Cajun Microwave

Here is my latest project, it's a Cajun Microwave.
I guess you could also call it a big outdoor oven, but I like the other name better.
I made this out of cinder blocks and filled the holes with sand to retain the heat, plus it can be moved if need be. Filling them with concrete would have made it stationary and if I ever move, I want to take it with me.

 It took 52 cinder blocks to make the structure. The top is made from diamond plate. The handles are rebar and trampoline springs. It does take two people to remove the top but that is never an issue when your having a party. The coals go on top of this plate heating the inside of the oven. The bigger the pile of coals the hotter the oven. You can use charcoal or wood coals. I plan to have a large fire going beside it and shoveling the coals on it as it cooks.

 The inside meat tray is made from diamond stretch and bed frame angle iron. It sits on cinder blocks and the ground below it is dug out to make a bowl with packed sand to help with the convection.
The meat is seasoned, injected, then wrapped and set on this tray and then lowered down into the oven.




with these homemade hooks. They are just rebar and trampoline springs bent to make hooks.
A digital thermometer will be inserted into the meat and when it reaches the desired temp, the top will be removed with help and set on the ground. Then the tray with the meat on it will be removed and set on the table. The meat will be unwrapped and served just like that, as pulled pork.
I can also cook about nine turkeys in this thing at a time. Keep in mind, it's not a smoker, just a really big off the grid oven.   

It was good to get a project done, it has been so long. I was able to work some deals for most of the materials so the cost was lower than it would have been buying everything at retail. It's always nice to have a brother that works at a metal yard. That is where I got the metal at such a great deal. And it's always good to have a dad that has a metal shop. Anything you could imagine can be built there.A big thanks to both them for helping me out on the build.

My youngest girl will be turning 18 in a couple of months and she is wanting to throw a paint party. That is where you throw paint on each other. I don't get it, but it's the in thing I guess. I plan to use Cajun Microwave to cook one of those wild hogs we caught. I almost want to do it this weekend just to see how it turns out.     

This ice storm has arrived and we are stuck in the house for the next few days. We even canceled our chili cook off as well. I fear cabin fever will set in by Monday.


Until next time, keep it real.
Jerry