
upper barrel with high-temperature
silicone caulk. 18
Add two more bolts on each side of the
barrel, running through the angle and
into the barrel interior. Position these so 19
they will support the inside ends of the
cooking grate.
Begin adding 1½"-wide strips of sheet
aluminum along all four edges of the
smoke chamber lid. Complete the long 20
edges first, bending the strips to fit
snugly over the barrel ridges; shape
them by laying them over a barrel ridge
and hammering. The strips should
overhang the lid edges by ¾". Leave the
strips a little long for now; you will trim
them to fit as you install them.
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22
21
Install each lid strip by trimming it to length with metal snips, Apply woodstove door gasket rope along the edges of the lid
clamping it in place on the lid, and drilling a 1⁄8" hole every opening, as directed by the manufacturer, using a high-
3" to 4" for a pop rivet. The top and bottom strips should temperature gasket sealant. Let the sealant cure as directed.
overhang the sides of the lid by 1½". Apply high-temperature
silicone caulk along the edge of the lid, place the strip onto the
caulk, and secure the strip with pop rivets, using a rivet tool.
Install the lid with two stainless-steel
hinges and ¼ × 1" bolts with washers
23 and nuts.
NOTE: Depending on the hinge design,
you may need to add sheetmetal
shims under the barrel half of the
hinge to prevent the lid from binding.
We used metal washers as shims.
(continued)
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Cut the handle to length from 1¼"
dowel. Drill a ¼" hole about 3" to 4"
from each end, making sure the holes 24
are perfectly aligned with each other.
Drill matching holes in the lid and install
the handle with ¼ × 4½" bolts with
washers and nuts. Include a washer
and nut on both sides of the lid, and on
the backside of the handle to create the
offset space between the handle and
lid. The dowel should stand away from
the lid 2¼" to 2½".
Position the grill grate on the bolts
inside the top barrel and measure
its position on the end of the barrel. 25
Transfer this measurement to the
outside of the barrel. Position a 4"
crimp collar so its bottom edge is 4"
above the grill mark. Trace around
the crimp collar to mark the chimney
hole. Drill a starter hole and cut out the
chimney hole with a jigsaw.
Insert the crimp collar into the chimney
hole and bend the flanges down flush
against the end of the barrel. Drill pilot 26
holes and secure the crimp collar with
sheetmetal screws driven through
the outside of the barrel and into the
collar flanges. Apply a bead of high-
temperature silicone around the outside
of the collar to seal it to the barrel. Let
the caulk cure as directed.
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Install a 4" elbow
and 4 × 24"
round duct with
damper to the
crimp collar and
secure the joints
with sheetmetal
screws. Add a
removable cap to
the chimney to
keep out rain.
28
27 Install the remaining crosspiece between the ends of the
frame angles, using ½" self-tapping sheetmetal screws. Cut
the expanded metal shelf to size with a jigsaw. It should fit
against the undersides of the top (horizontal) flanges of the
angles and touch the upper barrel and the crosspiece. Drill
¼" holes and attach the shelf to the angles with ¼ × ¾" bolts
with washers and nuts.
29 30
Line the bottoms of both barrels with firebrick, starting with a row Remove the duct tape around the firebox door opening and
in the center and adding a row on each side. The upper barrel mount the stove door with the provided bolts. Paint the entire
can hold six bricks, starting at the right side of the flue pipe. smoker (or any parts), if desired, with high-temperature
The lower barrel holds nine bricks, but three of them may have stove paint.
to be trimmed to length, using a brickset chisel and a maul.
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Brick Pizza Oven
I f you truly want the best pizza in town, make it
at home in your own wood-fired oven. This is not
an exaggeration. Most pizza restaurants use electric
fire. Before using the oven for cooking, you must heat-
cure it by burning progressively hotter fires over a period
of five days. This prevents cracking of the masonry
ovens, which takes them completely out of the when using the oven at high cooking temperatures.
running. Pizzerias with wood-fired or even coal-fired The floor and dome of the oven must be built over
ovens may be good, but they can’t make their pizza a structural base of masonry or other noncombustible
exactly the way you like, and they can’t use your own material. The base structure shown here consists of
selected ingredients, such as fresh basil and tomatoes concrete block walls topped with 2-inch-thick concrete
from your garden or the bufala mozzarella from your pavers. The block walls need a solid foundation that
favorite Italian deli. You really can’t beat homemade resists ground movement. The ideal foundation is an
pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven, and you can’t existing concrete slab, such as a concrete patio. If you
begin to get the same flavors in your regular oven. must build a new foundation, consult the local building
A pizza oven isn’t just the preferred cooker for department to learn about structural requirements for
pizza—it’s also the ultimate centerpiece for outdoor your project. For the horizontal structure on top of the
entertaining. And it cooks a lot more than pizza. If walls, it’s easiest to use a reinforced precast concrete
you want to spellbind your guests with meat instead, slab from a local supplier. If this is difficult to find or
grill a bistecca fiorentina on a grate right over the prohibitively expensive, constructing the horizontal
coals, or char some red peppers next to the fire. The top slab from separate pavers works well.
even heat radiated from the brick on all sides makes Constructing the oven requires some basic
the oven great for baking too. masonry techniques, including cutting brick and
The brick oven in this project is based on a block, mixing and applying mortar, and finishing
traditional barrel-dome design and is the easiest type mortar joints. You can learn about these on pages
of oven to build. The brick is a high-temperature 79, 83, and 104–111. Because masonry materials
firebrick that is commonly available at home centers vary in size, the dimensions of any part of your
and masonry suppliers. Be sure to use medium-duty oven may differ from those given here, and you may
firebrick and refractory mortar, as standard types of need to modify your brick form based on the actual
brick and mortar can’t handle the heat of the cooking dimensions of your firebrick.
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BRICK PIZZA OVEN
TOOLS & MATERIALS
2 × 4 lumber for template Type S mortar
Framing square One-coat stucco or surface-bonding cement mix
Mortar mixing tub Eye and ear protection
Bricklayer’s trowel Work gloves
4' level 2" × 24" concrete paver slabs (4)
Rubber mallet 1½" × 16" steel angle iron (2)
Jointing tool ¾" × 4 × 8' plywood
Square-end trowel 1
⁄8" × 4 × 8' hardboard
Circular saw with wood blades and masonry blade 1½" coarse-thread drywall screws
Jigsaw Duct tape
Wooden yardstick or straight board to use as trammel 9 × 4½ × 2½" medium-duty firebricks (150)
Finish nail Refractory mortar
Drill-driver and drill bits 3" galvanized chimney flue with cap (I.D.)
Brickset chisel
Maul
Stiff-bristle brush CUTTING LIST
Infrared thermometer KEY PART DIMENSIONS PCS. MATERIAL
Standard concrete blocks, 8 × 8 × 16" (15) A Form base ¾ × 28¼ × 38" 1 ¾" plywood
Combination corner concrete blocks, 8 × 8 × 16" (15) B Form rib ¾ × 28¼ × 133⁄8" 3 ¾" plywood
Half-block concrete blocks, 8 × 8 × 8" (5) C Form top 1
⁄8 × 38 × 89½" 1 1
⁄8" hardboard
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BRICK PIZZA OVEN
2 × 42 × 42" precast concrete slab
2"
One-coat
stucco
Surface-
40" bonding
cement
(all exposed
surfaces)
Wood
storage
40"
37½"
FRONT VIEW PIZZA OVEN–OPTIONAL BASE
C
14¼" B 133⁄8"
A
38"
28½"
REAR VIEW BRICK FORM
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How to Build the Optional Base
Set the 40" square base for your pizza
oven. If you are building your oven
on an existing slab, this is simply a 1
matter of outlining the foundation on
the slab. But in our example, the oven
was being built in the yard. We built a
gravel-lined trench according to local
building code specifications. Always
check with your local building code
office for recommendations on what type
of foundation is required. Build a 2 × 4
guide form to help establish the first
course of block, and measure diagonals
to make sure the template is square.
If the measurements are equal, the
outline is square. If not, make small
adjustments to square up the template.
Set the first course of concrete block in
Type S mortar, following the techniques
on pages 104–105. Start one of the 2
side walls with a half block at the front
of the base. Complete the course down
the first wall, across the rear wall, and
up the other side wall, finishing with a
corner block. Check the blocks in the
first course with a 4' level. All of the
blocks should be level with one another
in all directions. Use a rubber mallet to
tap the blocks to align them. Making
the first row level helps ensure that
subsequent courses will be level. Once
the first course has set, you can remove
the guide form.
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3 4
Set the next courses of block, starting with a corner block Finish the interior and exterior sides of the block walls with
at the front of the first wall to create a running bond brick one-coat stucco or surface bonding cement, using a square-
pattern in which the vertical seams are offset. Tool the mortar end trowel and following the manufacturer’s directions. Let
joints with a jointing tool as you go. Repeat the process to the stucco cure as directed.
complete the three remaining courses, for a total of five. Tool
the joints after every two rows are laid. Let the mortar cure as
directed by the manufacturer before moving on to the next
step. This will require at least an overnight curing period.
You will install 16" angle irons across
the top row of the foundation to
5 support the front of the concrete pavers
and the joint between the first and
second row of pavers. Use a circular
saw with masonry bit to cut a kerf into
the top of the blocks to fit the vertical
flange on the angle irons. Set the angle
irons in place, then apply a ½"-thick
layer of mortar to the tops of the base
walls. Set the concrete pavers onto the
mortar, and make sure they are level
from side to side and front to back.
Tool the mortar beneath the edges of
the pavers and allow to cure fully—at
least overnight.
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How to Build the Brick Pizza Oven
Cut the base of the brick form to size
from ¾" plywood, using a circular saw.
Cut the arching base top to size from
1
⁄8" hardboard.
1
Draw a semicircle for one of the base
ribs using a homemade trammel. Make
the trammel by drilling a small hole for
a finish nail about 1" from the end of
a wooden yardstick or a thin, straight
board. Drill another hole 133⁄8" away
from the first hole. Drive a finish nail
through the first hole and into the ¾"
plywood, very close to one of the factory
(uncut) edges of the panel. Position a
pencil in the other hole of the trammel
and rotate the trammel to draw the
semicircle on the plywood.
2
Cut out the first rib with a jigsaw. Using
the first rib as a template, trace the
outlines for two more ribs, then cut
them out. Mark three layout lines for the
ribs onto both faces of the plywood form
base. Locate the two outside lines 3"
from each end of the base, and center
the third rib in the middle of the base,
using a framing square to mark the
lines. Center each rib over a line and
fasten it to the base with 1½" drywall
screws driven through the base and into
the edge grain of the rib.
3
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Attach the hardboard form top by
fastening it to the side edge of the
4 plywood base, using 1½" drywall screws
driven every 4" to 5". The smooth side
of the hardboard should face out. Bend
the hardboard over the ribs, screwing it
down to the ribs as you go. Fasten the
hardboard along the other base side, as
with the first side.
Begin building the oven by centering
the brick form on top of the concrete
5 pavers. Lay a 3⁄8"-thick bed of refractory
mortar and set the first course of
firebrick along the base of the form,
following the techniques on pages
104–105. In our design, it was possible
to use full bricks all the way around
the form; however, if your bricks are a
slightly different size, you may need to
cut some of the bricks. If so, it’s best to
do this on the back corners, where they
will be less visible. Let the mortar cure
overnight, then remove the brick form.
(continued)
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Dry-lay the firebricks
for the oven floor,
following the 6
herringbone pattern
shown on page 76,
or using a different
diagonal pattern, if
you desire. Cut the
bricks to fit along
the edges (see page
110), using a circular
saw with masonry
blade to score the
bricks, then breaking
them with a brickset
chisel and hammer.
Fill in the entire floor,
then remove the
bricks one at a time
and set them aside in
the same pattern.
Cover the floor area
with an even,
3
⁄8"-thick layer of 7
refractory mortar. Set
the floor bricks into
the mortar in your
established pattern.
Do not apply mortar
between the bricks.
Use the 4' level to
ensure all the floor
bricks are level with
one another and with
the perimeter bricks.
The floor area must
be level and smooth,
with no raised edges
between bricks. Let
the mortar cure, at
least overnight.
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Place the brick form on top of the oven
floor so it is centered side to side
8 and front to back. Begin building the
oven dome by setting one course of
firebrick along the two sides of the
oven, staggering the mortar joints with
the courses below in an offset, running
bond pattern. At the ends of rows, you
will need to cut bricks to size with a
circular saw and masonry blade. Check
your work with a level as you go.
9
Complete five more courses on each side of the dome, following the same running bond pattern. Because half blocks are not
supported by the interior form, you will need to cut small braces to hold the half blocks in place as the dome gets higher.
Because of the arching pattern, the joints between bricks will be much wider on the outside of the bricks, while on the inside,
the joints will nearly touch. Gradually, you will arch over the top of the form, meeting in the center. As you near the top of the
arch, test-fit bricks periodically to ensure that you will meet in the center with full bricks. If you need to begin adjusting the
thickness of the mortar lines to ensure a uniform fit, now is the time to do it. (continued)
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10 11
Lay the brick for the last two courses to complete the dome. Install the metal chimney flue so it is centered over the hole
Start with a half brick at the front, then leave a 3½" space in the dome and perfectly plumb. Pack refractory mortar
before resuming the running bond pattern for the remainder around the chimney to hold it in place. Let the mortar for the
of both courses. The space is an opening for the chimney. chimney and dome cure for two days or as directed by the
mortar manufacturer.
Remove the brick form. This may require
prying and cutting away pieces of the
form in order to extract it. Begin by 12
knocking loose the ribs, then pry away
the hardboard arch. Finish by prying
out the base of the form. Now, enclose
the rear of the oven with courses of
firebrick. You will need to cut some
small angled pieces of brick at the
edges. Let the mortar cure for two days.
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Clean the entire oven inside and out
with water and a stiff-bristle brush
13 to remove all loose mortar and other
debris. If mortar is resisting removal
use a diluted muriatic acid solution,
following the manufacturer’s directions.
Let the mortar cure for seven days.
The oven does not need to stay dry for
this period.
Heat-cure the oven by burning gradually
larger fires on the center of the oven
14 floor for a period of five days following
the schedule shown below. Monitor
the temperature during each firing
using an infrared thermometer. Aim the
thermometer at the center of the dome
interior, directly above the fire.
