How to Roast a Chicken on a Rotisserie

Nothing beats the taste of a freshly cooked chicken that has been slow roasted over hot coals.

A rotisserie is a style of cooking where meat is placed on a long skewer and rotated over a heat source such as a fire, coals or a BBQ. As the meat is in a state of constant rotation, it provides an even cooking environment. It also allows the chicken to cook in its own juices and allow basting of your choice to be applied throughout the cooking process.

Chicken is a form of poultry meat and is one of the most used meats in the world. There are multiple health benefits from eating chicken. Chicken is high in protein, low in total and saturated fat and has a good source of several B vitamins.

Below is a step by step guide on how to roast a chicken on a rotisserie

Step 1: Brining the Chicken

Brining chicken is a way to increase moisture and tenderness of the chicken. Soaking chicken in a salt water mix allows muscle fibers to loose some of their ability to contract during the cooking process with leads to a juicier meat. Add the following to create your brine:

3 liters of water

1/2 cup of table salt

1/4 cup of sugar

2 bay leaves

Warm the water and ensure that salt and sugar has dissolved. Allow brine to cool to room temperature and add chicken to brine. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight.

Step 2: Preparing the roaster

Various methods can be used to cook a chicken on a rotisserie, I use a spit roaster which has a section below the rotisserie where heat beads, charcoal or wood can be used as the cooking medium. Allow at least an hour for the coals to generate and flames to die down (do not cook using flames as the chicken skin will get burnt).

Step 3: Preparing the Basting

Basting allows the chicken to be kept moist during the cooking process and adds additional flavoring to the meat. Add the following:

Juice of 3 lemons

4 crushed garlic cloves

1 cup of olive oil

Salt and pepper

Fresh parsley

Step 4: Placing the Chicken on the Rotisserie

Cut a lemon in half and place each half in the center of the roasting rod. This allows the chicken to be centered on the roasting rod throughout the cooking process. Place the chicken through the roasting rod and tie up the wing and legs to prevent excessive movement during rotation (be sure to use proper cooking twine). Baste the chicken with a brush and you are ready for cooking!

Step 5: Cooking the Chicken

Place the chicken over the heat while basting every 20 minutes. Try to keep the heat from the rotisserie as consistent as possible by adding small amounts of fuel (heat beads, wood or charcoal). Chicken should take approximately 1 -2 hours to cook depending on chicken size. The meat is cooked once the deepest part of the chicken (usually the breast) reaches 74 degrees Celsius. Once temperature is reached remove from heat and allow to rest for approximately 30 minutes. Remove the cooking twine, carve the chicken and enjoy!

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