# Does anyone ever cook on top of their fire box?



## allisonandrews (Apr 12, 2006)

We have a large firebox with a flat top.  During the smoking process, the top of the firebox gets quite hot.  Has anyone ever used this as a cooking or a warming device?

We want to make some pinto beans while we are smoking.  We will be in the travel trailer, so technically I will have access to a stove and oven, but we thought about making them in the smoker.  We haven't decided on what recipe to use yet, but a lot we have seen involve a high heat (which we could do inside on the stove), a long time at a low simmer (which we think we could do covered inside the smoker), and then a portion of time at a very low temperature (which we were thinking would be good sitting on the fire box).

Anyone ever done anything like this and have any suggestions to share.  Actually, I will take any suggestions on the beans as well.  I woul love to have baked beans with molasses, etc., but my husband gave it the thumbs down.  He wants just a good pot of pinto beans (which I think of as some beans, water, bacon or pork hock, and a few spices.)

Thanks in advance.


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## Green Hornet (Apr 12, 2006)

My fire box is under my cooker so I can't try it. Give it a whir. can't hurt anything, just hard to control the heat I guess. I cook my beans in the smoker. I was going to try and make a block pit and it would have a plate on top of the fire box for just that kind of cooking, kinda like this.


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## DATsBBQ (Apr 12, 2006)

Have not had any success with making beans from scratch. Perhaps is the altitude (8,500') that foils my attempts. Last batch went into a crock pot for 3 days and they were still tough & chewy. My solution: I took a page out of my former sisNlaw: From the can to the pan. Works for me.

Dave on a mountain in Colorado


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## allisonandrews (Apr 12, 2006)

I have heard that beans can be ruined by the type of water you have (hard or soft) and that if you do not know what kind you have to use bottled water.

I have also been told to never salt them until they get to the desired tenderness.

That block pit is similar to what the top of our firebox looks like.  

By the way, when cooking them inside the smoker, what kind of pan do you use?  I have heard that you have to be careful sometimes with beans because of their acidity.  I don't know if that is talking about all beans or is referring more to the ones that have tomatoes or bbq sauce in them.


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## allisonandrews (Apr 12, 2006)

I guess we would just have to watch the heat.  It normally does not get hot enough to boil water.


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## zilla (Apr 12, 2006)

I don't cook on the hot plate but it's good for a warm pot of water for hand cleaning, preheating wood if you go in for such things.


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## wittdog (Apr 12, 2006)

I don't know if the top of the firebox would get hot enough to boil/simmer beans but it does a good job for keeping a mop warm.   My pit has a rack for a 2nd grate inside the fire boxabout 12 inches above the charcoal grate  and I plan I seeing how that works in regards to beans or something else. 
     I don't think that the beans themselves are very acidic. I think if they had a high concentration of tomato based stuff in them you would want to stay away from cast iron, which can react to high acid type foods like chilli.  But if you were cooking a normal type of bean recipe that a cast iron Dutch Oven would be the prefered method. Thats what most people use for Bean Hole Beans. Molasses goes great in beans throw in some left over Brisket as well. When we make beans we typically boil them inside, season them and then toss em in a disposable pan and toss them on the smoker grate to finish them off.


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## allisonandrews (Apr 12, 2006)

If I may ask, how long do you boil them inside and then how long do you smoke them outside?  When you put them in the disposable pan, do you cover it with foil at all?

Thank you.


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## cflatt (Apr 12, 2006)

you can also soak the beans overnight to help soften them up, then let the lower heat slow cook them. its the only way I know how


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## Captain Morgan (Apr 12, 2006)

Dang, I just bring to a boil my navy/northern/pinto's, then simmer for an hour.  Replaces the overnight soaking.  Discard that water...you'll have less gas later.  Then cook as normal.  Works for me.  When the poker boys are requesting beans and ham and cornbread once a month, it's coming out pretty good.


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## allisonandrews (Apr 12, 2006)

Yes, I had been given a suggestion to bring them to a boil for a few minutes and then turn the heat off.  Let them soak overnight.  Change out the water before cooking.

I could easily do this the day before we left to go camping and then not have to mess with having the burner on for an hour.  However, if we run out of time or something, it might take us around an hour to get everything set up at the campsite and I could simmer them for an hour.  (I guess it might also depend on how much that will heat up the travel trailer - I've never cooked anything for very long inside.


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## wittdog (Apr 12, 2006)

*Beans*

First I always soak my beans at least for 4 hrs or overnight if I think that far ahead.  Then rise in a Colander and add to a pot of fresh water covering the beans with about 4 inchs water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs until they are tender.When tender drain and reserve about 2 cups of bean liquid. Mix the beans with whatever you are seasoning them with and pour into Dutch Oven/Pan. Cover with a couple of pieces of bacon then add the liquid until the beans are covered by an inch and place in grill over indirect heat. Cook for about an hour.  Uncover. If they are drying out add more liquid if not leave uncovered adding wood chips/ logs to your fire and continue to cook the beans uncovered for another 30 min to an hour until the juice is thick and the beans are very tender. They should be moist but not soupy.  Give it a whirl you might have to play with the cooking times some.  Any leftover BBQ meat is a great addition to beans.  I Boil them with ham hock or smoked turkey neck or even jerky if I have some laying around.


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## allisonandrews (Apr 12, 2006)

Do you put your ham hock in with it during the first simmer or when you move it to the grill?


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## wittdog (Apr 12, 2006)

I put the ham hock in when I first simmer.  I think it helps to flavor the beans.


