Grilling Pit/Outdoor Oven project

[Mooseherder]

I am making some adjustments and adding some options to the pit side of the outdoor ovens that I talked about in the Cooking Pavilion thread.
This option with the elevator allows you to regulate the distance to the hot coals.
I've used it a couple times so far and it's working good but I see that it does need some improvements.
It needs to have guide rails or rods which I will be installing in the front part of the grill on the inner corners of the grate.  I'll drill the concrete and insert the rods into the holes.  You can see the rods in the front area of the bricks while I was dry fitting. I'm thinking that will stabilize it enough without having to put any out backside.  I'd like to keep that as clear as possible to clean or feed the fire.
The wood handles are from some wood I found on the side of the road.  I don't know what it is but it's been in the garage for a year and it hasn't cracked yet.  My garage gets mighty hot so it's cured. ;)
I turned the wood handle and the section in between the conduit elbows on my lathe.  The steel bar rod is from Orange depot and has pre drilled holes.  The brackets are heavy duty shelf brackets.  Then on top of  that I have some chain link fence rings and threaded pipe couplings to accomodate the right diameter of the steel rod so it wasn't sloppy.  I may redesign that area. 
I'm currently using a chain that is tethered to the corner and sliding it on top of the screw holding the left chain to the grate.  It holds the grate at whatever position it is moved to and it also needs to be easy on or off accessory if I want the contraption off.



  

 

[LeeB]

neat idea. Might want to stiffen up the grill so it doen't buckle when it gets hot.

[sparky1]

looks like a simple and effective design! no need to reinvente the wheel!!    a couple a ribeyes on there would be amazing!!

[Mooseherder]

neat idea. Might want to stiffen up the grill so it doen't buckle when it gets hot.

Yep, you can't see it because it has blackened but there is a continuous chain that runs under each side of the grate underneath and comes up through the ends and into the triangles center in the picture.  I had bought other steel angle to do a reinforcement originally but  decided that may be overkill and this should work in theory or it's back to the drawing board. ;)

[LeeB]

I still say stiffining will be good. It already looks to be slightly bowed  in the center. Even just another piece of chain on each side to support the middle section in addition to the two end chains.

[Mooseherder]

It's bowed because it was on my other grill pit for a couple years. :D

[LeeB]

   :D  :D

[isawlogs]

  :D :D :D 

   Just looking at that pit makes my mouth want to be carried to the fridge.....  :-\ 

[Norm]

I've always wanted a santa maria pit, yours looks awesome Glenn. 

[thecfarm]

A great idea. Get some heat under that thing.

[Mooseherder]

Thanks Norm,  now I know what to call this thing. ;)

[isawlogs]

SMP , I'll try and remember  ;D 

[zopi]

have been working on a firepit made out of a twenty inch truck rim..ugly is the operative term..kicker for that size rim, (this is a five hole budd split rim) is that a weber grill lid and grill fit nicely...or whatever cheap knockoff you scrounge roadside...anyhow, added a fancy fire set to it, a pair of tee fence posts with a piece of chainlink top rail for a cross piece, and some scavenged rod stock for pot hangers..I will get them bent up next time I get the itch to work on this project..and can figure out where my bending dies are...I plan to refine this as part of my semi (get it?) lol portable kowboy kitchen stadium for the backyard...all the grills and smoke toys are going in one area...so we can hang out and drink beer in a completely unrefined git r done, no lifestyle channel, hurry up and scorch the meat redneck atmosphere. (plus it might tick off the nosy twit two doors down.)

Nice grill..I have often envied folks with masonry grills or nice outdoor kitchens...just never could find or figure out a setup that I liked enough to make permanent.
been playing with some rocket stove (google it) ideas for a nice big outdoor oven, and maybe an institutional stove for a steamer/canner setup..but those are all mobile..made out of 55 gal drums.  now, If I could just find a nice little stash of stainless drums...

[WDH]

That grill is a little bowed because of all those huge thick steaks that he has grilled on it  :D.

