Securing a Whole Animal to the SpitJack 150 or P80 Spit
A user’s instruction sheet for trussing hardware and equipment
This document is updated periodically. For the latest version go to web address:
http://www.spitjack.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=SJ&Screen=MANUAL
Securing the animal to the spit is a critical part of the rotisserie cooking process. If not done
properly and sufficiently, your entire event may be susceptible to failure. Since the rotisserie will
be turning at a constant rate of 4 RPM and you have a relatively heavy, unbalanced load, there
are considerable forces that you must reckon with to insure your success. Using the appropriate
hardware and accessories are essential to this process.
Each event is different both in type and weight of animal, slaughtering methods and final
preparation so it is virtually impossible to prescribe just one method, hardware set or piece of
specialty equipment. Our answer is to provide you with many different tools and equipment so
you can adapt to the specific needs of your event.
Basic concepts and tips:
1.
Skewering vs. Securing.
The simple idea of “skewering” meat with a spit is best suited to
solid pieces of meat like roasts. The whole animal is a hollow object, not a solid piece of meat.
Because of this, a different approach is taken. The animal must somehow be firmly connected
to (or engaged with) the spit. While another popular concept- large “spit forks” that are bolted to
the spit and then stuck into the meat- have some value, they are rarely sufficient to do the job,
especially on larger animals.
The best way to assure the animal will stay connected to the
spit throughout the entire cooking process is by bringing the spit and the animal’s
backbone into play
. By either stitching with twine, wire, or by using other hardware a strong
“tightenable” connection between the spit and the backbone is the best way to avoid the meat
“flopping” during the cooking.
Method 1: Trussing with a needle and butcher’s twine
This method uses a special long needle and butcher’s twine to basically stitch the animal onto
the spit (see instructions of the website:
(
http://www.spitjack.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=SJ&Screen=TRUSS
) or in the
user manuals. This method is all that is needed for most animals under 50 lbs. The drawback to
this technique is that if the stitches loosen, there is no easy way to tighten them. Also, this alone
is not sufficient for larger animals.
Method 2: Banding with oversized hose clamps
These can be used in one of 3 ways: 1) as a way to lash the legs of the animal either together
or to the spit or both, 2) as a “stitch” as in the method described above, or 3) as a way to keep
the meat intact by banding it around the animal, usually at the key heavy parts (legs, shoulders).
This provides an alternative to chicken wire wrapping which may leech poisonous chemicals (if
galvanized) into the meat. These clamps can be tightened as needed with a simple screwdriver
throughout the cooking process.
Method 3: External spit forks
External forks are what most people associate with spit binding. They slide onto the spit and the
fork tines enter the meat before the fork is tightened on the spit. This can be done at either or
both ends (although not practical if the head of the animal is still on). While this method seems
natural, it has its drawbacks when cooking whole animals. It is better suited for solid pieces of
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