FIRING SCHEDULE
Burn the fire for at least 6 hours each day, maintaining the correct DAYS TARGET TEMPERATURE
temperature for that day, as shown in this schedule. Use only hardwood 1 300°
firewood, not sappy wood (such as pine) or charcoal briquettes. Keep the
2 350°
fires small, just large enough to maintain the target temperature. The flames
3 400°
should not reach the oven dome. Do not exceed the target temperature. After
4 450°
five days of firing, you can begin burning fires hot enough to cook pizza,
approximately 700° to 800° as measured on the oven floor. 5 500°
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GRILLING &
OUTDOOR COOKING
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Build & Cook Like a
Professional Pit Master
T he most popular form of outdoor cooking across the country remains
plain old grilling. That’s because it’s both easy and quick. Follow a few
basic rules and you can grill anything to perfection. Of course, you’ll need
the right equipment, and that’s where this section comes in.
Crafting a grill can be a big undertaking or a simple Saturday project,
depending on the size you need and how permanent you want the grill
to be. You can recycle a steel barrel into a wonderfully long-lasting unit
with just a few tools and some metalworking instructions (page 151).
Or build a showpiece for your backyard patio out of bricks and mortar
(pages 102–07), keeping in mind that it won’t be movable once you’re
done, so plan carefully.
Big or small, metal or mortar, a backyard grill is ideally paired with
surfaces, storage and other accessories that can make grilling meals
easier, quicker, and more enjoyable. For instance, a Pitmaster’s Locker
like the one on page 126 is perfect for holding bagged charcoal, small
tools, and other grilling essentials. It gives you a place to keep your
grilling tools and equipment safe from critters and the elements, and
generally keeps your grilling area organized and tidy.
Put together the Patio Prep Cart on page 120 and you’ll have plenty
of room to spread out, with a place for every dish you cook and every
ingredient you need. Because one thing most grillers quickly learn: you
never have enough prep room. There’s always some plate of food, or
cutting board full of meat that just doesn’t fit anywhere nearby.
Take the idea of extra storage and prep space to its logical extreme
and you will start thinking about creating a true outdoor kitchen. The
kind of structures outlined on pages 112–119 are best if you live in a
warm climate and tend to spend close to half the year entertaining,
eating or just relaxing outside.
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TOOLS & MATERIALS
Wheelbarrow Plate vibrator
Landscape paint Metal fireplace liner
Fire Pit Rotisserie String and stakes Compactible gravel
Spades Top-dressing rock
Metal pipe or gravel
T his project can be very easy if you already have a Landscape edging Wall stones
fire pit—a matter of simply adding a purchased Level Eye and ear protection
add-on rotisserie spit to an existing fire pit that you Work gloves
Garden rake
have in your yard. But we’ve also included complete
instructions for building a great fire pit and safety pad
from scratch. You can adapt this project to whatever
circumstances are found in your yard. retaining wall blocks are among other materials that
Rotisserie spits are available in many styles, from could be used to build the surrounding walls.
hand-cranked units to those with solar-powered Make sure to check with your local code for
motors to turn the spit. And they come in several stipulations on the allowable size and location of your
different sizes, some appropriate to slow-cooking fire pit. For example, most municipalities have rules
whole chickens or turkeys, others large enough to regarding how far a fire pit must be set back from
handle small goats or pigs. For most backyard fire pits, fences or wooden structures in order to remain safe.
though, a 48- or 52-inch spit that just spans the fire pit Some localities may not allow outdoor burning at all.
itself is the best choice. The rotisserie spit kit we’ve chosen is typical
A fire pit with rotisserie can become a focal point for installation. This one happens to use a battery-
and gathering spot for backyard entertaining and operated motor for wireless convenience, but corded
dining. The fire pit features here is constructed around electric units and solar-powered units install in much
a 36-inch corrugated metal liner, but you could also the same way across all manufacturers. The upright
build it with a commercially available fire pit bowl or support poles can be left in place permanently, or they
other enclosure available on any home center. We have can be removed after each use. But the horizontal spit
surrounded the fire pit liner with cut limestone slabs, and motor unit should be removed and stored away
but this is just one option. Clay bricks, fire bricks, and after each use to extend its life.
Some pointers to consider when using
your fire pit: 1) Make sure there are
no bans in effect; 2) Evaluate wind
conditions and avoid building a fire if
winds are heavy and/or blowing toward
your home; 3) Keep shovels, sand,
water, and a fire extinguisher nearby;
4) Extinguish fire with water and never
leave the fire pit unattended.
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CROSS SECTION: FIRE PIT
Wall blocks Liner
(ashlar or interlocking) (culvert pipe)
Nonflammable
ground cover
2"
2"
4"
Compacted gravel
PLAN VIEW: FIRE PIT
Edging material contains
top dressing and assists
when mowing.
36"
Top-dressing
ground cover
(trap rock)
20'
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How to Build the Fire Pit
10 ft. radius
1 2 3
Outline the location for your fire pit Remove a 4"-deep layer of sod and Dig a 4"-deep trench for the perimeter
and the fire pit safety area by drawing dirt in the fire pit and safety areas stones that will ring the liner pit.
concentric circles with landscape paint, (the depth of excavation depends on
using a string and pole for guidance. what materials you’re installing in the
safety zone).
4 5
Fill the trench for the perimeter stones with compactible gravel Place your metal fire ring so it is level on the gravel layer and
and tamp thoroughly. Then scatter gravel to within 2½" of the centered around the center pipe.
paver edging throughout the project area. It is not necessary
to tamp this layer at this time.
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6 7
Arrange the first course of wall blocks around the fire ring. Install the second course of wall block, taking care to evenly
Keep gaps even and check with a level, adding or removing stagger the vertical joints on the first and second courses.
gravel as needed. Add the remaining courses to the desired height.
8 9
Compact the gravel in the seating/safety area using a rental Place and compact a later of top-dressing rock in the seating/
plate vibrator. safety area to complete the fire pit.
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How to Add the Rotisserie to the Fire Pit
1 2
Choose a location for the two upright support posts. The span Insert the motor head bracket onto the larger-diameter support
between the posts depends on the kit you buy, but typically you post. The head should be installed so the thumb latch on top
would seek to place the uprights as close to the inside edges of of the motor head bracket faces upward. To adjust the height
the fire pit as you can. These posts will get very hot, and it’s a up or down, squeeze the thumb latch, slide the bracket to the
good ideal to keep them inside within the boundaries of the fire desired height, and release the thumb latch to fix the motor
pit. With a mallet, drive the blunt ends of the posts down into in place.
the ground, taking care to keep them perfectly plumb.
3
To install the motor, locate the motor support slots located on the
outside of the motor support bracket. Insert the bottom of the
motor mounting tabs into the top of the slots and push the motor
down into position. Take care not to install the motor upside down.
Begin assembly of the handle unit by sliding the outboard support
clamp onto the smaller support post so the U-shaped cutout
faces upward. Adjusting height is done by squeezing the tabs on 4
the clap and sliding the clamp up or down on the support post.
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5 6
Slide the thumbscrew bushing onto the threaded end of the spit Place the looped end of the counterbalance over the threads
rod rust past the threads. Screw down the thumbscrew tightly. on the spit rod and against the lock nut on the bushing.
7 8
Thread the handle onto the spit rod. Even weight distribution is critical in rotisserie cooking, and here is where the
Insert the spit rod into the motor counterbalance comes in. Once a food item is secured in the prongs on the spit
assembly on the opposite post. Tighten rod, find the heaviest side of the food, then manually turn the rod until this heaviest
the bushing thumbscrew down to lock portion is facing up. Allow the counterweight to point straight downward, and secure
it in place. the handle to hold it in place. This will allow the spit to be relatively balanced so the
motor can function smoothly. As the food item cooks and shrinks, you can expect to
readjust the counterweight several times.
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Barrel Grill
A barrel grill isn’t just a funky adaptation of a
common material; barrels actually make darned
good grills. They’re big, they’re durable, and they’re
TOOLS & MATERIALS
55-gallon unlined steel barrel (1)
just the right shape for naturally circulating heat
around the food. Barrel grills are suitable for charcoal 3" stainless-steel hinges (2)
fires and even wood fires with decent-size logs. As 3
⁄16 × ½" stainless-steel flathead stove bolts
for cooking area, a 55-gallon barrel yields about with washers and nuts (12)
750 square inches of cooking surface. You’d be hard- ¼ × 2½" stainless-steel flathead stove bolts
pressed to find a commercial charcoal grill with that with washers and nuts (2)
kind of capacity.
1"-diameter stainless-steel fender washers
As a popular conversion project, barrel grills have
(with ¼" hole) (2)
inspired a lot of custom designs, with various stands,
barrel configurations, and construction techniques. ¼ × 1½" stainless-steel flathead stove bolts (12) with
Some require welding, some use parts from more than washers (24) and nuts (12);
one barrel, and some include a chimney or other extra add ¼ × 1½" stainless-steel flathead
features. The version shown here is adapted from some stove bolts (4), washers (8), and nuts (4)
of the simplest design ideas out there and may be the (optional; for warming shelf)
easiest barrel grill to build (or one of the easiest). It’s a ¼ × 3" stainless-steel flathead stove bolts (2)
single-barrel, no-weld design that uses only three main with washers and nuts (6)
parts: a 55-gallon barrel, two sticks of angle iron, and a 1 × 1 × 96" aluminum angle pieces (2)
sheet of expanded metal, plus a handful of bolts.
Building this grill works best when you cut the 2 × 4' aluminum or plain steel expanded metal sheet
barrel with a grinder and a cutoff disc. This allows you or repurposed grill grates (1)
to keep the steel rims along the heads of the barrel 1¼"-diameter × 6" to 8" hardwood dowel
intact so they can serve as stops for the side edges of 1"-diameter disc magnets (6) (optional)
the lid. Alternatively, you can use a jigsaw to make the
Eye protection
cuts (cutting just inside the rim) and add bolts to stop
the lid in the closed position. Heavy-duty work gloves
Use a tight head, or closed head, barrel (with Framing square
permanently attached heads) made of plain carbon Marker
steel or stainless steel. Do not use a galvanized barrel,
Straightedge
as the galvanized coating burns at high heat, releasing
toxic fumes. Also make sure the barrel is unlined. Drill-driver
Some barrels have a plastic lining or coating on the 3
⁄16", ¼", and ¾" drill bits or step bit
interior that releases toxic fumes when burned. Grinder with metal-cutting and abrasive grinding discs
Flat pry bar
WARNING: Remove all bungs (threaded plugs in
the barrel heads) before drilling, cutting, or grinding Adjustable wrench or socket wrench
any part of a barrel. If the bungs are not removed, Eye and ear protection
heated air trapped inside the barrel can cause the Work gloves
barrel to explode.
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How to Build the Barrel Grill
Draw perpendicular reference lines on
one end of the barrel: Use a framing
square and a marker to draw a straight
line across the barrel end at its widest
point, drawing the line through the
center of the circle. Measure the
length of the line and mark its center.
Place the square on the line at the
center mark and draw a second line
perpendicular to the first line.
1
Transfer the reference lines to the
other end of the barrel by placing the
square over the end of the barrel and
continuing one of the reference lines
along the side of the barrel; this line
will also serve as the cutting line for
the bottom edge of the lid. Draw two
perpendicular reference lines on the
other end of the barrel, matching the
first barrel end.
2
Draw the cutting line for the top of the
lid by making at mark at both ends of
the barrel, 1" from the reference line
adjacent to the bottom lid cutting line.
The lid is 1" larger than ¼ of the barrel’s
circumference. Use a straightedge or
the framing square to draw the top lid
cutting line between the marks.
3
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Mark the screw holes for the lid hinges
by placing each hinge so it is centered
over the top lid cutting line and tracing
inside the hinge’s screw holes. drill a
3
⁄16" hole through the side of the barrel
at each mark.
WARNING: Remove all plugs covering
the bung holes of the barrel to prevent
a dangerous buildup of pressure when
drilling or cutting into any part of the
barrel. Wear safety goggles and work
gloves when drilling and cutting metal.
4
Cut out the lid using a grinder with a
metal-cutting disc. When cutting the
ends of the lid (along the rim of the
barrel head), work carefully so that you
cut through only the outer wall of the
barrel, leaving the steel rim under
the wall intact. After making the cuts,
separate the lid from the rims with a
small flat pry bar. Smooth all of the cut
edges on the barrel and the lid with the
grinder and an abrasive disc.
5
Prepare the grill legs by marking the
center of two 8'-long pieces of 1"
aluminum angle. cut through one
flange of the angle at the mark, leaving
the other flange intact. Bend the
angle—opening up the cut—so the two
legs form a 40° angle.
6
(continued)
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Fasten a leg pair to each end of
the barrel. At the top of the legs,
drill a ¼" hole through the barrel 7
end and secure the legs with a
¼ × 2½" bolt, with a 1" fender
washer on the outside of the legs
and a standard washer and nut
on the inside of the barrel. Fasten
each leg near the lower edge of the
barrel by drilling through the leg
flange and the barrel and securing
the leg with a ¼ × 1½" bolt, with
washers and nuts (nuts go on the
inside of the barrel). Tighten all
nuts with an adjustable wrench or
ratchet wrench.
Add the support bolts on each end
of the barrel for the grates and
optional warming shelf, as shown 8
on page 97. Drill ¼" holes and
install a ¼ × 1½" bolt with washers
and a nut (on barrel interior) in
each hole, as follows: two holes
for the cooking grate 1" below the
horizontal reference line; two holes
for the coal grate, 5" to 6" below the
cooking grate level; two holes for
the optional warming shelf, about
5¼" above the cooking grate level.
Also drill three ¾" ventilation holes,
evenly spaced, about 2" below the
coal grate location.
NOTE: If your cooking or coal grate
happens to fit the barrel at a
different location, simply modify
the bolt locations as needed so you
don’t have to cut down the grate
to fit.
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Cut the cooking grate, coal grate, and
warming shelf grate (as applicable)
to fit, using the grinder or a jigsaw.
Remove any sharp edges with
the grinder and abrasive disc. Set the
grates onto the support bolts in the grill.
9
Install the lid with the hinges and
3
⁄16 × ½" bolts, with a washer and nut on
the barrel interior. Create a handle with
a 6" to 8" length of hardwood dowel
and two ¼" × 3" stove bolts. Include
a washer and nut on the inside of the
handle and on both sides of the lid.
TIP: Use 1"-diameter magnets to cover
the ventilation holes in the barrel
ends. The magnets get hot when the
fire’s going, so be sure to move them
with tongs or heatproof grill gloves.