[thecfarm]

Probaly learned that from Tom.

[Norm]

No doubt, I've seen where he works!

[Mooseherder]

I decided to get going again on this project especially after seeing Local4fitters oven.
Got some forms in on the weekend and poured it tonight.  It sure was hot. :
The forms were tap conned into the brick so they held in place.
I have some bricks supporting the plywood underneath.
The exhaust vent is a little twist added to brush the ash out, give the fire air. (or mess up the whole project) :D


  

  

 

At least now it's all tied in together.
I'll let it cure while searching for a brick source.
I colored the concrete mix just so the sides match.
High speed duct tape was also used in this project to seal small gaps. ;D



  

 

[Local4Fitter]

That looks like a great outdoor kitchen area.

[Mooseherder]

Made some progress on the Brick Oven and the third course is going up.
Finally found some bricks and refractory mortar at a place local.
The 50 pound bag of mortar cost 77 dollars so I bought one for now and it looks like I will need one more. :
I have been making the mortar in small batches in a little plastic dish tub that is enough for about 6 or 7 bricks at a time.  I've used about half the bag so far to this point.
I'm going to finish this course and then start curving the dome.
No firm plans just kinda winging it as it goes.  I would really like to make it gas fired along with wood.
I have to make that decision soon.  The piping could be run up thru the bottom ash vent and secured to the inner walls.   A thermometer and light would also be cool but not absolutely necessary.
A brick can be put over the ash pit hole if needed.  Maybe put a handle on it so it can be moved with a stick thru the front door.
I'll have to rework the grill pit a little to match the oven after.



 



 

[Magicman]

Wow-wee, that is gonna be a fine oven for sure.  It will be interesting to see it develop.   

[Mooseherder]

I just came in from working on it.  It's not a hundred degrees but it's still hot. :
Got the 3rd course done and a 4th on the back.
The bricks for the curve are being cut by hand.  I'm taking a 9 inch brick and making pencil lines on the 4 inch and 5 inch marks then chiseling on the diagnal on both sides until it cracks where I want it.  Each brick is taking a couple minutes.  They're ready for tomorrow.  I may have just enough mortar to do the first curved course.

[Don_Papenburg]

Make a plywood buck to the shape of your arch,it will help with the bricking of the arch.

[Mooseherder]

This is where the first bag of mortar got me.  I'll pick up another one and hope it'll be enough.
It is slow going but a lot of fun.  Chiseling the bricks for the curve has allowed me to have smaller mortar joints.
I mist with water and rub the brick faces clean after each batch.  The mortar is setting up quick when it touches the hot bricks.  The water mist also makes the joints smooth and professional looking. ;D



  



 

Here is the arch forming.  It'll tie into the front and back for strength and support.
The chimney will be just after the top of the front opening.



 

[beenthere]

Looking great. Some how the urge to eat a pizza fresh baked in an outdoor oven is tickling my fancy right now.
You'll be building another at camp (I'm thinkin) ??

[Mooseherder]

Yes we sure would like one there also but there is never enough time to do the basics.  I dream of making trails on our property along with finishing the mill, making a bridge to cross the stream.  Then there is mowing the lawn. :D
I can't keep up with the trees falling over.  Semi retirement will hopefully cure that.  I need a couple more lifetimes for the Winery and the Mill. ;)
We spent an entire Vacation fixing the cabin up a couple years ago.
We are going back in August.  The kids are coming and we plan on just hanging out for a real vacation.

[Mooseherder]

Nothing venturied, nothing gained. ;D
This Burner venturi that is.  I was willing to sacrifice it and attempt using for the Oven.
Yup, cut a perfectly good unit so please don't tell me I shouldn't have done that. :D
The burner will be inside the oven and the part with the oxygen adjuster will be on the back out of the oven.  The unit will sit on the oven floor.  I need to put an elbow on the burner end, drop a pipe 10 inches, then put another elbow and come out the back 10 inches.  Can the walls of this cast be threaded on the outside at a machine shop?
The DanG walls of the venturi aren't all that thick. :



 

[D L Bahler]

You using standard portland cement mortar, refractory mortar?

