Deep Pit Bar-B-Que

[rocket98]

We pit barbque about once a month and I am just curious if anyone else likes to do this. This weekend I'm thinking about Tri-Tip does anyone have any good marinade ideas. We have used many different marinades for pork and turkey but I haven't found one for beef that I like.........Any help would be apprectated

 

[Infomaniac]

We pit barbque about once a month and I am just curious if anyone else likes to do this. This weekend I'm thinking about Tri-Tip does anyone have any good marinade ideas. We have used many different marinades for pork and turkey but I haven't found one for beef that I like.........Any help would be apprectated

I would love to build a pit bbq

But I don't know anything about it. Can you show pics or point me in the right direction?

OR ... better yet let me know if you could build another one how would you do it?

 

[rocket98]

What I helped my neighbor do was we took some 36" concrete pipe (storm drain) formed a 6" concrete bottom then stood it up on top of the slab. We did two of them about 10' apart. We then poured a slab around them both. We made a couple of 1/4" steel tops to throw over the pipe. They are about 6' deep. We start early in the morning and fill the whole thing up with wood. You allow this to burn down about half way and then fill it up again. After this burns down. we place a screen with 12" legs on it on top of the coals. Load up the pit and cook for 5 or 6 hours. After putting the metal top on you cover it with dirt so no smoke escapes. We can cook a couple different ways. You can wrap the meat in foil and cover with wet burlap and cook all night long or you can really wrap them with foil and cook for 5 to 6 hours.

 

[djhartley2003]

I have an up right smoker at home that I love ding ribs, chicken tri tip and even corn. I like apple wood for my smoker. Its not to strong and it doesn't get bitter in my opinion. I also use a pan of beer in the bottom to steam the meat. The one thing that I have not figured out yet is pork shoulder or brisket. the pork i was able to get cooked but it didn't pull the way i wanted it to. The one brisket that I did well lets just say that was a learning experience. I learned i needed to learn some more before I put any one threw that again. Put up some pictures if you have them, it would be great to see the pit you use.

 

[Tom Brown]

This is about as deep a pit as I care to cook in:

 

[rocket98]

I have an up right smoker at home that I love ding ribs, chicken tri tip and even corn. I like apple wood for my smoker. Its not to strong and it doesn't get bitter in my opinion. I also use a pan of beer in the bottom to steam the meat. The one thing that I have not figured out yet is pork shoulder or brisket. the pork i was able to get cooked but it didn't pull the way i wanted it to. The one brisket that I did well lets just say that was a learning experience. I learned i needed to learn some more before I put any one threw that again. Put up some pictures if you have them, it would be great to see the pit you use.

I'll put some pictures up tomorrow. I found that with pork shoulder if you marinate it in citrus the acid breaks down the meat and it falls off the bone.

 

[Racey]

You have my lips watering right now :drool Pork!!!

 

[OGShocker]

http://www.bigoven.com/48941-Santa-Maria-Marinade-for-Tri-Tip-recipe.html

 

[Bobby V]

http://www.jackdanielssauces.com/ezmarinader/ez_products.aspx

 

[rocket98]

http://www.bigoven.com/48941-Santa-Maria-Marinade-for-Tri-Tip-recipe.html

I'll try this on when I cook on the gas grill. I'm not a big fan of a dry marinade when deep pitting. I want to keep the meat moist. So I am going to add some Orange juice or pineapple or apples or...................

 

[rocket98]

http://www.jackdanielssauces.com/ezmarinader/ez_products.aspx

LOL I'll only need 10 packages of this stuff. I am going for 30lbs. Usually buy the time we are done cooking we are cooked :beer and if this stuff has a kick to it..........we could be toast.

 

[CobaltGuy]

We did a pork roast one time. Marinated it in Heinz 57 sauce for a couple of hours. Wrap it up tite in foil and smoked it for 8 hours. We had to dip it out with a strainer it was so tender.

For briscuit. Get a whole one. You want the fat. Use a good rub and wrap it up tite in foil. Smoke for 8 to 10 hours and it will melt in your mouth.

I learned from an old expert around here to wrap everything tite in foil, lots less to do for you and keeps the juices in and the foil will not keep the smoke out.

 

[djhartley2003]

I'll put some pictures up tomorrow. I found that with pork shoulder if you marinate it in citrus the acid breaks down the meat and it falls off the bone.

Ill have to try this next time. I use my smoker about once a month. I don't even have to tell the guys in the neighborhood I'm doing it. I get it going and they just show up a few hours later with beer.

