Fire Bricks?

[Roll_Bones]

I have been looking for some kind of steel ring to go in my Weber 26" kettle. To dump the hot coals into when I only need a few coals. Keeps them from spilling out all over the charcoal grate.
Weber makes one but It's expensive IMO.
On another cooking forum I saw someone used bricks to build a wall in their grill. To keep the hot coals in. My question is about the food safety using regular building bricks. Lowes did not have any fire bricks so I got 4 regular bricks. Gray (not red) natural without the holes normally present in building bricks. Concrete I guess.
Would these be safe inside the grill and on my charcoal grate?
TIA.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I would probably start with a 28 ounce tomato can, cake pan, or pie tin, and then move up to a chimney pipe connector from the home store.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I need something with a larger diameter. 12" would be minimum. But I appreciate the idea. It gives me more ideas like yours.
Also, I plan to use the bricks as a bulkhead for when I am smoking in it. To keep coals off to one side neatly.
You are concerned about the bricks? That's my concern. The bricks will physically do what I want.

 

[Andy M.]

The bricks will be fine. I have some gray bricks from Lowes I use to build a mini fire for fast cooking skewers of meats close to the charcoal.

You probably could even get curved bricks to build smaller circle inside the grill.

 

[medtran49]

What about the Weber charcoal baskets? They aren't expensive, around $25 for 2.

Char-Baskets | Weber Grills

The Weber Char-Baskets make it easy to rearrange briquettes on your fuel grate for easy, convenient indirect cooking on your charcoal grill.

www.weber.com

Home Depot and Lowes both carry them.

Craig uses them, especially with the rotissere. It's easy to move them around so you can cook with indirect and direct heat.

 

[Andy M.]

When I smoke on my Weber, I just dump the hot coals into one side of the grate. It takes up no more than ¼ to ⅓ of the cooking area. Then I position the meats to be smoked opposite where the coals are. Easy Peasy.

 

[medtran49]

Guess i should have added a few more words.

Craig uses them, especially with the rotissere. It's easy to move them around so you can cook with indirect and direct heat in the same cook .

We have a couple of rotissere recipes that use indirect heat for most of the time, then direct heat to finish to get some crisp/char. It's easy peasy to just open the flap(s) on the grate and use tongs to push the charcoal basket(s) over to get direct heat.

 

[Roll_Bones]

The bricks will be fine. I have some gray bricks from Lowes I use to build a mini fire for fast cooking skewers of meats close to the charcoal.

You probably could even get curved bricks to build smaller circle inside the grill.

Thanks Andy. It was the curved bricks that had me in Lowes. I saw them online. But they had none in the store.
I will use them.

What about the Weber charcoal baskets? They aren't expensive, around $25 for 2.

Char-Baskets | Weber Grills

The Weber Char-Baskets make it easy to rearrange briquettes on your fuel grate for easy, convenient indirect cooking on your charcoal grill.

www.weber.com

Home Depot and Lowes both carry them.

Craig uses them, especially with the rotissere. It's easy to move them around so you can cook with indirect and direct heat.

I have 2 of them. They came with my Weber grill. I'm not sure why I have overlooked them? I could use them in halves or together to make a circle. Your post has solved my issue.
But if I could get something round in one piece that's not $65 I would get it.
Thank you.

Oh.....How is Craig? I never see his posts anymore. Please send my greetings and salutations.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I would probably start with a 28 ounce tomato can, cake pan, or pie tin, and then move up to a chimney pipe connector from the home store.

View attachment 66628

I just realized this stovepipe connector is galvanized and cannot be used with food.
Just an FYI and thank you.

 

[medtran49]

Oh.....How is Craig? I never see his posts anymore. Please send my greetings and salutations.

He is okay, pretty much plateaued as far as getting better mentally. He doesn't grill or BBQ much anymore.

He says Hi back!