UK Catering Forum

Hi Guys,
I'm gonna get a BBQ built for me by a local guy who is a steel fabricator. He doesn't claim to be an expert in making BBQs (nor do I).
My plan is to make a kind of Box-Oven rather than an open BBQ - I want to use the enclosed space for three reasons:
1. Its hotter, and more fuel efficient - the food cooking from above as well as searing from below, so more even and quicker cooking.
2. I'm going to be using wood chips along with the charcoal to get a smoked-roasted effect.
3. The idea is that the Box will be fairly deep (at least 2ft 6 or maybe more) and will have multiple shelf levels available so that I can do big cuts slowly and also the run of the mill stuff like burgers quickly (hopefully at the same time). Also, build it to fit gastronorm sized trays and containers so that I can sit gastros inside / on top to keep stuff hot etc - isnt that a cool idea?

I reckon that it'd be good to build it in a way that allows for the expansion of the steel 'walls' (like the gaps in the train track gap principle) as I think that this will help prevent the whole thing completely buckling out of shape after a few uses. In other words, the wall panels would not be fixed (welded) into the frame - just slotted in, with a gap of say 1cm on each side. Also it would make it easier to transport around as its gonna be quite heavy, so good idea (and easier for cleaning purposes).

Has anyone ever done, seen or heard of a BBQ with this kind of design before? (its gonna cost me about £300 to get made so I want to get it right!
Cheers in advance for any hints or tips.
Jake

I have not heard of this before but anything can be done. If it's a complete box with racks at different levels, how are you going to get them out to turn the food on the lower levels?

Thanks for your reply. The idea is that the front would be hinged or perhaps a sliding mechanism so that the front would be lifted slightly, pulled out of its 'notch' and then slid down the front (but still seated between the guides if that doesnt sound too complicated). Maybe easier if there were pegs at intervals of about 6" and holes dilled into the metal sheet so it would literally hang. I reckon the best idea is gonna be the one that involves the least mucking around / welding and scope for things falling off or getting buckled out of shape..

To keep it simple you could drill holes where you need the support and use stainless steel nut and bolt sets.