10
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Brick Barbecue Grill
T he barbecue design shown here is constructed
with double walls—an inner wall made of heat-
resistant fire brick set on edge surrounding the
Refractory mortar is recommended for use in areas of
direct fire contact. It is heat resistant and the joints will
last a long time without cracking. Ask a local brickyard
cooking area, and an outer wall made of engineer to recommend a refractory mortar for outdoor use.
brick. We chose this brick because its larger The foundation combines a 12-inch-deep footing
dimensions mean you’ll have fewer bricks to lay. supporting a reinforced slab. This structure, known
You’ll need to adjust the design if you select another as a floating footing, is designed to shift as a unit
brick size. A 4-inch air space between the walls helps when temperature changes cause the ground to
insulate the cooking area. The walls are capped with shift. Ask a building inspector about local Building
thin pieces of cut stone. Code specifications.
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TOOLS & MATERIALS
Tape measure Wood float #4 rebar Engineer brick
Hammer Chalk line 16-gauge tie wire (4 × 2 × 12")
Brickset chisel Level Bolsters Brick sealer
Mason’s string Wheelbarrow Fire brick (4½ × 2½ × 9") Stainless-steel
expanded mesh
Shovel Mason's trowel Engineer brick
(23¾ × 30")
Aviation snips Jointing tool (4 × 31⁄5 × 8")
Cooking grills
Reciprocating saw Garden stakes Type N or Type S mortar
(235⁄8 × 15½")
or hacksaw 2 × 4 lumber
3
⁄8"-dia. dowel
Ash pan
Masonry hoe 18-gauge galvanized Metal ties
Concrete mix
Shovel metal mesh 4" tee plates
MORTAR DATA
Type N Mortar: non-structural mortar for veneer applications, reaches 750 psi @ 28 days
Type S Mortar: Structural mortar for veneer structural applications, exceeds 1,800 psi @ 28 days
POURING A FLOATING FOOTING
lay out a 4 × 5' area. dig a continuous trench 12" wide × 10" deep along the perimeter of the area, leaving a rectangular
mound in the center. remove 4" of soil from the top of the mound, and round over the edges. Set a 2 × 4 form around
the site so that the top is 2" above the ground along the back and 1½" above the ground along the front. this slope will
help shed water. reinforce the footing with five 52"-long pieces of rebar. use a mason’s string and a line level to ensure
that the forms are level from side to side. Set the rebar on the bolster 4" from the front and rear sides of the trench,
centered from side to side. Space the remaining three bars evenly in between. coat the forms with vegetable oil or release
agent, and pour the concrete.
Garden stake
Mason’s string Form
Ground level
6"
#4 rebar
10"
6" 12"
5'
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How to Build the Brick Barbecue
After the footing has cured for one week,
use a chalk line to mark the layout
for the inner edge of the fire brick 1
wall. Make a line 4" in from the front
edge of the footing and a center line
perpendicular to the first line. Make a
24 × 32" rectangle that starts at the 4"
line and is centered on the center line.
Dry-lay the first course of fire brick
around the outside of the rectangle,
allowing for 1⁄8"-thick mortar joints. 2
NOTE: Proper placement of the inner
walls is necessary so they can support
the grills. Start with a full brick at the
4" line to start the right and left walls.
Complete the course with a cut brick
in the middle of the short wall.
Dry-lay the outer wall, as shown here,
using 4 × 31⁄5 × 8" nominal engineer
brick. Gap the bricks for 3⁄8" mortar 3
joints. The rear wall should come within
3
⁄8" of the last fire brick in the left inner
wall. Complete the left wall with a cut
brick in the middle of the wall. Mark
reference lines for this outer wall.
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Make a story pole. On one side, mark
8 courses of fire brick, leaving a 3⁄8"
4 gap for the bottom mortar joint and 1⁄8"
gaps for the remaining joints. The top
of the final course should be 36" from
the bottom edge. Transfer the top line
to the other side of the pole. Lay out 11
courses of engineer brick, spacing them
evenly so that the final course is flush
with the 36" line. Each horizontal mortar
joint will be slightly less than ½" thick.
Lay a bed of mortar for a 3⁄8" joint along
the reference lines for the inner wall,
5 then lay the first course of fire brick,
using 1⁄8" joints between the bricks.
Lay the first course of the outer wall,
using Type N or Type S mortar. Use
6 oiled 3⁄8" dowels to create weep holes
behind the front bricks of the left and
right walls. Alternate laying the inner
and outer walls, checking your work
with the story pole and a level after
every course.
(continued)
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Start the second course of the outer wall
using a half-brick butted against each
side of the inner wall, then complete the 7
course. Because there is a half-brick
in the right outer wall, you need to use
two three-quarter bricks in the second
course to stagger the joints.
Place metal ties between the corners
of the inner and outer walls, at the
second, third, fifth, and seventh 8
courses. Use ties at the front junctions
and along the rear walls. Mortar the
joint where the left inner wall meets the
rear outer wall.
Smooth the mortar joints with a jointing
tool when the mortar has hardened
enough to resist minimal finger 9
pressure. Check the joints in both walls
after every few courses. The different
mortars may need smoothing at
different times.
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Add tee plates for grill supports above
the fifth, sixth, and seventh courses.
10 Use 4"-wide plates with flanges that are
no more than 3⁄32" thick. Position the
plates along the side fire brick walls,
centered 3", 12", 18", and 27" from the
rear fire brick wall.
When both walls are complete, install
the capstones. Lay a bed of Type N or
11 Type S mortar for a 3⁄8"-thick joint on
top of the inner and outer walls. Lay the
capstone flat across the walls, keeping
one end flush with the inner face of
the fire brick. Make sure the bricks are
level, and tool the joints when they are
ready. After a week, seal the capstones
and the joints between them with brick
sealer and install the grills.
TIPS FOR WORKING WITH MORTAR
Remove wet mortar from joints in natural stone walls using Blend liquid stucco and mortar pigment with the mixing
a jointer or even piece of wood. By raking out ½" or so water before adding to the dry mortar mix. Add the
of mortar you will create a wall with subtle shadow lines same amount of color and water to each batch for
between stones instead of tooled mortar, which can look a color consistency.
bit out of place with irregular stone.
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Working with Mortar
Working with brick and block is a satisfying process: trends. Choose a color and style that complements
with each unit that is added, the project grows and the style of your home and yard as well as the
its appearance improves. Whether you’re building region in which you live. Colors and styles are often
a block retaining wall, a brick barbeque, or paving discontinued abruptly, so it’s a good idea to buy a few
a walk with mortared brick, you’re sure to enjoy the extra units to have on hand for repairs.
project as well as its results.
Brick and block provide a sense of balance as well
as color and texture to your home and landscape. TIP
Structures built with these materials are attractive,
durable, and low maintenance. Laying brick and block is a precise business. Many
Careful planning and a thoughtful design will help of the tools necessary for these projects relate to
you build a project that makes sense for your home, establishing and maintaining true, square, and
level structures, while others relate to cutting the
your yard, and your budget. Projects are simpler to
masonry units and placing the mortar. It makes
build if you create a design that limits the number of
sense to purchase tools you’ll use again, but it’s
masonry units that must be cut. more cost effective to rent specialty items, such as a
Brick and decorative block colors, styles, and brick splitter.
textures vary widely by region, reflecting regional
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Tools for Brick & Block Projects
A C D
B
G
F
E
H
I
J
M L
W
V
K
N
O
U
P
X
T Y
S AA
Z
R
Q BB
Mason’s tools include a story pole (A) for checking stacked masonry units; masonry hoe (B) and mortar box (C) for mixing mortar;
a bucket (D) and stiff bristle brushes (E) for removing stains and loose materials; circular saw and masonry-cutting blades (F)
for scoring brick and block; level (G) for checking stacked masonry units; mortar hawk (H) for holding mortar; mortar bag (I) for
filling horizontal joints; rubber mallet (J) for setting paver stones; pointing trowel (K) for furrowing mortar; London trowel (L) for
applying mortar; brick tongs (M) for carrying multiple bricks; brick sets (N) for splitting brick, block, and stone; cold chisels (O)
for scoring masonry units; a tape measure and chalk line (P) for marking layout lines on footings or slabs; a framing square (Q)
for setting project outlines; 3⁄8" dowels (R) for spacers between dry-laid masonry units; mason’s string (S) and line blocks (T) for
stacking brick and block; a line level (U) for making layouts and setting slope; sled jointer (V) for finishing long joints; mason’s
hammer (W) for chipping brick and stone; tuck pointer (X); S-shaped jointer (Y); aviation snips (Z) for trimming metal ties and
lath; pipe clamps (AA) for aligning brick and block to be scored; caulk gun (BB) for sealing around fasteners and house trim.
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Tips for Cutting Bricks
How to Score & Cut Brick
1
Score all four sides of the brick first with a brickset chisel and OPTION: When you need to split a lot of bricks uniformly
maul when cuts fall over the web area, and not over the core. and quickly, use a circular saw fitted with a masonry blade
Tap the chisel to leave scored cutting marks 1⁄8 to ¼" deep, to score the bricks, then split them individually with a
then strike a firm final blow to the chisel to split the brick. chisel. For quick scoring, clamp them securely at each end
Properly scored bricks split cleanly with one firm blow. with a pipe or bar clamp, making sure the ends are aligned.
REMEMBER: Wear eye protection when using striking or
cutting tools.
How to Angle-Cut Brick
1 2
Pivot point
Cutting marks
Mark the final cutting line on the brick. To avoid ruining the Keep the chisel stationary at the point of the first cut, pivot it
brick, you will need to make gradual cuts until you reach this slightly, then score and cut again. It is important to keep the
line. Score a straight line for the first cut in the waste area of pivot point of the chisel at the edge of the brick. Repeat until
the brick about 1⁄8" from the starting point of the final cutting all of the waste area is removed.
line, perpendicular to the edge of the brick. Make the first cut.
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How to Cut Brick with a Brick Splitter
1 2
A brick splitter makes accurate, consistent cuts in bricks and Once the brick is in position on the splitter table, pull down
pavers with no scoring required. It is a good idea to rent one sharply on the handle. The cutting blade on the splitter
if your project requires many cuts. To use the brick splitter, will cleave the brick along the cutting line. For efficiency,
first mark a cutting line on the brick, then set the brick on the mark cutting lines on several bricks at the same time (see
table of the splitter, aligning the cutting line with the cutting page 110).
blade on the tool.
How to Cut Concrete Block
2
1 OPTION: Cut half blocks from
combination corner blocks. Corner
blocks have preformed cores in the
Mark cutting lines on both faces of the Use a mason’s chisel and maul to split center of the web. Score lightly above
block, then score 1⁄8 to ¼"-deep cuts one face of the block along the cutting the core, then rap with a mason’s
along the lines using a circular saw line. Turn the block over and split the chisel to break off half blocks.
equipped with a masonry blade. other face.
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TOOLS & MATERIALS
Chalk line
Pointed trowel
Outdoor Masonry Kitchen Masonry mixing tools
Level
Mason’s string
W ith its perfect blend of indoor convenience and alfresco
atmosphere, it’s easy to see why the outdoor kitchen is one of
today’s most popular home upgrades. In terms of design, outdoor
Circular saw with masonry blade
Utility knife
Straightedge
kitchens can take almost any form, but most are planned around the
essential elements of a built-in grill and convenient countertop surfaces Square-notched trowel
(preferably on both sides of the grill). Secure storage inside the cooking Metal snips
cabinet is another feature many outdoor cooks find indispensable. Wood float
The kitchen design in this project combines all three of these Steel finishing trowel
elements in a moderately sized cooking station that can fit a variety
of kitchen configurations. The structure is freestanding and self- Drill with masonry bit
supporting, so it can go almost anywhere—on top of a patio, right Concrete block
next to a house wall, out by the pool, or out in the yard to create Mortar mix or mason mix
a remote entertainment getaway. Adding a table and chairs or a Metal reinforcement (as required)
casual sitting area might be all you need to complete your kitchen
Steel angle iron
accommodations. But best of all, this kitchen is made almost entirely
of inexpensive masonry materials. ½" cementboard (two 8'-long sheets)
Concrete and masonry are ideally suited to outdoor kitchen 2 × 4 and 2 × 6 lumber
construction. It’s noncombustible, not damaged by water, and can 2½ and 3" deck screws
easily withstand decades of outdoor exposure. In fact, a little weathering Galvanized metal stucco lath
makes masonry look even better. In this project, the kitchen’s structural
Silicone caulk
cabinet is built with concrete block on top of a reinforced concrete slab.
The countertop is 2-inch-thick poured concrete that you cast in place Vegetable oil or other release agent
over two layers of cementboard ( for a small kitchen or a standalone Countertop concrete mix
island, you might prefer to build a mold-cast countertop). The block or Quikrete® 5000
sides of the cabinet provide plenty of support for the countertop, as well Base coat stucco
as a good surface for applying the stucco finish. You could also finish Finish coat stucco
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Construction Details
99" The basic structure of
this kitchen consists
of five courses of
standard 8" × 8" × 16"
concrete block. Two
Concrete countertop poured over
Grill mortared layers of ½"
2 layers of ½" cementboard
35" 32" cementboard serve as a
Grill and door placements base for the countertop.
vary by product 9" × 9" x 16" concrete block The 2"-thick poured
concrete layer of the
countertop extends 1½"
beyond the rough block
Door Double doors walls and covers the
cementboard edges. The
Plan view Stucco (approx ½" total thickness) two-coat stucco finish
can be tinted during the
1" mixing or painted after
it cures. Cabinet doors
Grill provide access to storage
1" space inside and to
overhang any utility connections
35" (beyond) for the grill. The
stucco) kitchen’s dimensions
Door Door
can easily be adjusted
to accommodate a
specific location, cooking
equipment, or doors and
additional amenities.
Front elevation Concrete slab (reinforced as required)
PLANNING A KITCHEN PROJECT
Whether you model your project after the one shown here or create your own
design, there are a few critical factors to address as part of your initial planning:
• Foundation Check with your local building department about foundation
requirements for your kitchen. Depending on the kitchen’s size and location,
you may be allowed to build on top of a standard 4"-thick reinforced concrete
patio slab, or you might need frost footings or a reinforced “floating footing”
similar to the one shown on page 102 (Brick Barbecue).
A grill gas line typically extends up
• Grill & Door Units You’ll need the exact dimensions of the grill, doors, and into the cabinet space under the grill
any other built-in features before you start building. When shopping for and is fitted with a shutoff valve.
equipment, keep in mind its utility requirements and the type of support system needed for the grill and other large
units. Some grills are drop-in and are supported only by the countertop; others must be supported below with a
noncombustible, load-bearing material such as concrete block or a poured concrete platform.
• Utility Hookups Grills fueled by natural gas require a plumbed gas line, and those with electric starters need an
outdoor electrical circuit, both running into the kitchen cabinet. To include a kitchen sink, you’ll need a dedicated
water line and a drain connection. Outdoor utilities are strictly governed by building codes, so check with the building
department for requirements. Generally, the rough-in work for utilities is best left to professionals.
