Thoughts on La Caja China hog roaster ?

[willbird]

You can google it up, I would post a link but don't want to break a rule if it is against one or more to do so :-). Seems to me a LOT of the heat from the charcoal is wasted ?? And the ash drops on the Hog ??

Bill

[deguerre]

Here's a cook Boshizzle did on one a couple weeks ago...

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=144926

[Stoke&Smoke]

I don't think in the long run much is wasted. And what is, is a trade off for how quickly the pig cooks.

Ash doesn't fall on the pig, unless you screw up, or have really hight winds. You remove the coal pan, and rest it on the long handles when going after the pig.

Downside is, unless you use some sort of smoke generator, you won't get much smoke on the pig. Cinder block pit would be cheaper, but bigger and bulkier. You can definitely cook a lot of food at once.

Smoke-In-Da-Eye here on the forum has posted at least one pig roast worth of photos

[willbird]

Originally Posted by Stoke&Smoke

I don't think in the long run much is wasted. And what is, is a trade off for how quickly the pig cooks.

Ash doesn't fall on the pig, unless you screw up, or have really hight winds. You remove the coal pan, and rest it on the long handles when going after the pig.

Downside is, unless you use some sort of smoke generator, you won't get much smoke on the pig. Cinder block pit would be cheaper, but bigger and bulkier. You can definitely cook a lot of food at once.

Smoke-In-Da-Eye here on the forum has posted at least one pig roast worth of photos

Well I'm just thinking as opposed to how chicken is cooked over a pit made from steel roofing ?? All heat has to go past the meat to escape, if you lay the coals on a grate on top, 50% of the radiant heat goes into the sky ? In more typical grilling, the radiant heat from the non meat side of the coals is reflected from the pit, or absorbed by it and radiated back into the cooking area ?

Bill

[deguerre]

Here's the SIDE cook:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ght=caja+china

[willbird]

OIC now, there is an ash pan UNDER to coals :-), between them and the Hog :-).

[Stoke&Smoke]

Yep! and a sort of expanded metal sifter that goes between the coals and the charcoal pan

An alternative at a similar price point would be a cinder block pit. Cowgirl has posted on the subject here http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/...t-cooking.html , and if you google 3 Guys from Miami, you'll find additional info.

Please be aware neither of these are on this site, so open them in a new tab or window so you can get back here soon! (Mods, if I have sinned, let me know and I won't do it again!)

[Boshizzle]

Get yourself a La Caja China, a pig, some dutch ovens, and ingredients for beans or Brunswick stew and you are set. While the pig is roasting in the box, cook the beans and the stew on top by sitting them over the coals.

If you get creative, you can devise a grill over the coals too and use it to grill veggies, hot dogs, burgers, whatever.

[deguerre]

Originally Posted by Boshizzle

Get yourself a La Caja China, a pig, some dutch ovens, and ingredients for beans or Brunswick stew and you are set. While the pig is roasting in the box, cook the beans and the stew on top by sitting them over the coals.

If you get creative, you can devise a grill over the coals too and use it to grill veggies, hot dogs, burgers, whatever.

That's why God made expanded metal, rebar and steel wire.

[OutlawSwine]

Also check out the Asador Cubano. The coals go inside the box on this kind where you get the smoke flavor. A friend of mine has one and it is pretty sweet.

[SmokerKing]

I have seen the La Caja China roasters. I've also had pork out of the Caja China roasters. Easy, simple roasting but the meat needs some smoke IMO.

I just fabricated a Santa Maria cooker and modified it to also be a La Caja China cooker. I will be testing it with some pork butts in a week or two.

My cooker is all steel and I plan on installing a smoke generator on it so I can get some smoke flavor while roasting the butts, hog, etc.

Yes, I'm sure there is a ton of fuel waste, but, I have fabricated a grate to go over the charcoal during the roast in case i want to grill or keep something hot during the roast. Caja China also offers an optional, over the top of the charcoal grate.

[armor]

I've used Cowgirl's instructions for the cinder block pit. It worked great!

[BigBlock]

give me a 275 gallon drum any day

[cowgirl]

I like my block pit, works great for cooks other than whole hogs too. It's simple and cheap, but puts out great tasting grub.
http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/...t-cooking.html



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[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by OutlawSwine

Also check out the Asador Cubano. The coals go inside the box on this kind where you get the smoke flavor. A friend of mine has one and it is pretty sweet.

That looks like it has a lot of promise. I didn't like the lack of smoke with the Caja China the couple of times I have cooked on one.