Whole Chicken Cooked in Andy's Cajun Microwave

How many ways can we prepare meat? Let me count the ways...

Bubba Keg, backyard pit, Oklahoma Joe smoker, three gas grills, a cowboy looking contraption that allows you to cook on multiple levels, numerous burners and last, but not least, a Cajun microwave.

Did I mention the majority of the time it's just the two of us?

Last year, Andy decided to build his own Cajun Microwave. A co-worker gave him some dimensions to work with. He tinkered out in the shop to get the box built and weld the piece together that holds the coals. He stained the wood and sprayed the metal box with a heat-safe paint. It sat out in the shop for a while until one Sunday afternoon when he was ready to fire it up and test it by cooking three whole chickens.

Again, did I mention there were just two of us?

The outer box dimensions are 25" x 30.5". This allows ample room to place two large aluminum pans inside to catch the drippings from the meat. Andy made the rack to rest the meats on from expanded metal. The coal box inner dimensions measure 24" long x 18.5" wide.

The results were nothing short of amazing! The meat was moist and very flavorful. Since this test cooking, Andy has fabricated a removable rack on legs. He figured there was no reason to not let the coals be doing double duty. After testing with a makeshift rack, he got the height just right so that he can grill hamburgers, pork chops or any other meat while the food cooking inside is doing its thing.

Wash and season the chicken with your favorite rub(s). We opted for several options: lemon pepper seasoning, Fiesta chicken rub and Old Plantation rub. If you have access to a digital thermometer, now is the time to use it. We didn't have one at the time but we have since purchased one. Otherwise, it will take two people to remove the lid to check the temperature. Place chickens on rack and close up the box so that the lid fits snug.

Pour half a bag of charcoal (10 lb. bag) in a pile in the metal box and let it burn until the coals start turning gray. (About 20-30 minutes)

 With a metal rake, carefully spread out the coals.

Add the other half of the bag to the hot coals.

We checked the temperature at around two and a half hours. 

It takes two people to remove the lid, which will be extremely hot, so be very careful. 
(Which is why a digital thermometer to monitor it externally is nice to have)

Andy had a place for us to set the lid while he checked the internal temperature. 

After two and a half hours, he got a reading at around 175 degrees. 

The skin was nice and crispy and the meat was very tender and moist.