Rotisserie questions


 
A

Amit Arora

New member
So I'm toying up a few options to expand my grilling options (and the better half is asking for Xmas ideas).

Background: I have a 57cm Weber and grill using baskets either in direct or indirect using lump. Usual BBQ fare turns out well, steaks and fish on direct are great and indirect chicken/fish etc also turn out well.

I have recently been trying some low and slow cooking - albeit just using my baskets and lumps. A pork shoulder and a gammon turned out very well. The ribs have been mixed - although I don't think they were great quality! I see the advice to use briquettes and/or a slow and sear - it might be something I try, although I think I might rather put a slow and sear money towards some kind of kamado to run alongside the weber (I'm not sure that I would get away with one that is too big so the Weber Summit is kind of out, but I might be able to get a broil king keg or an 18 inch kamado). But in my investigations a rotisserie has come up a few times.

It seems to me that a rotisserie would produce kamado-esque succulent cooks, but I don't know if that is right?
Any views from people that have both rotisserie and a kamado about how they compare?
And do you cook over direct coals, or indirect?

Any views on whether a rotisserie is worth it would be great (looking at the Onlyfire one btw!)
 
Rotisserie cooks are wonderfully easy! I do chickens often, loins of pork, standing rib roasts, legs of lamb. Simple basic indirect 2 basket set up, light it turn on the spit motor and relax! Yes, add one to the arsenal, you will never regret it!
 
I can't speak to the comparison of rotisserie versus kamado cooking, but I can say that I absolutely would recommend the onlyfire BRK-6025 rotisserie for the Weber Kettle. I have that exact model, and it's fantastic. I'd also recommend getting the BRK-6039 tumble basket. I use mine mostly for cooking wings, but I've also used to to roast new potatoes, and they turned out amazingly well.
 
I have both the Weber rotisserie as well as a Summit Charcoal (predecessor to the current Summit Kamado) and can’t speak highly enough. I would recommend the Summit, the real estate is just about perfect, I can’t imagine trying to cook on a smaller one.
 
My take on this is that a rotisserie keeps the juices in the protein distributed throughout the cook as well as being a self-basting method. It's a very easy way to cook something. Cooking on a spit is probably one of the oldest cooking methods there is.
 
TimA said:
The difference between cooks is totally different. They don’t cook the same, really isn’t fair to try to compare. They’re just different.
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Do you prefer one over the other?

I would love the summit but maybe another year. Looking at picking up a cheap kamado to try some low and slow on it, see how I go and maybe upgrade in a future year!
 
Amit Arora said:
Do you prefer one over the other?

I would love the summit but maybe another year. Looking at picking up a cheap kamado to try some low and slow on it, see how I go and maybe upgrade in a future year!
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I don’t prefer one over the other. My rotisserie usage has thus far been fairly limited, turkey breasts and roasts. I’m not really a big roast fan generally, but on the rotisserie they are phenomenal!! Little beef roasts that I’m drawing a blank on right now…the kids even inhale them! I do plan on getting the new Weber Crafted basket and doing things like potatoes, I’ve got an awesome recipe for grilled cubes spuds and giving them a go on the rotisserie could be a solid step up.

The Kamado…..I can’t heap enough praise on it. It does everything from grilling to smoking so superior it’s not even funny. It holds temp in cold windy Wyoming winters (where my kettles do struggle to maintain heat, which means they burn almost double the fuel compared to nearly the same fuel usage in summer and winter with the Kamado). I absolutely love this thing, yes it’s spendy but it’s my solid go to that will always just work.

I have a rotisserie for both a kettle and my Spirit gas (also fits my ‘97 Genesis) and may pick up a second for kettle.

Anyways, sorry for rambling. For the food, I’ve not really cooked the same things. I did do an roast once or twice without the rotisserie and it was dry. They are juicy with the rotisserie. Other than that, direct comparisons are difficult because some of the meals aren’t really interchangeable.
 
I have a WSK and a kettle with the rotisserie attachment. I kept the kettle because I still love it especially because of the rotisserie. The rotisserie is just a fun, easy cook that I can’t do on the WSK. Agree that direct comparisons are not really apples to oranges.
My opinion would be to get the rotisserie attachment (whatever manufacturer you like) and keep using the kettle since its a do -it-all grill just to keep the investment down.
The WSK is AWESOME and is very efficient fuel wise but to compare all the things it does well to just a rotisserie is hard to tabulate. They’re just different cooks.
I’m sure this is “clear as mud”.😂
 
RLittle said:
I have a WSK and a kettle with the rotisserie attachment. I kept the kettle because I still love it especially because of the rotisserie. The rotisserie is just a fun, easy cook that I can’t do on the WSK. Agree that direct comparisons are not really apples to oranges.
My opinion would be to get the rotisserie attachment (whatever manufacturer you like) and keep using the kettle since its a do -it-all grill just to keep the investment down.
The WSK is AWESOME and is very efficient fuel wise but to compare all the things it does well to just a rotisserie is hard to tabulate. They’re just different cooks.
I’m sure this is “clear as mud”.😂
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I've had a roti on a kettle for a long time and temp control when it's windy and/or cold was always a challenge. I know, it's a challenge that can be overcome, if you have the desire. I also have a roti, a Rotisserie Joe, on our large BGE but I've only used it once...it's pretty small. I did a small rib roast on it. I don't remember if I used our HeaterMeter on it for that one cook, I probably did though. I should probably buy some JD Chunx and have another go at it...too many toys, not enough time...I'm starting to get the urge, though. See, like I always say, if you hang around the barber shop long enough...darned enablers, anyway!

