Top 13 Rotisserie Turkey Do’s and Don’ts

Nov. 23, 2010 - PRLog -- As many families look for healthier, safer options than frying a turkey or simply a more fun way to involve the whole family with the cooking process, more people are turning to outdoor rotisseries as an appealing alternative.  Instead of hidden off in a stove or a fried-turkey-HAZMAT-zone, the rotisserie turkey becomes the star of the party and the heart of conversation, slowly rotating to golden perfection over an open fire.   Jonny Rotisserie, “Chief Kangaroo” at Auspit Outdoor Rotisseries (http://www.AuspitBBQ.com), offers 13 tips on how to make your rotisserie turkey turn out amazing:

13.   DO brine the turkey, preferably overnight prior to cooking.  There are many great brine recipes available online.
12.   Do NOT cook stuffing in the bird. With the nature of rotisserie, it is difficult to get the internal temperatures within the large bird to the point that the stuffing would be sufficiently cooked without overcooking the meat. That said, stuffing an apple or lemons in the cavity can give the bird structural support for smoother spinning and that plus garlic and herbs in the cavity infuse additional flavors into the meat from inside.
11.    DO truss the bird so you don't end up having it do turkey aerobics. Butcher's twine or picture-hanging wire are your best choices.
10.   DO get an early start. Rotisserie cooking is a delicious art, and the bigger the bird, obviously the longer it will take before your masterpiece is ready.
9.   DO be sure that the turkey is well-balanced on the rotisserie spit bar prior to kicking off the spin party.
8.   DO use cooking woods or a mix of wood and charcoal. Pecan, hickory and apple are great wood choices for turkey. If cooking only over charcoal, use soaked smoking wood chips to add a delicious smoky flavor. You also get additional delicious smoke from the dripping juices hitting the coals, so do keep some coals directly under the bird for that purpose.
7.   Do NOT cook over the direct flame. Indirect heat is your friend. Whether cooking over a wood fire or charcoal, try to build a ring of fire around your turkey or to one side. Be sure that your "heat real estate" extends beyond that of the bird to ensure that you are getting enough heat to the ends of the bird.
6.   Do NOT let your fire die out. Remember to recharge your charcoal or wood every 30-40 minutes to be sure you consistently have enough heat throughout the cooking process.
5.   Do NOT pull off a leg to snack on. Yes, it is going to look unbelievably tasty, but resist the temptation because your friends and family will notice missing body parts.
4.   DO use a meat thermometer to determine when it is done as exterior appearance can be deceptive.
3.   DO make sure you have ample wood and/or charcoal on hand. You'd hate to be a six-pack into your afternoon and realize that you need to make an emergency run to go buy or chop down more fuel. ...Or to go buy another 6-pack for that matter.
2.   DO consider wrapping protruding parts or the bird entirely with aluminum foil as cooking progresses. This can improve cooking consistency and appearance.
1.   Finally and most importantly… DO enjoy the day!

Happy and Delicious Holidays from Auspit Outdoor Rotisseries!


Turkey recipes available at http://www.auspitbbq.com/recipes%20&%20tips.html
Story in Trailer Life Magazine where the writer cooked up a "best ever" turkey dinner with an Auspit: http://www.auspitbbq.com/Press-Coverage.html

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So simple, so delicious, Auspit is an innovative battery-powered rotisserie that can be used from the back woods to the back yard. It holds up to 18 pounds and two D-sized batteries drive the motor up to 90 hours. Auspit accessories are unique worldwide. With an Auspit and its Spitmate accessory, it is possible to cook up a whole turkey and chestnuts or other veggies all at once.