i think it might have been gman but i can't remember for sure. someone did ask about rotisserie cooking......excellent article on what to look for in equipment and general cooking technique......plus why you would even want to cook w/rotisserie in the first place.....enjoy. Rotisserie Cooking From Derrick Riches Give your grilling a new spin You know it really is interesting that rotisserie cooking doesn't get more discussion. Most grill manufacturers will tell you that you don't really need to use a rotisserie because a grill with a lid does the same thing. Move the heat around the food, not the food around the heat. These guys probably can't tell the difference between a good brisket sandwich and a Big Mac. There are so many advantages to rotisserie cooking. Meats are generally juicier, self-basted and slow roasted. Of course there are a few differences between grilling and rotisserie cooking that you need to be aware of. The first place to start is with the instruction manual for you particular grill. Beyond that remember that while a lot of grilling is done over a very hot fire you need a lot less heat for the rotisserie. Starting with your equipment, you will need a Rotisserie attachment for your particular grill. I suggest making sure you get a good one with a powerful motor. Now these days you are seeing an increasing number of grills that come with rotisserie attachments and some even have a special rotisserie burner. You can even get an attachment for your charcoal kettle grill that works very well. The rotisserie burner is a nice feature because it automatically sets you up for indirect, even heating. Moving on to the fire, you do not want a hot fire directly under the food you want to spin. Many items will be large and hence will get very close to the fire. If you are using a charcoal grill build the fire around the edges so that it overlaps the food by a few inches but has no coals directly underneath. If you are using a gas grill keep the burners low. Also place a drip pan under the food to avoid flare-ups and to keep the direct heat at a safe distance. If you are using charcoal you will probably need to add more burning coals every 30 minutes. Now the most important thing to remember in using a rotisserie is balance and security. Place the meat on the middle of the rotisserie skewer and fasten as firmly as you can. If you are cooking poultry remember to secure the wings and legs in as tightly as possible. If parts are loose to flop around as it turns you can get burning and it can through off the balance. Many rotisserie units have a counter balance to help you get it just right. I suggest that once you have the food secured to the skewer that you roll the skewer in the palms of your hands to make sure you have a good balance. Try slowly rolling it to see if you have a heavy side. If the spit is unbalanced you will put stress on the rotisserie motor and will make one side turn slower than the other causing uneven cooking. Adjust until you have a good balance. As for cooking times your best bet is a meat thermometer. Cooking charts might be a good guide but differences in wind, air temperature, equipment, etc. will throw these calculations off. The thermometer will tell you when the food is cooked. Best guess just won't cut it. If you set up your rotisserie so that the top of the item is moving away from you and place the drip pan slightly towards the front of the grill then you will have an easier time scooping up the drippings for basting.
well, now that we went out and bought our rotisserie.....what will we do with it? thought you'd never ask.... Greek Marinated Leg Of Lamb From Derrick Riches, This is a classic Greek style rotisserie leg of lamb. A great meal for any Holiday and a particular favorite for Easter. INGREDIENTS: 3 pound leg of lamb, boned and tied 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon bay leaf salt and pepper to taste PREPARATION: Mix together everything but the lamb. Place lamb leg in a large shallow baking dish. Pour marinade over leg, making sure to coat every inch. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Preheat grill and prepare rotisserie. Remove leg from marinade and discard the marinade. Tread lamb onto spit and secure tightly. Place on grill over medium to medium low heat and cook until the interior of the meat reaches 145 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Rotisserie Turkey From Derrick Riches, You need a good strong rotisserie to make rotisserie turkey. Check with your instruction manual or the manufacturer to make sure that your rotisserie set, especially the rotisserie motor is rated for the weight of your turkey. For more information check out my article on Rotiserie cooking. INGREDIENTS: 1 12 pound turkey Seasoning: 4 tablespoons lemon pepper 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped 1 tablespoons celery salt 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons black pepper 1 teaspoon sage Turkey Stuffing: 1 medium onion cut into 8 equal parts 1 carrot cut into thin disks 1 apple cored and cut into 8 thick slices PREPARATION: Mix together seasonings and rub over the surface and inside of cleaned and dry turkey. This is best done the night before to let the seasoning permeate the meat. Stuff turkey and place securely on rotisserie skewer. Test it to make sure it’s well balanced and tightly secured. Make sure that the wings and legs are firmly tied to the turkey and that the turkey is well balanced on the rotisserie skewer. Prepare grill by removing grate and placing a drip pan in the center. Pan should be big enough to hold the turkey itself. Light grill and let it heat up. If using a charcoal grill make a medium fire around the drip pan. With gas turn the burners to medium. But generally follow the manufacturers instructions. Half fill the drip pan with water and place the turkey on rotisserie. The cooking times should be similar to that of a 350 degree oven so use the time chart on the turkey packaging as a guide. You will need to use a meat thermometer to be sure of doneness. Remove rotisserie turkey from grill when the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees. The water in the drip pan is there to keep the drippings from evaporating away. If the pan goes dry add more water. I suggest hickory, oak or alder wood chips if you wish to add an extra smoky flavor. Spit Roasted Chicken From Derrick Riches, The bacon and the butter help keep this chicken moist and give it an old world fire roasted taste. This is about as traditional as it gets when it comes to rotisserie chicken. INGREDIENTS: 1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds 4 slices bacon 3 tablespoons butter salt and pepper to taste PREPARATION: Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with the salt and pepper. Truss the chicken. Place securely on rotisserie skewer. Dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rub with butter and sprinkle with salt. Blanch bacon in boiling water for one minute. Secure the strips of bacon over the breast and thighs with string. Preheat your grill and prepare you rotisserie. Place a drip pan under the place where the chicken will be and fill it half full with water. Place chicken on grill with a medium heat. Cook until the center of one breast reached 165 degrees. Remove bacon about 15 minutes before the chicken is done and baste with drippings from the pan.
I bought one of those Ronco rotisseries from the TV infomercial. Its great for chicken with the skin on but not much good for anything else. Skinless chicken comes out really dry tasting.
