There are an incredible number of dishes in the world, but some of them have several variations, distinguished by the method of preparation. For example, pilaf can be cooked in a slow cooker, but the original recipe calls for cooking in a cauldron, and it is better to do it over a fire. Modern cauldrons began to be produced with a shape adapted for home stoves, but a real cauldron is a spherical dish that cannot stand on its own on the surface. This is where the need arises to find a cauldron with a fire stand. The stand for the cauldron has varieties according to the material and place of use - on the grill, fire or stove.
Types of stands for cauldrons
The most basic and homemade stand for a cauldron is stacked bricks. But when going out into nature, carrying bricks with you is a dubious idea, and in open areas they do not lie under your feet. It is better to purchase a cauldron with a tripod for the fire and cook food comfortably. A tripod is not the only option for fire stands.
To the fire
The already mentioned tripod for a cauldron is the optimal solution for cooking over a fire. Campfire cooking requires the cook to be away from the open flame, and a cookware support helps with this. The shape of the tripod is a circle, supported by 3 metal legs. The legs are placed at a slight angle, and the pot is successfully installed in the circle. This cauldron stand is called tagan. A tripod for a cauldron can be a monolithic structure, but it can also be collapsible - in this case, a cauldron with a stand for a fire becomes very convenient for car travel. A tripod for a cauldron is not the only solution for cooking over a fire; there are also stands with 4 “legs”. They can also be collapsible or cast. Instead of a circle on legs, there are models with a hook where the cauldron is hung.
On the grill
The most popular type of outdoor recreation today is cooking barbecue in the forest or near ponds. And if you are planning a large company, you can easily diversify the menu with some dish cooked in a cauldron. A fire tripod under the cauldron will force you to light an additional fire, but it’s easier to use the same grill where you grill the shish kebab. To do this, you will need to purchase a stand for a cauldron on the grill - simultaneous cooking of barbecue and fish soup is now possible. This design is a square base, and it is installed on the fryer itself. In the center of the base there is a round cutout where utensils can be conveniently inserted. When choosing a stand for a cauldron on the grill, it is important to consider the size of the cutout on the stand and the diameter of the cauldron itself.
When choosing a stand for a cauldron on the grill, it is important to consider the size of the cutout on the stand and the diameter of the cauldron itself.
The stand for the cauldron for the barbecue is installed in the middle of the barbecue itself - the dishes should receive all-round heat. You can place kebab sticks or barbecue nets along the free edges.
On the table
Considering that the cauldron has a non-flat, spherical bottom, it is impossible to place such dishes on the table. And if the food was cooked over a fire, the walls of the dishes will certainly be covered in soot. In order not to get your hands dirty, not to spoil the table and not to allow the prepared food to tip over in unstable dishes, we came up with a stand for the cauldron on the table. Obviously, for the manufacture of this type of stand, the same drawing was used as for the tripod - visually the stands are the same, only the table leg is much shorter and more beautiful. There are models in which the legs are made of wood, so that metal ones do not spoil the surface of the table.
In order not to get your hands dirty, not to spoil the table and not to allow the prepared food to tip over in unstable dishes, we came up with a stand for the cauldron on the table.
On a gas stove
When your cherished dream of owning a real cast iron cauldron has come true, you will have to face the fact that the cookware will not fit on a standard burner of a gas stove. But there is no reason to be upset - they have invented a stand for a cauldron and for a gas stove. It can be a kind of disk with a cutout in the center, or it can be a smaller copy of a tripod. A cast iron stand for a cauldron for a gas stove will be especially good - the cast iron will slowly and evenly release all the heat received during the cooking process to the dishes and food in it, even after turning off the gas.
The stand can be a kind of disk with a cutout in the center, or it can be a smaller copy of a tripod.
Mounting rail tripod
The lightweight, collapsible design, which is convenient to take with you to outdoor events, can be manufactured quickly and without much difficulty:
- Three mounting rails, about 50 cm long, are connected using wire threaded through drilled holes. It turns out to be a tripod.
- From the three remaining slats, racks are mounted, holes are drilled into them for connection to the upper part. The parts are connected using bolts.
- At the highest junction of the tripod, a chain with a hook is attached, on which the cauldron is suspended.
This design is easy to disassemble and assemble, quite stable, durable and easy to use.
Features of a tripod for a cauldron on a fire: choice depending on the size of the cauldron
When it comes to cooking in a cauldron over a fire, you need to keep in mind many nuances. For example, flames easily stain the walls of dishes, leaving behind ingrained soot. This means that the pot and the stand for the cauldron will be dirty - it’s better to immediately consider how to fold such dishes after the weekend is over. Taking into account such difficulties and in order to create the most mobile support, a model has been developed in which the cauldron is hung on a hook. In this case, the volume of the existing cauldron is not important, but what is important is the presence of holes on the handles of the cauldron, where wire can be threaded for hanging dishes.
Another type of stand, which involves installing a cauldron on a base with a tripod, requires more careful selection. The volume of the existing cauldron is important here - dishes for 3 and 12 liters will have different diameters. An ideal stand for a cauldron should have exactly the same diameter as the dishes themselves - otherwise the structure will be unstable or there is a danger that the cauldron will fall through.
