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slohcooker
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So you want to roast a whole pig? Want the coveted title of bbq hero and the
immeasurable adulation of carnivorous friends? Then you need a way to roast a
whole pig.

THE CAJA CHINA.

It's a Cuban method of roasting a pig in a box. Yes, Cuban. Yes, I know, it
means "Chinese box." But the better translation is "magic box." And, oh porky, is
it magic. Put a pig in the box, burn charcoal on top, and 4 hours later (flashy
magician hands), awesomeness emerges with juicy meat and CRISPY SKIN
(see the photos - crackalicious). Heat comes from above the pig -- sounds
counterintuitive. But, hey...magic.

It's the quickest way to do a whole pig. Easy to set up, easy to use, portable,
and doesn't require much space -- almost any place good for a BBQ grill is good
for a Caja China. I've used one on an apartment balcony.
You can buy a pre-made Caja China (aka caja asadores, cajun microwave), but
where's the fun in that? Build it yourself. Here are instructions for a DIY and how
to roast a whole pig.

I first built a Caja China when two friends asked me to help do a pig roast for
their wedding celebration. I'd never done a whole pig before. They initially
wanted to dig a pit, but their house is built on stilts, and I wasn't keen on causing
their home to tumble down the hill. So I did some research...

Step 1: HOW IT WORKS

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(/file/FQ5UBB4IUSLKLPQ/) (/file/FEXK3B1IUYD4QY0/)

>> Here's a primer on whole pig cookery. "But I don't care about that," you say.
"Just tell me how to build a caja china, dangnabbit." OK, then, skip right ahead
to Step 2. But watch your language.<<
When I first researched how to roast a whole pig, I found four basic methods. I
chose #4.
1) "Hawaiian" method
Bury the pig in the ground with hot coals and hot rocks. Dig it up when it's done.
Luau. PROS: once the pig is in the ground, requires no active work. CONS: very
long total time, requires digging a pretty deep pit, burning a fire down for hours
to produce hot coals, finding suitable rocks that can be heated in those coals
and inserted into the pig, then burying it completely. Pig comes out moist, but
skin isn't crispy. It essentially bakes/steams in the pit. Biggest problem, though,
is not having any way to control the heat. You just bury it, then dig it up and pray
it's done. If it's not, you're screwed. For a first-time pig roaster, I nixed this one.
2) Spit method
http://www.firepit-and-grilling-guru.com/whole-pi... (http://www.firepit-and-grilling-
guru.com/whole-pig-roast.html)Put the pig on a spit directly over a fire. Rotate.
PROS: Crispy skin. Cons: requires a heavy-duty rotisserie build. Turning a pig
ain't easy. Requires constant monitoring and work while it cooks. I nixed this.
3) Cinder Block Oven method
http://cuban-christmas.com/pigroast.html (http://cuban-
christmas.com/pigroast.html)Cinder blocks are stacked up to create an oven.
Pig is splayed flat and sandwiched in a frame so it can be flipped. Foil covers
the top. Hot coals are inserted into the bottom corners of the "oven." PROS: pig
 skin gets nice and CRISPY (arguably the best part of the pig), the pig oven is
easy to assemble and break down, total cook time is pretty quick. CONS: need a
dedicated flat surface, need 48 cinder blocks, need to store 48 cinder blocks
afterwards, need to build a sandwiching pig frame (I had a tough time finding
non-galvanized metal at Home Depot -- ***Do NOT use galvanized steel in heat.
Gives off toxic fumes), heat control is possible but not easy -- you have to
remove a cinder block and shovel in more hot coals. This method came closest
to what I was looking for -- until I discovered method #4...

4) Caja China method

http://www.lacajachina.com (http://www.lacajachina.com/)The pig is splayed flat
and sandwiched in a simple frame (simpler than in method #3), then it goes into
a box (caja china) with a charcoal tray (steel sheet) on top, and charcoal is
burned on that tray. So the heat comes from the top down. Kind of like a large
bbq grill, but the food goes under the fire. Cooks for 4 hours or so on its back,
then the pig is flipped so the skin crisps up. PROS: doesn't require a big yard --
can be used anywhere (I've done it on a deck), total control over the heat source
(just add more or less charcoal on top as needed), skin comes out ultra poofy
crispy, cooks quickest of all methods, and afterwards box can be disassembled.
CONS: requires a box, which you can buy for $400... or build it yourself with this
Instructable.

