Campfire rotisserie

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garmp

Assistant Cook
Joined
Sep 24, 2006
Messages
6
Does anyone use a rotisserie on an open fire? I have been looking for a decent rotisserie that would span the average campground firepit and is made well. Read reviews on the Grizzly, and for the most part peope weren't reall happy. Open to any and all advice/suggestions.

Thanks
Garmp
 
Garmp,

I find the best way to roast meat on an open fire is to string it and hang it next to the fire.

William Rubel, who wrote a wonderful book called, "The Magic of Fire" explains the process in his book (which is a MUST READ for anybody who's serious about cooking on an open fire!).

He also has a website (williamrubel.com) that's very informative and includes a forum section. He explained the process on this forum to me. Here's a link to that discussion:
LINKS REMOVED
Mr. Rubel is a saint and is very quick to respond to inquiries.

Anyway, I hope this helps!

Kathy
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Pardon me for being so dumb, but what is string cooking? I am not familar with this at all. Does the meat turn by it self. Sorry, but I'm lost.
Thanks for the previous reply, I do appreciate it.

garmp
 
garmp said:
Pardon me for being so dumb, but what is string cooking? I am not familar with this at all. Does the meat turn by it self. Sorry, but I'm lost.
Thanks for the previous reply, I do appreciate it.

garmp

Okay, lemme see if I can explain.

Saturday I'm going to be cooking a pork loin roast this way. I'm going to season my roast and then I'm going to tie (with cotton string) a thin layer of fat around it (pork loin doesn't have a lot of fat and I'm going to do this to keep it from drying out). Then I'll stick one skewer through the top 3rd of the roast and another through the bottom third. Then I'll fashion a handle out of the string on the "top" skewer.

Because there isn't a tree over/near to the fire ring at the campsite we'll be at, I'll tie the roast (at the handle) onto a length of string on my 3-foot-stand (unfortunately this doesn't give the string a lot of length, which is preferable, but it gets the job done). The stand goes next to the fire, not over it. If the fire feels hot to your hand after holding it there for 3 seconds or so, that's probably a good distance for your meat.

Nudge one of the skewers to make the meat slowly spin. The weight of the meat will make a slow spin continue for a while. The longer the length of string, the longer the duration before another nudge is required as the string will wind, then unwind. Wind, then unwind, etc. Six to seven foot lengths of string could keep a roast slowly spinning for quite a while.

Half way through cooking, switch the string handle to the other end of the roast and "flip" it so that the top half becomes the bottom half and then that half will get the benefit of the "closeness" of the heat from the fire.

It can take 1 to 2 hours to cook a roast or turkey or whatever (depending on size and distance to the fire) - it really shouldn't take longer.

I hope I explained this well enough. I hope this helps

------------

thumpershere2,

Isn't it an awesome site?! I can't tell you how wonderful Mr. Rubel's book, The Magic of Fire (Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Fire-Cooking-Fireplace-Campfire/dp/1580084532/sr=8-1/qid=1161292955/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3231712-5852961?ie=UTF8) is and how much I recommend it for anyone who takes cooking with fire seriously!
 
As you can see from the image it takes a little practise to get it right. This was my attempt of cooking a rolled Pork roast. The fat kept dripping out of the roast and flamming the fire, by the time we rescued it there wasn't much left ----- but the crackling sure was crackly.
70428995_3cb08f162e_m.jpg
 
Thanks for all the input. Several interesting ideas out there, but in the mean time I think I have designed something that will work. Just gotta find some one to weld/manufacture it. It's really pretty simple and requires no motor. Just a couple of stakes with pins, a spit and brackets to support it.

Thanks again to all. I'll pursue this and report back as it developes, but it will take a while.

Thanks
 
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