Brick Oven photos 6/08

[Jim Bob]

Will try again on uploading some photos from my computer.
Ok, I have uploaded 5 shots that are listed below under manage attachments. Hopefully you will be able to access them. They only represent the start of the brick oven construction. If it works I can add 5 more pics, which is apparently the maximum I can upload at one time.
Jim Bob

[Jim Bob]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

Well it works. Great. So am attaching 5 more shots to review. You can see the slab pouring and then the start of the vermiculite/concrete layer. Had to create a 4" border with some thin masonite when my contractor poured too deep a layer of the straight concrete(4.5"). But now it has been 4 days since the insulating layer has been poured. Will probably start finally with the firebrick tomorrow.First job is to drill two holes(one in center of oven placement & one outside the oven perimeter)in the thick slab to insert the thermometer(Type K) in both the dome and floor of the oven as it is being constructed. The probe cable will stick up below in the storage area and with extensions it will be accessible in the front part of the block stand.
Jim Bob

[Les]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

Looking good! Question - what purpose do the the 1/2 blocks serve on the bottom of your opening? I opted to maximize my opening and still find it quite the pain to stack wood in there.

Les...

[dbhansen]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

Looks great! What's the thin brown board you used to form the cantilever? And how is it attached (to itself) at the corners? Is that duct tape? It certainly is a nicer form than I used for my cantilever. Can't wait to see how it turned out.

[Chef]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

It looks awesome...is that a smoker next to the WFO?

Malinda

[Jim Bob]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

Les,

The purpose of the 1/2 block is keep the rain from filling up the stand. I have not allowed for any drainage on the backside. COuld always drill some holes I guess. ALso because it is a pain to deal with firewood that low, at least for me, I will store something else in there, perhaps brick oven tools, especially those with long handles. Besides at 6' 4" tall, and arthritis in both knees, anything below kneelevel is someone else's problem, not mine!! Ha.

Dbh,
The thin brown board as I mentioned above was simply a very inexpensive masonite from Lowes. Yes, I did use duck tape on the corners mainly to seal it and cover up my inexact cuts. The initial board used for the cantilever however, was a concrete board that was wedged on both sides by brick pieces to hold it firmly in place. I used my air stapler to fasten the masonite all the way around. It should come off easily.

Malinda,
Yes, that is a grill/smoker that I built myself several years ago. It is big enough and we have used it for smoking whole pigs. But, man do they create the grease!! Very nasty to clean up after one of those cooks. Can't see all of them, but I have a Big Green Egg, an Orion Cooker for fast smoking, a gas weber grill, a heavy black homemade grill with a lowered firebox for smoking large cuts of meat, the Weber performer grill(my favorite and has the blue lid in background), the Little Smokey table top Weber grill, Two gas burners for deep frying turkeys, and boiling crawfish, and a full size, two basket, propane fish fryer like they use in McDonalds.
So the brick oven tops off my backyard and i guess i won't need the inside kitchen anymore!! Ha.

Jim Bob

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

I have a Big Green Egg, an Orion Cooker for fast smoking, a gas weber grill, a heavy black homemade grill with a lowered firebox for smoking large cuts of meat, the Weber performer grill(my favorite and has the blue lid in background), the Little Smokey table top Weber grill, Two gas burners for deep frying turkeys, and boiling crawfish, and a full size, two basket, propane fish fryer like they use in McDonalds.

I love to show quotes like this to my wife...it makes me seem so reasonable. I only have the pizza oven, a gas grill, a weber charcoal kettle, a little chief smoker, and a bradley smoker...

Drake

[RCLake]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

I love to show quotes like this to my wife...it makes me seem so reasonable. I only have the pizza oven, a gas grill, a weber charcoal kettle, a little chief smoker, and a bradley smoker...

Drake

Drake - you can't win, the wife is right. But I'm waiting to hear the recipes coming from this site.

[Jim Bob]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

Drake,
I was happy to make your day!! The only grill I left off was a New Braunsfel horizontal smoker which I just gave to my grill-less grandson and his wife.
Like everyone I do have some exceptional recipes, but not sure how to cook some of them in the oven itself. My son and I have been in the Memphis in May International BBQ contest for several years. He won the "anything but pork" contest 3 yrs ago with his vinegar chicken recipe. Obviously in Memphis we are primarily talking whole hog, pork shoulders, and pork ribs. i will be glad to share with anyone wanting some good recipes. Do I need to go to another part of forum for listing those?
It may be like starting from scratch in the brick oven. Temp control looks like my primary problem. Not everything needs to be cooked at 700 degrees!
Jim Bob

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

Vinegar chicken sounds good, there is a recipe section to the forum...

[RTflorida]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

Holy crap, how do you have time for anything else? You must be cooking or smoking something 24 hrs a day, with all of those gadgets.
I'm printing this thread.......this will be exhibits "A" thru "Z" in my defense, the next time I go before the judge concerning a project, kitchen gadget, or outdoor cooker...................your the man!

RT

[SpringJim]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

JB, your smoker sounds interesting....maybe a few more shots of it and some details about how it works?? Is there an indirect firebox?

[Jim Bob]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

RT,
Yea, I guess I am obsessed with outdoor cooking!
No question though, the brick oven cooking will be a brand new experience for me. Looking forward to it. But i still have to get the oven completed.
Attaching a few more pics since they took the framing lumber down.
I am really worried about the contractor working on top of that verm/concrete layer to build the oven. As you can see from the photos it is very, very unstable and crumbles off way too easily. I will need to figure out how to cover that front ledge that I keep mentioning on other sites. That 4" layer simply won't last long at all exposed.

James,
Also attaching a few more photos of the big smoker. Yes, there is an indirect firebox underneath a 1/4" piece of steel. The steel stops short of the end where the heat and smoke travels up and back over the meat and then out the chimney in front. The metal lid is 1/2 of a 250 gal drum.
The walls of that smoker are lined with very heavy industrial sized firebricks. And yes, that job is one I did myself when I was younger. But contract out these days!!
Jim Bob

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

I do see your concerns on that vermiculite layer. What is your enclosure going to be? Igloo or a house of some sort. I had similar questions about how to connect my house type walls to the vermiculite layer (I ended up with jbolts set into the structural layer and up through the vermiculite layer during the pour). My vermiculite layer extends all the way to the front of my hearth as well, but I ended up covering it with a decorative stone, so any hold (or chips of the corner) were filled with mortar and then the stone was attached. What are your plans for the finish?

[Jim Bob]

Re: Brick Oven photos 6/08

Drake,
I am planning on a walled enclosure of solid brick except for the cantilevered edge in front. I like the idea of putting some small ceramic tiles or decorative stones on the front edge and filling in holes or chips with the mortar. Not sure what a Jbolt is but I wasn't smart enough to know to do that ahead of time.
What really worries me is the vermiculite layer crumbling off easily now by just lightly running my fingers over it and my brick mason hasn't even started laying firebricks yet!! It could be a real mess on the edges before he is done.
I appreciate the help though. Will take more pics as he progresses tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed!!
Jim Bob