Food safety regarding bricks, fire bricks, pottery shelves, etc.

[edhead35]

Having seen many clever people come up with homemade solutions to everyday problems, we have also seen some bad solutions too. An example of this would be doing a lobster boil in a galvanized trash can, which is extremely poisonous.


When using red bricks, fire bricks, kiln shelves, etc., has anyone found any supporting documentation on the food safety of these products? I ask because you never know what you are getting in some cases. You could be getting lead glazed cookware from Mexico or pressure treated charcoal.

[1buckie]

Can't speak to red brick, pottery or pottery shelves, but I do know that firebrick, even at lower smoking heats carries & retains MUCH more heat than it's surrounding environment.....

Below are 'Turds that were sitting over the firebrick prop-up ~~~>



Anything touching, or very near the brick, will pick up, as a guess, maybe 75~100% again of the surrounding temprature.....puts a lower smoke @ 500 degrees......I believe hot enough to kill anything bogus.........

Pizza stones are usually run real high also, my own personal speculation would go along with 'hot enough' on those also........

Now, these are speculations & not scientifically proven stuff......so I'm gonna go lookin'.......

[1buckie]

Clemson Univ. on a wide variety of cooking surfaces.......

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/food/food_safety/handling/hgic3864.html


A pretty good coversation about such items & the use of clorine (in very small quantity dilutions) as a disinfectant

http://www.potters.org/subject17367.htm

I believe it's 5~7%, but I'll double check to be absolutely sure.......

[edhead35]

How can you tell which firebricks are resisting heat and which ones are made to absorb and retain heat?

[pbe gummi bear]

How can you tell which firebricks are resisting heat and which ones are made to absorb and retain heat?

Throw them on a fire- if they are hot to the touch in a few minutes, they absorb heat. If they are cool, they resist heat.

JUST KIDDING. PLEASE DON'T DO THIS.

[MacEggs]

How can you tell which firebricks are resisting heat and which ones are made to absorb and retain heat?

A recent thread had some good discussion regarding this:

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/in-praise-of-firebrick/

[1buckie]

How can you tell which firebricks are resisting heat and which ones are made to absorb and retain heat?

Meaning from this:
"Anything touching, or very near the brick, will pick up, as a guess, maybe 75~100% again of the surrounding temprature....."

That would mean the food touching or near the firebrick.......I've always assumed firebrick was meant to retain & enhance the heated environment..... & double as an insulator toward the outside environment...ever since high school ceramics.....
Don't know of any that would remain cooler than what they're exposed to.......but there may be some insulating types.......ceramics are all the rage nowadays !!!

Thanks Mac  & Thanks to G$ for the info in the link !!!

The ones I use for propping up grates must be 'conducting' type.....they get HOT !!!

[edhead35]

How can you tell which firebricks are resisting heat and which ones are made to absorb and retain heat?

Throw them on a fire- if they are hot to the touch in a few minutes, they absorb heat. If they are cool, they resist heat.

JUST KIDDING. PLEASE DON'T DO THIS.

I meant before buying them lol

[Troy]

heavy firebricks will heat up and retain heat

light, porous fire bricks and kiln bricks will reflect heat and stay cooler.


as for food safety, just use a good brick. nothing glazed or painted.
Most pizza ovens are made with brick and its usually not a special food grade brick

[Duke]

Regular bricks can explode. I would consider that unsafe for food.

[Craig]

I've been using what used to be tan colored paver bricks to support my second grate when I do pizzas. They aren't very big and are black now. No abnormal effects.... Not yet anyways

[Troy]

i really don't think regular bricks can explode, at least not under the circumstances provided by us

They might become brittle. They might even crack, but I really don't think there's a danger.

I've used both, but for now I'm sticking with regular bricks (because every house in socal seems to have a pile of them laying around somewhere...)

[zavod44]

I just like the fact that someone says these might be toxic to cook on, then buckie chimes in and says I don't know about safety, but they cook the shit out of these turds and shows a big picture of meat sitting all over these bricks.....and if ever saw a picture of Buckie you might be nervous about those bricks......

[1buckie]

Oh Brian......the meat's not sitting right on the bricks.....that photo may have been a bit decieving

See:


And here you can see I've learned my lesson & the food isn't directly over the brick......



Those 5 'Turds were a curious snapshot in time.....the only time I ever put food over the brick & burned it......

[MacEggs]

and if ever saw a picture of Buckie you might be nervous about those bricks......

Thanks ... coffee is everywhere now ... 


But, I gotta say .. If Ken handed me a plate full of food that was cooked on his kettles ...
I would not hesitate ... Die happy, I say.