Kazan-brazier: features of the device and manufacturing

Food cooked on fire has an incredible taste, seductive aroma and is always associated with summer rest. Almost every summer resident and the owner of a private house has a brazier - this is the first assistant for cooking kebabs from meat or fish. However, such a device can be much more functional, which allows you to cook other dishes on an open fire. This is the so-called kazan-brazier.

The brazier is a metal bowl with a grill for cooking on an open fire. The principle of operation of such structures is quite simple. At the bottom of the bowl, logs are burned in a special container, the resulting coal is used for cooking.In addition to firewood, you can use ready-made coals.

Kazan-brazier is a furnace, the flame of which heats the thick-walled dishes (cauldron) installed in it. Here is a grill for cooking kebabs. This device allows not only to roast meat on a lattice or skewers, but also to cook pilaf, soups, boil water. You can organize a real oriental tandyr for cooking "correct" Uzbek and Turkmen dishes, flat cakes.

In general, the design is a metal box and the base of several sheets of metal, installed under the cauldron. It sinks into 2/3 of its part in the furnace, only in this way will it be possible to achieve uniform heating of the tank, which is one of the main secrets of a tasty pilaf. The brazier is an open type firebox, so the height of the working surfaces should be comfortable and safe. If the visible part of the cauldron is too high, the user may get burned.If it is too low, it will have to stoop all the time while cooking, which is inconvenient. The optimum height is 80–85 cm from the ground.

The secret of the unique taste of dishes prepared with the help of a kazan-mangal is also covered in the use of a certain type of firewood. First of all, it should be remembered that to obtain fire in the grill is unacceptable to use plywood, lumber, as well as softwood.

Most modern barbecues are made of metal, due to the high thermal efficiency of the material, its fire safety, the ability to manufacture mobile devices, and ease of maintenance. The traditional brazier is a copper or cast-iron version with a wall thickness of at least 2 mm. The first thing that comes to mind at the mention of such a structure is the heavy weight of the brazier. However, it is this design that is able to withstand temperatures up to + 700ºС, does not give in to corrosion, allows you to cook directly for a large company, is stable, strong and durable.

Such devices are good due to the low cost and the ability to mount them for the specific needs of the owner. If necessary, the devices may have removable pipes for exhausting smoke or a kettle installed in the oven, equipped with a smokehouse and a barbecue area.

Fixed devices are usually laid out of bricks., because when using them, it is possible to create whole complexes (with a brazier, barbecue, cauldron, tabletop and others). Such buildings are characterized by a long period of operation, attractive appearance. Only red fire-resistant and chamotte bricks are suitable for installation.

Depending on the mobility of the brazier there are several varieties.

• Stationary - These are massive structures that cannot be transferred. As a rule, they are laid out of brick, have several surfaces for cooking, can be equipped with a visor, a roof.

• Portable - These are mobile devices that are easily transported.They can be folding, teams, and also mobile (have wheels).

If we are talking about metal braziers, then they can be thick-walled and thin-walled. The first are characterized by a long service life, are usually stationary. The latter are the prerogative of mobile devices, since thinner walls provide less weight for the barbecue. It is logical that a small mass of mobile barbecue is one of its most important criteria.

Stationary "stoves" can be angular and versatile. Due to the compactness of the corner unit allows you to save space in the garden. Universal grill is an option, the installation of which is not tied to a specific place on the site, and also includes several cooking surfaces.

As for the material of manufacture, depending on its type, barbecues are of several types.

• Brick. It is characterized by the ability to flare up to high temperatures and give off heat for a long time. This allows you to cook several dishes at once or to cook meals for a large company in several batches, without fear that the barbecue has cooled.Such devices, in contrast to metal analogs, do not corrode; they tolerate the negative impact of the external environment; the service life of a correctly folded barbecue is a century. It is the brick construction that allows you to organize a combined brazier, including several cooking surfaces, a worktop and even a sink. Finally, such devices look solid and respectable. They will surely be the decoration of the site. The “minuses” of braziers from bricks is a rather long term of their erection (at least 14 days is required to prepare the foundation), labor intensity and high cost of the construction process.

• Metal. It is characterized by fire safety, fast heating, ease of installation. The simplest design can be made by hand from metal sheets or the appropriate size of the barrel. There are also forged options that are distinguished by their exquisite appearance.

• Combined. Combines in itself both brick, and metal elements. As a rule, it is made of metal by a metal box. This option has an iron base under the cauldron.

Depending on the number of cooking surfaces and their purpose, cauldrons are distinguished:

• with barbecue grill (ideal for cooking roasted meat, fish);
• with smokehouse (smokehouse can be used not only to get dried and smoked meat, but also to cook kebabs);
• with a cauldron in which it is convenient to boil water, cook soups, cook potatoes and pilaf.

If you want to make a stationary grill, then first of all you should decide on the place of its installation. This should be a flat area with normal soil moisture. It is advisable to put it at a distance of at least 4 m from the house and bath, as well as other flammable structures. Do not install the structure near fences. It will be inconvenient to use the unit, standing at the edge of the path, the road or between the beds. It is better to fit it into a recreation area.

