33 Gallon Build with Vertical Cabinet - aka "The Copper Pot"

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
I took the day off work today to work around the house to get ready for the snow, so I brined up some game hens - water, salt, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, sugar, black pepper, basil, oregano - for 2 hours. Here they are going on after being air dried.
IMG_2960.JPG


The fire is just right
IMG_2961.JPG
This fire makes 275 on the money. 3/4 chimney starter with oak lump, after 10 min sitting over the side burner I dump it in the basket with just a few more pieces of lump And put a 2 inch cherry split on it. After the second split is lit good like the pic it's ready to go.
IMG_2962.JPG


After 50 mins the hens went under the broiler for 3 mins to crisp up the skin and then they were matched with home made mushroom risotto, gravy, & garlic toast.
IMG_2963.JPG

:)
 
Ok, this post is picture heavy but pictures speak many words.....

I brined up a couple of pork sirloin tips today to put on the smoker. Here they are after about 2 hours at 250 with apple smoke.
IMG_3071.JPG


The internal temp is 130. I wanted to do a reverse seat and as I was building the fire I discovered that the VCC shelfs fit perfectly in place over the coal basket! The vertical sides of the basket lock under the shelf angle so it is completely stable.
IMG_3070.JPG


So when the loins hit 130 I put a shelf over the coals and proceeded to reverse sear.
IMG_3072.JPG


It didn't take very long per side
IMG_3073.JPG

IMG_3074.JPG


After about 8-9 minutes they were at 140 so I took them off to rest.
IMG_3075.JPG


After 15 minutes they went under the knife!
IMG_3076.JPG


Now matched with some Yukon Golds and some hard cider cream gravy!!!
IMG_3077.JPG


This is what we call a meat and potatos meal!!!
 
The taters are what we call spud candy! Wasn't it just Halloween?

Yea I was thinking I should have posted this cook on its own... I'm not done cooking so there will be more :-)

This is thei first time I've done pork loin tips but I do my tri tip this way and thought it should work too....it did and I over ate!
 
Will you adopt me, please?
I'm good at tending coals and making cocktails and all around pretty handy around the smoker and in the kitchen.
I won't need an allowance as long as you feed me, I'll protect your smokers and grills with my life.:emoji_pray:
 
  • Like
Reactions: civilsmoker
Will you adopt me, please?
I'm good at tending coals and making cocktails and all around pretty handy around the smoker and in the kitchen.
I won't need an allowance as long as you feed me, I'll protect your smokers and grills with my life.:emoji_pray:

LOL forktender!

Thanks for all the likes, we live to share our goodies with others.....we are on smokehouse way just off of no tell um creek road.......din din is usually at 6:45....
 
This was a great read. Nice smoker, well documented and looks like great results. I love my vertical smoker.
 
This was a great read. Nice smoker, well documented and looks like great results. I love my vertical smoker.

Thanks David H! We sure to like in for sure!. After this winter I will be doing some minor updates, ie new bearings in the big wheels and the original ones have failed. I will be "rino" lining the big wheels as well. I may also change the expanded metal side burner top with SS rod.
 
  • Like
Reactions: David Halcomb
Awesome build! Thanks for documenting the journey.
Thanks AK Jake! It was a fun build but even more fun to use. I'm assuming you are in AK? I spent a bit of time there in Chugiak.
 
Newbie to offset smokers here; just starting to design a build for my home use.

I know it is years since you made these posts but if you are still on this forum, I have a couple of questions.

You have a beautiful cooker and I am looking at starting with a compressor tank like you did so wanted to benefit from your experience if you are willing.

I just got a 30 gallon air compressor tank (new, no motor) so am thinking of building an offset smoker with it as the Cook Chamber (CC). Overall dimensions about 20 inch diameter and 24" length.

I see you designed your Copper Pot as a reverse flow for the horizontal cook chamber with an additional Vertical cook chamber.

Questions:
1) Did you prefer a reverse flow or did you think it was required given the small size of the cook chamber?
2) Do you think designing it as just a horizontal cook chamber would work, or did you think incorporating a vertical cook chamber was necessary to help with air flow?
3) How thick are the walls of your compressor tank? Mine is a Dewalt tank but I don't think (have not yet cut into it) that it is even 1/8 inch thick. Your tank looks like it also has thin walls and you mentioned this early on, but I am wondering how that worked out for you?
4) Any lessons learned since using that you would share?

If you are still on this forum, thank you for sharing and I look forward to hearing from you.
 
