Chuck Wagon Fire Box Build

[JPinSTL]

Ok, a friend of a friend wants me to make him a portable wood/charcoal fired cook box in the chuckwagon style. They do rodeo events and he has a passel of kids but can't do 3 squares in a restaurant for 7 when on the road because he'd go broke. They usually "camp" in the same spot for a week+ so it needs to break down and fit in the neck of the stock trailer and be semi-portable, but not moving it every day. So cast iron cooking, skillets, dutch ovens, steaks on the grill, pancakes on a griddle. Random google images attached.

4 sided steel box to cut the wind that pins together with a pot rack above. I'm thinking 10ga would be durable without going to the weight of plate. I've got a Hossfeld Bender so will likely do the eyes cold and no forge work.

Anyone cooked on one? Suggestions? May as well make 2 if I'm making one. I usually grill over wood on our fire kettle, but this could be good with the dutch ovens.

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[Dirtytires]

I do a ton of Dutch ovens cooking but no experience with a unit like that. Not much cooking space till you get a big skillet on it. How big a group does he feed?

[Cole Leffert]

Kent Rollins has some good info on these...

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDXUpcAu1tU[/youtube]

[JPinSTL]

I do a ton of Dutch ovens cooking but no experience with a unit like that. Not much cooking space till you get a big skillet on it. How big a group does he feed?

He's got 5 kids and a wife, so 7 in his bunch. Then his brothers family goes along quite often. Hell you can feed 10+ people out of a disco, so a 24x48 cook box should feed a small army. Throw a sheet of #9 expanded and steaks/burgers/brats or a flat sheet for a griddle and pancakes in the morning.

[Dirtytires]

I mis-understood. Guess I was thinking he was setting up a stand and cooking at/for the rodeo crowd. For family use that should be more than enough.

My bad....lol

[JPinSTL]

Ok with the Covid lucky me is 50% furloughed. So I've got some extra time on my hands and took a trip to the steel yard. Ended up at 20inTx22inDx48inW. Sides are 10ga, pins are 5/8in, pot supports are 1/2in square, It all pins together and breaks down for transport. Also made a 1/4in plate false bottom for when you don't want to kill the grass.

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[Cole Leffert]

[Dirtytires]

Turned out pretty nice. Like the idea of a bottom to keep the ash off the ground.

[JPinSTL]

Thanks DT and Cole. The hardest part was bending all the eyes. 1/2in sqr is stout but the 5/8in rnd was about all the Hossfeld (and me) would handle cold. Might add a steak grate yet from #9 Expanded.

[towtruck]

Looks good.....a grate for burgers, dogs, and steaks would be something I had to have.

[dacolson]

Very cool. Maybe a charcoal basket of some sort? Give you the option for heat w/ less smoke?