Gratuitous Grill Thread 2014

[chezuki]

Also, it's 2015 now, and I started a new thread in March.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/break-room/378020-gratuitous-grillin-thread-2015-a.html

 

[Fargo]

This. What is that lid made from?

It is off a coleman fire pit. I added the damper off a chargriller side firebox to the center of it to allow it to draft.

The air intakes are in the center of the bottom of the barrel. I bolt a flea market skillet to the center of the bottom, and then punch two 1 1/4 inch holes through the skillet and drum. The markings on the side of the barrel let me know where to position the skillet handle to set my intakes where I want them.

In reality, the system provides way more draft than one would use to smoke anything. However, it does allow me to run it up to 500 degrees when I do wood fired pizzas.

I am happy to take pics of anything on it and post them.

 

[steveh_131]

I imagined issues with ashes blocking the intakes with them on the bottom.

Do you have a charcoal basket that holds the ashes? Does it ever clog?

 

[Fargo]

Do you boil them with the seasoning packets and then smoke them? I love corned beef and pastrami but haven't tried to make either yet.

No, I pull them out and soak them in water with the seasoning packet. I usually do this from 12 to 24 hours to get some of the salt out. I change the water a few times and lose a fair bit of the seasoning packet when I do, but it doesn't seem to hurt any.

They smoke as you see them up to 203 internal and then I rest then in foil in a cooler or in the warming drawer if I have time. Not resting them doesn't hurt, they are still tender but the rest makes them even tenderer. I sometimes prefer them unrested on sandwiches if I want a bit more pull to the slices.

 

[Fargo]

I imagined issues with ashes blocking the intakes with them on the bottom.

Do you have a charcoal basket that holds the ashes? Does it ever clog?

The charcoal basket has a pizza pan attached to the bottom on legs to catch the ashes. There are bolts sticking out from the bottom of the pizza pan about 1/2 an inch to allow airflow.

If it wasn't cooking, I'd pull it out and post a pic. I will do so in the morning if you want.

It has run 24 hrs without any clogging issues.

 

[steveh_131]

The charcoal basket has a pizza pan attached to the bottom on legs to catch the ashes. There are bolts sticking out from the bottom of the pizza pan about 1/2 an inch to allow airflow.

If it wasn't cooking, I'd pull it out and post a pic. I will do so in the morning if you want.

It has run 24 hrs without any clogging issues.

No need for me, I've got a good picture in my head of what you did.

I'm good with my intakes, but I really like the tabletop you added and might build something similar.

 

[Fargo]

No need for me, I've got a good picture in my head of what you did.

I'm good with my intakes, but I really like the tabletop you added and might build something similar.

It is a round off a black cherry tree I cut down that had the most twisted up gnarly grain of anything I've split, and I've split a lot of elm.

As rock hard as it is, I figured I might get away with using it as a shelf without it splitting. I sanded and spar varnished it and so far so good. If you want a piece of it, I have a ton more rounds of it and can cut a cookie off anytime.

 

[steveh_131]

It is a round off a black cherry tree I cut down that had the most twisted up gnarly grain of anything I've split, and I've split a lot of elm.

As rock hard as it is, I figured I might get away with using it as a shelf without it splitting. I sanded and spar varnished it and so far so good. If you want a piece of it, I have a ton more rounds of it and can cut a cookie off anytime.

Interesting. Where are you located? Appreciate the offer, kinda depends on distance!