Rotisserie - When ???

[NinthWave]

Altough Meathead describes a rotisserie kit as an "essential tool", I find there is not much recipe using it.

My question is:

Since I already own the rotisserie kit; in the case of large pieces of meat that cook for several hours, will the use of the rotisserie achieve best results than leaving the meat on the grates ?

ie.: yesterday I did a 5 lbs perfect pulled pork. As per MeatHead recipe, I put the meat on the grate for 9 hours until 203°F. Would the results have benefited from a rotisserie instead of the grates?

[Jon Solberg]

Hey NinthWave,

This is a great question. Its got me digging deep for a reply.

I dont think a pork butt would gain much benefit from rotisserie cooking. But I may just have to give it a try. I will be sure to truss the heck out of it first.

I do think rotisserie is well suited for chickens, turkeys breasts, beef roasts The rotation cooks the meat evenly and allows easy access for basting. It also allows the meat to self bast.

Most rotissoire recipes seem to be of higher heat than low and slow bbq cooking. It seems to be more of a process of moving the meat around the heat whereas grilling moves the heat around the meat.

As I mentioned earlier I dont feel a low and slow will benefit much but I think I better try and prove it.

Sorry I know I'm not exactly address your question here but I have a feeling I'll have a better answer in a few days : )

Thanks for the great post.

[JCGrill]

Jon Solberg has it right. Rotisserie is not really low (although I suppose it could still be slow). I had a rotisserie on my last gas grill and used it a bit, but once I got the Weber 22" I never bothered with it again. To me it has not much to offer that I can't replicate another way. I'm sure someone will come up with something though.

[ecowper]

I use a rotisserie. Like Jon Solberg and JCGrill said, it's for higher heat cooking. Think cooking a yardbird or rabbit over a campfire like you're a cowboy on the range. You want to cook it fairly hot and fast, you want it to stay juicy, you don't want it to come off the fire not fully cooked to well done, and you don't want it to burn.

Also, have you ever seen a whole pig cooked for a luau or the way they do it in the Philippines? They use a piece of bamboo as the spit, but you get the gist .....

I cook chicken, small turkeys, rib roasts and the like on the rotisserie. I just set up a nice even layer of charcoal, check the temp at the rotisserie, and let it rip. BEST chicken ever on my rotisserie. Spatchcocked is okay, but every time I do that I swear to myself that next time I'm going to take the extra 5 minutes to set up the rotisserie.

Basically, the goal is to continuously expose the meat to 350F, or so, direct heat, but not for very long at any one time.

[NinthWave]

Thank you guys for both your inputs. I hope we will get more.

As I first wrote, I was very surprised that Meathead says the rotisserie is an essential but the only recipe in the book is the "kitchen à la provençale".

I bought one but now I am not sure if it was worth it. I must point out that I actually have a gasser.

[ecowper]

Costco rotisserie chicken is fabulous and cooked with natural gas. :-)

[ecowper]

Saw this in a barbecue documentary. Definitely on my list of BBQ things to do, now.

[Mr. Bones]

Looks like Porkalicious things are about to happen, there!

[ecowper]

Yeah, definitely something I want to try Bones

[JCGrill]

I will add that I have never done rotisserie over charcoal, and that might change my answer. But gas grill rotisserie vs indirect on charcoal with a sear at the end? I'm picking charcoal every time.

[ecowper]

I only have charcoal at home, so rotisserie over charcoal is pretty much the only way I could do it :-)

[gshayd]

I have a 22" inch Weber I use with a rotisserie exclusively. I have it setup with charcoal pans on each side and a pan to catch the juices in the middle. It definitely adds to the flavor of the chicken to me. Plus it is easy button to cook. It does its thing and I do my thing...lol My favorite thing to cook on a rotisserie is a whole pineapple and I make a rum sauce to baste it in while its turning. I also use one of these it can be swapped out with the regular rotisserie spit

http://www.fillitandgrillit.com/

[JCBBQ]

I don't have a rotisserie but if I did then i'd use it on chickens, turkey, suckling pig and Picanha - a cut of beef with a big fat cap that would melt and continuously bathe the meat as it spins. Put that thing to work and report back!

[RonB]

I cook two things using a rotisserie - whole chickens and whole turkeys. This is on a kettle, and it does a great job with whole birds. However, it is nowhere close to airtight. It runs hot, but that's great for birds. They come out very tender and juicy with a crisp skin.

With a gasser, you should have better temp control, so I say go for it. I'm sure it will be good, but it may not be better. And do try a whole yardbird at least once.

[Brewmaster]

I have a gasser and I have been doing rotisserie chicken for years, my wife loves them, I am doing one today and she will eat of it for lunch most of the week, the meat is tender and juicy, it is far superior to what you get in the stores. I have an older Weber Genisus 3 burner and I set it at MOM (medium off medium) takes about 1-1.25 hours

[Willy]

I LOVE the rotisserie for whole chickens and turkeys. It's also excellent for pork tenderloins and chicken thighs (using a basket). I often do a huli-huli marinade/baste thing with thighs. Another good thing is to layer thin pork steaks (marinated in a red chile sauce--canned enchilada sauce with some lime juice is even OK) and pineapple spears in the basket and do an al pastor-like thing. I have a Weber Genesis gasser with three burners running lengthwise. I turn off the middle burner and run at about 350°F--400°F (according the perhaps not trusty built-in thermometer).

I won't ever be without a rotisserie.

Good luck

View of a basket: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PNO2YHU...a-349187111449

Edit add-on: I agree that doing a pork butt rotisserie style isn't a good thing (I did try it). I haven't tried a rib roast but I'd guess that would be good.

[texastweeter]

I use my rotisserie often. It seems to hinder true bark formation on like brisket and pork butts. I use it for PIT (partially internally trimmed) hams, turkey breast roasts, whole chickens, Greek gyros, argentine style beef, and beef roasts. It really helps on those.

[texastweeter]

don't forget roasted pineapple!!!!

[ecowper]

Christmas rib roast on the rotisserie is the way to go!

[Livermoron]

Among other things, I do my tri tip on a kettle rotisserie. I also prefer it for whole chickens, cornish game hens and large roasts (prime rib, etc.). I would agree that it's an essential tool...