Spit Roast Experiment #1

Aim: to recreate our spit-roast experience from earlier in the year c/ camping friends

Equipment:

1. A new spit-roast ensemble
2. A Bannockburn chicken
3. Masterfoods All-Purpose Seasoning
4. Kipfler potatoes
5. Chiminea
6. Wood
7. Shovel
8. Meat thermometer

Method:

1. Buy the spit-roast and have it delivered to your door and get VERY EXCITED.
2. Buy all groceries.
3. Start a fire in the chiminea to get coals.
4. Season the chicken.
5. Spike the chicken and put it onto the spit.
6. Use the shovel to move coals over to the spit-roast tray, being careful not to burn yourself.
7. Lower the chicken over the coals and turn on the rotisserie function.
8. Wait. Drinking wine and staring dreamily into the fire are optional at this point.
9. Having salted and oiled the potatoes, put them in the handy cage and place that on the spit too.
10. More waiting. Drinking wine becomes less optional at this point.
11. Using the meat thermometer, check the chicken’s progress.
12. Add more coals to the tray because it’s clearly not hot enough.
13. Get impatient, figure it’s SURELY done by now, and take everything inside to carve and serve.

Results:

Unfortunately we probably were a bit too impatient, and we probably didn’t have enough hot coals under the chicken and the potatoes for long enough. One end of the chicken (closest to the pole, in the picture) really didn’t cook at all. The breast meat was mostly fine but we were a bit leary of the thighs so most of the chicken has gone into the freezer to be made into stock whenever I’ve got time. The potatoes looked good but also weren’t as cooked as we had hoped and wanted. We didn’t realise that the cage thing came as part of the ensemble, and hadn’t intended to get it; when camping we’re more likely just to do them in the dutch oven in the coals proper. However, it was very pleasant to sit outside with the fire and this was, as stated, our first experiment.

Conclusion:

More coals are needed. Next time we will probably do it over the fire pit rather than the tray to get a bit more heat happening. If it’s windy the coals needs more attention. The potato cage may not be worth it. We like fire.