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How to Build the Outdoor Kitchen
1 2
Pour the foundation or prepare the slab for the wall Dry-lay the first course of block on the foundation to
construction. To prepare an existing slab, clean the surface test the layout. If desired, use 2- or 4"-thick solid blocks
thoroughly to remove all dirt, oils, concrete sealers, and paint under the door openings. Snap chalk lines to guide the
that could prevent a good bond with mortar. block installation, and mark the exact locations of the
door openings.
3 4
Set the first course of block into mortar, following the basic Continue laying up the wall, adding reinforcing wire or rebar if
techniques shown on pages 104–105. Cut blocks as needed required by local building code. Instead of tooling the mortar
for the door openings. Lay the second course, offsetting the joints for a concave profile, use a trowel to slice excess mortar
joints with the first course in a running bond pattern. from the blocks. This creates a flat surface that’s easier to
cover with stucco.
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Lintel
5
Install steel angle lintels to span over the door openings. If an opening is in line with a course of block, mortar the lintels in
place on top of the block. Otherwise, use a circular saw with a masonry blade to cut channels for the horizontal leg of the angle.
Lintels should span 6" beyond each side of an opening. Slip the lintel into the channels, and then fill the block cells containing
the lintel with mortar to secure the lintel in place. Lay a bed of mortar on top of the lintels, then set block into the mortar.
Complete the final course of block in the cabinet and let the mortar cure.
6 7
Cut two 8-ft.-long sheets of cementboard to match the outer Cut pieces to fit for a second layer of cementboard. Apply a
dimensions of the block cabinet. Apply mortar to the tops of bed of mortar to the top of the first panel, and then lay the
the cabinet blocks and then set one layer of cementboard second layer pieces on top, pressing them into the mortar so
into the mortar. If you will be installing a built-in grill or other the surfaces are level. Let the mortar cure.
accessories, make cutouts in the cementboard with a utility
knife or a jigsaw with a remodeler’s blade. (continued)
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8 9
To create a 1½" overhang for the countertop, build a perimeter Cut vertical 2 × 4 supports to fit snugly between the
band of 2 × 4 lumber; this will serve as the base of the concrete foundation and the bottom of the 2 × 4 band. Install a
form. Cut the pieces to fit tightly around the cabinet along the support at the ends of each wall and evenly spaced in
top. Fasten the pieces together at their ends with 3" screws so between. Secure each support with angled screws driven into
their top edges are flush with the bottom of the cementboard. the band boards.
10 11
Build the sides of the countertop form Form the opening for the grill using 2 × 6 side pieces (no overhang inside opening).
with 2 × 6s cut to fit around the 2 × 4 Support the edges of the cementboard along the grill cutout with cleats attached to
band. Position the 2 × 6s so their top the 2 × 6s. Add vertical supports as needed under the cutout to keep the form from
edges are 2" above the cementboard, shifting under the weight of the concrete.
and fasten them to the band with
2½" screws.
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12 13
Cut a sheet of stucco lath to fit into the countertop form, leaving a 2" space along Dampen the cementboard with a mist of
the inside perimeter of the form. Remove the lath and set it aside. Seal the form water. Mix a batch of countertop mix,
joints with a fine bead of silicone caulk and smooth with a finger. After the caulk adding color if desired (see page 118).
dries, coat the form boards (not the cementboard) with vegetable oil or other Working quickly, fill along the edges of the
release agent. form with concrete, carefully packing it
down into the overhang portion by hand.
14 15
Fill the rest of the form halfway up with an even layer of Tap along the outsides of the form with a hammer to remove
concrete. Lay the stucco lath on top; then press it lightly into air bubbles trapped against the inside edges. Screed the top
the concrete with a float. Add the remaining concrete so it’s of the concrete with a straight 2 × 4 riding along the form
flush with the tops of the 2 × 6s. sides. Add concrete as needed to fill in low spots so the
surface is perfectly flat. (continued)
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16 17 18
After the bleed water disappears, float A few hours after floating, finish the Moist-cure the countertop with a fine
the concrete with a wood or magnesium countertop as desired. A few passes water mist for three to five days. Remove
float. The floated surface should be with a steel finishing trowel yields the the form boards. If desired, smooth the
flat and smooth but will still have a smoothest surface. Hold the leading countertop edges with an abrasive brick
somewhat rough texture. Be careful edge of the trowel up and work in and/or a diamond pad or sandpaper.
not to overfloat and draw water to circular strokes. Let the concrete set for After the concrete cures, apply a food-
the surface. a while between passes. safe sealer to help prevent staining.
19 20
Prepare for door installation in the cabinet. Outdoor cabinet doors are usually made
of stainless steel, and typically are installed by hanging hinges or flanges with
masonry anchors. Drill holes for masonry anchors in the concrete block, following
the door manufacturer’s instructions.
Finish installing and hanging the doors.
Test the door operations and make sure
to caulk around the edges with high-
TIP quality silicone caulk.
Honeycombs or air voids can be filled using a cement slurry of cement and NOTE: Doors shown here are best
water applied with a rubber float. If liquid cement color was used in your installed before the stucco finish is
countertop concrete mix, color should be added to the wet cement paste. applied to the cabinet. Other doors
Some experimentation will be necessary. may be easier to install following a
different sequence.
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21
To finish the cabinet walls, begin by dampening the contrete block and then applying a 3⁄8"-thick base coat of stucco, following
the steps on page 79. Apply an even layer over the walls; then smooth the surface with a wood float and moist-cure the stucco
for 48 hours or as directed by the manufacturer.
22 23
Apply a finish coat of tinted stucco that’s at least 1⁄8" thick. Set the grill into place, make the gas connection, then check
Evenly saturate the base coat stucco surface with water prior it carefully for leaks. Permanently install the grill following the
to applying the the finish coat. Texture the surface as desired. manufacturer’s directions. The joints around grills are highly
Moist-cure the stucco for several days as directed. susceptible to water intrusion; seal them thoroughly with
an approved caulk to help keep moisture out of the cabinet
space below.
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TOOLS & MATERIALS
1 × 4" × 8' 12 × 12" floor tiles (8)
cedar boards (18) Exterior-rated screws
Patio Prep Cart 2 × 4" × 8'
cedar boards (4)
(1¼", 2½")
Lag screws
¾" × 4 × 8' (16 @ ¼" × 1½")
cedar plywood (1) 3" utility hinges (2)
T his elegant rolling cook’s cart will take your
outdoor cooking to a higher level without
breaking your bank account. Whether the point is to
½ × 3" × 5'
cementboard (1)
Casters (4)
Door handle (1)
impress or simply to make your outdoor entertaining ¾ × 24" × 48' exterior
Catch (1)
a bit more pleasant, setting up an outdoor kitchen plywood (1)
that revolves around this clever cart and an ordinary
grill is easy. And, because this cart (and most grills)
are on wheels, they’re easy to move as needed and to the outside, leaving the heads exposed to act as a
roll away into storage. design feature.
This cart features 8 square feet of countertop This outdoor kitchen cart employs eight 12 × 12-
space, a storage cabinet with shelves, and a dedicated inch tiles for the countertop, minimizing the joints
place for a refrigerator. The sides are made from in the countertop surface. To simplify construction,
1 × 4 cedar or a similar exterior-grade lumber. Use the tiles are set with construction adhesive (instead
corrosion-resistant screws to assemble this cart. of thinset mortar) and the joints between the tiles are
The screws that attach the siding are driven from filled with exterior caulk (instead of tile grout).
Both attractive
and functional, this
rolling cook’s cart
with space for a
refrigerator will make
your deck or patio
almost as convenient
as your kitchen for
entertaining friends
and family.
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PATIO PREP CART
R
Tile
Cementboard
(Q)
F
S
C
R B
Plywood B
(P) B
F F
E J
I
B
K
L B
D M
L K N
K H
G
B
M
A
O
CUTTING LIST
KEY PART DIMENSION PCS. MATERIAL KEY PART DIMENSION PCS. MATERIAL
A Bottom supports 1½ × 3½ × 46" 2 Cedar K Shelf supports 7
⁄8 × 1 × 17" 4 Cedar
B Posts 1½ × 3½ × 35" 6 Cedar L Shelves ¾ × 19½ × 21¾" 2 Cedar plywood
C Top rails 7
⁄8 × 3½ × 46" 2 Cedar M Door stiles 7
⁄8 × 3½ × 34½" 2 Cedar
D Bottom panel ¾ × 22 × 46" 1 Cedar plywood N Top door siding 7
⁄8 × 1 × 18½" 1 Cedar
E Center panel ¾ × 22 × 35" 1 Cedar plywood O Door siding 7
⁄8 × 3½ × 18½" 9 Cedar
F Corner stiles 7
⁄8 × 2½ × 37¼" 4 Cedar P Worksurface ¾ × 24 × 48" 1 Ext. plywood
G Front center stile 7
⁄8 × 2½ × 35 ⁄8"
3
1 Cedar subbase
H Front bottom rail ¾ × 1¾ × 42¾" 1 Cedar Q Tile backer ½ × 24 × 48" 1 Cementboard
I Back siding 7
⁄8 × 3½ × 42¼" 10 Cedar R Side edging 7
⁄8 × 1½ × 24" 2 Cedar
J Side siding 7
⁄8 × 3½ × 22" 20 Cedar S Front/back edging 7
⁄8 × 1½ × 49½" 2 Cedar
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How to Build the Patio Prep Cart
Build the Frame screw (photo 3). Cut the front-bottom rail to length
This outdoor kitchen cart is essentially a skeleton of and width and attach it to the front-bottom support
2 × 4 cedar wrapped in cedar siding and capped off with four 1¼" screws and decorative finish washers.
with large tiles. Start by building the skeleton: that is, Cut the side siding and back siding pieces to length.
the frame. Cut the bottom supports, posts, and top Drill two countersunk pilot holes in each end of each
rails to length. Cut the bottom panel and center panel siding board. Space the holes 1" in from the ends and
to length and width. Attach two of the posts to the ¾" in from the edges. Attach the siding boards to the
center panel with 1¼" screws. Place the center panel corner posts with 1¼" screws, spacing the boards ¼"
and bottom panel on their sides and attach the bottom apart (photo 4). Drill a 1¼"-diameter hole near the
panel to the posts with 2½" screws (photo 1). With the bottom of the back of the refrigerator section for the
panels on their edges, attach two of the corner posts power cord to fit through.
to the bottom panel. Flip the assembly right-side up
and attach one of the top rails to the top of the corner Install the Shelves
posts and center panel post. Attach the other two The shelves for this outdoor cart are optional. As
corner posts and top rail (photo 2). Attach the bottom shown, they’re spaced to allow storage of items of
supports to the bottom panel with 1¼" screws. varying height, such as plates and cups. But if you
want to store taller items, such as bags of charcoal or
Install the Corners, Trim & Siding a turkey fryer, eliminate the shelves from the plan.
Cut the corner stiles to length and width. Attach the Measure and mark the shelf heights on the inside
corner stiles to the corner posts with four 1¼" screws. faces of the left side siding and center divider. Here,
Drill a countersunk, 1⁄8"-diameter pilot hole for each the shelves are spaced so the lowest shelf opening is
1 2
2 × 4 Post
Attach the bottom panel to the posts. Drive 2½" screws Install corner posts and top rails. Each top rail should be
through the underside of the bottom panel and into the ends attached to a corner post and a center panel post with 2½"
of the center panel posts. screws. Drive one screw into each post.
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3 4
Install cornerboards. Attach the corner stiles to the corner Add siding. Drill two countersunk pilot holes through each end
posts with 1¼" screws. Align the inside edges of the stiles of each siding board. Locate the holes 1" from the ends and
and posts. ¾" from the top and bottom edges. Attach the siding boards
with 1¼" screws, spaced with a ¼" gap between boards.
15" high. The middle opening is 10" high and the top
opening is 8" high. The shelf supports are sized so the
shelves will not interfere with the front corner posts.
5
Attach the shelf supports with 1¼" screws driven
through countersunk pilot holes in the supports and
into the cabinet walls. Cut the shelves from ¾"-thick
plywood (preferably cedar plywood). Cut 1½ × 3½"
notches in the left corners of each shelf board to fit
around the posts. Drive a few brads down through the
shelves and into the supports to secure them (photo 5).
Build the Door
Cut the door stiles to length. Cut the door siding to
length and the top door siding board to length and
width. Drill two countersunk pilot holes in each end
of each full-width door siding board. Space the holes
1" in from the ends and ¾" in from the edges. Drill one
countersunk pilot hole in each end of the top door
siding board. Attach the siding boards to the door
stiles with 1¼" screws (photo 6).
Attach the Wheels & Hardware
Tip the cabinet upside down and place one caster in Install the shelves. Attach the shelf supports with screws and
each corner (here, 2½" casters are being installed). then tack the shelves into position with 1¼" brads. (continued)
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Mark the caster screw holes and drill 3⁄16" pilot holes
6 for each screw. Fasten the casters with ¼ × 1½" hot-
dipped lag screws (photo 7). To hang the door, attach
zinc-plated or brass hinges (a pair of 3" butt hinges will
do) to the door and the left corner post and corner
stile (photo 8). Also add a handle (an aluminum door
pull installed vertically is used here) as well as a latch
and strikeplate to hold the door closed.
Build & Attach the Top
The top for this cart features a ¾"-thick plywood
subbase that supports a cementboard backer for
the tiles (here, eight 12 × 12" porcelain tiles). Cut the
plywood subbase to size from exterior plywood
and attach it to the top rails with 1¼" deck screws.
Cut a piece of tile backer board (here, ½"-thick
cementboard) to 24 × 48". Attach the backer board to
the subbase with construction adhesive and 1" screws
(make sure the screwheads are recessed below the
cementboard surface). Attach the tiles to the backer
board with construction adhesive (photo 9).
Attach the door siding boards to the door stiles. The top door
Cut the top sides, front, and back edging pieces
siding board is attached with only one screw in each end. to length from cedar 1 × 2. Drill countersunk,
1
⁄8"-diameter pilot holes in the edging pieces and
attach them to the subbase edges with construction
adhesive and brads (photo 10). Fill gaps around tile
7 with caulk. Apply a clear, UV-protectant finish to the
wood surface and seal the tiles.
8
Attach the casters. Position each caster and drill pilot holes Hang the door and install hardware. Fasten the door hinges to
for each caster screw. Attach the casters with ¼ × 1¼" the door (or doors if you choose to cover each opening) and
lag screws. then attach the door to the cart frame. Use a ¼" spacer under
the door to position it.
