Grills and their Rotisseries
Rotisserie – spinning meat in circles over a fire in order to make the juiciest tenderest meat you’ve ever tasted. This definition for “rotisserie” comes straight out of the Ivan Stewart Book of Barbeque Definitions. Okay, I don’t have a Book of Barbeque Definitions, but maybe someday. Using a rotisserie is one of the oldest methods of cooking. Centuries ago using a rotisserie was the preferred method of cooking for a large family. A person would crank the rotisserie slowly by hand to cook large pieces of meat or whole animals. Using a rotisserie to cook your meat is one of the easiest ways to cook with mind-blowing results if you have the right tools. It really comes in handy around the holidays because it allows you to cook the main entrée outside so you can free up the oven for all those delicious side dishes.
In this article I will mention a few different manufactures such as Lynx, Twin Eagles, and Fire Magic. I mention these companies because they will be able to satisfy all your rotisserie habits. By the end of this article my hope is that you will be able to determine which set up works best for you. I mention these manufactures because I don’t want you telling me your chicken was burnt because you have a cheap motor that can’t keep the meat balanced, or worse the motor burnt out because a Cornish game hen was too heavy and fried the gears.
A Lynx grill is one of the finest grills on the planet. Lynx pays attention to detail like no other company. In fact I would declare them to be the Rolls Royce of the grill world. Lynx innovation is clearly seen in their rotisserie, which comes standard with any of their grills. The Lynx has an infrared burner specifically dedicated for rotisserie, this allows you to conserve fuel and get a crispy exterior on your food while keeping the inside juicy. The spit for the rotisserie can be placed in two positions, either close to the burner for small items or further back for the larger cuts of meat. The Lynx rotisserie has the only three-speed motor on the market (High, Medium, and Low). The high settings will allow you to get smaller cuts of meat close to the infrared burner without causing the meat to burn. The medium and low settings allow you to roast larger cuts of meat to perfection, such as a prime rib roast and turkey. The Lynx rotisserie is also on rollers allowing the spit to rotate smoothly and quietly. This is a great set up for someone seeking versatility and control from their rotisserie.
Twin Eagles is second to none when it comes to performance president Dante Cantal knows exactly how a grill should be built. Most rotisserie motors have nylon gears, but not the TE motor. The TE motor has all metal gears for handling up to 100 lbs of food at once! The metal gears will also add many years to the life of the motor. The TE has an infrared burner specifically dedicated for rotisserie, conserving fuel and creating crispy exterior on food while keeping the inside juicy. The spit can also be placed in two positions, either close to the burner or further back. The TE is a great set up for someone who plans to exceed the common use of most backyard cooks. This set up will be excellent for someone who plans to feed large crowds by cooking multiple large items such as turkeys, or even a suckling pig, etc.
The Fire Magic is one of the most stylish grills with more bells and whistles than we thought we would ever see on a grill. I must give kudos to Fire Magic for creating a spot on the back of the unit for storing the spit when the rotisserie is not in use. The Fire Magic rotisserie has its own dedicated burner constructed of stainless steel making it very durable. The Fire Magic rotisserie has only one position and speed. This set up is ideal for someone who is looking for simplicity and low maintenance.
The rotisserie has been a trust worthy method of cooking for centuries. We are now seeing awesome advances in this ancient tradition by premium grill manufactures that consumers will love. If you have a grill with a rotisserie its time to dust off the cobwebs and put it to use. If you are in search of a grill with a good rotisserie this article should be able to point you in the right direction. Happy grilling!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ivan Stewart has helped consult hundreds of people on the art of designing an outdoor kitchen. His motto is “if you can dream it, we can build it”. He recently took first place in a local barbeque competition in the East Bay. Ivan has helped many consumers learn how to choose and use a barbeque that will complement their lifestyle. When he is not helping clients, he is working at perfecting his craft as a pit master.
