Rotisserie Newbie

[MANCHAS2020]

This Sunday I am planning for the first time to use my new Cajun Bandit Rotisserie on top of my Weber Performer Deluxe(WPD). I will be roasting a four(4) pound Brined Chicken and will appreciate any advise on using my new WeberTool.  My tentative plan of action:

1. Brine the Chicken Overnight
2. Do a simple "truss-the-chicken" and by simple I mean only securing the legs and wings to the body.
3.Set-up the Weber Charcoal Holders for Indirect Heat with a pan partially filled with some hot water placed between the holders.
4. Light-up a Weber Large Chimney 3/4 full of Briquets and when lit pour into the two(2) Charcoal Holders.
5. Season the Bird-on-the-Spit once placed on the WPD.
6. Once Spinning add a few more unlit Briquets after each hour until done.
7. Remove the Spit Rod from the WPD once the Chicken Breast Temperature reaches 170F and the Chicken Thighs at 180F and may add BBQ Sauce when the temperature reaches 165F and 175F.

[bait]

I've never used water in the drip pan with my rotisserie. Normally it's a hotter kind of cook. Just spun a chicken a couple days ago. I started with a full chimney and did not need to add any unlit charcoal during the cook. Depends on the size of the chicken, but it's normally around an hour to done.

[Foster Dahlet]

A 4 pound chicken does not need to be brined overnight. That is too long.  A few hrs. brine will work well.  No need for water in the pan either.  This is not low and slow, therefore no need for a heat sink or attempt at moisture in the air of the kettle. Just use an empty pan to catch the drippings 

Brine it with a simple brine of salt and brown sugar for 3 hrs, pat dry and season the skin.  3/4 chimney is more than enough fuel; cook indirect with both baskets one one side, or one on each side, or pac man, just like @cellar2full; add one or two chunks of wood if you want some smoke flavor.   Should take about 1:15 give or take. 

You will love your roti after this.

Sent from my LM-X420 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[ThinBlu42]

Sounds like you are going to have a great meal!

I agree with the others. No need to brine over night.

I usually directly salt my chicken at least a few hours before, but over night doesn't hurt anything. Use 1 teaspoon salt per 2 pounds of chicken. If you put salt right on the chicken and in the cavity, it will absorb into the meat in a few hours. No need to use a bunch of water, waste salt and make a mess with extra containers to clean.

I always apply salt separately from the seasonings. Years ago I noticed that all the rubs from the store have salt in them. This means that if you want more or less seasoning you are also varying the amount of salt. The salt should always be balanced and at the same saturation level in meats. When I used rubs from the store that included salt, my cooks would come out slightly more or less salty. My cooks are very consistent now.
1/2 tsp per pound for most meat and 1/4 tsp for ribs since they are half bone.

I always cook my chickens and turkeys until the breast hits 155 and the thighs 175ish. The breast will climb to 160 after pulled. This is well over the required 145 to be safe. Breasts are very prone to dry out if even slightly overcooked. Trust your temp probe. Probe in several spots as well...

[Cellar2ful]

I apply my spices  by pulling up the skin and pushing the spices beneath the skin.  I find the spices permeates the breast meat better using this method.

I follow Thermoworks suggested cooking temps for chicken and turkeys.  Pull the chicken/turkey when the breast meat reaches 157 degrees. Loosely tent the bird with foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. The temp will continue to rise to 165 + and the juices will redistribute throughout the bird.  If you carv the bird sooner it will loose a lot of it's juices in turn drying out the breast meat.  A chicken should only take roughly between 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cook time will vary depending on your ambient temperature and wind conditions. I usually start checking the breast meat at 1 hour.  If you allow the breast meat to reach 170 while on the rotisserie, you will end up with dry breast meat.

One trick I use is to place the charcoal baskets in an offset position as in the photos below.  I also spit the bird with the legs and thighs towards the charcoal baskets.  The dark meat can tolerate the higher heat with it needing to reach the suggested 175-180 degree range. I do not put any water in the drip pan below the bird.








This is a photo of my 1980's Weber kettle owners manual.  It has the recommended amounts of briquettes per Weber to be used on each side when cooking indirect.  It has a break down for SJ, 18", 22" and 26".   The 22" is highlighted as it was the only size I owned back then.   




I have always just followed this guide and start with 50 briquettes (25 per side) when cooking indirect or using the rotisserie.  I then add 8-9 briquettes per hour to each side.  I run my lid and bowl vents wide open when using the rotisserie.  There is so much air gap when using a rotisserie, I don't believe adjusting the vents make much difference.  My lid therm usually runs at 350-375 degrees.

[ThinBlu42]

I apply my spices  by pulling up the skin and pushing the spices beneath the skin.  I find the spices permeates the breast meat better using this method.

I follow Thermoworks suggested cooking temps for chicken and turkeys.  Pull the chicken/turkey when the breast meat reaches 157 degrees. Loosely tent the bird with foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. The temp will continue to rise to 165 + and the juices will redistribute throughout the bird.  If you carv the bird sooner it will loose a lot of it's juices in turn drying out the breast meat.  A chicken should only take roughly between 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cook time will vary depending on the ambient temperature and wind conditions. I usually start checking the breast meat at 1 hour.  If you allow the breast meat to reach 170 while on the rotisserie, you will end up with dry breast meat.

One trick I use is to place the charcoal baskets in an offset position as in the photos below.  I also spit the bird with the legs and thighs towards the charcoal baskets.  The dark meat can tolerate the higher heat with it needing to reach the suggested 175-180 degree range. I do not put any water in the drip pan below the bird.

Cellar2ful nailed it on the head. Every step.

[Stoneage]

That's pretty much how I run mine too.
The only difference is my water pan/drip trap.
I use a  disposable "loaf pan" its a longer, thinner shape so I can have the baskets opposite each other instead of angled.

I also put gut roasting potatoes in it & let the drippings baste them as the bird cooks. By the time the bird is done so are the tatties if you cut the bigger ones in half.

[Cellar2ful]

One thing I forgot to mention is take the bird out of the fridge at least an hour before putting it on the rotisserie.  Your safe taking it out of the fridge up to 2 hours before cooking. 

Another trick from Thermoworks is to place a zip lock bag of ice on top of the breast meat while the bird sits out on the counter.  This keeps the temp of the breast meat colder while the rest of the bird is exposed to room temperature.  The trick helps accomplish the two different finished temperatures required for breast meat and legs and thigh meat.

[JEBIV]

One thing I forgot to mention is take the bird out of the fridge at least an hour before putting it on the rotisserie.  Your safe taking it out of the fridge up to 2 hours before cooking. 

Another trick from Thermoworks is to place a zip lock bag of ice on top of the breast meat while the bird sits out on the counter.  This keeps the temp of the breast meat colder while the rest of the bird is exposed to room temperature.  The trick helps accomplish the two different finished temperatures required for breast meat and legs and thigh meat.

Grate tip on the ice that I had forgot about

[MANCHAS2020]

Fellow WKC Forum Members; thanx for all your excellent advise and I will try to post some photos on my upcoming Rotisserie Adventure.

[1911Ron]

If the chicken is already brined why would you brine it again?

[TheFinkFarm]

Cant wait to see the pics!

[MANCHAS2020]

Cant wait to see the pics!

Yesterday's trial-run of my new Cajun Bandit Rotisserie Kit on my Weber Performer Deluxe went A-OK:

[JEBIV]

looks grate !

[Stoneage]

Absolutely magic.