La Caja China is actually a very simple grill without any complex technology. Just a box.

Among grillers, the term "China can" usually refers to an inferior grill from the Far East. So it's not something that would be particularly desirable to own, although we have already shown that you can achieve reasonable results with a cheap "China smoker" and a bit of tuning. But that's another story. - By Markus Mizgalski

But what if it's not a "China can" but a "China box"? After all, that's the literal translation of "La Caja China", a grill that's as simple as it is effective. Its origins lie in Cuba, where - as the story goes - Chinese railway workers are said to have used grill boxes based on this principle. In any case, Roberto Guerra, a Cuban exile living in Florida, recreated the box based on his father's memories and developed it for series production. That was back in 1985, but until not so long ago La Caja China was hardly known outside the USA. And even now the box is still an insider tip.

The suckling pig box
But what is so special about the box? After all, model #2, which we are testing here, costs 650 euros. For that, you get a box with some parts made of plywood, some with aluminum fittings, a few other fittings, trays, a grid, two plastic rollers and screws. The screws include wing nuts with integrated washers, so that you can assemble La Caja China without any tools, with the exception of the two wheels. The result is a rollable box with an interior completely lined with aluminum, of impressive dimensions. 1.22 meters long, 61 centimeters wide and just as high. The box itself is 37 centimeters deep. Enough space to accommodate a respectable suckling pig. And that's the cat out of the bag, so to speak, because La Caja China is originally a pig roaster. The highlight of the grill: It reduces the cooking time of a pig by around 50 percent compared to a conventional suckling pig grill. The way it works is most comparable to that of an oven with only top heat: the box is closed with a lid and the charcoal is then placed on top of this. In principle, you can even grill other things on the lid above the embers at the same time. You can be even more flexible with the optional wind protection, which not only ensures that the ash is not blown away, but is also ideal for placing a grill on top or for laying Mangal skewers on top. Alternatively, you can also place several Dutch ovens on the lid so that you can prepare the side dishes for the suckling pig at the same time.

The operation
Given the wooden box, we were quite skeptical about how it would fit in with embers and heat. But, to get straight to the point: It works wonderfully, the wood gets warm, but not really hot. In fact, the closed aluminum inner box keeps the heat extremely well; the measurement in the cooking chamber shows a constant 106° C near the corners; in the middle under the lid it is hotter depending on the amount of coal used. A crucial trick is to lay the piglet flat in a basket in La Caja China, as in an asado. It is then cooked for an hour with the bone side facing up, turned completely with the basket and roasted for two to three hours, depending on the weight. Our 6-kilogram suckling pig is perfect after about three hours, with a crispy rind, but still juicy. However, we have to tie the two halves of the basket between which the animal is clamped together with kitchen string; the hooks provided are too long for the little pig, so the basket does not close with tension. Another important thing to know: when in use, there should be enough space next to the box so that you can briefly put down the lid with the charcoal grate to turn the meat. It is obvious that you need a heat-resistant surface, otherwise the "barbecue area" will be easily recognizable on the lawn.

With the relatively large model #2, it is also advisable to work in pairs, because for people with a smaller arm span, moving the coal pan is a challenge. Once you know this, using La Caja China is incredibly easy, especially since the cooking times, turning times and the amount of coal needed for each phase are printed on the box. For our piglets, we need a large chimney starter full of Greek Fire briquettes and then two good AZKs full of restaurant charcoal. With this equipment, we could even grill for about an hour longer than is necessary for the meat. Thanks to the coal spread out over a large area of ​​the lid, which you can simply pour more onto when it has burned down, the box reaches temperature quickly and then uses comparatively little fuel.

Even more possibilities
La Caja China is not just limited to grilling suckling pig. Lamb, goat, large roasts or even larger poultry work just as well, as do several different things with similar cooking times. The only thing missing is the smoke flavor that is typical of a smoker. But you can work very well with flavoring liquids, which - similar to a classic kitchen roaster - keeps the meat nice and juicy.

Conclusion
La Caja China is actually a very simple but nevertheless quite ingenious grill. Even though the workmanship is simple and the price may be a little too much to swallow at first, this is quickly put into perspective when you consider how easy it is to use, the short cooking times and the versatility. Apart from that, most classic rotisserie suckling pig grills tend to cost more than the China box, and require more time and more fuel. In this respect, the box is more than worth considering for anyone who often grills for a lot of people.

Done: The suckling pig is cooked and after about three hours has a nice crispy and popped rind