Smoker Options - Wood Deck
 

As some may know, I'm relocating from KC to Chicago in May. I bought a condo in the city and my unit is on the top floor with a giant private wood deck on the roof which will be my primary outdoor space.

I'd like to be able to smoke, but have always set up on concrete. The building is brick, but the deck and railing is wood. The guy I'm buying it from had a Big Green Egg up there that he smoked on so I assume the HOA approved. He had it flat on a heat mat, no nest or anything. I currently have a Weber Smokey Mountain and definitely don't feel comfortable lighting my coals with a chimney near wood. I see the BGE can utilize an electric heating element to ignite the coals, so that seems safer.

CP smokers, any thoughts on smoking options on a wood deck? Opinions seem pretty mixed in my initial Google search. Anyone have experience with a BGE? Does it contain the heat/embers enough for a wood deck?

By "private space," do you mean private to your building's residents? Or private to just you?

I would be terrified of some slap-dicked yokel ****ing up my smoker by throwing hot dogs and bulk burger patties on it and just leaving the remnants there to smolder.

I couldn't do it.

I have a Good One smoker (offset of the "Free Range" also lets you grill direct heat)...only use charcoal and have it on a wood deck with a mat....never had any problems.

It's mine. Penthouse, playa.

How do you light your coals?

Hi United. I think a ceramic grill is definitely the way to go. I have a Primo XL and it is a wonderful unit. It's similar to a BGE, but is oval in shape which allows you to fill half of the firebox with lump charcoal and leave the other half empty. This provides direct heat over the coals, but indirect heat on the half without coals. Very handy.

When I first got it, I worried about having to put more charcoal in during a smoke, but if you fill half of it up, it will easily cook for something like 20 hours before a refill is needed. Plus, with ceramic units, once you get the temperature set (via air vents), the temp stays totally constant!!!

I've had my unit for about 10 years now and 3 neighbors have bought the same unit. Although a bit pricey, it really is a nice unit.

Oh, and as per starting up the coals, I'd recommend a little plug in unit that has a fan and heat element in it. It's a little cylindrical device about 18" long and about 2" in diameter. Plug the unit in and hold it on the coals for about a minute, and presto, the coals are fired up. Very handy and no need for a chimney/flames.

Good luck!!!

Oops, forgot to add that with ceramic units when you're finished, you just shut down the air vents and presto, the coals quit burning. So, no smoldering at all. Very safe.

Now that I'm looking closer at the BGE, a lot of people house them in wooden nests/tables.

Yup, my Primo sits in a Teak wood table. Very handy, plus easy to move around. However, I think there is a steel stand available too. The nice thing about the table set up is that you have room to set stuff on. Highly recommended.

How do empty the ash in your setup?

Yeah, If you can afford a top floor condo in Chicago, the logical move is to buy a table for the Egg.

Yeah, I'm leaning toward the Egg or another ceramic with a table. I looked up the Chicago code and it looks like charcoal grill use on balconies is at HOA discretion. I'll verify with them first as I'd like to buy this bitch now and have the movers move it.

Chimney and lighter gel

There's a door/air vent at the bottom of the Primo grill. The coals sit on a grate and the ash falls through the grate, You then scrape out the coals through that door/vent. Easy peasy.

BTW, you should probably use lump charcoal for ceramic grills as lump charcoal has much less ash.