How to Make Barbeque Grills
Making your own barbeque grill is not as difficult as it may sound. You won't need to play around with mortar and careful bricklaying or attaching fiddly gas outlets if you think outside the box and get creative with your barbeque grill design. There are a number of ways to make your own barbeque grill, but each has one thing in common: they will all produce delicious grilled and smoked foods the whole family can enjoy. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Metal drum
- Metal saw
- Rasp
- Metal cart
- Drill
- Carriage bolts, 3-inch
- Washers
- Wing-nuts
- Metal mesh plate
- Grill plate
- Old wok/large pot
- Bricks
- Surface bonding cement
- Trowel
- Firebrick
Instructions
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Metal Drum Barbeque Grill
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Halve a metal drum along its length with a metal saw. Rasp the edges of the cut line to smooth any spikes or rough patches. Only one half of the drum is required, or if desired the second half can be attached with hinges later for a lid. Choose a drum that has been used previously for food or storage of non-toxic items.
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Position the drum half on top of a metal cart, then drill four holes, sized to fit the bolts, through the bottom of the drum into the table. Bolt the drum to the table, securing it with washers and wing-nuts on the underside of the cart. Metal carts can be found at thrift stores and kitchen-supply stores.
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3
Place a metal mesh plate near the bottom of the drum, to put the coals on, then place a grill plate over the top of the drum for cooking the food on.
Recycled Wok/Pot Barbeque Grill
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Obtain a large metal wok or a large, wide pot from a thrift or bargain store or dig up an old one in the kitchen. You can purchase a new one if desired.
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Place a grill plate on the mouth of the wok or pot. The coals will sit inside the wok or pot, with the food on top of the grill plate. Use an old oven rack or even a cake rack as a substitute for a grill plate if desired.
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Place the wok or pot and grill plate on top of a metal cart for a fire-safe cooking place. A concrete or paved area can substitute for a metal cart.
Mortarless Brick Barbeque Grill
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Set a grill plate on a paved or concrete-covered area where you want the barbeque grill. Dry-set a row of bricks along three sides of the grill plate to get the outline of the grill.
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Continue dry-setting the bricks, staggering the joints as you go, until you have a three-sided barbecue grill around 2 feet tall.
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Mix a batch of surface bonding cement according to the cement manufacturer's instructions. Smooth a 1/2-inch layer of the cement over the entire grill structure with the trowel. Cover around 10 inches of the ground with the cement as well. Let cure for 72 hours.
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10
Lay firebricks on the floor and around the inside walls up to about 5 inches from the top; the grill plate will sit on top of the inner wall. Place the metal mesh plate on the firebrick floor for putting the coals on. The firebricks are left un-mortared to allow for expansion.
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Tips & Warnings
When using charcoal, light it an hour or so before you plan to cook so the coals have sufficient time to reach a good temperature.
If you want to raise the height of the fire or coals on the mortar-free brick barbeque, lay extra fire bricks on the base until you reach the desired height, or build a second inner wall of firebricks and place the metal mesh plate on top at the desired height.
References
- Photo Credit Todd Warnock/Lifesize/Getty Images