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## wittdog (Apr 12, 2006)

But I'm not making beans like your husband wants.  Mine are more of a New England Style. Ketchup, little ballpark Mustard, Molasses, Brown Sugar, Onions ect.....


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## allisonandrews (Apr 12, 2006)

Also, based on what you said, it seems almost like you could pretty much bring them to a boil inside and then move them to the smoker but keep them covered (to avoid too much smoke) and simmer for around 1 1/2 - 2 hours.  Then add your bacon and seasoning and remove and reserve any excess water except for an inch or so above the bacon.  Cover and cook for another hour.  Check water.  Uncover and cook until tender.

I wonder how long these would be able to stay in a smoker, covered, without turning to mush.  The idea is that people can have hot beans and brisket whenever they want them.  We will cook everything at around 250 degrees and then probably let the temp drop down to around 180 degrees for keeping stuff warm.


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## allisonandrews (Apr 12, 2006)

wittdog said:
			
		

> But I'm not making beans like your husband wants.  Mine are more of a New England Style. Ketchup, little ballpark Mustard, Molasses, Brown Sugar, Onions ect.....




Yes, my dear husband has problems and doesn't know what he is missing...


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## wittdog (Apr 12, 2006)

*beans*

Once you got them seasoned you could leave them covered on the smoker for a pretty long amount of time my family leaves them in a Crock pot at party's for most of the day.  The only thing you have to watch is that they don't get to dry after an extended amount of time.  As far as your husbands issues do like I do with my kids age3 & 4 make them try it. If he's unwilling to try them don't let him eat dessert.


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## allisonandrews (Apr 12, 2006)

LOL...  yes, he is a hard one to please.  Personally, I like the baked beans and pork and beans, but my husband doesn't like sweets that much.  Believe me, we definately have to mark the bbq sauces.  I like mine sweet and he can't stand them that way.

He also is one of those evil people in the world that doesn't care one way or the other about desert....  I wish I was so lucky!


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## wittdog (Apr 12, 2006)

Well you could always threaten him with cooking him ribs New York Syle (Par Boiled I get shivers just thinking about how my mom abused be as a child by boiling the ribs.) Although that might be grounds for Divorce. Try using the Robust Molases it's not as sweet as the Original. Let me know how you decide to cook your beans and how they come out.


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## Woodman1 (Apr 12, 2006)

I saw photos from a guy who had burnt off all the paint from his firebox. He kept it well seasoned, like a skillet and uses it like a griddle to cook bacon, eggs, and pancakes! No lie! If you are cooking inside the pit, use a dutch oven. WM


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## wittdog (Apr 12, 2006)

Woodman how big was his firebox? It gets that hot on top?


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## wittdog (Apr 12, 2006)

There are a group of guys that cook on the hood of any old car at Bills games.


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## Puff1 (Apr 12, 2006)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> Dang, I just bring to a boil my navy/northern/pinto's, then simmer for an hour.  Replaces the overnight soaking.  Discard that water...you'll have less gas later.  Then cook as normal.  Works for me.  When the poker boys are requesting beans and ham and cornbread once a month, it's coming out pretty good.


 =P~  I'll be at your house once a month :!: 
If it helps .....I suck at poker #-o


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## Finney (Apr 13, 2006)

James, is it hot enough to cook on at smoking temps, or do you have to crank it up for bacon and eggs?


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## allisonandrews (Apr 13, 2006)

Those were some pretty neat pictures.  Nice setup.  We had discussed buying one of the flat griddles and leaving it on the firebox and using it to warm up hotdogs and other already cooked foods that you just need to take the chill off.  It would be interesting some time to put a piece of bacon or an egg on it and see just how hot it was getting.  I know I can hold my hand over it and count the seconds and sort of guess about what temp I've got it up to, but seeing it in action would be better.

If we are cooking the beans in the cooker, they would definately be inside the smoker for at least the first four hours.  If it looked like the temp was getting too hot, we could move them to the fire box top for a bit.

Luckily, our smoker seems to stay pretty constant on heat temps inside.  That reverse flow really seems to help.

We would be using bottled water just because where we will be at we do not trust the water supply.

Oh, and our elevation is 1277 ft.  I don't think that is like Colorado.


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## Woodman1 (Apr 13, 2006)

Thanks James, I knew I saw it. Just couldn't recall whose it was!


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## Finney (Apr 14, 2006)

Damn, now I'm hungry. =P~


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## Captain Morgan (Apr 14, 2006)

great pics..sure makes sense...seems like designers would make it more
possible.


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## allisonandrews (May 2, 2006)

Just wanted to update and say that cooking on top of the fire box has been great.  It will definately fry bacon up and simmer a pot of beans.  If you get it in the exact spot over the a good fire, it will even boil them.  We have been working on seasoning it the last week or two and it is working out just liked we hoped.

The beans were so easy to cook on the fire box.  I had pretty much three zones that I could move them around to regulate the temp.  I had a really hot zone for boiling, a medium zone for simmering, and then a cooler zone for keeping them warm.  I cooked them some inside the smoker with the lid ajar, but I did them mainly on the firebox and it worked out fantastic.

My husband loved the beans (this was my first attempt at them), so I think this will be something I cook everytime we do a brisket.


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## Woodman1 (May 2, 2006)

Good to know Allie! My firebox is insulated for the Northern climate, but I have burners on it anyway!


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## txpgapro (May 2, 2006)

I 've cooked ham, bacon, eggs, pancakes, fish, grilled cheese sandwiches, etc.  I put a flat griddle right on top of the top of the firebox.  I also have simmered beans, and boiled water (keep the lid on).


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