Well, lemme tell ya, I’ve seen a thing or two in my day. And one thing I know is how to make good food. And good food needs a good smoker. Now, you young’uns with your fancy gadgets, you might not know ’bout this. But an old-fashioned brick smoker, that’s the real deal. So I am gonna tell you how to make a diy brick smoker. I made one for myself.
Now, this here’s about makin’ your own smoker, a diy brick smoker, outta bricks. Yep, plain ol’ bricks. It ain’t as hard as it sounds. My neighbor, he got one of them fancy metal smokers. Cost him a fortune. Mine works just as good, maybe even better. Keeps the heat in real nice. And you can get it done all by yourself.
First thing you gotta do is get yourself some bricks. Not them fancy red ones, just regular ol’ cinder blocks. The kind they use for buildin’ walls and such. I got mine from that fella down the road, sold ’em to me cheap. Fire bricks are good. They can take the heat. Normal bricks will be broken after a while. Steel is also a good choice, but not everyone can handle that.
- Get them bricks.
- Find a good spot.
- Stack ’em up.
You want a good spot for this diy brick smoker. Not too close to the house, mind ya, ’cause of the smoke. And not too far either, ’cause you gotta carry all them bricks. I put mine out back, near the garden. Good spot, plenty of room. Make sure it is flat. Otherwise your smoker will not be stable.
Now, stackin’ them bricks, that’s the fun part. Just like buildin’ with them little toy blocks, ‘cept these are bigger and heavier. You don’t need nothin’ fancy, just stack ’em up, make a box. Make sure you leave a hole at the bottom for the fire, and a hole at the top for the smoke to get out. Don’t need a PHD for that. If you know how to stack those Lego, you will know how to stack bricks.
Some folks like to use mortar, that cement stuff, to hold the bricks together. I didn’t bother. Mine’s held together just fine with its own weight. Been standin’ for years, through rain and shine. And if you want to move it, you can do it yourself. It is not very hard to do it. Trust me.
For the fire, you just need a little grate. Keeps the wood off the ground, lets the air get to it. I used an old grill grate I found layin’ around. Works like a charm. A metal trash can will also work. Cut a hole and put a hot plate inside. Put some wood chips into a pan.
Then you need somethin’ to hold the meat. I just use some metal rods, stick ’em through the bricks. Hang the meat from hooks. Simple as pie. You can also use another grill grate, if you got one. Just lay it across the top. Or get a big ol’ metal drum.
Some people, they like to get fancy. They put a door on their diy brick smoker. They put a thermometer on it, so they can see how hot it is. Me, I just stick my hand in there. If it feels hot, it’s hot. You learn these things after a while. If you really need a thermometer, go buy one yourself. It is not expensive.
Now, for the smokin’ part. That’s where the magic happens. You gotta get some good wood. Hickory, oak, applewood, whatever you like. Just don’t use that treated lumber, that stuff’s no good. It will make your food taste bad. It could even make you sick.
Start a little fire in the bottom of your diy brick smoker. Let it burn down to coals. Then you add your wood chips. You want a nice, slow burn, not a big bonfire. That’s what makes the smoke. A pellet grill is easy to use. But a brick smoker is better. It makes food taste better.
Then you put your meat in. Close it up, let it smoke. How long? Well, that depends on what you’re cookin’. Could be a few hours, could be all day. Just gotta keep an eye on it. Make sure the fire don’t go out.
And that’s all there is to it. Your own diy brick smoker, made with your own two hands. Not bad for a regular folk, huh? And the food that comes outta there, oh boy! Best darn barbecue you ever tasted. Better than anything you can get in a store. Better than that fancy restaurant in town.
Now, this ain’t the only way to build a smoker. I seen folks use all sorts of things. Old refrigerators, filing cabinets, even a cardboard box! But this here brick smoker, this is the best. It is easy to make and it is cheap. It’s simple, it’s sturdy, and it works. And that’s all that matters. This diy brick smoker is just fine for me. So go on, give it a try. You might surprise yourself. And you’ll have some mighty fine eatin’ too!
