BBQ Island Posts from "Grill with Skill"

[DrDave]

Re: Anyone ever make an island kitchen for a smoker/pit?
by DrDave on Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:09 pm

SeanB wrote:
All of the island kitchens I have seen have always been for gas grills. I prefer wood and lump charcoal but also like the looks of the outdoor kitchens.
I've got a pretty good size deck and could probably accomodate a kitchen if I wanted to. Anyone ever seen one designed to house a pit/smoker? I would think it could be done as long as everything was modular.

Dr.Dave, any experience with something like this?


You guys are going to test me right away, no rest for the wicked... 8)
Well I have never done it and I don't know of anyone who has, however this does fit into a design I have been giving thought to for some time now. Mine actually is a fireplace using my signature steel stud design but the same construction techniques would apply.

1. I would first build the island using steel studs and Hardie Backer the same as any propane drop in unit with this modification:
2. I would leave the opening normally reserved for the drop ins large enough to accomodate the following:
a. Cover the sides and bottom with 1/2" Hardie Backer ("HB" hereafter).
b. Then on top of the HB, a layer of fire brick on top of 1/2' of sand.
b. Cover the sides with fire brick as well.
d. Use sand to fill any gaps in the bottom layer. (just like doing pavers)
3. This whole arrangement would of course be the bottom and the fire pit for the smoker cover and apparatus for wood.
Here is where I would need an expert smoker person like Boardlaze or Civil Bear on the BBQG Forum to help out with the necessary hardware for making the smoker part a success.
4. You would need a sheet metal shop to form and weld the rest.
5. Don't forget an intake vent and a baffled exhaust for temperature control. Again a good question for the expert smokers.

That would be my plan. If anyone takes on this challenge, please take pictures of every step.

 

[DrDave]

Re: Anyone ever make an island kitchen for a smoker/pit?
by DrDave on Sat Sep 15, 2007 3:19 am

Just a note to any that might try to build one. The stack up height is going to add up fast. Make sure you design it in scale so you know what the working height is when it is all assembled. That means your cut out depth is going to be much lower than any gas BBQ to start with.
If you add an Afterburner that is propane fired, make sure that compartment has 2ea, 20 square inch vents, one high and one as low as you can get it. You need the cross ventillation to avoid the kind of accident that was posted here recently. Gas can fill compartments from the top down with NG or the bottom up with LP just like water in a bath tub. The cross ventillation "sweeps" out the gas and prevents it from building up to dangerous levels.

 

[DrDave]

Here is the Upper vent.

 

[DrDave]

Sideburners and Woks
by DrDave on Sat Sep 15, 2007 2:59 am

My wife cooks a lot of Asian food and most of her friends used portable coleman burners outdoors to cook with. I told her that we were not going to have a fire hazard and eyesore in our yard. So I went shopping. Looking at the Barbeques Galore Turbo WOK is what inspired me to build my Island 8 years ago. It started out to be a birthday gift for my wife to build in the WOK, as I researched it more, I decided to build in a BBQ as well. Mine is a true WOK burner which has a different fire pattern than side burners. I think it is much hotter. It also has a ring for the rounded WOK and another attachement for using it as a burner. I nearly went to the side burner when I upgraded my components this year, but I couldn't see the value in an extra burner that I likely would never use and the loss of the true WOK flame. While upgrading components, I also replaced my tiles with a granite slab. That round part is a true lazy susan.

 

[DrDave]

Re: What difference can a spice make?
by DrDave on Sat Sep 15, 2007 3:40 am

I was introduced to a secret rub that a California State Champion BBQ used on his pork. I use it on chicken breasts. It is John Henrys Pecan Rub. It comes from Texas. I found it in the Barbeques Galore Store. For chicken, I apply it liberally several hours or even the night before the BBQ. When the breasts are nicely browned on the outside, I take them off the grill and place them in a large flat casserole dish in foil and drench them in BBQ sauce. Then off to the oven for an hour at 300 deg. Make sure the foil envlopes them to keep in the moisture.
Whenever my relatives are in town, they look forward to this treat.

 

[DrDave]

Islands, Fireplaces, Firepits, Smokers Construction
Let's see some pictures fo your pit, grill, smoker, outdoor kitchen, etc.
Islands, Fireplaces, Firepits, Smokers Construction
by DrDave on Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:37 am

If you are building your own BBQ Island, backyard Fireplace, Firepit or Smoker, show us your construction pictures. The intent is to share knowledge and provide a place for constructive criticism. First and foremost to make sure you are building something that will harm not you, your family or friends.

 

[whoozer]

Usually I prefer hooved animals :lol: But that chicken looks yummy. Moving from the north to the south it's been hard to adjusting to everyone always eating chicken. Love your setup gives me alot of ideas for my future outdoor kitchen.