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Install the tile work surface. Instead
of traditional thinset mortar, exterior
9 construction adhesive is being
used because it better withstands
temperature and humidity changes.
Attach countertop edging. Made from
strips of 1 × 2 cedar, the edging hides
10 the countertop edges and protects the
tile. Fill the gaps around the edge tiles
and between tiles with caulk.
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Pitmaster’s Locker
S upplies and accessories for your outdoor
grilling and barbecuing have special storage
requirements. Some, such as charcoal starter fluid
and propane tanks and bottles, are hazardous,
flammable chemicals that should be locked
safely away outside of the house or garage. Other
supplies, such as big bags of charcoal briquettes,
turkey fryers, or starter chimneys, are bulky and
often dirty or dusty. Additional tools, like grill
brushes, thermometers, rib racks, and Texas-size
kitchen utensils, are best kept together in a neat
area close to your grill. This Pitmaster’s Locker
addresses all of these concerns in a rugged-looking
package that fits in well with today’s popular
grilling equipment.
The frame for this grill locker is made with
solid aluminum angle iron, sold at most building
centers. Aluminum is rigid, sturdy, and withstands
exposure to the elements very well. It is also
relatively easy to drill, which you will appreciate.
Because the metals market is fairly volatile, costs
for aluminum can run on the high side. But if you
buy in volume, you can usually save a little money.
Our eight pieces of 72-inch aluminum angle cost For the serious grill cook (a Pitmaster in barbecuer’s parlance),
us $130 from an Internet seller (this is at a time of a lockable, dedicated storage locker is the best place to keep
tools, fuel, and other supplies organized and safe.
high metal costs). If you like this design but want
to save some money, you can substitute paintable
hardwood, such as poplar, for the frame parts. propane tank on this shelf, you can lower the
This requires recalculating the shelf and panel supports for the middle shelf by 6 inches and still
dimensions, however. have enough room for the 17½-inch-tall standard
The lower shelf of this locker has 24 inches of tanks. This creates a middle shelf that has 30 inches
height capacity. If you plan to store a 20-pound of height capacity (or two shorter shelves).
TOOLS & MATERIALS
1
⁄16 × 1½ × 72" solid ¾" × 4 × 8' 1 × 2" × 8' ¼ × ¾" bolts
aluminum angle (8) exterior plywood (1) cedar boards (2) ¼" lock nuts
3
⁄8" × 4 × 8' sheet rough ¼ × ¾" × 8' wood shelf Exterior hasp with padlock ¾" hex-head wood screws
cedar siding (2) edge (1) 2 × 2" butt hinges (3) Aluminum pop rivets
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PITMASTER’S LOCKER
C
E
F
B
B
C
K
H
B
H
D
J
F
G K
B
J
I
D
G
B
K
B
D
K
A
CUTTING LIST
KEY PART DIMENSION PCS. MATERIAL KEY PART DIMENSION PCS. MATERIAL
A Frame legs 1
⁄16 × 1½ × 72" 4 Aluminum angle G Side panels ⁄8 × 16 × 23½"
3
4 Cedar siding
B Shelf supports 1
⁄16 × 1½ × 18" 12 Aluminum angle H Side panels (top) ⁄8 × 16 × 21"
3
2 Cedar siding
C Frame tops 1
⁄16 × 1½ × 18¼" 2 Aluminum angle I Door panel ⁄8 × 14 × 67"
3
1 Ext. plywood
D Shelves ¾ × 17 × 16" 3 Ext. plywood J Door stiles ¾ × 1½ × 68" 2 Cedar
E Top* ¾ × 17½ × 18½" 1 Ext. plywood K Door rails ¾ × 1½ × 12" 4 Cedar
F Back panel 3
⁄8 × 18 × 70" 1 Cedar siding L Top trim (opt.)** 1 × 1" × cut to fit 4 Corner molding
*Exposed edges finished with ¼ × ¾" wood shelf edge **Not shown
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How to Build the Pitmaster’s Locker
Make the Metal Frame use a reciprocating saw or a jigsaw with a bimetal
The framework for this locker is built from solid blade, as seen here (photo 1). Whichever saw you
aluminum angle (1⁄16" thick × 1½" wide each use, clean up and deburr the cut edges with a
direction). Although aluminum is very rigid, it is bench grinder.
also relatively soft and very workable for cutting Lay out shelf locations on the frame legs with a
and drilling. You can easily cut the metal parts for wax crayon or pencil (avoid permanent markers, as
this project with a hacksaw, though keeping the they work but the marks cannot be erased). Install
cuts straight can be tricky. If you have access to shelf supports between pairs of legs at selected
a metal cutoff saw, it will save a lot of time—you heights. Clamp each support to each leg with a
might consider renting one. Do not install an locking pliers. Drill one ¼" guide hole in the middle of
abrasive blade in a power miter saw. You can also each joint (photo 2). Use a carbide-tipped twist bit.
Cut the aluminum angle for the frame
parts (top) and then deburr the cut
ends on a bench grinder (lower). Don’t 1
overdo it on the grinder or use a file.
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Drill guide holes for bolts. Clamp the
part for each joint together with locking
2 pliers and then drill for one ¼" bolt
per joint.
Assemble the frame. Secure each
frame joint with a ¼ × ¾" bolt and lock
3 nut. If you’re able to locate aluminum
fasteners, use them; otherwise use
stainless-steel or hot-dipped fasteners.
TIP: Lubricate the drilling point with a drop of square and adjust as needed. Begin fully tightening
cutting oil before drilling. Add more oil if the metal the locknuts. Grasp each nut with a locking pliers and
begins to smoke. Once the guide hole is drilled, tighten the bolt head with a socket and ratchet or
insert a ¼ × ¾" bolt and add a locknut on the cordless impact driver (photo 4).
interior side (photo 3). Hand-tighten the nut, but
wait until the entire frame is assembled and squared Add the Plywood Panels & Shelves
before tightening nuts all the way. Cut the shelves to size from ¾"-thick plywood (use
After all of the joints are secured with hand- quality plywood such as AB or BC as opposed to
tightened bolts, check the assembly with a framing sheathing or CDX). (continued)
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Assemble the frame by tightening the
locknuts onto the bolts. Hand-tighten
all nuts first and then check the frame
to make sure it is square. Tighten the
nuts with a cordless impact driver or a
ratcheting socket set.
4
Attach the panels using aluminum pop
rivets driven through guide holes in the
frame and the panels.
5
Cut the panels from rough‑textured cedar siding Attach the back panel, top panel, and side panels
panels (these come in 4 × 8' sheets, usually around in the correct locations with ¾" pop rivets (photo 5).
3
⁄8" thick). Sand and stain both faces and the edges Clamp each panel in place and drill guide holes for the
of the panels and shelves with exterior stain before rivets through the frames and the panels. Install
installing them. the pop rivets from the exterior side of the cabinet.
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Install the back panel first because it helps to square
up the cabinet.
Hang the Door & Install Hardware
The locker door is sized to fit in between the metal
frame members, and it closes against the slightly
recessed shelf edges. It is made from 3⁄8"-thick siding
and framed with 1 × 2 trim. Install three butt hinges
to the left leg with bolts and lock nuts. You will
probably need to enlarge the screw holes in the
hinge plates to accept the ¼"-diameter bolts. After
installing all three butt hinges, attach the edge of
the door to the free hinge plates (photo 6). Test the
door. If it works properly, attach the locking hasp. Use
exterior-rated wood glue and 1" brass brads to attach
¼"-thick × ¾"-wide wood shelf edge to the front edges
of the shelves (photo 7).
6 7
Hang the door. Attach the hinges to the metal frame first and Make the panels and shelves. Cut the shelves and door to size
then attach the other plates to the back of the door on the from exterior plywood and attach wood shelf edge molding to
edge with no shelf edge molding. select edges as instructed. Cut the side, back, and top panels
from cedar plywood (siding). Stain the parts before installing
them in the frame.
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Outdoor Kitchen Walls & Countertops
L oaded with convenient work surfaces and a
dedicated grill space, the outdoor kitchen has
changed backyard grilling forever. This roomy kitchen
patio stones, for a finished look. This countertop has
a lower surface for food prep and a higher surface
for serving or dining. A low side wall connects
can be the perfect addition to any patio or garden the countertop with the grill area and adds
retreat. It’s made entirely of concrete blocks and not just the right amount of enclosure to complete the
only looks great, it’s also incredibly easy to build. kitchen space.
The design of this kitchen comes from a
manufacturer (see Resources, page 172) that supplies
all of the necessary masonry materials on two TOOLS & MATERIALS
pallets. As shown, the project’s footprint is about
98 × 109 inches and includes a 58-inch-wide space for Masonry outdoor kitchen Level
setting in a grill. Square columns can provide work kit (concrete wall Caulk gun
surfaces on either side of the grill, so you’ll want to block, concrete
keep them conveniently close, but if you need a little Exterior-grade
patio stones) concrete adhesive
more or a little less room for your grill, you can simply
adjust the number of blocks that go into the front wall Chalk line Tape measure
section enclosing the grill alcove. Framing square Eye and ear protection
Opposite the grill station is a 32-inch-tall Straight board Work gloves
countertop capped with large square pavers, or
This all-masonry outdoor kitchen
comes ready to assemble on any solid
patio surface, or you can build it over
a prepared gravel base anywhere
in your landscape (check with the
manufacturer for base requirements).
For a custom design, similar materials
are available to purchase separately
and the installation would be more or
less the same as shown here. Discuss
the project with the manufacturer
for specifics. If you decide to build
just a part of this kitchen (the bar,
for example), review the setup and
site prep steps at the beginning of
this project.
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How to Build the Outdoor Kitchen
Dry-lay the project on the installation
surface. This overview of the first course
1 of blocks shows how the kitchen is
constructed with five columns and two
wall sections. Laying out the first course
carefully and making sure the wall
sections are square ensures the rest of
the project will go smoothly.
Side wall
Long wall
Short wall
Create squared reference lines for the
kitchen walls after you remove the
2 dry-laid blocks. Snap a chalk line
representing the outside face of the
front wall. Mark the point where the
side wall will meet the front wall. Place a
framing square at the mark and trace
a perpendicular line along the leg of
the square. Snap a chalk line along the
pencil line to represent the side wall, or
use the edge of a patio as this boundary
(as shown). To confirm that the lines
are square, mark the front-wall line
36" from the corner and the side-wall
line 48" from the corner. The distance
between the marks should be 60". If
not, re-snap one of the chalk lines until
the measurements work out.
(continued)
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90° corner
3 4
Begin laying the first course of block. Starting in the 90° Finish laying the first course, including two more columns,
corner of the chalk lines, set four blocks at right angles to starting at the side wall. Use a straight board as a guide to
begin the corner column. Make sure all blocks are placed make sure the columns form a straight line. To check for
together tightly. Set the long wall with blocks laid end to end, square, measure between the long wall and the short wall at
followed by another column. both ends; the measurements should be equal. Adjust the
short-wall columns as needed.
5 6
Set the second course. Add the second course of blocks Set the third course. Lay the third-course blocks using the
to each of the columns, rotating the pattern 90° to the first same pattern as in the first course. For appearance and
course. Set the blocks for the long and side walls, leaving stability, make sure the faces of the blocks are flush with one
about a 2" gap in between the corner column and the first another and that the walls and columns are plumb. Use a
block. Set the remaining wall blocks with the same gap so the level to align the blocks and check for plumb.
blocks overlap the joints in the first course.
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7 8
Install the remaining courses. The higher courses of wall block Build the short wall overhang. Starting at one end of the
are glued in place. Set the courses in alternating patterns, as short wall, glue wall blocks along the tops of the columns
before, gluing each block in place with concrete adhesive. with concrete adhesive. Position blocks perpendicular to the
length of the short wall, overhanging the columns by 3".
9 10
Complete the short wall top. Create the counter surface Cap the corner columns. Finish the two corner columns with
for the short wall by gluing patio stones to the tops of the wall blocks running parallel to the side wall. Glue the cap
columns and overhanging blocks. Position the stones for the pieces in place on the columns using concrete adhesive.
lower surface against the ends of the overhanging blocks. Make sure the blocks are fitted tightly together.
Position the upper-surface stones so they extend beyond the
overhanging blocks slightly on the outside ends and a little
more so on the inside ends.
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TAILGATING
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Tailgating Gear
S ports and cookout food are natural companions. And no more so
than before a big game, when fans of all kinds gather in parking lots
to fill up on tasty grub before watching their favorite team in action.
Tailgating has become so common and popular that the game itself may
take a back seat to the parking-lot spread a good grill cook whips up.
But if you’re really going to satisfy the appetites of friends and fellow
fans, a portable hibachi won’t cut it. You need a real-world grill that you
can bring along with you, one that has the capacity to cook everything
you want to cook, easy and quickly.
The best tailgating gear can either be towed behind or is designed to
sit comfortably in the bed of a pickup. But in either case, the gear has
to work every bit as well as a high-quality backyard setup. The Tailgate
Smoker on page 140 fills the bill, providing plenty of room for your
favorite tailgate dishes, and a convenient design that helps you maintain
optimal smoking temperatures. Because equipment and accessories are
every bit as important as the cooker for a tailgate cookout, you’ll find
a Tailgating Toolbox Grill on page 146. And you’ll need something to
wash down all that great food, so why not make the Pub Table Cooler
on page 164?
The beauty of these projects is that they are all fairly adaptable,
so that you can use them with the vehicle you own—whether you’re
sporting a three-quarter-ton pickup truck, or a rolling to the game in
a trusty motorhome. The focus remains on efficient cooking that will
create the best cookout food possible. Even if you do end up wolfing it
down in a parking lot.
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Tailgate Smoker
G rilling has always been the standard way to cook
for tailgating, but if you’re set up early enough,
why not do a little smoking? Better yet, why not have
Warm, and Hot on page 25) or burning charcoal
and wood chips or chunks in the kettle base. It’s also
good for warm smoking or short-term cold smoking,
the option of grilling or smoking? This handy little using just a cold smoker for heat and smoke (see Cold
cooker gives you just that, and you can easily build it Smokers on page 28).
during a single preseason game. The trick to making this project as easy as it looks
The Tailgate Smoker starts out as a portable-size is finding the right pot for your grill. In general, a
kettle grill. To turn it into a smoker, all you have to add is 32-quart aluminum steamer pot is the right size for
a large aluminum cooking pot with a few modifications, a 14-inch kettle grill, but sizes for both pots and grills
plus a pizza pan or pie plate to serve as a heat deflector. vary among brands and models. Follow the actual
You don’t have to make any changes to the kettle grill, so dimensions of your grill: the inside diameter of the
it works like it always has with the smoker pot removed. kettle base should be just a hair smaller than the
The pot simply rests on top of the kettle base, the kettle’s outside diameter of the pot. The grill grate must fit
original grill fits right inside the pot, and the kettle lid inside the pot, but it doesn’t have to be a perfect fit
caps it all off. You’ll spend less time setting up your because the grate rests on bolts, and a little wiggle
smoker than you will choosing your next beverage. room is helpful for lifting out the grate. You can buy
The small size and upright-barrel design of this steamer pots online or at local restaurant supply
smoker make it incredibly fuel-efficient. It’s ideal for stores. If you shop locally, you can bring your kettle grill
hot smoking (see Smoking Temperatures: Cold, with you for a test-fit.
