Vertical Rotisserie Build


 

Robert-R

TVWBB Diamond Member
We love our Tacos AL Pastor & have made them by hanging in the WSM. Since Al Pastor / Gyro cookers are pricey, I thought I'd make one. I dithered for quite a while deciding between charcoal or propane for a heat source. Decided on charcoal because propane rotisserie burners would necessitate a larger cooker.

So it's a work-in-progress. Size is approximately 12"x12"x19". Used 1/8" scrapyard steel.

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It should hold about 40 lit charcoal briquetts. The slots above/behind the charcoal baskets are for adding fuel as necessary during a cook. I'm planning on filling the baskets & lighting them with a weed burner. As of now, my biggest concern is that I didn't allow for enough coals. Time will tell, I'm sure.

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So the next step is to fire it up and place a probe to determine how far from the heat source is 300*. That should give me an idea of where to locate the spit. I plan on putting the rotisserie motor underneath the cooker. That's the reason for the firebrick.

Any suggestions - comments are greatly appreciated.
 
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Wow! That's some nice engineering there. Barb and I will be taking our first shot at Al Pastor this week, but certainly not with anything as nice as that. Eager to see the final product.
 
I'm ready for finished pictures and shots of the end product, so far it looks very well thought out. I have a cousin who does metal fabrication and is a grill addict, I might have to show him this and see what he might be able to do!
 
Robert-R;
it never ceases to amaze me at the innovation and craftsmanship shown on this forum. I am Officially impressed!
i can hardly wait for developements.

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
I dithered for quite a while deciding between charcoal or propane for a heat source. Decided on charcoal because propane rotisserie burners would necessitate a larger cooker.
I think you made the right choice. The best Al Pastor tacos I've ever had were at Pepe's in Cabo. They use wood in their cooker (I'm not sure what wood they use, but it crackles and pops) I've attached a couple photos of their cooker. It doesn't compare to yours, but theirs has quite the following

Pepes%20Vertical%20cooker1_zpsinyxgvlz.jpg

Pepes%20vertical%20cooker3_zpsehxnorjh.jpg
 
I think you made the right choice. The best Al Pastor tacos I've ever had were at Pepe's in Cabo. They use wood in their cooker (I'm not sure what wood they use, but it crackles and pops) I've attached a couple photos of their cooker. It doesn't compare to yours, but theirs has quite the following

Pepes%20Vertical%20cooker1_zpsinyxgvlz.jpg

Pepes%20vertical%20cooker3_zpsehxnorjh.jpg

Thanks for the pix, Chuck!!!
Those will be invaluable when v.1 gets started.
 
I loaded the cooker with Stubbs (38 briquettes total), lit it with a weed burner & set some probes at 2" from the charcoal baskets. After 1/2 hour temps were at 171* (bottom probe) & 172* (top probe). Another 1/2 hour they were 202* (bottom) & 192* (top). Also added 8 unlit briquettes to the bottom & 5 to the top basket.

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Moved the probes to 1" from heat source... temps were 179* (bottom) & 201* (top).

45 minutes later... temps were 170* (bottom) & 198* (top).

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So.... It seems like I should make the charcoal baskets about 2 times as deep. Need to consider burning wood chunks. I'm wanting to cook at 300*. Ash buildup is now a concern.
Will have to make a trip to the scrap metal yards in search of some expanded metal. Will report back asap.
 
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So.... It seems like I should make the charcoal baskets about 2 times as deep. Need to consider burning wood chunks. I'm wanting to cook at 300*. Ash buildup is now a concern.
Will have to make a trip to the scrap metal yards in search of some expanded metal. Will report back asap.
Agreed, you need to come forward with the heat source, increasing the basket size will do that. I have a observation / concern: It seems to me you have too much depth. The ones I've seen (mostly in Mexico) are much shallower. The temp is regulated by moving the meat to & fro the heat source, and in the case of Pepe's (both in Cabo and Puerto Vallarta) they put a piece of metal between the food and the cooker, which I assume is to hinder the cook, but not the fire.