4a) This one is a modified version of the Caja China method

http://web.archive.org/web/20050319154203/http://w...
(http://web.archive.org/web/20050319154203/http://www.geocities.com/NapaVall
ey/4192/fathers.html)Dig a rectangular pit in the ground and line it with foil.
Basically, the pit acts as a box (or vice versa, as this method probably came
first). Splayed, racked pig goes in, put a steel sheet on top, then burn charcoal
on it. Heat source is still on top. I've thought about doing this, but with my luck,
my pit would be next to a gas line in the yard, and kablooey goes the pig. I'll try
this next time I have an open field.

-------------------------

I've since built a few more cajas and roasted a number of piggies, and here's my
current design...

Step 2: DESIGN & MATERIALS

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DESIGN

The box is made of 3/4" plywood. Once constructed, it looks like a coffin with a
medical stretcher on top. Or the Ark of the Covenant ("Shut your Eyes,
Marion!"). The Pig Ark is what we took to calling it.

Box Dimensions:

Length: 49-1/2"
Width: 24"
Height: 15-3/4"
I've also attached a Sketchup file. My first time using it. You don't really need it --
I just used it to produce the still images here. But if you'd like to rotate it in 3D
space just for fun, go right ahead.

MATERIALS

Wood for the Box:

(1) 3/4" plywood, 48" x 24"
(2) 3/4" plywood, 48" x 15"
(2) 3/4" plywood, 24" x 15"
You can cut all the pieces from one full sheet of 3/4" plywood (see photo), but I
got pieces from the scrap bin.
Cost: $9 (incl cutting).

Wood for the Top Frame:

(2) 1x3 furring strips, 8' length. [Cut into (2) 6' lengths and (2) 2' lengths]
(2) 1x2 furring strips, 8' length. [Cut into (2) 6' lengths and (2) 2' lengths]]
Cost: $5

Hardware:
(1 box) #8 x 1-1/2" wood screws
(36 screws) #8 x 1/2" stainless steel sheet metal screws (NOT galvanized or
zinc-plated)
Cost: $13

Charcoal Tray:
(1) 20-gauge non-galvanized steel sheet 24" x 48"
Home Depot didn't carry this. I went to M&K Metal Supply
(http://www.mkmetal.net/) (Los Angeles). Found a perfect scrap piece for $5.
Make sure it's NON-galvanized. Galvanized steel (aka zinc-plated) gives off
toxic fumes when heated. Not tasty.

Box Lining
(1 big roll) Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
Get a big box from Costco. It's wider, and it'll last you ages. Make sure it's
"heavy duty." None of that cheap stuff. If you want even heavier duty, you could
even use aluminum flashing -- but not necessary.

Inside the Box

(4) bricks
 (3) large disposable foil roasting pans
Pig Rack
(2) 17" x 25" cooling or oven racks like this
(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029SXG9I/ref=pe_385040_30332200_TE_it
em)
(4) 2-3/4" S-hooks (like these (https://www.amazon.com/Ikea-800-726-44-S-
hook-silver-10-pack/dp/B00ROSVLEU) from Ikea)

Steve CajaChina Desig…

Download (https://cdn.instructables.com/ORIG/FMK/ROXQ/IUYD1RHU/FMKROXQIUYD1RHU.skp)
(https://cdn.instructables.com/ORIG/FMK/ROXQ/IUYD1RHU/FMKROXQIUYD1RHU.skp)

Step 3: MAKE THE BOX

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 Before assembling, apply heavy duty aluminum foil to the inside surfaces of the
plywood. Make sure the foil extends over all the edges. Secure with a staple-
gun. This is the base lining of the box. You'll be adding a second, disposable
layer of foil each time you do a roast (more on that later).
Screw together the plywood pieces with the wood screws according to the
design photos. Drive a screw every 8". Drill pilot holes if necessary.
The short sides (the ends) of the box will not come up as high as the long sides
(see photo). Not a mistake. You'll see.
Now you have a shiny pig coffin.

