# Simple charcoal cooker
**URL:** http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [September 2, 2023, 6:56am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474 "2023-09-02T06:56:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@KristijanL](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/KristijanL)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 6:56am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/1 "2023-09-02T06:56:18Z")
I had to come up with a small and efficient camp stove for our roadtrip, l setled on charcoal. Thod l wuld share with you guys as it performed realy well.
Its made out of a small bucket and foamed concrete block (siporex). Its a prototype and l hadnt had a big enaugh block so l had to stack thiner ones. Next one will be either cast or made out of one block.
There are air chanels that draw air around the core, so the bucket wall stays cold and when done with cooking, dump out the embers and it can go straight in the car.
Air chanels join under the grid
The replaceable grid plug
Fistfull of charcoal and a tiny splash of cerosene for a easy start
Minute or two later
It will burn for at least a hour but can be restoked ofcorse. If air holes are caped down, the lack of air will keep the charcoal smoldering all night. Great for keeping food hot all night to prevent spoilage. Makes one hell of a tasty baked beans in the morning.
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### Author:  [@KristijanL](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/KristijanL)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 7:00am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/2 "2023-09-02T07:00:48Z")
Oh, l forgot. Those rocks represent potatoes ๐ l ound if you lay them around the shelf and place the pan right on them, by the time you roast 2 pans of meat the taters are baked perfectly.
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### Author:  [@JohanM](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/JohanM)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 8:09am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/3 "2023-09-02T08:09:30Z")
Great idea, simple and easy fabricating. Super idea to put the potatoes under the pan as dual purpose.
I am guessing that is a five gallon bucket (most likely a 16kg grease or oil bucket)
You are a clever and innovative man Kristijan
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### Author:  [@KristijanL](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/KristijanL)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 11:57am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/4 "2023-09-02T11:57:02Z")
Thanks. I think smaller, it was a paint thiner can, maybee 15l? Anyways, next one will be made out of a nice stainless, clamp on lid kinda thing. This size is good but l have to figure iut how to get the pan handle in while still maintaining the bucket whole and retain enaugh height for a good chimney effect, to keep the char burning white hot.
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### Author:  [@ForbiddenTuna](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/ForbiddenTuna)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 12:01pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/5 "2023-09-02T12:01:32Z")
These would be perfect for a Dutch Oven.
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### Author:  [@KristijanL](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/KristijanL)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 12:19pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/6 "2023-09-02T12:19:40Z")
Its my first time dipping my toes in the world of charcoal stoves. I know they are a staple in Arica and Asia and l now think l know why. Apart from being extremely fast, powerfull, they are also economic. On our 10 day journey, feeding a family of 5, l still brought this home.
You can tell the bag made a few miles and stops by all the duct tape ๐
The whole sack holds about 12kg so we burnt maybe 7kg, 15lbs. And lm seriously concidering installing a charcoal stove feature in our house stove.
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### Author:  [@SteveUnruh](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/SteveUnruh)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 12:34pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/7 "2023-09-02T12:34:17Z")
On your home stove maybe a drop in insert just for the cooker top; not the oven feature.
better CO safety.
Now try putting a rounded bottom WOK onto your charcoal cooker and see why for fuel-use-economy; and protein meats stretching they evolved to this too.
Ha! Ha! I tried, had the wife try WOK cooking . . . not how we like out meats done.
Flat pan seared; pan liquid stew simmered; BBQ open grill; or shish kabob.
S.U.
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### Author:  [@KristijanL](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/KristijanL)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 12:37pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/8 "2023-09-02T12:37:59Z")
Exactly my thinking Steve! For the hot summer months, otherwise the stove is idling anyways. Also, l want take advantige of the chimney draft. Shuld make a turbocharged cooker.
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### Author:  [@JohanM](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/JohanM)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 12:38pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/9 "2023-09-02T12:38:11Z")
Well, if they are fast, powerful and small it should be economical too if the fuel isnโt expensive.
I like the simplicity about the whole thing and given the fact that only one frying pan is needed (given the fact of eating potatoes) and get a meal done is appealing.
And add to that that not much fuel is needed either is a plus.
As a sidenote I see that it is not the first time you sat in that spot if I look in the bottom right corner of the picture, it must be a nice spot ๐
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### Author:  [@SteveUnruh](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/SteveUnruh)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 12:42pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/10 "2023-09-02T12:42:08Z")
Oh. On your pan make up a flat screwed-on riser to get the actual handle up and out.
S.U.
