T4 Charcoal Shaft. Side Heat for the Rotisserie.
The T4 charcoal shaft is a stainless steel insert that bundles the embers at the side of the Thüros T4, so that a rotisserie is heated from the side instead of from below. Not a charcoal basket, not a chimney starter, not usable without a wind deflector.
The T4 charcoal shaft is part of the rotisserie operation and is exclusively compatible with the T4. A suckling pig or a whole chicken over open embers has a fat problem: what drips off lands in the charcoal, ignites, and flares up. The solution is as old as the rotisserie itself — the embers are not placed under the meat, but beside it.
How side heat works
The shaft is placed on the wind deflector where the warming rack would be and holds the charcoal vertically. This means the embers are positioned beside the food, not underneath it.
The dripping fat falls into the open area and not into the embers. There are no flare-ups, no burnt soot on the meat, and the skin browns evenly instead of charring in spots.
What else you need
The charcoal shaft never works alone. It needs the wind deflector as a base and the meat spit with motor to be useful.
Our tip: Preheat the charcoal in a chimney starter before placing it in the shaft. Fresh charcoal does not ignite well in the narrow shaft because air circulates less efficiently than in an open tray.
V2A Stainless Steel for Continuous Operation
Made from non-magnetic V2A stainless steel. In the charcoal shaft, the material is subjected to greater stress than elsewhere on the grill because the embers are in direct contact and burn for hours.
A suckling pig takes three to four hours, during which the shaft is continuously hot. V2A can withstand this, but it will discolour significantly. Discoloration and dark spots are normal after the first use.
Who the shaft on the T4 is useful for
It is a special part for rotisserie operation. If you never grill on a spit, you don't need it.
For everyone else, it is a prerequisite for successful suckling pig, rolled roasts, or whole poultry. The shaft is not suitable for normal grilling because it concentrates the embers in a narrow area instead of distributing them.
The embers belong next to the meat, not underneath it.