Step 4: MAKE THE TOP FRAME

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The top is essentially a piece of sheet steel inside a wooden frame with handles.
 The Long Sides
Wrap heavy duty aluminum foil around the two 6' lengths of 1x3 furring strips --
just the middle 4' that will be in contact with the steel sheet, leaving 1' on either
side unwrapped. This is for heat protection.
Now take the steel sheet (careful, sharp edges!). If there's a plastic film, remove
it. Attach those two 6' lengths of 1x3 furring strips to the long sides of the steel
sheet, overlapping the steel and wood by 1". Drive a sheet metal screw every 4".
The Short Sides
Now take the two 2' lengths of 1x3, and cut them to fit the short sides of the
steel sheet so they fit between the frame's long sides.
Wrap them in foil, then screw them onto the steel sheet with the sheet metal
screws, every 4".
Now you have a completed frame. But it needs some support.
Support Pieces
Place the top frame onto the box. The sheet metal screwheads should be facing
down (this is the underside).
Take the two 2' lengths of 1x2 furring strips and wrap them in foil. Remember
how the short sides of the plywood box didn't come up as high as the long
sides? Insert a 1x2 strip into that 3/4" gap so it sits flush against that notch.
Secure the top frame down onto it with wood screws, screwing it to both the long
side frame and the short side frame. Repeat with the other side.

These pieces serve as cross supports, but more importantly, they allow the top
frame to "lock" into place on the notches of the box.

Finally, take the two 6' lengths of 1x2 furring strips (no need to wrap in foil) and
screw them perpendicular to the bottom of the 1x3 strips (see photos). Drill pilot
holes first. Make sure these 1x2 strips are not getting in the way of the top frame
closing over the box. These pieces help support the weight when the long
handles are picked up.
That completes the top frame. The steel area on top is where the charcoal burns
(the charcoal tray).
And now you have your own Caja China! To make the box easier to pick up,
attach some scrap wood blocks near the corners of the box.
Then it's time for a test drive...

Step 5: TEST BURN

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Time for a test burn with the Caja China. This allows any coating on the steel
sheet (the charcoal tray) to burn off and to make sure everything's kosher. Sorry,
bad choice of terms.
Pick an outdoor location where you won't burn up anything above it (like trees,
fire alarms, neighbors). Set the Caja China down on 4 cinder blocks (stood up in
their tallest orientation) as legs. You can use bricks or even attach wooden legs.
Just need to raise the level up off the ground about 16".
Put the top frame onto the box. Make a "snake" out of some foil, and line that
snake around the edges of the charcoal tray to protect the frame from the heat.
Make two piles of charcoal. Cheap Kingsford stuff is perfectly fine. All you need
is even heat. Go ahead and use lighter fluid or whatever else you'd like. The
fumes never actually touch the meat.

After the charcoal turns white, spread them out evenly. The steel sheet may
have warped under the two piles, but don't worry, it'll even out. Let it burn like
this for ten minutes. If the Caja is still in one piece, you're good.

Shame to waste this heat, so let's cook something. Take the top frame off, rest it
on something appropriate, like two sawhorses. Put a disposable roasting pan
down in the Caja to catch drips. Put down four foil-wrapped bricks (placed on
their long, thin sides) as corner supports, and put one of the racks onto them.
Put two whole chickens onto the rack. Stick a probe thermometer into one of
them, and drape the wire along the inside wall, up over the edge of the box, and
out.

Put the top frame back onto the box. Cook until the thermometer hits 160 F
(carryover cooking will bring it to safe temp). Eat.

The first time we did this, it was the best damned chicken we'd ever had. Good
omen for next day's roast. Now clean up the mess, get some sleep, and dream
of happy porkers.

