Why Rotisserie? Sell me!

[Potkettleblack]

My current cookers are:
Weber Genesis E-330
Grilla Original Grilla

this last year I cooked nearly everything on the Grilla, as it was new, and finished some things on the Weber. The Grilla turns out amazing while poultry (vertical roast) and poultry pieces due to its convection current.

I have a $100 credit on my Amazon account coming due to a poor fit gift. Have been eyeing a rotisserie for the Weber, but the alternative is maybe a griddle plate or a pizza box for the Weber. The griddle plate fits using it primarily as a sear station. The pizza box would expand my capability, but I am set up to do pizzas in my oven already.

So, should I go for the rotisserie, the griddle plate or spend the money on non-grill stuff.

What will the rotisserie do better than the Grilla?

[ecowper]

I’ll give it a shot ....

I’ve cooked chicken on vertical roasters in my Hasty-Bake and I’ve cooked it spatchcocked on the WSM ...... two of the best options out there for turning out superb chicken. The only time I’ve ever had my 21 year old son tell me that he liked my chicken better than Costco’s chicken is when I rotisserie it

:-)

[EdF]

That's some powerful testament!

[ecowper]

EdF it’s tough to outdo Costco chicken

[CaptainMike]

Rotisserie AND grill plate (not kidding), and if you need a few bucks to help get both, call me (totally kidding) (unless you reeeeally need the few bucks). Seriously, there is something magical about a rotisserie. Done right, which it's hard not to, it is great for chicken. Even if you overcook it it's still good. Better than Costco chicken, even. Or so I've heard....

[ecowper]

I think I’m reading your mind Mike

[Potkettleblack]

I like your thinking.

[CaptainMike]

GrillGrates are an option too PKB.

[Troutman]

I would ask myself what you cook the most, that would certainly help make up your mind. I cook a lot of rotisserie chicken but the reality is I can pick one up as cheap at Costco or my local grocer. Pizza is certainty a strong contender, and being a Chicagoan you gotta like your pie !!!

Sorry, can’t decide for you but give that gasser some love, I still count on mine !!!

[EdF]

I was thinking along the same lines with the pizza adapter, but only if it gives you more range for experimenting than your current setup. Potkettleblack

[Potkettleblack]

I don't currently cook much pizza, being keto-adjacent most of the year. So, the pizza box, while interesting, is probably a bad idea.

[Frozen Smoke]

I guess I'm not following why the griddle would serve as only a sear station? If that's the case then get the spinner you will get a lot more use out of it. Is $100 your limit? If not I think the Griddlemaster makes a full size griddle for that Genesis. That's something you would get a lot of use out of as well.

[SmokeyGator]

The griddle is for more than searing. You can sling some mean hash on one. In fact I would venture to say that a griddle does breakfast better than anything else.

So I don’t know. Sell you a rotisserie? Maybe you want the griddle top more?

This is one of those things that requires a discussion while enjoying a few beers on a perfect short sleeve shirt day

[ecowper]

My next acquisition is probably a Blackstone flattop ..... nothing better than cooking breakfast on a griddle in the great outdoors.

[Potkettleblack]

The issue I have against the griddle top is that I tend to carb limit pretty strictly until the Thanksgiving to New Year's period. So, hash, pancakes, burgers, fried rice are not sell points for me. Optimal searing of sous vide or reverse seared proteins... that is the main use I'd get out of griddle.

[Polarbear777]

Many griddles can’t beat a straight CI pan for searing anyway.

[Fire Art]

Go for a spin 🤓

[MBMorgan]

Like you, PKB, I have a Weber Genesis EP-330 and an Original Grilla (OG). A few years ago, I bought the rotisserie for the Genesis and have cooked a few crazy-good whole chickens, Cornish hens, and ducks with it. All that pretty much stopped when I bought a PBC which, as you know, is a poultry cooking machine. A few months ago, I sold the PBC (not its fault) and picked up the OG which, as you've experienced turns out fantastic poultry, too.

Bottom line for the rotisserie, it hasn't seen any use at all for at least two or more years. I doubt I'll get rid of it ... and I doubt that I'll be using it much, if at all, in the future.

