lang 60 deluxe question

Hi Dave,

I know it has been a month since you posted this but you may still be interested in the response.  I bought a Lang 60D a couple months ago and the only drawback I thought of beforehand was the same you are asking about.  I bought the "stock" model with the removable upper meat rack (that is, the one with the little legs on it).  For just home grilling, I have a stainless steel catering pan I put charcoal into and park it under that meat rack...works great!  The meat rack is just wide enough to use two of those pans although I have not yet bought a second one. 

I have not yet tried to grill a crowd-sized job yet, but Mr. Lang insists it can easily be done by ramping up the fire and leaving the firebox door open a bit.  That will really heat up the steel plate, which is only an inch or two below the lower grates and allow you to grill burgers etc.  From what I have seen on my initial fire starts and heat ups, I believe it.  That pit can really regulate temps well as long as you practice a bit.

Hope this helps.

 

No, the fire box top on the standard unit is solid metal, although it could be used as a cooking surface for  a cast iron skillet or something.  I use it for keeping my "sop" ("basting liquid" for the non-Texan in origin) hot.

However, Mr. Lang can put a dual butterfly valve on the firebox top that would allow you to grill on the lowest warming rack in the box.  Call him up and talk to him about it and I am sure he could send you some photos or something.  When I first stopped by there last year (he is just an hour or so south of me) he showed me a unit he modified in that way.  I think it was a few hundred extra or so.

He is a really nice guy and never in a hurry to get away from you.  He will answer any and all questions you have.  I think they are one of the last bastions of real customer service left in America.