Step 6: PREP THE PIG

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Get a whole pig. Ask around. Google it. Check Chowhound. Sometimes latin or
asian markets will sell them to you, but you have to know the secret password
(which is "I am not from the health department").
Get a pig that's 50-70 lbs -- the "dressed weight," meaning after the innards
have been removed. Sometimes the kidneys are intact as proof of freshness --
remove them. Head and feet will be attached -- don't remove those.
A 60 lbs. pig will yield about 42 lbs. of meat, which feeds about 80 people (about
1/2 lb of meat per person -- remember, that's not the only thing you're serving).
 The Night Before
Get the pig the night before the roast (unfrozen). If you can, have the butcher
butterfly (splay) the pig. This means splitting the spine so the pig will lie flat. If
the butcher doesn't do that, do it yourself with an axe and a hammer, or a
hacksaw. Like this (graphic) video (https://youtu.be/n-XbJ4N_61U?t=16s).
After that, inject the meat with a marinade/brine. I used a traditional Cuban Mojo
Criollo (http://www.lacajachina.com/Mojo-Criollo_a/168.htm).
Mojo Criollo (marinade/brine)
1 cup sour orange juice (or 6 oz. orange juice, 2 oz lemon juice)
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon bay leaves
1 garlic bulb
1 teaspoon cumin
4 teaspoon salt
4 oz. of water
4 oz. Pineapple juice (optional)
Blend all ingredients and let it sit for a minimum of one hour. Strain through a
fine-mesh strainer, or a strainer and then a coffee filter. Don't skip this, or else
it'll jam up your meat syringe. Inject the liquid into the meat -- 5 to 6 full shots on
each ham (rear leg) and 4 to 5 on the shoulders. Then apply a Kosher salt rub
all over the pig.

Wrap the pig back up in plastic and put it in a cooler or the bathtub with bags of
ice under and over it.

Step 7: MORNING OF THE ROAST

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Bringing up to Temp
On the morning of, you need to get the pig off the ice and bring it up to room
temperature. No one ever mentions how to do that safely, though. Leaving a raw
pig out for four hours will make a health inspector pop a vein. You know, "danger
zone" temperatures. I once waited 2 hours, and the pig was still 40 degrees.
Solution: If you store the pig in a bathtub overnight, just remove the ice bags and
turn on the warm water until the pig's up to temp. Easy peasy. Then dry it off as
much as you can.

Rack the Pig

Lay the pig upside down onto one of the racks. Put the other rack over it, and
use the 4 S-hooks to clip the racks together. Get some help for this. Now the pig
is sandwiched. This rack holds the pig in the box and allows you to flip the pig
over later. Rub some salt onto the skin, and let it hang out as you prep the Caja
China.

Step 8: PREPARE THE CAJA CHINA

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Line the entire inside of the box with another layer of heavy duty foil. No need to
staple it down. Just lay it in large overlapping rows and press it into the corners
to shape it. Leave about 6 inches of heads and tails, so that those ends hang
out over the lip of the box. This will come in handy in a minute.

Put 3 large disposable roasting pans into the box to catch drippings. Put the 4
foil-wrapped bricks into place (stood on their long, thin sides) to hold up the
corners of the pig rack. Make sure there's some space between the top of the
bricks and the top of the roasting pans. If the pans are too tall, they'll restrict hot
air from flowing under the pig -- in that case, just fold the sides of the pans down
a bit.

Place the racked pig into the box upside down (its back facing down, ribs facing
up). Bend the legs if they don't fit. Check the clearance/airflow under the pig
again.

Stick a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the ham and drape the wire
along the inside wall, up over the edge of the box, and out.

Drill a hole in the side of the box, near a corner, just large enough for another
(second) probe thermometer, and insert the probe, poking through the foil, so
that it is at roughly the height of the pig. But make sure the tip is not touching the
pig or rack or anything else (that's why you're drilling this now, with the pig in it).
This is to monitor the oven temperature.
Now take the loose ends of the foil that you left hanging over the lip of the box,
and fold/roll them down to create a cushion right along the top edge/lip of the
box. This will serve as a kind of "gasket" to help the lid seal better.

Now you're ready to close up the box. Put the top frame on, making sure the
cross-piece supports are lined up with the notches of the box (if it doesn't fit
now, you may have inadvertently rotated it 180 degrees). Then press down
lightly all around the frame, to help seat the top into the foil cushion gasket.

Make sure a foil "snake" is still in place around the edges of the charcoal tray.

All good? Let's roast...

Step 9: ROAST!
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It should take about 4 hours to roast. Of course, that varies according to

weather, temperature of the pig at the start, how many beers you drink... Use
these instructions as a guideline.

Once the oven heats up, the general goal is to keep the oven temperature
between 240-260° F. It should take about 3.5 hours for the pig to reach 185°F. If
it gets too hot before that, you can lift the lid to vent some heat. If it's too cold,
scoop out some ash and/or add more charcoal.

