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First of all, rest assured, there are no microwaves used in this beauty. The originals were homemade wooden BBQ boxes for a splayed open pig. A sheet of metal was placed on top of the pig and coals poured on top of the metal. Al Simon’s Cajon Microwaves (he pronounces it with a bayou twang SEE moan) are beautifully made of stainless steel and trimmed with gorgeous Louisiana Cypress.
They come in five sizes. The Medium Cajun Microwave has an inside dimension of 18″ wide x 34″ long x 14″ deep and will hold a small hog.
The improvements Simon made over the original are substantial. There is a large stainless steel box wrapped with insulation and boxed in with cyprus. You can even have the wood laser etched with your team logo, company logo, wife’s picture, whatever. To cook, you place the food in square stainless steel pots that are lowered into the cooking box, and then there is a stainless tray that holds the coal that goes on top of the pots of food. That’s right, the heat radiates down from the coals into the enclosed box. It’s like a giant Dutch oven designed to produce tender and juicy food.
Each unit comes with a DVD with video instructions and recipes. They offer a chicken pot that is a clever improvement on the beer can chicken concept, a turkey pot, a side shelf, a grill that can be placed on top of the coals, or a solid griddle with a grease trap, a rotisserie, a fire pit attachment, and it can even be converted into an ice chest.
Manufacturer:
Al Simon’s Cajun Microwaves manufacture five high quality charcoal roasters that use the basic design of the “Chinese Box” roaster. Meat is placed inside then covered with a tray of hot coal. Unlike less expensive box roasters, Cajun Microwaves are stainless steel and beautiful cypress wood that may be customized. They also make various inserts and accessories specific to this style of cooking.
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Published On: 2/12/2013 Last Modified: 3/3/2021
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When you make rubs at home we recommend you add salt first then the herbs and spices because salt penetrates deep and the other stuff remains on the surface. So thick cuts need more salt. We put salt in these bottled rubs because all commercial rubs have salt and consumers expect it. You can still use these as a dry brine, just sprinkle the rub on well in advance to give the salt time to penetrate. For very thick cuts of meat, we recommend adding a bit more salt. Salt appears first in the ingredients list because the law says the order is by weight, not volume, and salt is a heavy rock.
Sprinkle on one tablespoon per pound of meat two hours or more before cooking if you can. Called “dry brining,” the salt gets wet, ionizes, becomes a brine, and slowly penetrates deep, enhancing flavor and juiciness while building a nice crusty “bark” on the surface. Sprinkle some on at the table too!
Are they hot? No! You can always add hot pepper flakes or Chipotle powder (my fave) in advance or at the table. But we left them mild so you can serve them to kids and Aunt Matilda
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