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### Author:  [@KristijanL](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/KristijanL)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 12:46pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/11 "2023-09-02T12:46:28Z")
Took me a minute to figure out what you ment ๐ its the future winter garden, behind the house. We forgot a sack of garbage here before we left and our pigs were curious if there was any beer left. What a messโฆ
Anyways, behold! The first inhibitant of our future tropical garden! Soon l ecpect monkeys to move in ๐ but first l need a roof over that, and a heater.
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### Author:  [@JohanM](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/JohanM)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 12:51pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/12 "2023-09-02T12:51:25Z")
Wow. Is that a banana palmtree?
Donโt people that live in those places traditionally wrap food in banana leaves and cook in firepits, the ones you bury.
Would that thrive in Slovenia? Even in a winter garden
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### Author:  [@KristijanL](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/KristijanL)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 1:00pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/13 "2023-09-02T13:00:15Z")
Bingo. Apart from a cool tropical vibe in the winter garden, its the main goal for growing them. Looking at all those videos of banana leaf food cooking got me anctious to try.
This is a voriety that withstands the winter outside as long as it doesent freeze the root. Dyes back each winter. So with the warming winters we have here lately, and with a lot of straw, they do ok but if they ever fruit its national news ๐ literaly. Well, not the intention. Its a fascinating plant. So powerfilull. When it decides, it suddenly shoots out a huge swirled leaf from the center that opens up in a couple of days. Thisone got completely beaten up by hail and look at it now.
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### Author:  [@JohanM](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/JohanM)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 1:09pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/14 "2023-09-02T13:09:58Z")
Cool, as long as it makes leaves all is good then (apart from that it looks great and out of place), I always wanted to try that too but the only big leaves we have around here are rhubarb leaves or comfrey leaves and that is probably not what one wants to cook in.
We bought one also for fun like five years back and had it inside on a southern facing windowsill, it survived but barely grew at all.
May I ask what variety of banana palmtree it is?
It would be great to try here too, i have to look in to that.
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### Author:  [@JohanM](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/JohanM)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 1:24pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/15 "2023-09-02T13:24:20Z")
After some quick searching I found the Musa Basjoo banana plant that withstands -20f or -28c if covered the roots correctly and sometimes the stem cut too.
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### Author:  [@KristijanL](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/KristijanL)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 1:27pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/16 "2023-09-02T13:27:30Z")
Those were probably the dwarf kind. They dont look apealing to me eitherโฆ
I cant say. Wife got it from some woman nearby for our aniversery. Just a offshoot, looks like a giant onion. All l know is it seems to grow well in this climate.
Even thugh 2000km apart, we actualy have a rather similar climate. I belive it shuld actualy grow well at ypur place. When mine starts making offshoots lll send you one.
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### Author:  [@JohanM](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/JohanM)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 1:38pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/17 "2023-09-02T13:38:53Z")
That was a nice anniversarypresent.
It must thrive if it gives offshoots too, nothing stopping you from having a palmtreeforest there, I can come and yell monkeysounds there for you if you canโt get any other monkeys ๐
I would love an offshoot of your banana tree, just tell me how and when and Iโll reimburse you for your expenses ๐
It is odd though that that kind of distance south to north can still have the same kind of climate.
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### Author:  [@KristijanL](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/KristijanL)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 1:45pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/18 "2023-09-02T13:45:10Z")
Ha, l also got a bamboo forrest going! Its gonna be a few years till it starts but when it does its gonna be interesting. I also got the Moso in between, the huge 20cm thick, 27m high oneโฆ so much for exotics ๐ anyways, lm now waiting for pandas to come in too ๐
JO and l talked about this once. Apparently the warm ocean current is what keeps you guys warm. We dont have that. Althugh the later years we rarely reach -20c, only for a day or two, it was often a few decades back. Now we hover at about -5c in the winter
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### Author:  [@JohanM](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/JohanM)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 1:55pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/19 "2023-09-02T13:55:12Z")
I guess youโll be reading up and talking to Koen about bamboo gasification soon enough then ๐
The Moso grows really fast, perhaps a bit slower where you live but compared to other things still fast.
Yes, it is the Gulfstream coming from the caribbean that cuddles scandinavia to keep us warm even though we are at the same latitude as alaska. Jamaican tunes and pina coladas in high demand ๐คฃ
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### Author:  [@JO\_Olsson](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/JO_Olsson)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/simple-charcoal-cooker/7474/20 "2023-09-02T14:24:35Z")
I bet the gulf stream even contains some access heat from gasification taking place in Alabama ๐
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