Why not just crank the heat way way up? Because collagen begins to break
down into gelatin (which is what you want for fall-apart tenderness) at 160°F. But
it's not just temperature-dependent -- it has to be held there for a certain amount
of time to really soften up. If the oven temp is around 240-250°F, then once the
pig reaches 185°F, it should have been in there long enough for the meat to be
 easily eaten by grandpas with bad dentures. The guidelines below should be
fine, but keep an eye on the two thermometers to make sure it's mostly within
range.

When in doubt, open another beer. (see the mandatory hardware attachment in
the photo).
Fire it Up
Start with 14 lbs. of charcoal briquettes on top (enough for a single layer). Pile
them into two mounds, use lighter fluid (box is sealed, so won't affect the flavor),
and light it up. Pre-soaked briquettes are fine too, but only for this first batch.
Once they're lit and ashed over, spread them out with a shovel or rake. It'll be
HOTTT. Start your stopwatch now.
After 1 hour:
Add 9 lbs more charcoal

After 1 hour:
Add 9 lbs more charcoal
After 1 hour:
Add 10 lbs more charcoal

After 30 min:
Now for the fun. The pig should be at 185°F. Open the box and rest the top
frame on something appropriate (between two sawhorses, two chairs, or have
your in-laws hold it). Don't worry if it's a little charred -- that's just the underside.
Remove the thermometer from the pig. Take some pix.

Now let's flip the pig. Requires two people. Using heavy duty oven
mitts/towels/welding gloves, grab the pig rack firmly. Caution, hot. Don't skimp
on the hand protection here -- shame to drop the pig now. Let any juices drain
into the roasting pans (hot!), then flip the pig and put it back down.
Don't be alarmed by the look of the skin. It'll be dull, pale, clammy, and gummy.
But in just 30 min. it'll be the most crack-a-licious pig candy you've ever had.

Remove the S-hooks and pull off the top rack, which was there only to help you
do the flip. Removing it will allow your pig to avoid tan lines.

Take a very sharp knife or box cutter and score the skin every 2 inches. The
cajachina.com website tells you to just cut some X's into the back, but the point
of these cuts is to help the fat drain out so the skin can dry out, poof up, and
crisp. So mo' cuts = mo' betta chicharrones. Also, when you're done, you'll have
easy cracklin' squares to pull off. Like porcine baklava.

Sprinkle a little salt over the skin. Don't over due it. Just season it a little.
Now put the lid back on. To crisp up the skin, you need to crank the heat up.
First, scoop out as much ash as you can with a shovel or metal dustpan while
leaving the charcoal pieces. Why? Because ash buildup acts as an insulator,
blocking the heat of the coals. Dispose of the ashes in a metal bucket.

The oven temperature should immediately climb. If it doesn't, you might not
have enough coals on top -- quickly add a little more charcoal. It's a delicate call
because you need enough heat to poof up the skin, but too much, and it'll burn.
And you only get one shot at this.

After 20 min., slightly lift a corner of the lid to take a peek. A flashlight might
help. If it's not crispy enough, keep roasting in 10 min. increments.

Step 10: THE REVEAL

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Now it's time. The guests have gathered. Cameras are out. Smell is intoxicating.
Supreme adulation of friends and family within your grasp.

Reveal your masterpiece. Feel the praise, as glowing and effusive as 40-some
pounds of hot charcoal. Then move the pig, still on its bottom rack, to a table
lined with a plastic tablecloth. I like to place rolled-up kitchen towels under the
plastic to form a raised ring or square around the pig. A fortress wall to keep the
juices in.

Most of the pork juices should have collected in the roasting pans. You can use
it to make a sauce. Or save it for soup. Or ramen. Or just to bathe in. But please,
lordy, don't throw it away.
To serve, all you need is a pair of tongs and maybe a knife. Let people at it.
Save the cheek and the crispiest piece of skin for yourself. Rejoice.

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Comments

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Please be positive and constructive. w I Made it!  Add Images Post Comment

2017-09-14 Reply
hansondan (/member/hansondan/) made it!

Hey everyone. I made it! I sourced most of my materials from Lowes and
Amazon. However, for the sheet metal, I purchased from OnlineMetals.com.
For my first run, I made a bone-in pork shoulder (13lbs). The internal meat
made it to 160 degrees in under 3 hours. The internal temp of the box reached
400 degrees at times and I had to vent a lot to keep it around 250-300 degrees.
The pork tasted very good. However, it didn't shred or fall apart.

