The principle of Rotisserie, derived from the concept of ROTATION is a self basting process. The meat rotates, while the juices ready to drip are carried around and,as the grease falls of and water evaporates, all the good stuff remains within the meat. Simpler put: you have a larger chunk of meat, or a bird, or a fish, and you cook it slowly, keeping it in constant rotation next to the source of heat, and perhaps brushing it with some liquid, which will appear in the dripping tray under the meat.
I find that the cooking on rotisserie progresses faster than the regular roasting in the oven.
The rotisserie on my BBQ achieves the temperature of 325C (once meat is there) and maintains it throughout the process – it does not increase at any time. Top Sirloin piece I used in the first experiment with weighed 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and it took solid 3.5 hours to cook to medium, which translates into about 20 minutes per pound.
Very important step will involve tying the meat into a solid even block – apparently some do it before spiking it others do it on the rotisserie prong – we did the latter and it worked ok.
Meat I used was not marinated before hand, and still turned quite edible. The trick as always with cheaper cuts is to slice across the tissue, not along, and slice as thinly as possible. But the fun and the presentation – worth every penny.
This is my tested recipe:
- 10 pounds of Top Sirloin
- 1 tbsp of creole seasoning
- 1 tsp of crushed chilli peppers
- 1/3 cup of oil
- some pure cotton butcher’s string
- paintbrush or food brush (we use silicone rubber one)
- Put meat on the rotisserie metal spit, push into the first set of metal holding fork.
- Gently bring the second set of teeth into the meat, just to stabilize it.
- Tie it now, trying to make it into an evenly distributed, holding together, solid piece. Do not worry about the string, use as much as you need.
- Fasten the second set of teeth (we used pliers to tighten the position of both ‘forks’.
- Place a good ‘drip tray’ to catch the drippings.
- Heat the rotisserie, it should reach solid 450F (225C), maybe supported by the regular bbq burners.
- Place the meat to rotate freely and close the bbq lid.
- In a small bowl mix the oil, chilli, and creole seasoning.
- Brush the meat with the oily mixture, close the lid and leave.
- Check every 30 minutes or so, brushing with whatever if left in the bowl or with the drippings accumulating in the drip tray.
- After some 3 hours or so try inserting a meat thermometer to observe degree of ‘donness’. Stop the cooking about 2 degrees F before the desired level.
- Once it is cooked, take out the meat and place on a large tray/wooden board, cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
- Retrieve the drippings and use them as they are or turn into some fancy gravy. I took mine straight and found them very tasty and useful for re-heating leftovers the following day.
- Once rested, the meat should be cut – perhaps at the table directly onto plates or into a heated platter – but always across the tissue and as thinly as possible.
Leftovers keep better if not pre-sliced i.e. I try to slice as much meat as can be consumed then and there. Whatever stays behind gets wrapped tightly (Saran wrap style) and goes to the fridge. Gravy goes in separately!