Earlier this year, I bought an 18x14" griddle steel (from Baking Steel) for the Genesis ... and it is fantastic. If I'm making big SV'd and torch-seared medium rare burgers in the house, then it's smash burgers on the griddle. For now, my wife and I really can't decide which we prefer ... so we must continue to experiment at every opportunity.

All that said, I think I would highly recommend a griddle steel over a rotisserie. If you didn't have that OG, my answer might have been different.

[Potkettleblack]

Yeah, the OG's awesomeness and versatility has kind of surprised me. I was expecting to do more hot and fast on the Genesis, and I really haven't... no sear burgers are a favorite in the household, despite expectations to the contrary. Grilla bacon is amazing as well.

[JeffJ]

I have a rotisserie for my 22" kettle. I cook a lot of whole birds over the course of a year but rarely use the rotisserie. Having said that, my wife and kids assure me that the rotisserie turns out the best bird. I can't tell the difference between a PBC bird and rotisserie, but my family claims they can.

[Craigar]

I consider the rotisserie to be self basting and you don't have to worry about rotating whatever you're cooking from hot spot to cool spot.

Since the discussion of a rotisserie channel came up the other day, it got me to thinking about my long lost rotisserie from a retired gasser. If I have time this week, I am going to hunt down all the pieces and parts and try to figure out if I can mount it on my 26.75" kettle with Smoke E-Z.

[Craigar]

JeffJ Yeah, I like comparing it to a grain silo.

[ecowper]

Craigar it actually makes a WSM 22.5 not seem gigantic. That’s saying something.

[Craigar]

ecowper It is something to behold, that's for sure.

[h12mike]

How often do you sous vide and need to sear vs how often you would rotisserie?

[Potkettleblack]

That's probably the core question... as I don't have the credit yet, and it's liable to be cold for a few months, I have time to think on it.

[ecowper]

If you cook a lot of chicken .... I do .... totally worth getting the rotisserie

[Murdy]

I noticed chicken was mentioned repeatedly but little else. I haven't had a rotisserie since I got a new grill a few years ago, but on the old one, we used to make some righteous boneless pork loin roasts too.

[ecowper]

I talk about chicken because it is amazing on a rotisserie. However, I do pork loin, ham, turkey, prime rib on the rotisserie. Love them all.

[Potkettleblack]

Thanks. In my research, the pork applications seem more appealing than the chicken, in terms of expanding my repetoire. And commodity pork loin is ALWAYS on sale.

[Polarbear777]

Also lamb, gyros etc.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/gyro-meat-with-tzatziki-sauce-recipe-2047710

[Willy]

I use the roto to turn out great birds--mostly turkey and chicken. I use the basket attachment for thighs (think huli-huli), pork tenderloin, and other things that are too small or oddly shaped to use with spit forks. Layer sliced, chile-seasoned pork in the basket with sliced pineapple and--voila--tacos al pastor. I LOVE MY ROTISSERIE and wouldn't trade it for anything. it makes tasty food with little effort.

[HouseHomey]

PKB

while I see the benefits of both, you asked what it will do better than the Grilla. I don't know the cooker but rotisserie is a fantastic method of cooking. The movement will make an average cooker great. If your Weber is already great you should make some fine bird.

Even cooking as the entire product is exposed to the heat for the exact same amount of time during the cook. Less burning, consistent cooks, self basting and lower temps with longer cooks makes for an awesome breast. It's also excellent at rendering subcutaneous fat from properly treated duck, pheasant and turkey. That moisture continually bastes the meat.

There are few better flavor profiles than smokey meat to baste with. In fact I bathe in it. 😀

There is less drippage with horizontal spinning but those juices make for good sauces and gravy.

Given your propensity to dive into subject matter I would love for you to own a rotisserie and see what you do with it and all of the different proteins you will spin. One year from now we will all have one after seeing your pics.

I vote rotisserie and smoked turkey thighs.

[Troutman]

Yea let’s not forget Prime Rib roasts on a rotisserie. I still think it’s my favorite way to prepare PR.

The griddle idea is very compelling but I’m going to make the same argument against it. I have one for my gasser but rarely use it anymore. Burgers are good but I just don’t griddle cook that much.

So again it’s a "what do I cook the most" decision. Don’t get caught up in what the hottest gadget is only to find it stuck in a closet taking up space.