Next weekend I'm cooking a 60-70lb pig and want to get it right. Any
suggestions on maintaining the temp to get good fall apart meat?
I'll post more pics after I deck out the box.

(https://cdn.instructables.com/F5Y/66VZ/J7KQT9Y3/F5Y66VZJ7KQT9Y3.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/F51/AXOP/J7KQT9Y7/F51AXOPJ7KQT9Y7.LARGE.jpg)
 (https://cdn.instructables.com/FRT/Y411/J7KQT9YA/FRTY411J7KQT9YA.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FXM/RX67/J7KQT9YB/FXMRX67J7KQT9YB.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/F91/E084/J7KQT9YN/F91E084J7KQT9YN.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FE0/GTPR/J7KQT9YQ/FE0GTPRJ7KQT9YQ.LARGE.jpg)

2017-08-17 Reply
DanD46 (/member/DanD46/) made it!

Hey just wanted to update and thank you for the plans- We made our box with
22 ga steel from Lowes as others did and heavy duty tinfoil inside.... the 22 ga
steel worked fine but our near 40 lbs pig cooked pretty quick. like 185 plus in
aboutut 2 hours.... I'm not sure if it was because the 22 ga steel or the size of
the pig but either way it still worked out great. The pig came out great and the
skin was unbelievable. We brined it the day before by the way incase any was
thinking of doing that and it came out awesome.
We loved it some much we are using it again for a 20 lbs pig for a small
bachelor party coming up . I'll update after with more pictures.

(https://cdn.instructables.com/F0H/6ZAJ/J6GQIECY/F0H6ZAJJ6GQIECY.LARGE.jpg)
 (https://cdn.instructables.com/FWT/UV9Q/J6GQIECZ/FWTUV9QJ6GQIECZ.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FE0/USTA/J6GQIED1/FE0USTAJ6GQIED1.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FYP/RPII/J6GQIED4/FYPRPIIJ6GQIED4.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FLJ/D9D0/J6GQIED8/FLJD9D0J6GQIED8.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FPT/J8KB/J6GQIED9/FPTJ8KBJ6GQIED9.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FNW/KO75/J6GQIEDN/FNWKO75J6GQIEDN.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FPY/GGAK/J6GQIEE0/FPYGGAKJ6GQIEE0.LARGE.jpg)

Mianop (/member/Mianop/) made it! 2017-08-08 Reply

I made it using 22g cold roll steel from lowes. I also used the aluminum flashing
as some others did. Going to try it out tomorrow. Thank you slohcooker for
posting the design. If all goes well tomorrow, pig roast on Saturday!

(https://cdn.instructables.com/F33/EZ37/J63UXV3M/F33EZ37J63UXV3M.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FNL/1XOJ/J63UXV57/FNL1XOJJ63UXV57.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FVH/NSKP/J63UXV5I/FVHNSKPJ63UXV5I.LARGE.jpg)

DannR1 (/member/DannR1/) . Mianop (/member/Mianop/) 2017-08-09 Reply

Congrats. Looks great. Start cooking and post a few pics.

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FWP/OPU7/J63V2CWG/FWPOPU7J63V2CWG.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/F3K/WE5U/J63V2CX0/F3KWE5UJ63V2CX0.LARGE.jpg)

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . Mianop (/member/Mianop/) Reply

2017-08-08
Looking good, Mianop. Report back. Roast on!

Mianop (/member/Mianop/) 2017-08-08 Reply

Trying to make this and can't get the steel in my area!! I can find roof decking or
22 gage aluminum. The decking is not flat so I'm going to wrap the aluminum in
the heavy duty foil and cross my fingers...... anyone think this will work?
 slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . Mianop (/member/Mianop/) Reply

2017-08-08
Other commenters below have successfully used 22 gauge
steel.

2017-05-03 Reply
DannR1 (/member/DannR1/) made it!

The design provide by https://www.instructables.com/member/slohcooker/,...

(https://www.instructables.com/member/slohcooker/,) is outstanding. Due to the
heavy use I plan for this, I over engineered it a bit.