TOOLS & MATERIALS
Safety glasses Eye and ear protection ¼ × 3" stainless-steel round-
Standard tape measure Work gloves head stove bolts with washers
and nuts (3)
Cloth tape measure 14" kettle-type portable grill (1)
High-temp spray paint
Drill-driver 32-quart aluminum pot
(stove paint; optional)
¼" drill bit (steamer pot) (1)
Painter’s tape (optional)
Step drill bit (must drill up to 12" aluminum pie pan
or pizza pan (1) Plastic bag or newspaper (optional)
1" diameter) or 1" hole saw
¼ × 1" stainless-steel bolts Barbecue thermometer
Open end or adjustable wrenches
with washers and nuts (3) (with mounting threads and nut)
Screwdriver
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TAILGATE SMOKER
Weber grill lid
Weber grill grate
(fits into pot & rests on 1" bolts)
¼ × 1" stove bolt
(3 total)
32 qt. steamer pot
¼ × 3" stove bolt
(3 total)
12" pie/pizza pan
(rests on 3" bolts)
Weber 14" Smokey Joe
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How to Build the Tailgate Smoker
1 2
Measure straight down 4½" from the top edge of the pot Wrap a cloth tape measure around the pot so its top edge is
and make a mark with a pencil. Do the same thing at a few aligned with the 4½" marks. Note the total measurement of
more places around the outside of the pot, at roughly equal the pot circumference, and divide this number into thirds.
intervals. The spacing is not critical. For example, if the pot measures 46", dividing by 3 gives you
151⁄3", or about 153⁄8". Make three marks that are 153⁄8" apart,
marking along the top edge of the tape measure; this is where
you will drill for the grill supports.
Drill a ¼" hole through the side of the
pot at each of the three marks, drilling
3 from the outside. Insert a ¼ × 1" stove
bolt through each hole so the bolt head
is on the outside. Secure the bolt with a
washer and nut on the inside of the pot,
tightening the nut with a screwdriver
and wrench.
WARNING: Always wear eye protection
when drilling metal.
(continued)
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4 5
Repeat the same process to install three evenly spaced bolts, Set the pot upside down onto an old towel on the floor. Drill
just below the ring near the bottom of the pot, or about 13⁄8" 1" holes through the bottom of the pot, using a step bit
above the bottom of the pot. Use ¼ × 3" stove bolts, with or a 1" hole saw. Drill about 22 to 25 holes, spacing them
a washer and nut on the inside of the pot, as with the grill approximately evenly, and keeping the outermost holes about
support bolts. ¾" from the outer edge of the pot.
Paint the outside of the pot, if desired,
using high-temp stove paint or
automotive paint (made for car engine 6
parts). Mask off any parts you don’t
want to paint, such as the handles
and the pot rim, with painter’s tape.
Cover the pot interior with a plastic bag
or newspaper.
TIP: A smoker for tailgating is perfect
for a custom logo, which works really
well on the smooth surface of the pot
(see Painting Custom Logos on page
155). Apply the paint in three or more
very thin layers for best results. Let
each coat dry as directed.
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Drill a ¼" hole for the thermometer
through the side of the pot, locating the
hole in a convenient location about 6½"
below the top rim, or about 2" below
the grill grate. insert the probe end
of the thermometer through the hole
and secure it on the inside of the pot
with the provided mounting nut. Your
smoker is ready to use! See Setting Up
the Tailgate Smoker below.
7
SETTING UP THE TAILGATE SMOKER
Perfect for hot smoking, the tailgate Smoker works well
with a cooking temperature between 220° and 250°F.
the best fuel source to use is hardwood charcoal,
which can burn at a low rate for long periods. You can
also add small amounts of wood chips to the coals
for extra flavor. Do not use conventional charcoal
briquettes, as the unpleasant smoke produced early in
the burn can directly flavor the food.
to set up the smoker for cooking, start a load of
charcoal in a chimney starter (see page 36), and
arrange a load of new charcoal on the coal grate of the
kettle grill. When the chimney charcoal is ready, add
it to the coals in the kettle. You can also start the fire
directly in the kettle.
Place the pie pan or pizza pan onto the lower bolt
supports inside the pot. if desired, you can cover the
pan with aluminum foil to make it easier to clean.
another option is to place a small bowl of water on top
of the pan to add the properties of a water smoker.
Place the grill grate onto the upper set of bolts, then add the food to the grill. Set the pot onto the kettle base, and add
the lid. adjust the dampers on the kettle base and the lid to achieve the desired amount of smoke and maintain the
desired temperature.
tailgating 145
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Tailgating Toolbox Grill
A classic steel toolbox is the perfect thing to turn
into a portable grill: it’s steel, so it won’t burn;
it’s durable enough to bounce around in the back of a
because standard paint (even factory-applied
paint) can’t handle the high heat of the fire. You
can repaint the outside of the grill with high-temp
truck; and it has its own locking lid and handle, so it’s stove paint or with an automotive clear-coat (used
ready for transport. Not to mention the obvious cool on engine parts). A new paint job prevents rust
factor. But if you want a tough little grill that performs and is the perfect opportunity to customize your
like a real cooker, there’s more to the conversion than box (see Painting Custom Logos on page 155).
emptying out an old toolbox and adding a grill grate.
This project covers all the essentials: • Adding ventilation: Even charcoal doesn’t burn
well without airflow. Adding a coal grate and
• Choosing a box: You can use almost any well- ventilation holes helps the fire start quickly and
built steel toolbox, but be aware of weight and burn more evenly without getting choked with ash.
portability. A medium-size box measuring about
8 inches wide × 9 inches tall × 20 inches long is • Replacing the handles: Replace any plastic
a good place to start. You can go a little bigger as handle with a custom wood handle (because
long as the box isn’t too heavy. A box designed plastic melts). If your box has metal handles, you
with a removable tray is handy because you can might keep the originals, but be aware that they’ll
set the cooking grate on the tray supports, but if get hot, and they’re hard to grab when they swivel
you don’t have these, you can easily add bolts to and rest against the box.
support the grate. All of the dimensions given here
can be adjusted to fit your box. When your toolbox conversion is complete, burn
a hot fire inside the grill, with both grates in place,
• Stripping the paint: You must strip all of the to burn off any residual coatings and to make sure
original paint from the box, inside and out, everything works well before using it for cooking.
TOOLS & MATERIALS
Eye and ear protection Grinder or rotary tool with ½ × 3" hex bolts (4) with 1¼"-diameter × 20"-long
Heavy work gloves sanding disc (optional) washers and nuts (8) hardwood dowel
Chemical-resistant gloves
1
⁄8", ¼", and ½" drill bits 1¼" round-head stove High-temp spray paint
(for stripping paint) Metal file bolts with washers and (stove paint)
nuts (4); add more bolts 2 × 4' steel expanded
Paintbrush Adjustable wrenches (2)
and nuts (3) and more metal sheet (1),
Putty knife Jigsaw with wood- and washers for optional 13 gauge, ¾" mesh
Rag metal-cutting blades prop stick (4) (plain steel,
Drill-driver Chemical paint stripper Sandpaper not galvanized)
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TAILGATING TOOLBOX GRILL
CUTTING LIST
KEY PART DIMENSIONS PCS. MATERIAL
A Handle 1¼ × 6½" 3 1¼" hardwood dowel
B Coal grate Cut to fit 1 Steel expanded metal sheet
C Cooking grate Cut to fit 1 Steel expanded metal sheet or grill grate
Cooking grate
A
1¼"-diameter
Bolts supporting
wood dowel
coal grate
handle
½ × 3" bolt legs
½" ventilation holes
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SIDE VIEW
A Lid handle
1½"
FRONT
1½"
A
6½"
5"
½"
½"
2½"
INTERIOR CUTAWAY
Cooking grate
Toolbox tray support
Handle bolts
Coal grate
Bolts supporting coal grate
½"
½"
1¼"
2" 2" 2" 2"
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How to Build the Tailgating Toolbox Grill
Prepare the toolbox for paint-stripping
by removing the old handle (if desired),
the tool tray, and any other removable 1
hardware. If the handle is metal (not
plastic), you may opt to keep it, but
it will likely get very hot when you’re
using the grill; be sure to use gloves or
hot pads.
Coat the outside or inside surfaces of
the box with a gel-type paint remover.
Toolboxes have tough factory finishes 2
that require a strong paint stripper.
Wear safety glasses and chemical-
resistant gloves when applying and
removing the stripper. Let the stripper
work for the recommending waiting
time; do not let it dry on the surface.
Scrape off the paint when it begins to
bubble, using a putty knife. Rinse the
stripped surfaces with water and dry 3
them with a clean rag. Strip the paint on
the remaining box surfaces and repeat
as needed in stubborn areas.
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VARIATION: As an alternative to
stripping the paint, you can sand
it off with a grinder or rotary tool
with a sanding disc. Sanding also
works well for removing paint from
stubborn areas after using paint
stripper (after the stripper is cleaned
from the surface). Wear a respirator
when sanding to prevent inhaling
paint dust.
DRILLING HOLES IN METAL
Drilling metal is easy but requires some special techniques. Most standard drill bits are designed for both wood and metal
and should work well as long as they’re sharp. Follow these tips for easy, clean holes in metal:
• Use a slow drill speed. High drill speed is good for wood but bad for metal; it overheats the bit and quickly dulls it. So
keep the drill speed low and steady.
• Apply even, light-to-moderate pressure on the bit. Let the drill bit do the work. If you see smoke, you’re pressing too
hard and/or drilling too fast.
• Add oil, if desired. When drilling holes in thick metal, it helps to lubricate the bit and metal with a few drops of multi-
purpose or household oil. Often this isn’t necessary with thin metals (such as a toolbox), but it can help when it’s
taking a while for the bit to get through.
• Drill a pilot hole, if desired. When drilling large holes (over ¼" or so), it can be difficult to get the bit started. Often it
helps to drill a smaller pilot hole first, using a 1⁄8" or smaller bit. The pilot hole gives the larger bit an edge to bite into,
so it starts cutting right away. Sometimes it helps to use multiple, progressively larger pilot holes, but with thin metal,
one pilot hole usually works best.
• Clean up the edges. Drilling metal usually leaves a rough edge or sharp burrs around the edge of the hole on one or
both sides of the metal. If a hole won’t be covered by hardware, smooth any rough edges with a metal file, sandpaper,
or a grinder or rotary tool with a sanding disc.
Oil helps keep down the heat when Pilot holes help when large bits have a File or sand any edges that will be
holes are taking a while to drill. hard time getting started. exposed in the finished project.
Remember: Slow and steady wins
the race.
(continued)
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Mark the holes for the four bolt—two on each end—that will
support the coal grate. Locate these close to the ventilation
holes. Drill the holes with a ¼" bit.
5
4
Drill the ventilation holes. These are optional and can be
omitted, resized, or moved as desired. The holes shown are
½" in diameter and located ½" from the bottom edge of the
toolbox. There are three holes at each end, located at 2" and
4" from the front and rear sides of the box. Drill the holes with
a drill-driver and one or more drill bits; see Drilling Holes in
Metal on page 151. File or sand the edges of the holes; they
will be exposed.
WARNING: Always wear safety glasses when drilling metal.
Create the four holes for the legs.
The legs are ½" bolts that should
extend at least 2½" below the bottom 6
of the toolbox. You can have taller legs,
if desired, by simply using longer bolts.
Locate the legs so they are centered
about 1" from the front/rear sides
and ends of the box, adjusting the
location as needed to avoid supports
or reinforced joints on the box. Drill the
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Locate the two handles for carrying
the grill and the single handle for the
lid. The carrying handles can go in
any convenient location as long as
they don’t interfere with the cooking
grate. If the handles are 6½" long (as
shown), the handle bolts should be
about 5" apart. The lid handle should
be centered on the lid. If there is
existing hardware from the old handle,
the bolts for the new handle can go
outside (toward the box ends) of the
hardware, and you can make this
handle as long as needed. Drill the
holes for the handle bolts with a ¼" bit.
7
8 9
Paint the outside of the box with high-temp spray paint. Apply Install ½ × 3" bolts for the legs using two washers and two
the paint as directed by the manufacturer. Painting with three nuts. Thread a nut onto each bolt so it is about 1" from the
or more very thin coats is best to ensure proper adhesion and end. Add a washer and insert the bolt end through the bottom
even coverage and to prevent drips and runs. Let the paint of the box so the head of the bolt is pointing down. Add another
dry between coats, as directed. See Painting Custom Logos on washer and a nut threaded on loosely. Make sure the box
page 155 for more painting ideas. stands level on all four legs, adjusting the lower nut as needed
to raise or lower each leg. When the box is level, tighten the
upper nut on each leg with an adjustable wrench while holding
the lower nut in place with a second wrench. (continued)
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10 11
Create the handles. Cut three lengths of 1¼" wood dowel to Install the handles with ¼ × 2¾" carriage bolts. Insert the
length, using a jigsaw or handsaw. The handles should be about bolts through the outside of each handle so the bolt head fits
1½" longer than the distance between the centers of the handle into the counterbore. Add a washer and nut on the inside
bolt holes in the box (as shown, the bolt holes are 5" apart; the of the handle, leaving the nuts loose for now. Add another
handles are 6½" long). Mark the two bolt holes onto each handle washer and nut at the end of each bolt. Insert the bolts into
to match the corresponding holes in the box. Drill a counterbore the pair of holes in the box and secure them on the inside
hole at each mark; the hole should be slightly larger and deeper of the box with another washer and nut (each bolt gets three
than the width and height of the bolt head, respectively. At the washers and nuts). Tighten the bolts against the box wall,
center of each counterbore, drill a ¼" hole entirely through the then tighten the nuts against the handle.
handle. Sand the handle smooth with sandpaper.
