The Pros And Cons Of A Brick BBQ Smoker

Are you serious about your BBQ? If you are, you may have considered building or purchasing a brick BBQ smoker. Most people are happy to occasionally smoke a few spareribs in a patio smoker, but those who really love their “Q” are frequently tempted by the idea of turning their cooking apparatus into a permanent part of their backyard landscapes.

There are a few good reasons to consider installation of a brick BBQ smoker. Initially, a full-sized brick unit will provide you with the opportunity to create copious quantities of meaty treats in the backyard. You will have more than enough space to handle virtually any BBQ need.

Second, a brick BBQ smoker will allow you to cook for longer periods at lower temperatures than many portable steel models. There is nothing wrong with a big barrel smoker, but it is hard to keep things cooking for prolonged periods at lower temperatures with those popular units than it is with a brick smoker.

Third, you will never need to worry about replacing a brick BBQ smoker. Nothing is truly permanent, but a brick unit is probably just about as close as one can get!

Before you start laying bricks and mortar, however, you might want to consider the downside of a brick BBQ smoker. First, it is not going to be a cheap proposition. Building a brick smoker will require an investment in materials and labor (whether paid or your own personal time).

Second, it is important to realize that most commercially available steel smokers are more than capable of handling most BBQ needs. Brick smokers are great, but you can get similar results from cheaper and more convenient alternatives.

Third, if you move or sell your home, you will be back to square one. A lack of portability is the ugly flipside of permanence.

Finally, you will want to think about convenience. You probably will not build your brick BBQ smoker within feet of your back door. However, you can run a store-bought smoker on the patio. While those extra steps may not seem like much, they do add up over time.

Is a brick BBQ smoker right for you? It is all going to depend on your preferences and individual needs. In some cases, installing a brick unit is a great idea. In other situations, it is probably not the best idea. One thing is for certain, though. You should seriously consider all aspects of the decision before your shovel hits the ground. A brick smoker is a major project and it is not the kind of thing you will want to do before having a very good idea of whether you will like having it on your property.