Indoor BBQ. Not outside! Literally next to our dining room table!

9 years ago

One of the selling points that really drew us to our home when we bought it was this Santa Maria style BBQ built into brick inside our home. We have a separate fireplace near to the floor in our living room. Then off the kitchen we have a built in BBQ pit! Whenever my husbands friends come over they all rave about how cool it is that we have an indoor BBQ. We thought it was pretty awesome too, but the longer we have lived in our home the more puzzled we are as to what the heck to do with this thing! We have never gotten to enjoy it because when we purchased the home there were bachelors living here and the entire house smelled like a BBQ pit! For fear of it ruining all our furniture with the smell of smoke. I just painted it and laid down a painted board. We took out the pulley and have kept it in the garage so for now I try to just decorate the area for the holidays. We have thought about turning it into a pizza oven, and although my family loves pizza, I'm not a huge fan and would love to turn this into something amazing. I have no idea where to start! Possible put a steal range inside the brick? But I'm not sure if we can utilize it with glass doors to prevent smoking out our home. I'm sure it's a total fire hazard and possibly non functioning. However, it was built with the home and we love it! Does anyone even have anything like this? What can we do? Thank you for any help or advice!

Featured Answer

PRO

Patricia Colwell Consulting

9 years ago

This is something that can’t really be solved here you need an expert at indoor BBQs to see if this actually up to code and for sure a chimney cleaning

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Comments (18)

PRO
JAN MOYER
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
An amazing what? It vents to your roof? My first call would be to a chimney cleaner.
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Diane
9 years ago
When we bought our home it also had an indoor grill. Lucky for us the space was perfect for our new kitchen range. Our chimney, on the exterior also houses the vents for the hot water tank and the basement fireplace (three separate). If you want to save yours maybe just a pretty tray with candles. As much as I love old homes not all aspects are worth saving
lulubell_83 thanked Diane
User
9 years ago
What is that big container on the floor with the dial type cap? It looks like it could be cat litter? and the trash can? next to the dining table. I get so distracted with things in pictures that I can not see the trees in the forest.
lulubell_83
Original Author
9 years ago
It's a dog food container sorry my home is so distracting I'm not sure if I should be laughing or feel insulted... yes I have a puppy and triplets under 3 so it is overwhelmingly distracting haha
User
9 years ago
Just laugh lulubell- I do not know a whole person's life, all we get is a picture or two. IF I had triplets under 3 and a puppy, I would not even be able to post a dilemma on Houzz. So Pffffft to me;)
lulubell_83
Original Author
9 years ago
thank you that was kind
greenfish1234
9 years ago
Once the chimney is inspected, It could make an amazing pizza or bread oven. But I make lots of pizza and bread. I would definitely lose the tchotchkes, the wreath, and any seasonal decorating it holds. I would not grill meat without certainty that that thing draws better then a very good hood, trying it once probably wouldn't permanently alter the smell of your home. I would play up the cool MCM aspect of your home, and I might put one item in there that hints at its purpose-the pulley sounds cool were you supposed to hook the meat and lower it down or what? I would put the pulley back in and let it be a conversation piece if nothing else.
greenfish1234
9 years ago
Btw-search advice posts-you are not alone! https://www.houzz.com/discussions/indoor-grill-ideas-dsvw-vd~3302436
lulubell_83 thanked greenfish1234
auntthelma
9 years ago
You could fit it with a gas fireplace.

Or make it into a wine rack.
Karin S.
9 years ago
Over here in Switzerland we do indoor BBQ quite often. As long the chimney works prop the smell is never a problem. Use dry wood and and let the fire burn down. Only grill over hot coal and do never use oily marinade to prevent smoke. We usually wipe off the marinade before putting the meet onto the grill.
Let the chimney clean and check by a professinal before first use.
Start the fire with thin pine wood if this does burn well put some oak at the top to get nice gloomy coal. Check youtube for further explanations. Once you know how to do you'll Love it!
greenfish1234
9 years ago
By the way, not sure if anyone here was a fan of Flight of the Conchords, but one of my favorite episodes is when Jemaine Clement goes to bed with an Australian, which he discovers to his horror the next morning when he finds himself trapped in an apartment filled with Australian tourism posters and an indoor barbie with black soot and grease all the way up the adjacent wall
lulubell_83
Original Author
9 years ago
Wow thank you all so much for the comments! Yes it goes out into a flue with a pull that can be opened and closed. Then it also goes deep down and the pulley can lower the meat. I'm so glad to hear that this is also used around the world. We live in California and none of our friends or family have ever seen anything like it. Great idea on the marinade that makes sense the oil would burn off the meat and potentially make more smoke. I feel like I need more than just the flue like a venting system to pull the smoke out. We recently had an addition done and with all the permits and inspections I was trying to avoid doing too much that would require ripping out the brick for fear they would ask us to tear the whole thing out for safety regulations. By all means I don't want my family to be unsafe but I'm thinking a glass cover that could be opened??? I'm just not sure how that would affect the cooking
PRO
JAN MOYER
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Its California. I'd get rid of it : ) Or hang a great big piece of art over it. Go out doors and cook....... and smoke will go in the air where it belongs.
PRO
JudyG Designs
9 years ago
There is a space I would fill with candles. Wonderful ambiance and no cooking smell.
Elena C
9 years ago
A friend of ours has one and they have like a small bar area in theirs. I would totally go with the pizza oven idea if you like pizza and will use it. Otherwise maybe cut it out a bit and place a wine refrigerator and some hanging glassware on the top (if you like wine)
Elena C
9 years ago
Or another idea for a 2nd fireplace for ambiance:)
wacokid
9 years ago
Bring on the brats....