Upgrade Your Braai with Fire Bricks: An Easy Guide

It’s impossible not to love a braai, especially during the summer.

The Weber Braai design has remained basically unchanged for nearly seventy years, and it has stood the test of time as an affordable, adaptable, and portable way to make dinnertime that much more enjoyable. Kettle braais such as the ubiquitous Weber are a classic.

But it’s not perfect. Specifically, the thin metal walls of the braai lose a lot of heat, making them inefficient for cooking methods other than searing over high heat. You can (and should) bank your coals to one side for a two-zone fire, but even then, you’ll only get about 30-45 minutes of medium-high heat before you need to add more charcoal.

There is a DIY fix that can greatly improve your braai’s heat retention and cut your charcoal use almost in half. The answer is, simply: add some insulation, in the form of…

Fire Bricks!

These are specialty refractory ceramic bricks designed for use in fireplaces, furnaces, stoves, pizza ovens, etc. They are designed to withstand temperatures up to 1200°C and can be used in braais and outdoor fire pits without any fear of exploding.

Six 25mm or 38mm Fire Bricks will add lots of versatility to your cooking.

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Here’s how to use Fire Bricks in your Weber Braai

Remove as much ash as you can and put the charcoal grate in place.

Lean a few firebricks at an angle to match the slope of the braai shape.

Continue placing bricks around the perimeter, and if there’s space, add a few in the middle. Make sure there’s still enough room for airflow.

Then, place your charcoal in the middle. Check to make sure your grilling grate will fit in place and adjust items as needed.

This technique still works if you, like all braai masters in the know, use a chimney starter. Just fire it up as usual, and pour the coals inside/on top of the bricks.

This is from a chimney about halfway full, and I was able to create a solid two hours of solid heat for a nice marathon braaiing session.

That’s right. Let’s do the math:

No fire bricks:

• 1 whole chimney of charcoal
• 45 minutes of medium-high heat

With fire bricks:

• 1/2 chimney full of charcoal
• 90 minutes medium-high heat, plus another 1.5 hours of medium to medium-low heat

Much better use of charcoal, yes? Most importantly, it opens up your cooking options. You could turn your Weber into a smoker to make low and slow barbecue at home, or into an oven at Christmas for a better place to cook your turkey. By placing the coals in the middle, you have a two-zone fire where you can sear things in the center, then move them to the outside to let them finish over radiant heat.

The best part is this is not a permanent change. You can use fire bricks when you need them and take them out when you don’t. They’ll last for years, make your braai oven-level efficient with much less fuel.

Happy Braaiing.

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Read Also:
Do I Need Fire Bricks for a Fireplace or Braai?
The Benefits of Fire Bricks: A Defining Choice for Fireplaces and Braais
An Easy Way To Make Your Weber Braai So Much Better with Fire Bricks