If you find you never have enough room on your backyard grill, you may want to consider building a backyard barbecue pit. A pit barbecue allows you to cook larger portions of meat on a wood fire. It's possible to slow-cook meats in a pit barbecue by wrapping the seasoned, uncooked meat in a brown paper bag. Cover the bag with damp newspaper before you place it on the barbecue pit to cook. If you'd rather cook the meat like you would on a grill, simply season the meat and place it over the wood coals. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Excavate 10 inches of soil from a rectangular area where you plan to build the backyard barbecue, using a shovel. Use a level to ensure that the base of the pit is flat when you finish digging.
2. Add 2 inches of gravel to the pit. Level the gravel.
3. Combine mortar mix with water until the mortar is thick. Create a 2-inch-thick rim around the perimeter of the interior of the pit with the mortar. The width of the mortar rim should be approximately 8 to 10 inches.
4. Set cement blocks in the damp mortar. Butt the edges together. Use the level as you go to ensure all the blocks are level.
5. Use a trowel to add mortar to the bottom of the first block of the second row, or course, of blocks. Set the block on top of the first course so that the joints between the blocks are staggered. Continue setting the rest of the blocks in the course by putting mortar between the blocks as well as underneath them.
6. Lay the first row of bricks, which should be close to ground level, on top of the second course of blocks. Place mortar on the bottoms and sides of each brick to hold it in place. Avoid using excessive amounts of mortar. Wipe off any that drips on the face of the brick.
7. Continue setting additional courses of bricks until the barbecue pit is as tall as you want it. Stagger all joints. Build only a partial wall on one side of the pit so you can easily add wood to it.
8. Build a second wall of bricks inside the first wall. As you set the last course of bricks in place, embed metal rods placed across the barbecue in the mortar. These act as the support for the grill for your backyard barbecue.
Tags: backyard barbecue, between blocks, Continue setting, course blocks, level ensure, second course