[Mooseherder]

I picked up the second bag of refractory mortar yesterday, then cut bricks and had time to do half the course before the Mosquitos and light got me.
They had a different brand and it was sixty dollars instead of 77.
The refractory mortar is nice to work with and is supposed to be able to withstand 2 thousand degrees.  Regular mortar is somewhere around 5 hundred degrees.  My batches are getting larger as I get more confident with application.
Waste has to be kept to a minimum at those prices.

[WildDog]

Great work, very professional looking. With the pit and oven you will never want to cook inside again. 

[Mooseherder]

I'm going to cut these steel bars and set them in the next curve in case we want to cook some of Magicman's Drum chicken in there.  ;)
If they aren't used they'll be high enough and out of the way so no harm done.
These had been intended for use in the grill pit but I think they'll work better in here.  I have to form the archway door soon keeping the chimney just beyond that and cut another couple courses to see where it ends up.
I'm trying to end in the center with a brick that is wedged on both sides.
I usually say "caulking" to hide all imperfections on my trim jobs but this time the word is  "Mortar".  :D


 

[beenthere]

Coming along nice. Keep up the good work.

Anxious to see it fired up....whenever.

[WDH]

Looking stout!

[Magicman]

I'm going to cut these steel bars and set them in the next curve in case we want to cook some of Magicman's Drum chicken in there. 

If When you do smoke chicken, etc. in your oven, you will need something air tight to cover the chimney top.  It needs to seal well so that you can open it slightly, maybe an inch, to control the heat.  We use plywood, but a sheet of ¼" steel plate would work very nicely.  Take care when you cap the top off and get it flat and smooth.

Failure to do this will put you in serious competition with me for being the "Chickin Crispin" expert.  You have seen the picture.   

[Mooseherder]

I set the bars in front to back instead of left to right when I got home tonight along with a batch of bricks.  One on each side of the doorway and you'll only see them if you know they are there.   I'll be able to get the hooks closer or further from the fire this way and hope it will be easier to use.  I drilled a lil' point hole in the back wall for the tip and notched and mortared a brick to hold them in next to the front door.  Pictures tomorrow.
I've got a couple ideas to seal it all up for chicken.

[Magicman]

That front/back idea is smart for sure.  It will allow for much easier hooking/unhooking.  I used SS TIG welding wire for my hooks.

[Mooseherder]

This is where things ended up on top. The opening was too big for one brick so I went from the back towards the front starting a row on each side.  I'll be working on different courses now tieing them all in.


 

And this is where the second bag of mortar got me to.  Looks like I'll be needing a few more bricks also.
I had it right on but have had a few miscuts and whack jobs with all this chiseling.
It is a lot slower going now.  Each batch of mortar is doing 5-6 half bricks, then cleanup before moving on.
The top brick wedge is being cut from a whole brick.  The other cuts were yielding two usable pieces.
Back to the store on Monday. :D
 


  

  

 

[WDH]

You would have done fine in the early Roman days  :D.  Pretty soon, that thing will be cooking  ;D.

[LeeB]

So, you're telling us you're a few bricks shy of a load?  :D Looking good. I know you're almost done now, but couldn't you have used a diamond blade in a skil saw?

[Mooseherder]

Yup, I'm short a few bricks. :D
A wet saw would be nice but I didn't want to buy one.  Renting one over a period of a couple weeks wouldn't work either.  Using a skil saw would require clamping the brick down to a work table to make it safe.  Actually cutting the brick is not too bad, I'm enjoying that part.  Cleaning up the mortar on the brick faces after each batch is the most time consuming.

