Choosing a Gas or Charcoal BBQ Spit - What is Best?
BBQ Spit Rotisseries: What is best? Gas or Charcoal Rotisserie?
If this blog we will go through a few things to consider when trying to decide whether to purchase a gas or charcoal rotisserie. Choosing the best type of spit rotisserie is a difficult task for many BBQ spit roasting lovers. There are two main options to consider with barbecue rotisseries either being operated through gas or powered by charcoal. Both have their pros and cons and understanding the key facets will help you determine the best option.
GAS Spits
Convenience is the main factor that a gas spit rotisserie offers over charcoal. A gas spit rotisserie heats up quickly and can be easily set at the desired temperature for cooking your meat. A gas rotisserie can light and heat up in just a matter of minutes. With a charcoal spit rotisserie, you may need to wait thirty minutes to get your desired heat.
Convenience is a major plus of having a gas BBQ spit rotisserie but it is important to note that you are ultimately sacrificing a great amount of flavour in your meat.
Clean up can also be a headache for a lot of people. When using a gas rotisserie, there is no need for you to worry about cleaning the base compared with the use of the charcoal counterpart which can stay hot for hours after cooking.
Price is also a major point to consider when purchasing a spit rotisserie. Generally, gas spits are more expensive and offer less variety in selecting a spit. This is due to the stringent gas approval processes a company must go through before being able to legally sell a gas spit roaster in Australia. The approval process can cost $10,000 and 6-12 months. This is why there are only a handful of commercially sold gas spits available for purchase. Purchasing a gas spit that hasn't been approved by the Australian Gas Authority can be risky and may be putting your home and family at risk if something goes wrong. If you're only going to be cooking for a small number of people, consider adding a BBQ spit kit to your existing gas BBQ.
If your ultimate goal is convenience combined with minimal clean up and you are willing to sacrifice some of the flavours of your meat then a gas BBQ spit is a great choice.
CHARCOAL Spits
When it comes to taste, charcoal BBQ spits really stand out. As the meat cooks, fire and smoke is absorbed by your food giving that smoky, authentic flavour that really enhances the flavour in your food. Mallee root charcoal tends to be the charcoal of choice when cooking on a charcoal BBQ spit, however, any lump charcoal can also be used. Flaming Coals natural lump charcoal is a great alternative that burns long and creates great flavour.
Some people have trouble lighting charcoal and therefore think it's too much of a hassle, however the trick to lighting charcoals is to use a charcoal chimney fire starter. By using 2-3 fire lighters and a charcoal chimney fire starter, you'll have perfect coals and be ready to cook in 20 minutes.
Because charcoal BBQ spits don't need to go through a stringent approval process, there are a wide range of sizes and models with many at a lower cost than a gas spit.
The final and important factor to consider when selecting a BBQ spit rotisserie is the social aspect. Cooking with charcoal creates an exciting and entertaining atmosphere for a family gathering, a get together with good mates or a large function for your sporting club. There is something about a fire that naturally draws people in. Maybe it stuck with us from back when cavemen gathered around an open fire to cook their food and socialise.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to browse through all our other informative BBQ spit Roasting Blogs
2019 Update
Due to the limited quality and approved gas rotisseries available for sale in Australia, Flaming Coals decided to design, manufacture, test and approve gas spit roasters for sale in Australia. The beauty of the Flaming Coals gas rotisseries is that they are dual fuel. That's right, they can either run on gas if you are time-poor and want the simplicity or charcoal if you want ultimate authentic spit roast flavour. Check out the complete rand of gas and charcoal duel fuel rotisseries currently available in Australia.
