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La Caja China

We had one for work when I was in Miami where they are in a lot of backyards. We cooked some of best roasted racer style pigs and chicken quarters I have ever had. The marinade was a big part of it too. Wish I had one again here in Phoenix.
 
I don't own one but have used them several times. One nice thing about them is that they provide the cook with a good deal of flexibility with a decent amount of cooking space...can cook either small pigs or use to bake cakes or make mac n cheese.

Good luck!
Bruce
 
I've never used one but have always wanted to try - have seen whole chickens cooked on one and they came out great. I'll probably pull the trigger at some point.
 
I bought one several years ago having never cooked a whole pig before and it turned out great, it was a big hit at the party. I ended up selling it because I didn't expect to do another whole hog soon and it was taking up space, but now I wish I'd kept it.
 
Great roast pig if you don’t overdo the charcoal.

Step One - Butterfly your Pig. This is a 70 pound DRESSED WEIGHT Pig that barely fit. When they say it fits a 100 lb. pig they are talking live weight.

Pig Butterfly by David Miller, on Flickr

Step Two - Inject the heck out of it with their Mojo sauce, and hit it all over with their seasoning blend. I really liked the sour orange and garlic flavor in the Mojo.

Pig in a Box by David Miller, on Flickr

Step Three - Light your coals and resist the temptation to add more, just follow the instructions. The charcoal tray holds a lot more than you need for the cook, and if you overload the Pig will blacken.

Caja China by David Miller, on Flickr

Step Four - Enjoy the best crispy skin ever!!!

Wilber by David Miller, on Flickr
 
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I don’t own one but each year I help with a large bbq. We cook a whole pig in one overnight. They work extremely well. It’s a two person job to flip the pig halfway through. But the directions for the amount of charcoal are burned into the sides of the box so you can’t lose them. I’d love to have one of the smaller versions for chicken.

You don’t get any smoke flavor into the meat however. Think bbq powered oven, not smoker.
 
Not to hijack this thread, but I would also be curious to know if anyone has used the new Caja China SP series that ships assembled and is made out of metal?

The original is a little flimsy and a pain in the butt to assemble, so I'm curious about the step up in quality along with the price point.
 
In Louisiana, we call that a "Cajun Microwave". They work great, but my one gripe with them is that it roasts the pig in a completely smoke-free environment. The rub and the marinade are the seasoning.

I came REAL close to buying a Cuban Asador last year:

http://www.asadorcubano.com/

I would love to try one because the fire is underneath and the pig is exposed to some smoke. Also, it appears that you can position the charcoal trays to the sides while cooking and to the center at the end to crisp up the skin.
 
I made my own out of the Santa Maria and use a smoke injector to add the smoke profile. Only done butts so far, want to do a hog sometime.
 
Swine Spectator said:
In Louisiana, we call that a "Cajun Microwave". They work great, but my one gripe with them is that it roasts the pig in a completely smoke-free environment. The rub and the marinade are the seasoning.

I came REAL close to buying a Cuban Asador last year:

http://www.asadorcubano.com/

I would love to try one because the fire is underneath and the pig is exposed to some smoke. Also, it appears that you can position the charcoal trays to the sides while cooking and to the center at the end to crisp up the skin.
Click to expand...

Seems that issue could be solved using the A-Maze-N-Pellet-Smoker mailbox mod and duct the smoke into the La Caja China.
 
This seams like a great purchase to me. Maybe a late Christmas present. Whole hogs, butts, chickens, ribs..and lobster bakes !!!
 
For years people have been coming up with ways to get smoke inside that box...and some of them have probably been successful.

But this tool isn't about smoke. That's not what it was designed for. It was designed for a self-contained roasting box.

We all have better tools for smoking meats. We all have better tools for making barbecue.

I told someone some years ago that if he wanted a La Caja China, then by all means get one...but enjoy it for what it is and don't try to make into something it is not.
 
I've cooked about 5 pigs on them, they are wonderful for what they do. Sometimes I take the juices and degrease them before adding to sautéed onions, which I blend in a mixer to make a thick sauce for sandwiches or dipping.
 
I have one. It cooked the pig well... but I didn’t. Undoubtedly has a reputation for putting out great pigs in the right hands.
 

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I've had mine for a while now. I do @2-3 Pig roasts a year for family and friends. It's a great cooker and everyone loves the finished product.

I have done a few Thanksgiving Turkeys with it as well, again, no complaints.
 
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