---
title: "Rotisserie: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "Rotisserie cooking turns meat slowly on a spit beside or above a heat source, so it bastes itself and browns evenly. It is classic for whole chickens."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/rotisserie"
---

# Rotisserie

Rotisserie cooking turns meat slowly on a spit beside or above a heat source, so it bastes itself and browns evenly. It is classic for whole chickens.

Also called Spit-roast, Spit roasting, Rotisserie chicken.

A rotisserie is a turning spit that holds meat next to or above a source of heat. To cook rotisserie style, or spit-roast, is to let the meat turn slowly for the whole cook. The constant turning gives an even, [golden brown](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/golden-brown) skin, and the fat runs over the surface instead of dripping away at once. Whole chickens, legs of lamb, pork roasts and gyro or shawarma meat are often cooked this way.

## How to do it

1. Pick a compact piece of meat: a whole chicken of 1.5 to 2 kg (3 to 4½ lb), or a rolled, tied roast.
2. [Truss](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/truss) poultry or tie roasts with kitchen twine so wings and legs do not flop or burn.
3. Push the spit through the center lengthwise and fix it tightly with the forks. The meat must be balanced, or the motor will strain and the meat will turn unevenly.
4. Set up the grill or rotisserie oven for indirect heat. The heat should come from the sides or behind, not straight under the meat. Put a drip pan below.
5. Cook with the lid closed at about 175 to 200°C (350 to 400°F). A whole chicken usually takes 1 to 1½ hours.
6. Take the meat off the spit and rest it for 10 to 15 minutes.

## How to tell it is done

The skin is crisp and evenly browned. Check the [internal temperature](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/internal-temperature) in the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone. Chicken is safe at 74°C (165°F). The juices from the thigh should run clear.

## Why it works

Turning keeps any one side from facing the heat for long, so the outside browns evenly and slowly. Melting fat rolls over the surface as the meat turns, which bastes it.

## Common mistakes

* Meat off-center on the spit. It flops around and cooks unevenly.
* Loose wings and legs. They char before the rest is done.
* Direct heat under the meat. Fat drips onto the flames and causes flare-ups.
* Skipping the [rest](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/resting-meat). The juices spill when you carve.

## In recipes

A store-bought rotisserie chicken is often used as cooked chicken in salads, soups and casseroles. Recipes for an oven without a spit can [roast](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/roast) the chicken on a rack instead.

## Related terms

* [RoastRoasting cooks meat or vegetables uncovered in a hot oven, so dry heat browns the outside and concentrates flavor while the inside cooks through.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/roast)
* [TrussTo truss is to tie a bird or a roast with kitchen twine into a compact, even shape, so it holds together, cooks more evenly and is easy to turn and carve.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/truss)
* [GrillGrilling cooks food on a grate over direct, high heat from charcoal, gas or wood. It gives a browned, smoky crust and those dark stripes in minutes.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/grill)
* [Internal temperatureInternal temperature is the heat at the center of food, read with a probe thermometer. It is the surest way to know meat, fish and bread are done and safe.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/internal-temperature)
* [Resting meatResting meat means leaving it to stand after cooking before you slice it. Juices settle, the center finishes cooking and less liquid ends up on the board.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/resting-meat)

[More in dry-heat cooking](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/dry-heat-cooking)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)