Build - Direct Heat Cooker

[TheHojo]

The duo over at Royale Fabrication sent me a few photos of my direct heat cooker - look forward to breaking it in in a few weeks with some direct heat ribs, pork steaks and pork shoulder - Carolina style.

Will update with photos and the complete “pit” upon completion.

https://www.royalebbqfabrication.com/cookers - both Jeff and John have been great to work with

 

[ssv3]

Nice! Looking forward to some cooks on it.

 

[jbounds286]

for the same price, def looks to have better features than the chudbox equivalent!

 

[HogGrog]

Gonna be some fun!

Tell ‘em to hurry up !

 

[Kevin James]

Congrats! Looks great!

 

[Stingerhook]

Your gonna be happy with this one Ted. When is dinner gonna be ready?

 

[Tango Joe]

Will be following this build and future cooks for sure.

 

[4ever3]

This is gonna be KILLER!

They do really nice looking work, can’t wait to see cooks off of it!

 

[Top2Not2]

Looks solid!

 

[TheHojo]

It’s getting closer - got the front door on and the wheels attached - the top and it will be ready to roll.

Love the Texas hinges on the door they use - and the door fits like a glove

 

[SmittyJonz]

Is this sticks or charcoal powered ?

 

[TheHojo]

Is this sticks or charcoal powered ?

Can use both - can set up charcoal and/or wood on the bottom and cook over direct heat - two different levels you can put the grates at - either 18 or 25 inches above the heat - I assume I will mostly use it with lump - and may throw a stick on now and then -

Can also use as a vertical offset - comes with deflector plates that you can put at second level and cook on the top grate

Also has a fire basket - that will fit at the second level that you can then sear steaks over on the top grate - also having a griddle made that will also go on the top level over that charcoal basket if I want to do some flat top cooking

Very versatile unit

 

[charcoalwilly]

You're going to have a blast cooking on that baby. I built something similar couple of years ago although not nearly as nice looking!

https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=273799

The different cooking heights made it very versatile. My favorite depth ended up being around 12". I did learn that it always took more charcoal than I thought to heat it up because of the large air volume of square box. Basting chicken of any kind and tri-tip were always my favorite for the high direct heat.

Enjoy and please keep posting the pics once you get cooking!

 

[TheHojo]

You're going to have a blast cooking on that baby. I built something similar couple of years ago although not nearly as nice looking!

https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=273799

The different cooking heights made it very versatile. My favorite depth ended up being around 12". I did learn that it always took more charcoal than I thought to heat it up because of the large air volume of square box. Basting chicken of any kind and tri-tip were always my favorite for the high direct heat.

Enjoy and please keep posting the pics once you get cooking!

Thanks for sharing your earlier post - that awesome - hope you are still cookin on it

 

[charcoalwilly]

Thanks for sharing your earlier post - that awesome - hope you are still cookin on it

Thanks Hojo. I've moved on to a taller vertical grill-smoker, but often use the depth in the same style of direct cooking.

I learned about the direct style from the Meadow Creek chicken cookers which are 18" deep. The aromas coming off chicken dripping on hot coals 1.5ft below are otherworldly!

I am curious to see what your thoughts are on going indirect using deflector. I had some nice cooks doing that. You'll have plenty of smoking space on that cooker although I can see how it wouldn't replace your main smoker

 

[TheHojo]

Thanks Hojo. I've moved on to a taller vertical grill-smoker, but often use the depth in the same style of direct cooking.

I learned about the direct style from the Meadow Creek chicken cookers which are 18" deep. The aromas coming off chicken dripping on hot coals 1.5ft below are otherworldly!

I am curious to see what your thoughts are on going indirect using deflector. I had some nice cooks doing that. You'll have plenty of smoking space on that cooker although I can see how it wouldn't replace your main smoker

Agreed - i plan on using mostly for Carolina direct heat cooking - pork steaks, chicken, pork shoulders, ribs - and the occasional steak if I move the fire basket up to the second level. I have a traditional offset that will still be my go to for indirect cooking - but during the summer I will try the indirect setup on this new cooker - just too hot in Texas to work the offset during the summer - so this gives me some options when I don’t want to feed the offset during the heat of the day

 

[TheHojo]

Couple other photos of the door and fire basket

 

[CivilTrojan]

That looks really nice! Reminds me of the Bar-Be-Cube by American Barbecue Systems.

 

[4ever3]

Just saw more pics posted on th’ IG!

#cookerenvy

 

[TheHojo]

Getting closer - should be able to fire it up next weekend