Caja China for Hogs

[Dawnpatrol]

My buddies and I put in on a Caja China roasting box. It's basically a giant dutch oven. You pour about 40 lbs of charcole on top and it heat the box up with the meat inside. It can cook  a +100 lb pig (without skin) in about 4 hours. Really fun for BBQ parties. Check it out.

 
 
 

[Al Dente]

Nice job.  I've seen them being used, but don't own one of my own.  The guy who created them and the concept is from the Miami area.

[Dave Bulla]

What's the inside look like?  Can't tell much from the pic of the lid.  Maybe some front and side shots too?????

[Al Dente]

Not really much to see inside.  A pretty simple design.  From what I recall, the entire inside is metal lined, and there is a bottom grate that elevates the meat.  Then the top part goes on with the coals.  Wait, wait, drool, wait, devour.

[Dave Bulla]

So it's just a metal lined wooden roasting box?

Huh, bet I could make one of them...  

But then again, if that's all it is, there won't be any smoke flavor will there?  I mean, it's just a charcoal powered oven aint it?   Hmmmmmmmm.... might take a couple modifications to get some smoke in there.  I'd have to think about this one.

[Al Dente]

Dead on Dave.  It is not a smoker at all, basically a wooden oven that uses charcoal.  Kinda like a wooden dutch oven, same principal, coals on top to cook the food, with the metal lining reflecting the heat all around the meat, that's how it roasts.

If you want a pig roaster that will add smoke, make one out of cinder blocks, rebar, and heavy grating.  Set up you blocks about 3-4 high, leaving one end open to shovel in the coals and wood, place rebar across the top for support, and then the grating over that for your split hog to lay on.  After it's ready and the hog in on, cover with heavy cardboard to keep the smoke in.  I forgot the guy's name, but he's famous for doing hogs this way, had a documentary made about him, and he even won the prestigious James Beard Award.  From GA or AL i believe.

[Mint]

They have a smoker kit that you can add to get the smoke flavor in the meat. Our club bought one and it works pretty good.

[Al Dente]

Didn't know that Jeff, thanks for the info.

[Pon]

We call that "ataud" here in México it translates "coffin" pretty common and popular in northern Mexico, great with lamb and kidgoat. Let me look for pictures so you can see the inside.

By the way "La Caja China" means "The Chinnese Box"  

[Pon]

here you go, doesn't matter if you don't know spanish, just look at the pictures  http://www.mexicoarmado.com/recetas-de-cocina/10404-al-ataud-o-la-funebre-3.html

[Dave Bulla]

Pon, sorry to report that I can't see the pictures.  I believe it's because I'm not a member of the board and not logged in.  I'll try to google ataud and also caja china to see what I find.

[Dave Bulla]

Aha!  All sorts of things come up on google.  A bunch of videos on youtube also.  Pretty cool but I think I'd miss the smoke.