BUILDING YOUR OWN SPIT ROAST?

Spit roasts are one of those things where you are really only limited by your own imagination. You can build a spit roast out of practically anything! Whether it's a 44 gallon drum, a beer keg, a water tank, a cleared patch of dirt or a fancy stainless steel fabricated box, anything goes. 

Generally, it's fairly simple to get the base of your rotisserie made up. The top section is usually a little more tricky and fiddly.

Lets start with the skewer. You need this to overhand the length of your spit by about 5cm so it doesn't drop into your coals while cooking. One end needs to be ground into a point and the other end needs a hole or a slot so it can attach to a motor. Try to get a round skewer (preferrably 16-22mm) if possible because it makes it easier to get matching parts.  

Prongs/forks. These are the spikes which slide onto the skewer, stab into the meat and secure the meat from going anywhere during cooking. Ideally you need the spikes to be long enough to stick into the meat by at least 2 inches and can be screwed into the skewer tighly. You will need 2 per piece of meat so make sure you get enough.

Motor. Gone are the days of sitting in the sweltering heat turning the skewer manually by hand. Nowadays, spit roasts are operated by motors, either by a second hand modified motor of some description, or a factory manufactured one purpose built for spit roast use. Spit roast technology has moved away from the old pully system to direct drive systems where the skewer attaches directly to the motor via a bush or a slot. Motors are usually the most expensive component of your spit roast, but it probably the most important. The last thing you need is for your motor to stop turning part way through cooking and then for you to be stuck next to the fire manually turning the damn thing! It is important to get a good quality brand backed by a warranty. Look for motors with inbuilt fans to prevent overheating and metal gears to reduce the chances of stripping. We recommend Flaming Coals motors as thousands have been sold world-wide without too many troubles. 

If you want to take the stress out of building your own spit roaster completely from scratch, but still want it to have your own 'style', a DIY kit is a good way to go. They vary in quality and price to suit any budget and comprise of everything for the 'top section' of the spit. 

Alternatively, you can always buy each component individually to further reduce your costs. 

Either way, when you're cooking up your next spit roast, you're bound to be the envy of your family and friends....just don't get sucked in to building another one for them!