Rotisserie

This method is generally used for cooking large joints of meat or entire animals, such as pigs or turkeys.

In medieval cuisine and early modern kitchens, the spit was the preferred way of cooking meat in a large household.

Additionally, in restaurants employing the Escoffierian brigade de cuisine, the rotisseur is the chef responsible for all spit-roasted, oven roasted, grilled and in some cases fried foods.

The rotisserie is used by removing the normal cooking racks; a special carrier may be needed to provide one or both bearing points for the spit.

The speed of rotation can vary, depending on the type of food being cooked and proximity to the heat source.

Ron Popeil, inventor of the Ronco "Showtime" rotisserie oven, claims that 6 rpm is an ideal speed for cooking a variety of food.

The latter is particularly important if using a horizontal spit and coals or an open fire, in which case the drippings cannot be salvaged for basting.