 

[rocket98]

Ill have to try this next time. I use my smoker about once a month. I don't even have to tell the guys in the neighborhood I'm doing it. I get it going and they just show up a few hours later with beer.

We let everyone know when the next Barbque is and there is always a great selection of meats to taste. The last time we had venison, elk roast, turkey, ham, pork and beef. It makes for a great time.

 

[Infomaniac]

Thanks guys, I have the perfect place for that.

And.... how do you clean out a 6' deep concrete pipe pit?

 

[rocket98]

Thanks guys, I have the perfect place for that.

And.... how do you clean out a 6' deep concrete pipe pit?

you hire a day labor for twenty and kick back

 

[Infomaniac]

OK I'm putting one in the ground tomorrow. In time to cook Thanksgiving next week.

 

[rocket98]

Done :beer

That looks great. Does that screen go onto the coals? We cover the pit with a solid plate and cover with dirt. I have a disc with pictures that I promosed a couple weeks ago. I'll try to bribe my daughter to help me post.

 

[Racey]

Any worries about the concrete exploding from the heat? Just wondering because one time we had a small duralog fire going on a concrete slab at the river and the concrete began to burst, crack, and explode after the fire heated up, it surprised the hell out of me, we couldn't figure out what the hell was happening at first.

Awesome idea though, nothing beats some deep pit pork!

 

[rocket98]

You got it.......I just installed the pictures that I took from our last party annnnnndddddddd it's the software to edit and no pictures. I'll get it straight sometime. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[djhartley2003]

That looks great. you need to get some pictures of the first time you use it. It would be great to see how you build the fire and stack every thing in the bottom.

 

[Baja Big Dog]

Any worries about the concrete exploding from the heat? Just wondering because one time we had a small duralog fire going on a concrete slab at the river and the concrete began to burst, crack, and explode after the fire heated up, it surprised the hell out of me, we couldn't figure out what the hell was happening at first.

Awesome idea though, nothing beats some deep pit pork!

This should be a concern, the moisture from the concrete reacts to the heat and the explosion occurs, can it be avoided...NO, since concrete NEVER completely cures, it is a thread, if the direct heat is away from the concrete, you can avoid the reaction.

 

[rocket98]

This should be a concern, the moisture from the concrete reacts to the heat and the explosion occurs, can it be avoided...NO, since concrete NEVER completely cures, it is a thread, if the direct heat is away from the concrete, you can avoid the reaction.

I have been using mine of the same design for 5 years. About 15 times a year and have not had a problem.

 

[460]

Waiting for the phone to ring rick....................LOL

 

[rocket98]

Waiting for the phone to ring rick....................LOL

Next one we have your more than welcome.............Might have to cook alot:beer

 

[460]

Next one we have your more than welcome.............Might have to cook alot:beer

I drink more then i eat. LOL, try to have the next one after dec 14 ans i will do my best to supply sum elk!

 

[rocket98]

I drink more then i eat. LOL, try to have the next one after dec 14 ans i will do my best to supply sum elk!

That will work....We always have a wide assortment

 

[rocket98]

The first pit is about 6' and the back one is about 5'

The coals are almost done

This is the metal plate to cover pit

The meat is rapped with foil and then placed in an alm. turkey pan then rapped about three times. Take tie wire and make a hook so yopu can pick it up

Plates going on

 

[rocket98]

Covering the pits with dirt

Wetting it down to seal

Sportin my RD gear

Gotta play horse shoes when your pitting

 

[rocket98]

Green Chili Ham



Brown sugar Ham

We also had a couple of turkeys. If you grabbed the drumstick it came off clean. The meat just fell apart. Elk roast is my favorite.
Just got the word that I have to peal potatoes. Have a Happy Thanksgiving all...............

 

[boatnam2]

I take a bottle of low salt soy sauce or kikoman teriyaki sauce depending on how im feeling add emeril southwest spice,pepper,garlic,touch of a-1 and touch of werchester dab of bbq sauce of choice few orange slices,some onion slices and marinate for a day or 2...turns out pretty good on the bbq guys at work really like it.

 

[rocket98]

Thanks .....I'll try it next time

 

[460]

Looks awesome.

Btw, had no idea you were a broncos fan! Even better!

 

[TPC]

Boy has this thread got some legs on it.

2 cups soy sauce
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1/8 cup sesame seed oil
1 tbbl spoon ginger
1 cup chopped green onion sticks
1/4 tsp pepper.
Marinade overnite.

 

[rocket98]

Boy has this thread got some legs on it.