Double foil at all joints, angle iron on all corners, wheels on one end and a
carrying handle on the other. Upgraded the interior. Note, aluminum flashing
added inside requires a careful hand/flame combo when soldering seams and
joints. I had to repair a couple of small area that the torch burnt through. One
pic shows a custom coal starter, this will hold up to about 10 lbs of coal (great to
reduce the number of starters and applications of fuel, (note the rod attached to
the bottom, this allows for controlled pouring of the coals on the cooktop). I also
used 16ga steel for the top and had two 5/16" rods welded to the underside to
avoid warping. Slohcooker, please give yourself another pat on the back.

TKS, D.

(https://cdn.instructables.com/F1X/NN3Z/J282ZG2A/F1XNN3ZJ282ZG2A.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FH8/UWMZ/J282ZG6N/FH8UWMZJ282ZG6N.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FIV/FGI3/J282ZGB0/FIVFGI3J282ZGB0.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FDU/JNT5/J282ZGDM/FDUJNT5J282ZGDM.LARGE.jpg)
(https://cdn.instructables.com/FZB/GQZE/J282ZGH4/FZBGQZEJ282ZGH4.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FB2/0ZZU/J282ZGME/FB20ZZUJ282ZGME.LARGE.jpg)

SteveL121 (/member/SteveL121/) . DannR1 (/member/DannR1/) Reply

2017-07-19
Excellent job! I'm going to use your over-engineered approch.

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . DannR1 (/member/DannR1/) Reply

2017-05-08
SAUNA DE CERDO. Love it. Thanks so much for the kind
words and for the pics. I like the angle irons on the corner with the wheels
- nice upgrade. And the essential bottle opener. And nice use of the foil
funneling. I got the alignment off on the foil during one roast, and had
quarts of beautiful pork juice leak out and down the side of the box. Then
came the bees.

Roast on.

tlegel (/member/tlegel/) 2017-04-17 Reply

Can I use 22 ga welding sheet metal for the lid?

DanD46 (/member/DanD46/) . tlegel (/member/tlegel/) 2017-06-16 Reply

Hey - How did the 22 Gauge steel work ? Thats pretty much all we can
find around here.

tlegel (/member/tlegel/) . DanD46 (/member/DanD46/) 2017-06-19 Reply

22 guage works just fine. Used it 4 times without any problems.

DanD46 (/member/DanD46/) . tlegel (/member/tlegel/) 2017-06-19 Reply

Thanks so much for responding

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . tlegel (/member/tlegel/) 2017-04-17 Reply

I'm no steel expert, so someone else might have to chime in on this one.
But I think 22 gauge would be fine --- as long as it is NOT galvanized
steel.
 tlegel (/member/tlegel/) . slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) 2017-04-17 Reply

It is non-galvanized. Going to give this a try for a Derby party.

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . tlegel (/member/tlegel/) 2017-04-17 Reply

Awesome. Post some pics.

2017-05-08 Reply
DannR1 (/member/DannR1/) made it!

First pig update. The cooker worked perfect. 4 1/2 hrs start to finish.
Great weekend. The foil in the empty pic funneled 99% of the juices into the
drip pans. 3 paper towels wiped up the condensation from the oven.

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FWZ/XBBA/J2GEUCB2/FWZXBBAJ2GEUCB2.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FPK/OTJ9/J2GEUCHM/FPKOTJ9J2GEUCHM.LARGE.jpg)

(https://cdn.instructables.com/FUI/GI1E/J2GEUCM9/FUIGI1EJ2GEUCM9.LARGE.jpg)

MichaelB1131 (/member/MichaelB1131/) 2017-04-30 Reply

This is exactly what I'm looking for!! But instead of using foil I wanted to make a
aluminum slip to go in the box. How thick would the aluminum have to be??
And could I use aluminum or stainless steel for the ash catcher?? I have a
fabrication department at my job so any suggestions with this in mind would be
greatly appreciated. Thanks

DannR1 (/member/DannR1/) . MichaelB1131 (/member/MichaelB1131/) Reply

2017-05-03
I will be posting pics of my caja soon. I used aluminum flashing
and soldered (very carefully) with a propane torch.

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . MichaelB1131 (/member/MichaelB1131/)

 Do you mean lining the box with a thicker aluminum 2017-04-30 Reply

sheet instead of foil? I had great results with foil, so I

would think that anything thicker would be just fine. More durable than foil.
I had looked into rolls of aluminum flashing at one point. If you've got
access to the materials and the fabrication, by all means, go for it. I guess
that would make it more like the prefab caja chinas you can buy.