Is your plan to put the cook inside (on a spindle) or do you plan to cook it outside? I can't recall seeing one where the cook is done inside, but then....A lot of drinking occurs while south of the boarder, details suffer under such conditions :)
 
Wont all the meat juices and stuff run down the spit and into the motor if you mount it on the bottom? Might be an easier clean if you leave the bottom smooth metal ( or dimpled where the spit point rests ) and set the drive up top?
 
I agree with Andrew, dimple or some sort of collar and put the motor up above or run a chain drive off to the side. As for ash could you cut a piece to make a "ramp" to allow ash to be raked into a trough?
The vertical roti looks like fun, I am watching this one for inspiration!
 
Agreed, you need to come forward with the heat source, increasing the basket size will do that. I have a observation / concern: It seems to me you have too much depth. The ones I've seen (mostly in Mexico) are much shallower. The temp is regulated by moving the meat to & fro the heat source, and in the case of Pepe's (both in Cabo and Puerto Vallarta) they put a piece of metal between the food and the cooker, which I assume is to hinder the cook, but not the fire.

Is your plan to put the cook inside (on a spindle) or do you plan to cook it outside? I can't recall seeing one where the cook is done inside, but then....A lot of drinking occurs while south of the boarder, details suffer under such conditions :)

Your comments are invaluable. Thanks, Chuck. fwiw - I've never seen a wood fired vertical rotisserie or pix of them. I was kinda going by some gyro machines I'd seen a few times.
 
Wont all the meat juices and stuff run down the spit and into the motor if you mount it on the bottom? Might be an easier clean if you leave the bottom smooth metal ( or dimpled where the spit point rests ) and set the drive up top?

I agree with Andrew, dimple or some sort of collar and put the motor up above or run a chain drive off to the side. As for ash could you cut a piece to make a "ramp" to allow ash to be raked into a trough?
The vertical roti looks like fun, I am watching this one for inspiration!

Thanks, Andrew. The meat would be supported by a metal disc, which I hope would keep most of the juices dripping around the circumference of the meat. I was thinking an aluminum pie pan with a hole drilled in the center and placed on top the fire brick would catch most of the drippings.

Good suggestion for ash removal, Tim. Thanks.
 
That is really looking great Robert. Looking forward to your first cook I'm sure its going to be fantastic.
 
Your comments are invaluable. Thanks, Chuck. fwiw - I've never seen a wood fired vertical rotisserie or pix of them. I was kinda going by some gyro machines I'd seen a few times.
Wood burning vertical cookers mostly found in Mexico, I don't think I've seen one in the states. As mentioned, Pepe's uses wood in theirs and I swear they make the best Tacos Al Pastor, and I have to believe that it's because they use wood that their food is so good.

More and more are we seeing these cookers, and the ones I'm seeing are "infrared." The below example is what I see all the time now (in the US) You notice, there's not much set back (depth) to these. And in fact, it's really nothing more than a shroud with a spit in front. The one you're making could be the cat's meow, but I'm concerned that it's too deep and my second concern is, if you plan to put the cook inside it? I've never seen it done "enclosed" but hey......You could be on to something. I'm more than happy to come down and try any cooks you do in it :)

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I redid the charcoal baskets. They are twice as deep - approx 4.5". Had 100 briquettes versus 38 from previous. Test burn has much improved temps. About 20 minutes after lighting, the bottom probe was reading 235* & the top was at 329*. Had almost immediate TBS. For the next several hours the difference between the probes ranged between 80 - 100*. I put a few small splits in & got pretty flames! At any rate.... one could cook at the new temperatures.

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Ash buildup is now a major concern.

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I have a suspicion that the top basket is not necessary. Will do a burn using only the bottom one & see what gives.

I'm considering some type of chute to get rid of the ashes.

I'll update.

fwiw - after looking at the pix that ChuckO posted, I think the rotisserie is manual. I don't see a motor at all. That would make for a much easier build, although I'd sure hate to to use it like that.
 
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