12 13
Cut the coal grate from expanded metal sheet so it fits the Install ¼ × 1" stove bolts onto the box for supporting the coal
bottom of your toolbox. The grate should be as large as grate, using a washer and nut on the inside of the box. The
possible but small enough that it’s easy to get into and out of threaded ends of the bolts will protrude about 5⁄8" into the box
the box. You will need to remove it to clean out the ash on the interior. Set the coal grate onto the threaded ends of the bolts.
box bottom. Cut the grate with a jigsaw with a metal-cutting
blade or with heavy-duty metal snips. File the cut edges of the
grate to remove sharp edges and points.
WARNING: Wear safety glasses and heavy gloves when cutting
and handling metal sheets; cut edges can be extremely sharp.
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Fit a cooking grate into the grill. We used
an adjustable replacement grill, but you
14 could also cut a piece of expanded metal
similar to the coal grate. Do not use grate
material that is not designed for grilling,
such as wire shelving, as it may contain
a coating that is not heat-proof and may
emit toxic fumes or degrade under high
temperatures. File any sharp edges of
the grate. Place the grate into the box, on
top of the tray supports.
NOTE: If your box does not have tray
supports, install four ¼ × 1" stove
bolts (same as the coal-grate supports)
to support the cooking grate.
PAINTING CUSTOM LOGOS
Tailgating is all about your team and, of course, grilling. Put the two together by painting your grill or other equipment with
your team’s logo.
1. Find an image of your logo online, or create your own, 4. Tape over the entire of the logo with masking tape.
and print it out full-size onto standard printer paper. If Overlap the parallel strips of tape to ensure there are
the image is too big for one page, print onto multiple no gaps between strips.
pages and cut and tape the pieces together.
5. Cut along the outline of the logo with a craft knife, leaving
2. Cut out the logo from the paper to create a template, only the logo image in tape. Burnish the edges of the tape
using a craft knife. Use a ruler as a straightedge for with your fingernail to make sure the tape is fully adhered.
cutting clean, straight lines. Freehand any curved lines.
6. Paint the box with multiple thin coats of spray paint,
Trim some of the excess paper surrounding the logo, if
as directed by the manufacturer. Let the paint dry
necessary, to fit the template on your grill.
between coats.
3. Hold the template in place on the grill and secure it
7. Peel off the masking tape after the final coat of paint
with a few small pieces of masking tape.
has dried, revealing your logo.
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Trailer Hitch Table
O f all the items on a tailgating equipment
checklist, one of the most difficult to find is a
good, solid, convenient work surface. You can use a
There are two key parts to this project: the trailer
hitch post, which supports the table, and the floor
flange, which connects the tabletop to the post. These
folding table, but most of these, especially portable, parts are easy to find online, but you have to get the
lightweight versions, are flimsy and unstable, and right sizes so they’re a good fit for each other and for
they can blow over if a wind picks up. If you have a your vehicle’s trailer hitch. The hitch post shown here
truck, you can use the tailgate itself, but these aren’t has a square end that’s sized for a standard 2-inch
designed as tables and have very little flat space (as receiver hitch. The other end of the post is round and
you’re reminded every time you set down a drink in measures 23⁄8 inches diameter. The round end of the
the wrong place on your tailgate). post is essential for giving the table full rotation. The
The Trailer Hitch Table solves this problem with post shown here also can accept a picnic-style grill,
a perfectly simple solution: a table that mounts to which is designed to fit onto a vertical post.
your trailer hitch. It’s sizable, flat, and sturdy, and it The floor flange is a galvanized steel fitting designed
assembles and disassembles in less than a minute. for mounting chain-link fence posts to concrete surfaces.
Best of all, the table surface rotates 360° so you It has a round socket that fits over the end of the hitch
can set it up just how you like it—for food prep, post. The inner diameter of the socket is 2½ inches. The
grilling, serving, eating, or just for gathering around socket has two setscrew bolts that you can snug up to
for drinks. the post to secure the tabletop in any position.
TOOLS & MATERIALS
Circular saw Drill-driver and 3⁄16" drill bit 80-, 150-, and 220-grit sandpaper
Weights 9
⁄16" or 14mm socket and driver Paint or other finish
Jigsaw with fine-tooth wood blade or socket wrench and related supplies
(optional) Adjustable wrench Eye and ear protection
Sanding block or power sander ¾ × 48 × 48" exterior-grade plywood Work gloves
Framing square Waterproof wood glue
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TRAILER HITCH TABLE
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48"
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TRAILER HITCH TABLE
Table
2 layers ¾" plywood
1½"
Floor flange Set screws
2½" int. diameter
Hitch mount
23⁄8" outer diameter
Into trailer hitch
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How to Build the Trailer Hitch Table
1
2
Cut the two layers of the tabletop to size at 24 × 48" or as Apply thin, wavy beads of waterproof wood glue to the top face
desired, using a circular saw. If you’re using a half-sheet of one of the plywood pieces. Make sure there is a continuous
(4 × 4') of plywood, make the cut precisely down the middle bead about ½" from all edges.
of the sheet so the two halves are the same size.
3
OPTION: Create curved corners on the table by tracing
along the edge of a compact disc (CD) or other round
object and cutting the corners with a jigsaw.
TIP: To minimize splintering on the plywood surface, use
Place the other piece of plywood onto the glued surface and a fine-tooth wood blade and move the saw slowly. Also,
press it down firmly. Align the edge of the two pieces, then set the orbital action on the saw to “0” so the blade
weight down the top piece with several heavy weights. Let the cuts straight up and down, not with an elliptical motion.
glue dry for 24 hours, then remove the weights.
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4 5
Sand the edges of the table with 80- or 100-grit sandpaper Finish the tabletop as desired. The simplest option is to paint it
so they are flat and smooth, using a sanding block or power or give it a clear coat of polyurethane, but you can customize
sander. Sand the edges again with 150-grit sandpaper, either of those treatments with a logo. Or, you can cover the
then sand the edges and the table faces with 220-grit so top and edges with plastic laminate for the ideal food-prep
everything is smooth to the touch. surface. See Choose Your Table Surface on page 163.
6 7
Place the tabletop face down on a covered work surface (to Position the floor flange so the center lines pass through the
protect the finish). Mark the center of the tabletop along the centers of the flange’s mounting holes. Mark the center of
width and length, making a small cross at its center. Use a each hole, then remove the flange. Drill a 3⁄16" hole at each
framing square set against the table’s edges to extend the mark, drilling no more than 1¼" deep.
marks about 4" from the center, creating 8"-long lines that
cross in the center. (continued)
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Mount the floor flange to the bottom
of the tabletop with four 3⁄8 × 1¼" lag
screws, using a 9⁄16" or 14mm socket
and drill-driver or socket wrench.
Tighten the screws snug, but be careful
not to overtighten them, which could
strip the pilot holes.
8
Set up the table by fitting the lower end
of the hitch mount into a 2" receiver
hitch on your vehicle and securing the 9
mount with a hitch pin (the pin typically
is not sold with this type of mount).
Place the tabletop onto the upper end
of the hitch mount, fitting the floor
flange over the end of the mount.
Rotate the table to the desired position,
then lock it in place by tightening
the two setscrew bolts on the floor
flange, using an adjustable wrench or
socket wrench.
OPTION: The trailer hitch mount used in this project also works with a picnic-style grill, which is made to mount onto a
post. The grill must have a post-fitting underneath that fits a 23⁄8" (outer diameter, O.D.) post. Like the tabletop, the grill
can be rotated to any convenient position and can be secured with a bolt or hitch pin.
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CHOOSE YOUR TABLE SURFACE
The best thing about building your own tailgate table is that you can customize it to fit right into your setup. Do you want
team colors or logos? Natural wood? Or maybe a real countertop material? Follow these tips for the best results.
Paint: Use a high-gloss enamel for a durable, washable surface. Apply the paint with a foam roller for smooth finishes. It’s
best to paint all of the surfaces, including the underside, for moisture protection and to prevent warping.
If you want to include a custom logo, you can paint the logo area in one color and let it dry. Use the template technique
described on page 155, applying tape over the painted area. However, use blue painter’s tape instead of masking tape
because painter’s won’t stick to the paint. Paint the rest of the table in a different color, then peel off the tape to reveal
your logo. Alternatively, you can have the logo image be bare wood, then seal over it with clear lacquer or polyurethane.
Clear finish: For a natural-wood look, use exterior polyurethane or spar varnish, which is designed for outdoor projects.
Apply three coats to all surfaces for a smooth, durable finish.
Laminate: Plastic laminate—the countertop material—makes for the ultimate food-prep surface and is surprisingly easy
to apply with small projects. You can buy 30"-wide sheets of laminate in a range of colors (standard sheets are 60" wide).
You’ll also need a router or laminate trimmer with a flush-trimming laminate bit.
To apply laminate, cut the edge pieces so they are about ½" wider and longer than each table edge. This is a rough cut
and can be made with a circular saw, jigsaw, or even tin snips. Apply contact cement to one of the table edges and to
the backside of the laminate strip. Let the cement dry, as directed. Press the laminate onto the table edge, then roll the
surface with a J-roller to make sure it’s fully adhered. Trim the excess laminate flush to the table edges with the router or
laminate trimmer.
Repeat the same process to cover the remaining table edges, then the top. The magic of the laminate bit is that it
cuts flush to the wood table surface or the previously installed laminate without damaging it. When the top surface is
laminated, use a fine metal file to smooth all of the trimmed edges and corners of the laminate. Hold the file at steep
angle and move it parallel to the edge. This step is essential because trimmed laminate is razor-sharp before it is filed.
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Pub Table Cooler
T he Pub Table Cooler has you covered for the two
most essential items for any outdoor party: iced
beverages and a place to hang out (and set down your
TOOLS & MATERIALS
Wooden yardstick 2 × 2' sheet of ½" exterior
drinks). Somebody should have thought of this a long (or similar flat, plywood (1)
time ago.
straight stick)
Here’s how the project works: The cooler is a 80- and 150-grit
standard galvanized steel tub, the kind you can buy at Drill-driver sandpaper
any hardware store (or may already own). The tub gets 1
⁄16", 1⁄8", and ¼" drill bits
Rubbing alcohol
a plywood base underneath its bottom to add rigidity Hammer
and help support the table. On the inside of the tub Rags
Finish nail ×2
bottom, you mount a floor flange, a round, galvanized Silicone caulk (clear)
steel base with a threaded socket at its center. The Pencil (standard
table leg, or post, is a prethreaded galvanized steel or mechanical) Paint (or other
pipe; it threads into the floor flange. Jigsaw with fine-tooth wood/metal finish)
The tabletop is a disc of ¾-inch plywood with a wood blade and painting supplies
slightly smaller disc of ½-inch plywood underneath, Sanding block 1" galvanized steel
giving the tabletop some weight. (You can also use or power sander floor flanges (w/
¾-inch plywood for both discs.) Another floor flange
is mounted to the bottom of the tabletop, and the Weights female threads for 1"
whole thing screws onto the top threaded end of the Caulking gun galvanized pipe) (2)
leg pipe. When the table is disassembled for travel- Straightedge 1 × 36" galvanized steel
mode, the wood top serves as a lid for the cooler tub. Square pipe with prethreaded
All of the parts for this project are available at any
Screwdriver ends (outside diameter
home center or well-stocked hardware store. Floor
flanges and pre-threaded pipe are standard plumbing Adjustable wrench approx. 1¼") (1)
supplies and are designed to fit together. Just make Eye and ear protection 1½" galvanized coarse-
sure to use galvanized pipe and not black steel pipe, thread wood screws (4)
Work gloves
which is not rust-resistant. The tub in the project
shown here is a 15-gallon size and measures about 22 Waterproof wood glue ¼ × 1½" galvanized
inches diameter (across the top) and about 11 inches 15-gallon galvanized or stainless-steel
tall. This size is a good compromise between capacity steel tub (1) flathead machine
and portability. You can use a different size of tub, but 2 × 4' sheet of ¾" exterior bolts, with washers
it must be large enough to support the table, and it plywood (1) and nuts (4)
shouldn’t be so large that it weighs a ton when it’s full
of ice.
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PUB TABLE COOLER
¾" plywood tabletop (approx. 23")
Wood glue
½" plywood tabletop support
(fits inside top of tub)
1½" wood screws
(4 total)
1" galvanized floor flange
1 × 36" galvanized steel pipe (pre-threaded)
Nuts & washers for machine bolts
1" galvanized floor flange
(caulk underside)
15-gallon galvanized steel tub
¾" plywood base
(fits inside rim under tub)
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How to Build the Pub Table Cooler
1 2
Measure the diameter of the tub for the three plywood discs: Create a trammel for drawing the three circles onto plywood.
the base, the tabletop support, and the tabletop. For the Drill a 1⁄16" hole at the center of a wooden yardstick, about 1"
base, measure inside the lip or edge on the bottom of the from the end. This hole is for a finish nail that serves as the
tub, then subtract ¼"; the base will sit inside the lip. For the trammel’s pivot point. Measure from the hole, and mark the
tabletop support, measure the inside diameter at the top rim stick, using the radius dimensions calculated for the base,
of the tub, then subtract 1⁄8"; the support should fit snugly tabletop support, and tabletop. Drill a 1⁄16" or 1⁄8" hole at each
inside the rim. For the tabletop, measure the outside diameter mark; these are for inserting a pencil to draw the circles.
of the rim, then add ½". Convert all three dimensions to a
radius by dividing each by 2. For example, if the outside
of the tub measures 22", you add ½" = 22½". Divide by
2 = 11¼". The radius of the tabletop is 11¼".
3 4
Place the trammel onto a piece of ¾" plywood so the circle Cut out the three plywood discs using a jigsaw.
(when drawn) will be close to two of the plywood’s edges
(to conserve material). Drive a small finish nail through the TIP: To minimize splintering on the plywood surface, use
1
⁄16" hole and partway into the plywood to fix the trammel at a fine-tooth wood blade and move the saw slowly. Also,
the pivot point. Insert the point of a pencil into the hole for the set the orbital action on the saw to “0” so the blade cuts
tabletop radius. Rotate the trammel and pencil through straight up and down, not with an elliptical motion. Sand
a full circle to draw a cutting line for the tabletop. Repeat the edges of the pieces with 80-grit sandpaper and a
the process to draw the base on the ¾" plywood. Draw the sanding block or power sander so the curved edges are
tabletop support on a piece ½" plywood. Optionally, you can smooth and consistent. Sand all of the surfaces with
use ¾" plywood for all three pieces. 150-grit sandpaper.
TIP: Designate the face of each piece with the nail hole as
the bottom so you can easily find the center of the disc later. (continued)
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5 6
Apply a wavy bead of waterproof wood glue to the top face Clean the bottom (outside) of the tub with soap and water, then
of the tabletop support. Place the tabletop disc face-up on wipe it with rubbing alcohol and a rag to remove any residue
a flat surface, and place the glued face of the support onto from the metal surface. Apply a thick, wavy bead of silicone
the tabletop so it is perfectly centered. Add heavy weights to caulk to the top face of the plywood base. Set the tub onto the
the support to compress the pieces evenly. Let the glue dry base and weight it down evenly inside the tub. Let the caulk
overnight, then remove the weights. cure overnight, then remove the weights.