For a private house or cottage, where you relax all year round, it is recommended to choose a stationary unit.In this case, the foundation should be placed with a flat surface, not subject to slipping of the soil and the action of groundwater. If the base-stand under the oven is mounted on a flat dry surface, then you can not do without sealing the foundation.

For the manufacture of concrete under the pit, ready-made mixtures are used or a solution is prepared on its own based on sand and clay. Sand is better to take ravine, rather than river, because river sand is ground with water and does not have sufficient indicators of adhesion. For the construction of the lower masonry of the kiln, a first-class red fire-resistant brick is used, the firebox is laid from fireclay bricks. The vaulted and arched part of the structure is mounted using a wedge brick or red brick ground to the desired shape.

Bricks are placed on ready-made mortar for furnace structures. However, you can cook it yourself. To do this, knead the composition of sand and greasy clay. When laying the lower rows and facing it is recommended to add cement (1 kg to the bucket of the finished solution).

It is important to immediately determine the installation location of the device and make sure that the selected project in its parameters fits well with it and generally suits the users.

After the drawing is made, proceed to the preparation of the foundation. To do this, you need to dig a hole 5 cm wider than the dimensions of the future furnace. The depth of the pit should be 40 cm. Sand is poured at the bottom of the excavated pit, rubble is laid on top of it, after which everything is well compacted. In the process of tamping, the area of ​​the pit must be poured with water, it is recommended to use special construction vibrators (if they are not there, then homemade rammers will do).

After that, the pit is ready for pouring concrete. In this case, the concrete foundation is covered with a layer of sawdust 5 cm high. The very next day, the surface will gain 50% of its strength, the final strength will be reached after 27 days. It is possible to carry out laying already in 10 days after filling. Remember that the street foundation does not crack during drying, you should use sawdust, because they prevent the risk of such trouble.During the summer heat, the sawdust layer is recommended to be sprayed with water.

The next step is the arrangement of waterproofing., which will prevent the concrete from returning moisture obtained from the soil to a layer of bricks. For this, two layers of roofing material are installed on top of the foundation (it can be replaced with construction tar), which are fixed by means of mastics or hot resin.

Next is laying on a waterproofing layer, moistened with a solution of felt or asbestos layer. It is recommended to build the first row of bricks without mortar, strictly observing the order. The first two rows are solid masonry. Starting with the next, they are already organizing a place for the stove.

At the same stage, the door of the blower is installed, which can be bought or made by hand. At the same time, a gap is left between the door and the bricks so that when the heated metal expands the door does not crack. The gap is laid with silicon-based insulation or asbestos cord.

During the construction of the side panels, you should leave a niche, the size of 2-3 firebox intended for coal and firewood. At the stage of arranging the space for the cauldron, special holders should be installed, fastening on which it will not come into contact with the stand. After that, you can proceed to the construction of the arched lintel. It serves not only as a decoration for the brazier, but also distributes the load from the upper part of the brickwork, ensuring the reliability of the brazier.

Arch laid out hewn bricks in an arc. As the basis of the latter is made reinforcement template. After the oven is ready and dried, the first (control) firebox should be produced. It should be short, as a source of energy are the branches and paper.

If you intend to assemble a stationary metal grill with a cauldron, then you also first need to create a drawing of the device.

During the work it is necessary to adhere to the following recommendations:

• the box is made of metal no more than 3 mm thick;
• the chimney should be welded to the design so that the cooking process is comfortable and safe;
• the furnace lid should fit snugly to it;
• the legs of the brazier must be pairwise connected using jumpers;
• the upper part of the brazier needs additional reinforcement, for which steel square rods 10 mm thick are used.

The most practical and attractive option for organizing a barbecue is to “enter” it into a recreation complex, which is a brick structure under a canopy, which has a barbecue grill, smokehouse, tandoor. It also houses tables, chairs, light wicker chairs. Try to integrate the complex with the landscape of the site as much as possible - plant branched plants that line the walls of the complex, use identical decor.

Compact metal device can be placed on the veranda of the house. In this case, care should be taken to protect the surfaces of the verandah, for example, to treat them with an additional layer of flame retardant impregnation.

You should not think that an exceptionally expensive stationary brazier from a brick can look attractive and stylish. Even homemade models can be decorated with unusual elements. For example, this design looks like a work of art. An unusual imitation of a ship is equipped with everything necessary for its operation; every detail here is thought out, performs not only an aesthetic, but also a practical function.

No less original looks grill in the form of an aircraft. Improvised wings can be made removable, when assembled, they serve as small countertops.

If such decisions seem too extravagant to you, take a closer look at the braziers of traditional shapes that have forged elements. Such designs look expensive, vintage, and they fit well into most exteriors.

Connoisseurs of minimalism and unusual solutions will like the grill, which is a vertical pipe.

Review of Kazan blinker "Buran 2", see the video below.