2 cups soy sauce
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1/8 cup sesame seed oil
1 tbbl spoon ginger
1 cup chopped green onion sticks
1/4 tsp pepper.
Marinade overnite.

What kind of meat would you use this on

 

[boatnam2]

I have used something like TPC before on tri tip was very good.I think pretty much anything on tri tip taste good.I have beent to a few bbq's at freinds and something i have seen is they cut the meat wrong and what could of been a killer tip turns out tough to chew.I like to cook it whole but half it before i carve it since the grain kinda runs 2 different directions at either half.Cross cut thin and let it sit in its own juice...melts in your mouth.

 

[ROC]

That marinade sounds like it'll be good on just about any pig product. RIbs, shoulder, whole.

 

[ROC]

This thread is great. I'm tempted to build a deep pit at the river house.

 

[Infomaniac]

Thats a lot of concrete man.

 

[rocket98]

Thats a lot of concrete man.

Thats at my friends house it's a work in progress. I droped off 6 arena lights and poles this weekend for the horseshoe pits and general lighting. Sometimes doing a big demo on a shopping center pays off. Your pit looks great...:thumbsup

 

[ROC]

Looks great Info.:thumbsup

That does it. I'm building a pit at the river house for sure. I have more than enough room to do it right, including seating and a horseshoe pit.

Question.............is there any rule of thumb as far as airspace to coals ratio? For instance, if I have 1 foot of coals in a 36 inch pipe, do I need certain (minimum-maximum) amounts of airspace, like four feet or whatever? It seems that the more airspace I have, the more smoke I can produce. Yes? I may just go with a 6 foot concrete pipe and call it good. I imagine that the heat in the pipe equalizes top to bottom after it's sealed of real good.

Of all the cooking I've done in my life, between 22 years in the fire station and many many years in restaurants/catering events etc, I've never deep pitted. Can't wait. In fact, it'll be my next project for the river house, even before mamas Jacuzzi on the deck.:beer

 

[rocket98]

That sounds pretty close to me.....You will just need to adjust the cooking time. We cook fast most of the time 6-7 hours. Thats why we use alot of foil and alm. pans. It sounds like Infro was cooking slow with Bananna leaves and it looks like it was wrapped in wet burlap. That way takes about 12 hours or more. You just have to experiment......Never have had any the wasn't good

 

[ROC]

Well, I do know that my best smoked meat is cooked at about 200 degrees with good wood.

Do you have any clue what temps your cooking at? If it's only 6-7 hours I would think that it's higher than 200 degrees

 

[rocket98]

Man I don't know what temp we cook them at. Usually its longer than what I said probaly 7-8 hours. We cook with citrus,peach and mesquete.

 

[rocket98]

I don't know about a coal to area ratio. Was my first time.

I read up on the net after reading this thread and deciding to do it. Some put meat right on the coals and some 12 18" above the coals. The burlap just kept the meat from burning when putting on the lid and until all the oxygen was used up in the pit.

This one is 52" diameter and 46" deep. Did'nt have a problem only using 2/3 of it. That air pipe made the fire roar by feeding it from the bottom. Only took 2 hours to burn a bunch of wood down.

I would be curious what the internal temp is. The alum lid is so hot it will melt you're skin if you touch it when it is sealed off. I cooked the meat for 6 hours. When we took the lid off the coals were not very hot. Put a meat thermometer in the center of the turkey and turducken and it read 185 degrees.

The coals came back to life right away once we let air back in

Do you close off the air pipe when you cooked the birds

 

[Riverratrob]

Ingredients
2 quarts apple juice
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup orange juice
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup salt
Directions
Heat and whisk together until sugar and salt dissolve.

 

[rocket98]

Ingredients
2 quarts apple juice
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup orange juice
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup salt
Directions
Heat and whisk together until sugar and salt dissolve.

We have a winner. This sounds great:thumbsup

 

[Infomaniac]

Do you close off the air pipe when you cooked the birds

Yea I do, forgot to mention that.

I put that in so I might be able to use it as a smoker as well. But sure come in handy getting the fire going.

 

[Riverratrob]

let It soak for about(in my opinion overnight makes the meat real tender) 2 hrs or more. Let me know how it comes out....

 

[djhartley2003]

OK this looks awesome and i would love to do this but i have a couple of questions. You put the wood in and burn it down to hot coals, do you add wood at all or once the meat is in and it is sealed is that it? how do you know what the temp is for the cook time? How do you know how long to leave it in for? How did you come up with the size of the pit. I'm asking a bunch of questions because i think i want to do this at my house in Chino and at the house in Havasu. By the way the pits look awesome.