7 8
Paint the tabletop and/or the tub as desired. If you’re using Draw a line across the center of the tabletop support and the
the table for tailgating, this is a great opportunity to show your base, using a straightedge aligned with the nail hole from the
team colors or add a custom logo (see Painting Custom Logos trammel. Use a square to draw a perpendicular line through
on page 155). Use high-gloss enamel paint for the table, and the first line, also aligned with the center hole.
use spray paint for the tub. If you prefer a natural wood finish,
give the table a clear coat of exterior polyurethane or spar
varnish, follow the manufacturer’s directions.
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9 10
Position a floor flange onto the bottom face of the tabletop Mark the mounting holes for the other floor flange onto
support so the flange’s mounting holes are centered over the the bottom face of the plywood base piece. Drill ¼" holes
lines. Trace inside the holes to mark their locations. Remove through the base and the bottom of the tub. Insert a ¼ × 1½"
the flange, and drill a 1⁄8" pilot hole at each location, drilling no machine bolt through the base and into the bottom of the tub.
more than 1¼" deep so you don’t drill through the tabletop Apply a heavy bead of silicone caulk along the perimeter on
surface. Mount the floor flange to the tabletop support with the underside of the floor flange. Set the floor flange into the
1½" wood screws. tub, aligning it with the bolts. Secure the flange to the bolts
with washers and nuts, and tighten them with a screwdriver
and adjustable wrench. Let the caulk cure for 24 hours.
USING THE PUB TABLE COOLER
Once the caulk has fully cured (typically 24 hours), your table is ready for use. To set up the table, thread a 1 × 36"
galvanized steel plumbing pipe into the floor flange inside the tub. Hand-tighten the pipe.
Position the tabletop (with attached floor flange) onto the top end of the pipe and rotate the table clockwise to thread the
flange onto the pipe. Turn the top carefully at first to make sure the threads are seated; misalignment, or cross-threading,
will ruin the threads on the pipe or the flange.
Fill the tub with ice and beverages, and you’re open for business! When the party’s over, simply unscrew the tabletop and
pipe. Dump out any excess water from the tub, then cover it with the tabletop for the ride home.
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Metric Conversions
ENGLISH TO METRIC
TO CONVERT: TO: MULTIPLY BY: TO CONVERT: TO: MULTIPLY BY:
Inches Millimeters 25.4 Millimeters Inches 0.039
Inches Centimeters 2.54 Centimeters Inches 0.394
Feet Meters 0.305 Meters Feet 3.28
Yards Meters 0.914 Meters Yards 1.09
Square inches Square centimeters 6.45 Square centimeters Square inches 0.155
Square feet Square meters 0.093 Square meters Square feet 10.8
Square yards Square meters 0.836 Square meters Square yards 1.2
Ounces Milliliters 30.0 Milliliters Ounces .033
Pints (US) Liters 0.473 (lmp. 0.568) Liters Pints (US) 2.114 (lmp. 1.76)
Quarts (US) Liters 0.946 (lmp. 1.136) Liters Quarts (US) 1.057 (lmp. 0.88)
Gallons (US) Liters 3.785 (lmp. 4.546) Liters Gallons (US) 0.264 (lmp. 0.22)
Ounces Grams 28.4 Grams Ounces 0.035
Pounds Kilograms 0.454 Kilograms Pounds 2.2
LUMBER DIMENSIONS CONVERTING TEMPERATURES
NOMINAL - U.S. ACTUAL - U.S. (IN INCHES) METRIC Convert degrees Fahrenheit (F) to degrees Celsius (C) by following this
1×2 ¾ × 1½ 19 × 38 mm simple formula: Subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit temperature reading. Then
1×3 ¾ × 2½ 19 × 64 mm multiply that number by 5⁄9. For example, 77°F - 32 = 45. 45 × 5⁄9 = 25°C.
1×4 ¾ × 3½ 19 × 89 mm
To convert degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit, multiply the Celsius
1×5 ¾ × 4½ 19 × 114 mm
temperature reading by 9⁄5. Then, add 32. For example,
1×6 ¾ × 5½ 19 × 140 mm
25°C × 9⁄5 = 45. 45 + 32 = 77°F.
1×7 ¾ × 6¼ 19 × 159 mm
1×8 ¾ × 7¼ 19 × 184 mm
1 × 10 ¾ × 9¼ 19 × 235 mm
1 × 12 ¾ × 11¼ 19 × 286 mm
Fahrenheit Celsius
1¼ × 4 1 × 3½ 25 × 89 mm
15°
1¼ × 6 1 × 5½ 25 × 140 mm 55°
50° 10°
1¼ × 8 1 × 7¼ 25 × 184 mm 45°
1¼ × 10 1 × 9¼ 25 × 235 mm 40° 5°
35°
1¼ × 12 1 × 11¼ 25 × 286 mm 30° Freezing 0°
1½ × 4 1¼ × 3½ 32 × 89 mm 25°
-5°
20°
1½ × 6 1¼ × 5½ 32 × 140 mm 15° -10°
1½ × 8 1¼ × 7¼ 32 × 184 mm 10°
5° -15°
1½ × 10 1¼ × 9¼ 32 × 235 mm 0°
1½ × 12 1¼ × 11¼ 32 × 286 mm
2×4 1½ × 3½ 38 × 89 mm
2×6 1½× 5½ 38 × 140 mm
2×8 1½ × 7¼ 38 × 184 mm
2 × 10 1½ × 9¼ 38 × 235 mm
2 × 12 1½ × 11¼ 38 × 286 mm LIQUID MEASUREMENT EQUIVALENTS
3×6 2½ × 5½ 64 × 140 mm 1 Pint = 16 Fluid Ounces = 2 Cups
4×4 3½ × 3½ 89 × 89 mm 1 Quart = 32 Fluid Ounces = 2 Pints
4×6 3½ × 5½ 89 × 140 mm 1 Gallon = 128 Fluid Ounces = 4 Quarts
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METRIC PLYWOOD PANELS STANDARD SHEATHING GRADE SANDED GRADE
Metric plywood panels are commonly available in two sizes: 7.5 mm (5⁄16") 6 mm (4⁄17")
1,200 mm × 2,400 mm and 1,220 mm × 2,400 mm, which is roughly 9.5 mm (3⁄8") 8 mm (5⁄16")
equivalent to a 4 × 8' sheet. Standard and Select sheathing panels come 12.5 mm (½") 11 mm (7⁄16")
in standard thicknesses, while Sanded grade panels are available in 15.5 mm (5⁄8") 14 mm (9⁄16")
special thicknesses. 18.5 mm (¾") 17 mm (2⁄3 ")
20.5 mm (13⁄16") 19 mm (¾")
22.5 mm (7⁄8") 21 mm (13⁄16")
25.5 mm (1") 24 mm (15⁄16")
COUNTERBORE, SHANK & PILOT HOLE DIAMETERS
SCREW COUNTERBORE DIAMETER FOR CLEARANCE HOLE FOR PILOT HOLE DIAMETER
SIZE SCREW HEAD (IN INCHES) SCREW SHANK (IN INCHES) HARD WOOD (IN INCHES) SOFT WOOD (IN INCHES)
#1 .146 (9⁄64) 5
⁄64 3
⁄64 1
⁄32
#2 ¼ 3
⁄32 3
⁄64 1
⁄32
#3 ¼ 7
⁄64 1
⁄16 3
⁄64
#4 ¼ 1
⁄8 1
⁄16 3
⁄64
#5 ¼ 1
⁄8 5
⁄64 1
⁄16
#6 5
⁄16 9
⁄64 3
⁄32 5
⁄64
#7 5
⁄16 5
⁄32 3
⁄32 5
⁄64
#8 3
⁄8 11
⁄64 1
⁄8 3
⁄32
#9 3
⁄8 11
⁄64 1
⁄8 3
⁄32
#10 3
⁄8 3
⁄16 1
⁄8 7
⁄64
#11 ½ 3
⁄16 5
⁄32 9
⁄64
#12 ½ 7
⁄32 9
⁄64 1
⁄8
NAILS
Nail lengths are identified by numbers from 4 to 60 followed by the letter “d,” which stands for “penny.” For general framing and repair work, use common or
box nails. Common nails are best suited to framing work where strength is important. Box nails are smaller in diameter than common nails, which makes them
easier to drive and less likely to split wood. Use box nails for light work and thin materials. Most common and box nails have a cement or vinyl coating that
improves their holding power.
LBS. MM IN.
20d 102 mm 4"
16d 89 mm 3½"
10d 76 mm 3"
8d 64 mm 2½"
6d 51 mm 2"
5d 44 mm 1¾"
4d 38 mm 1½"
METRIC CONVERSIONS 171
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Resources
A-Maze-N© Smokin’ Products, Inc.
1932 Shawnee Road
Eagan, MN 55122
www.amazenproducts.com
Black & Decker (US), Inc.
800 544 6986
www.blackanddecker.com
www.bdk.com
Photo Credits
Shutterstock: 6-22, 24 (left top, left bottom, right
bottom), 25, 27 (left), 28 (left), 30-32, 33 (left top,
right top), 34-40, 86-88, 136-138
A-Maze-N© Smokin’ Products: 28 (right top, right
bottom), 33 (right bottom)
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Index
aviation snips, 109 caulk gun, 109 how to build, 65–73
cedar planking, 46 plan details for, 63–64
Barrel Grill, 96–101 chalk line, 109 tools & materials for, 62
Brick Barbecue Grill, 102–107 charcoal double burns, 28
brick barbecues, 24 about, 33–35 drilling in metal, 151
Brick Pizza Oven adding to fire, 37
about, 8, 74–75 briquettes, 33–34 Fire Pit Rotisserie, 90–95
base for, 78–79 lighting, 35 fire pits, 12, 90–95
firing schedule for, 85 chimney starters, 15, 36 fireboxes, 27, 60
how to build, 80–85 circular saw, 109 floating footing, 102, 103
plan details for, 77 Clay Pot Smoker, 29, 32, 42–45 framing square, 109
tools & materials for, 76 cold chisels, 109 fuel
brick sets, 109 cold smoking, 25, 28 charcoal, 33–35, 37
brick splitters, 111 concrete blocks, cutting, 111 choosing, 21
brick tongs, 109 Cooler, Pub Table, 164–169 sources for, 31
bricks and blocks counterbore, shank, and pilot hole wood, 31–33
angle-cutting, 110 diameters, 171
cutting, 110–111 customization, 22–23 gallery, 6–17
scoring, 110 grilling
tools for, 109 direct heat, 24, 26 about, 89
briquettes, charcoal, 33–34, 35 Double Barrel Smoker basics of, 21–37
brushes, 109 about, 27, 60–61 conventional, 23
bucket, 109 cutting list for, 62
INDEX 173
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methods and equipment for, 23 Outdoor Masonry, 112–119 mortar
open-fire, 24 planning project for, 113 refractory, 74, 102
grills utility hookups for, 113 tools for, 109
barrel, 7, 23, 24 walls & countertops for, 132–135 working with, 107–108
Barrel Grill (project), 96–101 mortar bag, 109
baskets for, 12 laminate, 163 mortar box, 109
“drop-in”, 8 level, 109 mortar hawk, 109
open, 23, 24 lighter fluid, 35
recycled materials for, 17 lighting fires, 35 nail lengths, 171
sliding, 9 line blocks, 109
with smoker box, 14 line level, 109 outdoor cooking, about, 89
Tailgating Toolbox Grill, 146–155 liquid measurement Outdoor Kitchen Walls &
equivalents, 170 Countertops, 132–135
hardwood, 31 Locker, Pitmaster’s, 89, 126–131 Outdoor Masonry Kitchen, 112–119
heat diffusers, 27 logos, painting custom, 155 ovens, outdoor
heatproof caulk, 59 logs, 31, 37 about, 41
heatproof gasket tape, 44 London trowel, 109 brick, 8, 74–85
hot smoking, 26 lumber dimensions, 170 cooking with, 30–31
lump charcoal, 33, 35 materials for, 23
indirect heat, 24, 26 tower, 10
infrared thermometers, 30 masonry hoe, 109 types of, 10, 16
masonry-cutting blades, 109
jerky, 25 mason’s hammer, 109 Patio Prep Cart, 89, 120–125
mason’s string, 109 pellets, 33
kiln-dried wood, 32 mason’s tools, 109 phenols, 34
kitchens metal, drilling holes in, 151 pipe clamps, 109
foundations for, 113 metric conversions, 170 Pitmaster’s Locker, 89, 126–131
grill and door units for, 113 metric plywood panels, 171
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pointing trowel, 109 basic, 7 Tailgate Smoker, 139, 140–145
Pub Table Cooler, 139, 164–169 Clay Pot Smoker, 29, 32, 42–45 tailgating, 25, 139
cylindrical tube, 28 Tailgating Smoker, 25, 27, 29
refractory mortar, 74, 102 Double Barrel Smoker, 27, 60–73 Tailgating Toolbox Grill, 139,
reverse-flow, 27 large, 13 146–155
rotisserie cooking, 24, 25, 90, maze, 28 temperature conversions, 170
94–95 offset, 27, 60–73 thermometers
rubber mallet, 109 portable, 11 infrared, 30
Tailgating Smoker, 140–145 installing, 45
sawdust, 33 types of, 27–29 Trailer Hitch Table, 156–163
seasoned wood, 32 upright barrels, 29 trowels, 109
single burns, 28 water, 29 tuck pointer, 109
skewers, 15 smoking
sled jointer, 109 basics of, 21–37 warm smoking, 25–26
smoke chambers, 27, 60 on a grill, 26 wood
smoke generators, 28 methods and equipment for, 25 adding to fire, 36–37
smokehouses temperatures for, 25–26 forms of fuel from, 31–33
about, 28–29, 46–47 soaking wood chips, 37 lighting, 35
cutting list for, 48 spacers, 109 types of, 34
fieldstone, 13 split wood, 31–32 wood chip pouches, 26
how to build, 51–59 S-shaped jointer, 109 wood chips, 32, 37
plan details for, 49–51 story pole, 109 wood chunks, 26, 32, 37
tools & materials for, 48
smoker boxes, 14, 26 tables
smokers Pub Table Cooler, 164–169
about, 41 surface treatments for, 163
barrel, 6, 9 Trailer Hitch Table, 156–163
INDEX 175
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