Pitmaster’s Kitchen

A backyard built around the smoker: two Green Eggs, a bar to gather at, and a clear roof that lets the light in and keeps the rain out.

This James Island homeowner is serious about barbecue, so the whole outdoor kitchen was designed around cooking low and slow. Two Big Green Eggs and a smoker sit along the counter with a sink and a fridge close at hand, so a long cook never means a trip back inside.

The counter and bar top are black leathered granite, a matte finish that hides fingerprints and shrugs off grease. The bar is where everyone ends up: the cook works one side while the family pulls up a stool on the other, and the corrugated metal on the bar front gives it the feel of a good roadside smokehouse.

We built the structure over it from pressure-treated lumber, with a horizontal slat wall for privacy behind the grills. Instead of a solid roof, it carries clear polycarbonate panels, which keep the rain off the cook and the appliances while letting daylight pour through, so the kitchen never feels like a cave.

Underfoot is a concrete paver patio that runs out from the kitchen to a swing and a fire pit area, so there is somewhere to sit with a plate once the brisket comes off.