Features of stands depending on the material of the cauldron
As a rule, modern cauldrons are made of cast iron, aluminum and steel. The progenitor of all models is the cast iron cauldron. This is the most optimal material for distributing and preserving heat in dishes, which gives food an exquisite and special taste. Other models appeared on the market much later.
Cast iron
A cast iron cauldron with a tripod for a fire is the best solution for cooking outdoors. But a cast iron cauldron has some disadvantages:
- It's heavy;
- Does not have a beautiful, aesthetic appearance;
- It needs to be warmed up for a long time;
- When using for the first time, you need to calcinate the oil in it.
But the cast iron support has almost no disadvantages, except for its weight. But it is able to retain heat from the fire and transfer it to the cauldron, regardless of its material.
Aluminum
Aluminum cauldrons have become an excellent alternative to heavy, bulky cast iron ones. True, such a cauldron quickly cools down on its own, as does the food in it. This is not the only drawback:
An aluminum cauldron is very fragile and can become deformed under strong pressure; You cannot leave food in it for a long time - it will begin to oxidize.
The lightness of the material and its ability to deform are also reflected in the aluminum stands. They are easy to move, but it is not recommended to place a heavy cast-iron cauldron on such a stand.
Analyzing the properties of the materials of the cauldron and stand, we can come to the conclusion that it is possible to install an aluminum or steel cauldron on a cast iron stand, but you need to use other stands for a cast iron cauldron with caution.
Advantages and disadvantages
A homemade stove for a cauldron made from disks with an original design has a number of advantages:
- It is characterized by high heat transfer and mobility. These properties turn it into a universal heating element that provides uniform heating. Compact dimensions allow the product to be transported in the trunk of a car, making a picnic, fishing, relaxing in the country or a long trip comfortable.
- Among the operational properties, durability stands out. A guarantee that the furnace will last a long time will be low-carbon metal 3-4 mm thick made of steel 10 or 15, which is used to make wheel rims for the car. The structure will not burn during cooking pilaf, will not deform when heated, and will not become rusty after the first rain.
- The stove for the cauldron made from disks is resistant to loads and is highly durable. Additional support in the form of a stand or legs will only enhance these advantages.
- This is a fiery combustion furnace. The fuel for it is coal and wood, which are characterized by environmental friendliness and wide availability.
- Manufacturing a stove does not require high qualifications. Labor intensity is minimal. Material costs are low.
Among the disadvantages of a stove made from car wheels:
- Sheet steel cools quickly. You will have to constantly monitor the combustion process, monitor its intensity and fuel supply.
- The oven is too low. For comfortable use it is necessary to build a stand. These are additional labor costs and materials.
Date: September 5, 2015
How to properly install a cauldron on a stand
Before lighting a fire or turning on the gas, you need to make sure that the cauldron is correctly supported and stable - you will have to stir the food repeatedly during cooking. If food is being cooked over a fire, there must be a possibility of smoke escaping, and if not a tripod is used, the stand should not be placed tightly to the ground.
In nature, first of all, the tripod is firmly installed in the ground without any utensils. Given the unevenness of the surface, it is important to fix the stand and level it as much as possible. For better concentration of heat, the fire ignition area can be lined with bricks or stones. It is worth remembering that the fire must not only be concentrated in one place, but also provided with sufficient oxygen.
Before installing the cauldron, you need to light the fire until it burns steadily. When installing a cauldron, it is better to ensure that the flames do not touch the dishes themselves - firstly, the food will burn in the places where they touch, and secondly, the hot air concentrated inside the stand will warm up the cauldron much better than pure fire. The still cold dishes must be installed in such a way that it is convenient to remove them while hot - the handles must be freely accessible.
Everything with your own hands
At first we imagined the oven like this:
We make a stove for a cauldron from a pipe:
- We cut the workpiece to size for the oven. Need 450 mm. Parallel, even cuts make the stove neat. If it doesn’t work out smoothly: make the most even cut at the top and straighten the grind. by car.
- We cut a hole for the firebox.
- In the sheet prepared for the grate, mark and drill as many holes as possible. It is convenient to mark the holes with concentric circles in a checkerboard pattern. We drilled with an 8mm drill.
- Weld a grate blank to the bottom end and cut off the protruding parts.
- In the upper part we make even cuts for the smoke to escape. The cutouts are triangular with a side of 10 cm. We make 4 cuts. Special precision is not required, but the more carefully you do it, the more accurate it will be. If you decide to make a chimney, then instead of cutouts, weld a piece of pipe at least 10 cm in diameter on the opposite side of the firebox opening (coordinate the size with the chimney pipe).
- Legs. Legs 3. We select the height of the legs so that the top of the cauldron is somewhere at waist level. We got legs 750 mm long. The legs are welded at an angle of 10-20° outwards (no more than 30°) and cut so that the stove stands level.
- We weld the handles at the top. The handles must support the weight of the oven. A good option would be handles made of 10 mm reinforcement.
The result was a working stove from a pipe for a cauldron. We didn't paint it: it would burn.