[Mooseherder]

Monday night's work of 5 bricks didn't hold on to cure with some heavy rains after I had finished.  I suspected that was going to happen and placed some towels inside the oven to protect to base.
They were on the oven floor the next morning.
Tuesday night it was raining all night so I decided to make these two boxes that served as a jig and holder.
I got to the front of the oven on the last curved course and let it cure a bunch longer than usual before cleaning up underneath.  I put the jig back before working on cleaning the top and feel better about the whole deal today.  Yesterday was a confidence shaker.
This was the setup before working on it tonight.  It is made with scraps and swivels to let me adjust the height.


 

I will feel a whole bunch better after the front is tied in to the arch.  Hopefully tomorrow.
Here is how it sits right now.  I got 14 pieces installed. 8)



 

[Raider Bill]

Glenn,

I'm looking forward to the christening party!

I sent you and a few others I have email address for a power point showing many different ways they grill and smoke around the world this morning. Quite interesting the ingenuity. If anyone else want to see them send me a PM with your email address.

[Mooseherder]

If you come for the christening I'll rent a Harley for the weekend.

[Mooseherder]

Been working on the oven most nights for a couple hours and dedicated all of Saturday to get the front and chimney up.  There some details that need done.  I just don't know what that is yet. :D
I'll wait some for cure time before heating it up but will have a small fire in there tomorrow.
I'm anxious to see what draw the chimney has. ???



  



 

Looks like the 2x6 on the pavilion is level also. ;D



 

[Magicman]

Looking good.  Our fireplace masons just build a newspaper fire to test the draw.  It makes smoke with no heat.  Really they are not testing it for themselves, they are just showing the homeowner that it will draw properly.

[Mooseherder]

That is a good idea.  This is where 225 bricks gets you to. 
If it draws good this project is almost over except for the eating.
Time to find a Pizza Peel.

[thecfarm]

WOW!! That looks good. You just about killed my poor dial up,but it was worth the wait.  ;D I would like to eat some thick steaks out of that. Tom would too I bet

[Mooseherder]

If you come down, I promise to cook you some Big Honking Steaks.

[thecfarm]

I forgot,would be quicker if I came UP to see you.  :D  Did you buy the wheel kit option?

[Mooseherder]

The offer stands up there also. :D
I got a sweet grill at the cabin that cooks nicely.

[isawlogs]

 Glenn, that sure looks good  8) 8)   So how far off to the east are you from me ????

[Mooseherder]

Only 3 hours as the crow flys. :D
Are you coming?  How far are you from Montreal?
Montreal to our place is about 7 hours.

[isawlogs]

1 1/2 hrs from Montréal to here.. but, I do a 1/2 hour hook south so that makes it a six hour drive to your place, that can be worked out easily.  ;)

Maybe sometime when you get up that way we could do a little side trip, never know.  :D

[Norm]

That turned out really nice Glenn!

Can't wait to see the first pizza cooked on it.

[Don_Papenburg]

Glen Do you have plans to insulate and cover the oven?  It will hold heat for a couple of days if you do .  We can cook for two days in our oven ,just have to adjust the food types .

[Mooseherder]

No plans to clad the oven over right now although that may be an option later.
I'll try it the way it is and determine if it is needed.
It sure would have taken less time to not clean each brick like I did.
I want the brick look and hope it is enough.

[Local4Fitter]

Moose the oven looks great. Nice neat job. Will be good for pizza as is, just dont put your beer on it after a couple hours.

[GoStumpy]

FOOD???

[Mooseherder]

I've been meaning to update about the food cooked in it so I guess now is a good time since you called it out. :D
As a pizza oven, this thing is a dud so far.
I can't get the oven floor hotter than 350 even with a roaring fire on both sides of a thermometer.
The chicken I have cooked on hooks from the rods is phenomenal so I'm considering renaming it Chicken pit. ;D
The fire goes out and smokes like crazy when I close the door.
The gas burner works great until I put the door up to keep the heat in.
Then it goes out.
I haven't figured it out yet.  I had put the burner in the day before vacation and since we got back I have been too busy with the hurricane and work.  I was out of town for work also. 
The first pizza stuck to the oven floor and ended up on the wood coals to hide the evidence. Pock pock, pock pock pock.  (that's a chicken)
Don't copy this design just yet. :D
Hopefully I'll figure it out.

