Lava bucket......with pic's

Clay Q

I'm woking up a storm with my new egg accessory. It has the same effect as a charcoal chimney....up-draft creating lava heat. This is just what I was looking for to get the cast iron wok super hot and to give Hunan One(our local Chinese wok take out) a little competition.




















There is nothing I would change with this lava bucket design, I've had 7 cooks with it so far,veg stir fry hoisin sauce with steamed cod loins tonight, and every meal has been great. I can close the dome, if I need, with the wok in place and I can control the fire with the lower draft door. I snuff the fire out by closing up the egg. The side effect......this stir fry heat and all the food action is addicting.

Clay
[p]

Sandbagger

Dude that is sssswwwweeeeeeeetttt!!!! What size wok are you using. Man, the egg makes woking so easy and fun. Plus, good food, good for you.....Keep the pictures coming....T

stike

ClayQ,
that thing is frikkin crazy! wow....[p]could do a shallower, wider version for doing trex sears without needing to spend half a bag of lump in the process[p]very cool

Clay Q

Sandbagger,
The wok is something around a 14 incher. Your right about wok cooking being good Tom, it's like comfort food. And real healthy. I like this stuff, the heat, the action and the good eats. And I'm using the egg now, not making a mess on the kitchen stove. I could not get this hot on the stove anyway. Your going to see more pic's in the future. Sorry about over sized photo's, I'm not having any luck posting tonight.
Clay

Clay Q

stike,
Hey, I only use two big handfuls of lump in that lava bucket. You see the grid is about 1/3 up inside the chimney. Its all scientific.....he he he. Takes 20 minutes from start up to finished stir fry. HOT STUFF!
Clay

Haggis

ClayQ,[p]Wow! That is so hot! Dimensions? I wonder if you were able to put something on the bottom, like a skirt, if it would make the draft totally controllable through the draft door?

stike

ClayQ,
i saw that...[p]that's what i mean. need to make one shallow and wide for sears!

Clay Q

stike,
I see.....like a smaller firebox higher up so steaks could get super seared at grid level?

Clay Q

Haggis,
The lava bucket is 8" tall, this hight was determined by the wok fitting in under the closed dome. I have a couple of inches all around the wok with the dome closed. I welded up flat stock 3"wide and it worked out with an odd number 9 sides with three support arms for the wok. Happily, this design also fits my large stainless wok and a large cast iron skillet, dome up.
This is an open system with the egg controlling air flow when I need control, otherwise it's full steam ahead with the dome and lower draft door open. To build a closed system on the lava bucket I'd need the help of eggor, I think.
I'm woking vegetable sesame crunch with chicken today and I'll try to post a pic.
Happy Chinese New Year,
Clay

eggor

ClayQ,[p]nice work!!! on the lava bucket that is... you really need to brush up on posting pics :-)[p]I don't have a wok, yet, but with all the shrimp and stirfry going on I'll be hunting one down soon. I'm gonna start saving my pennies and dimes. Cools down too much in the evenings here to be hanging outside with the egg, so this will be a spring thing.[p]By the way, I thought you worked with wood... when did you take up metal working?

Clay Q

eggor,
I have a small space for metal working, welding, cutting and grinding. I built a steel floor and firebrick work bench, walls have fire resistant paint. Nice place to be when its cold and wet outside. I make my own hardware for containers, boxes, functional art,- small stuff. Then there is the occasional foray into the dark side- when I deviate from my responsibility to make money and start messing with the egg. Deep waters, this egging addiction. )
Clay