Product · Oklahoma Joe's
Oklahoma Joe's Firecraft: open firebox barrel grill
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The Firecraft is not a kettle and does not pretend to be one. It is an open live-fire barrel for people who enjoy cooking over flames, tending the fire and gathering around it. What sets it apart is the open firebox: you can reach the coals from every side, so stoking and adding wood never means moving the food.
- Type
- Barrel with open firebox
- Grill size
- 2 round grates, 480 sq in
- Weight
- 17 kg
- Ash handling
- Full-size removable ash pan
- Vents
- Dampers on both sides
In its favour
- The open firebox gives 360° access to tend the fire without disturbing the food.
- Two round grates with twist-lock handles adjust in height over the coals.
- A full-size removable ash pan and two modular side shelves are included.
Good to know
- There is no closed lid listed, so it is not a roasting or smoking grill like a kettle.
- Open flames need extra care near fences, sheds and children.
Our take
How the open barrel works
Oklahoma Joe's describes a barrel lying on its side with the top open. Two round heavy-gauge wire grates sit over the fire, each 240 sq in, for 480 sq in in total. Each grate is held by a twist-lock handle that releases the grate so you can raise or lower it, then tightens to hold it in place. That height adjustment is the main way of controlling heat on an open fire.
Dampers on both sides of the barrel manage airflow, heat and smoke, and the listing says the design doubles as a fire pit or cooking station.
No lid, and what that means
The listing does not mention a lid. That rules out the roasting and smoking jobs a kettle handles, since there is no way to trap heat around a joint. Think instead of steaks, sausages, kebabs, vegetables and skewers cooked directly over the coals, with the grates moved up when things get too hot.
An open fire also needs more space and supervision. Keep it well clear of fences, sheds and overhanging branches, and keep children back.
Width, weight and cleaning
At about 160 cm wide with its two modular side shelves fitted, the Firecraft is long but fairly light at 17 kg. Two towel bars with tool hooks hang off the shelves, levelling feet help on uneven patios, and a full-size removable ash pan catches the spent fuel.
Where it fits among the guide's grills
The Oklahoma Joe's Blackjack from the same brand is a closed kettle with a hinged lid and smokestack, so it can do everything from searing to slow cooking. The Weber Original Kettle 57 cm offers a lidded grate of 2,342 cm² at a lighter 14.5 kg. The Firecraft is the odd one out, built for the experience of open-flame cooking.
Verdict
Get the Firecraft if you want a social, open-fire grill that also serves as a fire pit and you mostly cook directly over coals. If you need a lid for roasting, smoking or cooking in breezy weather, the Oklahoma Joe's Blackjack or the Weber Original Kettle 57 cm are far more versatile.
Compared with alternatives in: Best charcoal BBQs for UK gardens
Amazon listing title: Char-Broil Oklahoma Joe's Firecraft Series Barrel Charcoal Grill - 23302166