# Outdoor Kitchens and Smokers



## makoclay

We might be in a position to build our first outdoor kitchen in the next few months. I will probably utilize one large gas grill and one of those drop-in burners for crawfish/chili.

I also want to be able to smoke briskets. I went to an outdoor kitchen store in Houston last week. When I asked them about this, they promoted a grill that really would not be suitable for smoking meats for any long period of time. 

Has anybody ever seen a smoker incorporated into an outdoor kitchen? If so, was it something that they build or do any of the maunfacturers sell something that smokes meat that can be built into an outdoor kitchen?


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## DavidCorpusTX

I have seen Big Green Eggs built into outdoor kitchens before:


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## makoclay

David,

I actually have been thinking about incorporating a smoker into that wood burning stove that is in the corner of your picture. Couldn't you add a door to front to create a fire box and then have a grill up above it? The smoke would then flow over the meat and up through the chimney. I would think that this would work, right?


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## Crow's Nest

I build custom Outdoor Kitchens and I have a Smoker I designed that works much like the Big Green Egg except I can cook 6-8 Briskets.

The Price for my Smoker is about 5 times that of a large Green Egg.

I tell my Customers that if they only want to cook one or two Briskets, go with the Green Egg.

Here is a Pic of one of my Kitchens:


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## DavidCorpusTX

makoclay said:


> David,
> 
> I actually have been thinking about incorporating a smoker into that wood burning stove that is in the corner of your picture. Couldn't you add a door to front to create a fire box and then have a grill up above it? The smoke would then flow over the meat and up through the chimney. I would think that this would work, right?


In that picture, the bottom compartment is wood storage and the upper one (with the fire) is a pizza oven. I don't see any reason that you couldn't do what you are proposing though. You would want a damper on the door and maybe a damper between the two chambers.


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## makoclay

Crow,

that is some beautiful work. I assume the smoker is on the far right. I would never cook more than 2 briskets but I just don't like the idea of having a Green Egg over on the side of my outdoor kitchen. What is important to me is having a clean look and having everything incorporated.

thank you for the pictures.


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## Crow's Nest

Thanks for compliment.

On the subject of the incorporation of a Smoker using the firebox of a pizza oven, I have considered designing something along those line. I keep coming back to asthetics and function.

To do so, I would either have to lower the pizza oven dramatically or have to use a ladder to tend the smoker. I can't help but feel that by the time you get it done you would have been better off building a Smoker with its own Fire box.

If you were intending to use the Smoker and the pizza oven at the same time it would not work. Pizza ovens are designed for extreme high heat. By the time you optimized the temp in the oven your flu would be pumping nothing but gasses in neighborhood of 1000-1500F degrees.

I have kicked around drawing up plans for my smoker, which can be built to any size, for others to use in there personal construction. It is a very efficient design using 1/4 the wood you would normally use for like Smoking.

My Smoker is 100% masonry and is insulated.Once heated up it produces little smoke so meat is not over smoked.

If interested, I could do a sketch of the basic design and you could have someone build it for you?


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## RB II

Crows Nest, I would definitely be interested in seeing the design of your smoker. Please post up.


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## Crow's Nest

I will try and get a basic sketch up this evening.


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## Crow's Nest

A little more about the smoker:

http://www.hillcountryoutdoorkitchens.com/smoker.htm


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## drfishalot

what about an electric stainless steel smoker on wheels, roll it into recess on the ground when not in use, roll it out when using


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## Crow's Nest

Here is a quick sketch of the Smoker.

The front view, top, give an idea of how the general construction is done. Notice the bricks on the lower part of the smoker are laid flat as one would normally lay a brick. This gives good mass for the fire box.. The flat brick are laid just until you get to the top of the door which is approx 17" off the floor.Then. the remaining bricks are laid on their sides and on the outside edge of the bottom bricks. This allows for a lip in the inside of the smoker so that 1"x1' angle iron can be set for the layer of bricks that will cover the fire box and create the first baffle for smoke and heat distribution.

Cover the first layer of brick all the way to the far end away from the fire box leaving about 4'6" gap so smoke and heat can move to the next level. once the first level is set, take brick without mortering, and lay them on edge from one end to the other on both sides of the long walls of the smoker. Now, set more angle iron and more brick covering from the far end to the end closest to the fire box door leving 4'6" gap for heat and smoke to move.

Set the Smoke stack such that it sits below the level of the grate. This will make the heat and smoke build up in the meat chamber before exiting the smoker.

Notice that on the outside of the brick mass is a cavity for filling with Perlite or Vermiculite. These are natural insulators. Perlite is cheaper but very fine and difficult to work with.

The whole idea behind the design is to conserve and distribute heat and smoke sparingly. It works very well as all od the brick, once heated up, help keep a temp range without using too much wood.

The dimensions can vary depending on how much you want to smoke. My typical product ends up having an inside grate size of approx 26"X48". Enough to cook around 6 Briskets comfortably. This ends up being around 4'X6' on the outer dimensions by the time insulation and exterior masonry is added.

I get the door from a Masonry supply house and it is known as a Dutch Oven Door. It is Cast Iron. The brick are all medium duty firebrick that you can also get from a Masonry supply house. Mortar for the brick should either be Firestop or a product from Able Mfg in Houston that is made for refractory.

The metal work is all custom as well. I suggest building your box and then find someone that can weld a top for you based on the final top dimensions. I use 1/4" 3"X4" angle iron for the frame with the 4" side laying on the top of the masonry and the 3" side pointing down inside. The lid can be a flat piece of 3/16" or 1/8" with 1'X1" angle making a rain lip. Stack should be at min a 4" round pipe. I use 4"X8" only because it looks better.

The bottom sketch shows how the smoker works.

As soon as I can get my drafting supplies located I will try do a scale build-up and put on my website for anyone that wants them


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## RB II

Very nice and informative. Thanks.


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## Specks&Reds

*Smokin' with my gas grill*

I know some folks don't believe you can smoke brisket on a gas grill but I use my gas grill (American Outdoor Grill) for regular grilling and for smoking brisket. I am able to run one burner and indirect cook the brisket while having wood chunks smoke away. My wife and I built the kitchen and it includes a crawfish burner on one end which I use for crawfish and frying turkey, steaming lobster, etc. I considered a separate smoker setup but I just didn't have the room and I have found I don't miss the dedicated smoker since the grill performs to my needs just fine. Here's a pic.


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## Whiskey Girl

That is sweet. . . . ! wg


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## Law Dog

Very nice pics!! Wish it was in my back yard!!!!!
:cheers:


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## Haute Pursuit

You guys with the pizza ovens... do you have a door in the back to load the wood and get the ash out or do you just use a shop vac or something??


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## Crow's Nest

'You guys with the pizza ovens... do you have a door in the back to load the wood and get the ash out or do you just use a shop vac or something??'

Everything goes in and out through the single door in front.


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## Andy1208

That is exactly what I have been looking for, we lived in the house for 3 yrs. left the backyard empty for something just like that. Do you have website to look @.


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