As for the charcoal tray, I haven't tested out aluminum or stainless steel,
but I imagine those would also be perfectly fine as long as they're thick
enough. They'd look better over repeated use too, I imagine. And since
you have access to fabrication, you could even bend up the sides of the
charcoal tray give it a lip.

Also, if you've got the means, using an expanded metal grate on top of
the charcoal tray (like the prefab caja chinas use) makes for easier ash
removal.

If I had access to fabrication, that would open a whole new world! Happy
to answer more questions, if I can. Please post your results!

MichaelB1131 (/member/MichaelB1131/) . slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/)

2017-04-30 Reply
Yea I'm basically making the prefab box. It's gonna be
a lil bit cheaper then buying it. But the big bonus is I can build a Lil each
week and not shell out all the money In one shot lol probably gonna weld
a spigot on the bottom to drain the drippings and a thermometer on the
side. How thick do u think the ash tray should be??

Gonna get the plywood and build the box this week and probably get the
aluminum next week. Hoping I can fine a big enough piece of scrap laying
around for the ash catcher.

Found some stainless steal rods that I'm gonna weld together to sandwich
the pig in.

So yea that's about where I'm at

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . MichaelB1131 (/member/MichaelB1131/)

2017-04-30 Reply
I used 20 gauge non-galvanized steel for the charcoal
tray. I haven't worked with stainless or aluminum, so not sure how thick
you'd need for those. Let me know what you find out.

friger (/member/friger/) 2016-11-16 Reply

I can see why you won! I like that you stayed true to the original spirit of
"Instructables". You perfectly described how you did everything in a manner that
would allow someone else to duplicate what you've accomplished. No
extraordinary tools, skills or equipment required, clear and very entertaining
instruction. Plenty of pictures and good use of the picture notes. And beer.
Watch for my "I made it post" in the near future.

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . friger (/member/friger/) 2016-11-16 Reply

Thanks, friger! If you do make it, please post pix. And if you have any
questions, fire away.
 friger (/member/friger/) . slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) 2016-11-16 Reply

Just one, how many beer will I need to cook a pig....hahahaha, Just
kidding, I know I'll need at least 10.

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . friger (/member/friger/) 2016-11-16 Reply

Yes, definitely 10.

Xochitlfilms (/member/Xochitlfilms/) 2016-11-15 Reply

Can't wait to try it!!

Wyowarrior (/member/Wyowarrior/) 2016-11-09 Reply

Congratulations on the win!

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . Wyowarrior (/member/Wyowarrior/) Reply

2016-11-13
Thanks, Wyowarrior.

jmdushi (/member/jmdushi/) 2016-11-01 Reply

when I saw picture #4 I thought oh my gosh you roasted Alf, but great
instructable.

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . jmdushi (/member/jmdushi/) Reply

2016-11-01
Didn't occur to me. But yes, does look like Alf. If you like it, feel
free to vote this for the Meat contest...

jmdushi (/member/jmdushi/) . slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) Reply

2016-11-01
you have my vote for this is so finger licking good, we eat it
once in Costa Rica.

Swansong (/member/Swansong/) 2016-11-01 Reply

This is a great instructable. :) I saw something like this in NZ as well and I'd love
to try it!

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . Swansong (/member/Swansong/) Reply

2016-11-01
Thanks! Have you heard the term "caja china" in NZ, or is it
called something else?

Swansong (/member/Swansong/) . slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) Reply

2016-11-01
They called it a hāngi
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C4%81ngi).
 slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . Swansong (/member/Swansong/) Reply

2016-11-01
Oh, whoops. Just checked your profile and realized you don't
live in NZ. You just saw one in NZ. Definitely try this out. It still amazes me
that a whole pig can be cooked like this in ~4 hours. It takes longer just for
a pork shoulder in a regular oven. I've had debates about it -- whether
there's some pressure cooker effect, or some other physics involved. Or
just magic that should not be explained...

piperjon (/member/piperjon/) 2016-11-01 Reply

Drooooolllll! I've wanted a China box for some time and have found the cost
prohibitive. Now I have a new project! Thank you for your time and effort in
posting this!

slohcooker (/member/slohcooker/) . piperjon (/member/piperjon/) Reply

2016-11-01
Thanks. Definitely let me know if you have questions. I had way
more info that didn't make it into this writeup.

I More Comments

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