Maybe I ought to think about putting a roti on our pellet grill...
 
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I’ve used my rotisserie year around and since my kettles are (more or les) “protected” from wind which is really the only hurdle with ANY outdoor cooking methods. I’ve grilled in -teens and as long as you can lower wind effect, one simply needs to be flexible a bit.
It’s freaking 28 degrees here tonight so, this does factor in. Wind ~20mph right now and no, I’m not doing one tonight but, if I did I’d wear a COAT to check on it! Not a denim jacket or vest. This cold will make me quit smoking until “ice out”!
I cooked on stovetop tonight. Opinionated? Yes. Stupid. Not so much.
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
I’ve used my rotisserie year around and since my kettles are (more or les) “protected” from wind which is really the only hurdle with ANY outdoor cooking methods. I’ve grilled in -teens and as long as you can lower wind effect, one simply needs to be flexible a bit.
It’s freaking 28 degrees here tonight so, this does factor in. Wind ~20mph right now and no, I’m not doing one tonight but, if I did I’d wear a COAT to check on it! Not a denim jacket or vest. This cold will make me quit smoking until “ice out”!
I cooked on stovetop tonight. Opinionated? Yes. Stupid. Not so much.
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One thing I really like about the roti ring is that you have a HUGE amount of space there for anything short of a suckling pig, and I half-way think someone will pop in here with a picture of one! Mine is a Weber roti kit bought too many years ago for $99 (full price) and I had problems with the ring not fitting properly ...it was hard to keep the temps under control. I have since made that kettle a dedicated roti setup and used LavaLock gasketing to seal the lid and ring...much, much better temp control when things are sealed properly. I think the newer roti setups fit better than the one I bought so poor fit may no longer be an issue.
 
Don't remind me.

EDIT: Good thing my wife isn't on this board.

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Thanks for all the replies - so I think I will go rotisserie on the weber. I'm going to hold back on the Summit Kamado for a while, but I've hopefully just secured a cheap double skinned steel kamado (for the same price as a slow and sear over here), so that will give me an introduction to kamado low and slow/grilling cooking I think.

Do a remaining question on the rotisserie. I've seen both direct and indirect when looking on the internet, but the majority seem to go indirect. Is that what you do? And are temps meant to be typical roasting temps, or a bit lower etc?
 
Amit Arora said:
Thanks for all the replies - so I think I will go rotisserie on the weber. I'm going to hold back on the Summit Kamado for a while, but I've hopefully just secured a cheap double skinned steel kamado (for the same price as a slow and sear over here), so that will give me an introduction to kamado low and slow/grilling cooking I think.

Do a remaining question on the rotisserie. I've seen both direct and indirect when looking on the internet, but the majority seem to go indirect. Is that what you do? And are temps meant to be typical roasting temps, or a bit lower etc?
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It depends on how much fat there is on the protein. With fatty foods like a ham (butt portion, for the detailed oriented), I had one catch fire once. There's a lot of air space in a kettle with a roti ring and when you have a ham catch fire it takes awhile to go out, especially when it leaks air like mine did. When the roti spins, all the drippings drip off the trailing edge, so you can set your baskets up accordingly. Lots of ways to go about this. The last time I did a turkey, I made one of those homemade slow and sear things out of a couple of old baskets and put it at the front of the turkey (at the end of the spit opposite the roti motor, moved the turkey to the opposite end of the spit. You can also bank your coal there. Use a drip pan or foil under the bird to keep the kettle clean. Then I went and bought a cordierite thing because I wanted to try to save the drippings for gravy but I haven't tried it out yet. You can also use some wire charcoal retainer rails, too, pricey, or fire bricks. Not saying you should go out and buy anything! I just nerd out on this stuff. With charcoal baskets you can move them around, not so easy with the charcoal rails:


Here's the cordierite thing:

Heat-deflecting Smoking and Cooking Stone - BBQ Dragon

This cooking stone will absolutely transform your grill, and your grilling, or your FULL MONEY BACK Gaurantee. Buy with confidence.
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Homemade Slow and Sear:

 
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Darren Lebner said:
Or buy a decent SnS imitation:

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Me, personally, I think the roti is enough to get started. Put the baskets on either side of the spit, put a grate with the hinged sides on so you can add coals or wood, put a drip pan on the grate, and let's make dinner! Start with something small and cheap like a dry-brined whole chicken with a rub (one of our favs!) and see how it goes. You can skip the grate and put the pan between the baskets but sometimes you get ash in there and you can't use the drippings for gravy...unless you

(I know somebody has a workaround!)
darned bunch of enablers anyway! Picking up some JD tomorrow...I thought I was over this...
 
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