Newbie to offset smokers here; just starting to design a build for my home use.

I know it is years since you made these posts but if you are still on this forum, I have a couple of questions.

You have a beautiful cooker and I am looking at starting with a compressor tank like you did so wanted to benefit from your experience if you are willing.

I just got a 30 gallon air compressor tank (new, no motor) so am thinking of building an offset smoker with it as the Cook Chamber (CC). Overall dimensions about 20 inch diameter and 24" length.

I see you designed your Copper Pot as a reverse flow for the horizontal cook chamber with an additional Vertical cook chamber.

Questions:
1) Did you prefer a reverse flow or did you think it was required given the small size of the cook chamber?
2) Do you think designing it as just a horizontal cook chamber would work, or did you think incorporating a vertical cook chamber was necessary to help with air flow?
3) How thick are the walls of your compressor tank? Mine is a Dewalt tank but I don't think (have not yet cut into it) that it is even 1/8 inch thick. Your tank looks like it also has thin walls and you mentioned this early on, but I am wondering how that worked out for you?
4) Any lessons learned since using that you would share?

If you are still on this forum, thank you for sharing and I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks for the props on the copper pot!

Answers:
Questions:
1) Did you prefer a reverse flow or did you think it was required given the small size of the cook chamber?
- I do like the reverse flow but it's not required and in fact the smaller the cook chamber the more difficult it is to get it to flow right. Reverse flow vs Offset is a personal cooking style both work very good and both would work for your tank.


2) Do you think designing it as just a horizontal cook chamber would work, or did you think incorporating a vertical cook chamber was necessary to help with air flow?
- Just a simple horizontal chamber will work just fine, the vertical is because I wanted MORE cooking space and more cooking METHODS. None of the vertical stuff is needed for a nice smoker

3) How thick are the walls of your compressor tank? Mine is a Dewalt tank but I don't think (have not yet cut into it) that it is even 1/8 inch thick. Your tank looks like it also has thin walls and you mentioned this early on, but I am wondering how that worked out for you?
- The walls of the copper pot are about 1/8 inch and just fine for a smaller patio smoker, ie the fire box wall thickness is more important. This is where the reverse flow plate has some thermal mass, so it does help regulate the temperatures. A 1/4 fire box would work very nicely and if make it reverse flow a 1/4 plate would be ideal.


4) Any lessons learned since using that you would share?
- I would use and only use a Tel-Tru temp gauge, and I think I would have opted for stainless expanded metal for the food shelfs.

Hope this helps and start a build post as you get going as we all like to see people's creations!

PS going with a new "clean" tank will save lots of fab time!
 
Wow it has been a while since you built the copper pot Civil. It didn't seem that long ago.

Chris
 
Thanks for the props on the copper pot!

Answers:
Questions:
1) Did you prefer a reverse flow or did you think it was required given the small size of the cook chamber?
- I do like the reverse flow but it's not required and in fact the smaller the cook chamber the more difficult it is to get it to flow right. Reverse flow vs Offset is a personal cooking style both work very good and both would work for your tank.


2) Do you think designing it as just a horizontal cook chamber would work, or did you think incorporating a vertical cook chamber was necessary to help with air flow?
- Just a simple horizontal chamber will work just fine, the vertical is because I wanted MORE cooking space and more cooking METHODS. None of the vertical stuff is needed for a nice smoker

3) How thick are the walls of your compressor tank? Mine is a Dewalt tank but I don't think (have not yet cut into it) that it is even 1/8 inch thick. Your tank looks like it also has thin walls and you mentioned this early on, but I am wondering how that worked out for you?
- The walls of the copper pot are about 1/8 inch and just fine for a smaller patio smoker, ie the fire box wall thickness is more important. This is where the reverse flow plate has some thermal mass, so it does help regulate the temperatures. A 1/4 fire box would work very nicely and if make it reverse flow a 1/4 plate would be ideal.


4) Any lessons learned since using that you would share?
- I would use and only use a Tel-Tru temp gauge, and I think I would have opted for stainless expanded metal for the food shelfs.

Hope this helps and start a build post as you get going as we all like to see people's creations!

PS going with a new "clean" tank will save lots of fab time!
Thank you for your quick - and helpful reply

I am still in the "in my head" stage of design.
I am scouring youtube and every other source I can find for ideas. Funny thing is, not everyone agrees on what is "best" ... :-)

I had not thought of creating my own post, but that might be a good idea to get advice from others who have actually built their smoker.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Clicky