[Magicman]

I would try regulating the wood fire/heat by covering the chimney top.  That is what we do with the barrel.


 
Just a thought.

[Mooseherder]

I will certainly give that a try next weekend.

[isawlogs]

 Magic, is that the secret top that dark crispy chicken  ??? :P

[Magicman]

Yup, the secret is out.  Not covering the top well enough allows too much heat and will add extra and much darker "crispiness" to the "chickin".  Some folks would even say it was a shade of black.   

[Dodgy Loner]

I would try regulating the wood fire/heat by covering the chimney top.  That is what we do with the barrel.


 
Just a thought.

Now that is some true Mississippi engineering right there 8)

[Mooseherder]

I did a little experimenting yesterday in the oven and had fun with it.
Bought a Chicken and cut it up for parts along with a piece of Beef chuck roast cut into boneless chunks and a whole slab of Pork backribs cut into portions.  Hung everything on both side rods.  The temperature got to 550 easily up there and I backed down the heat some. Rounded it all out with some baked potatoes and some broccoli that was cut into spears.  You can see on the left in tin foil.
Everything was cooked on a little bit of charcoal to start and 3 sticks of oak I split into small sticks.
Less than 1 round was used so it goes a long way.


  

 

Here is the chicken before saucing and the ribs with sauce on one side before going back on the rails.


  

  

 

The ribs turned out perfect, the Chicken and Beef was tasty but a tad overdone by I'm guessing a half hour.
My next experiment will be adding a brick shelf within then oven to get the Pizza higher into the high heat zone.

Blocking the chimney made the heat and smoke come out the front door so I'll keep searching for alternative solutions.
I'm hoping the brick shelf will do the trick.  The other option would be to build a hot fire in the center until it's mostly coals then move to the sides, blow off the ash and put the pizza right where the coals were.
I'm thinking the brick shelf will work though.

[Magicman]

Yup, you can't completely block the chimney, just restrict it.  That actually becomes your damper to prevent all/most of the heat from escaping.

That is some good looking vittles coming out of that oven.   

[Burlkraft]

Thanks...Now I gotta go dig around in the fridge  :D

[sandhills]

I sure didn't see anything there I wouldn't eat!  Why go fixin' something when it works that good 

[WDH]

Whew!  That looks good!

[thecfarm]

A little more than 12 hours later. having chicken and ribs for breakfast? That looks better than good.

[Mooseherder]

I cooked a Pizza on a brick shelf tonight and it was half decent but not quite there yet.
This thing will be figured out.   I had the fire about perfect but it started pouring rain as soon as I put the Pizza on.
That hampered me from perfecting some things but I have more dough for more trying. ;D

[WDH]

Hopefully you were using Morton Salt (when it rains, it pours  ;D).

[Mooseherder]

I was going to make tree (3) different Pizzas but the rain stopped me at the one.   I didn't want to deal with it going in and out of the house.
Matter of fact, I'm still hungry because of the DanG rain.  :D

[Mooseherder]

We celebrated Thanksgiving early because one of our Daughters will be out of town on Thursday.
I cooked the Bird in the Pizza oven for almost 5 hours.  It was very flavorful and juicy with a nice smoke ring but didn't taste smokey.
It was the juiciest Turkey I've ever made.



 

[Magicman]

Very nice.  I love a good smoked turkey leg.   

[thecfarm]

Well it works good for turkeys,how about pizzas?

[Mooseherder]

It works good now.  I have to get a new pizza peel to get them out of the oven as the wooden one I was using is warped so much from the heat that it is unusable.  We also have to try perfecting the dough.  That is a work in slow progress.

[WDH]

"You cook good turkey, Pilgrim."