This is what I've got: a Weber kettle, a smaller grill, and an open fire basket.
Also, a cabinetmaker friend, with a large supply of free furniture-dry alder
offcuts. This is the edges of boards as from the sawmill, i.e. tree slices. Some
pieces still have a bit of bark on, so it's not treated or painted or anything
but dry wood.

I don't have a chance of getting an ECB. I thought of getting a bit of sheet
metal and rolling a cylinder between the Weber top and bottom and using that
like an ECB, but I'm not ready to invest the time, money and storage space yet.

What have I tried? Weber indirect, toss a bit of foil with wet wood in with a
chicken. Sorta half grilled, half smoked. Hot dogs, ok, sort of, but not worth
the effort. Butchers here a excellent, wieners come smoked, they can do a better
job...

Also tried an small open fire of alder, just tiny bit of flames on a bed of
burnt-down coals, and a bit of smoke. Stuck a 1" slice or three of pork over the
open fire, suspended on skewers. This was the most interesting: took a lot
longer to cook than grilling, nice smoke flavor, meat pinkish but done, like a
cured ham. Tricky to balance smoke, heat, and flame, but somehow very satisfying
to use just fire and a (metal) stick to cook.

I know it's not pit barbecue -- but it's good food, cooked outdoors with
friends.

Any ideas? Variations? Pot of beans in the smoke?


Thomas Prufer

Baked/Smoked potatoes, meat loaf, fattie (log of jimmy dean sausage sometimes stuffed with other stuff like olives, dragon turds.

The Practical BBQ'r