Need a spit

[Lithril]

I've helped out with spit roasts before but usually someone else has aquired the spit (I remember at Uni somone managed to get hold of a shopping trolly for a BBQ and a scaffold pole which we bolted the pig too...). I've been asked to set one up for a friends 40th birthday, not going to be massive so I'll get a suckling pig, bbq is sorted but I need to get the spit arranged, I can probably make a stand up if need be out of some weight lifting stands, but any ideas on the spit?

Matt

 

[Jared]

http://www.freewebs.com/spit-roast/index.htm ?

 

[Lithril]

don't want to hire something that professional, just want to make/buy/borrow fairly cheaply.
May have a look up B&Q and see what metal bars/tubes they sell that I could fashion, putting a handle on is easy, its the wiring in place thats not quite as easy.

 

[scanker]

Old tent poles? A suckling pig will not be very heavy. Try a scrappie or have a look in some skips?

 

[Buckshot]

The cross peices need to be fixed so they don't revolve round the main spindle as you turn it.
Maybe weld some small sections of tubing to the main bar that the cross bits can go through (I have an arc welder if you want to come up somtime).
Or select the main bar with holes in it (like mechano but bigger, maybe the upright to a shelving unit - holes pre drilled all the way down), might have to be a better shape than an L shape though, maybe round or square.

Something like that...

Mark

 

[Jared]

Scrappies for a piece of wrought iron fence/gate maybe?

 

[caliban]

Try using the long bar from a set of free weights. If it's got metal collars you could use them to stop your "spit" from moving in the stand.

 

[dwardo]

Live Birch for the main pole which is to be de-barked (about and inch and a half to two inch dia). Drill a few holes in the main shaft for splints to hold the pigs legs and arms out a bit to aid even cooking. Square off one end of the main spit and make a handle to fit using a square hole inm the end. Then make 2x 3 pole tripods from new wood also. Once there is weight on the spit you can rope the handle to one of the tripod legs to keep the pig on the point you wish to cook on. In the last hour of cooking baste well with honey using a tyme brush. Its also a belting idea to stuff the cavity with veg, potatoes, and bread soaked in what ever alcholic beverage is at hand as this will keep the emat moist whilst cooking.

Use a long fire to cook and get the fire well established before you place the spit over it. Also try to fine some hardwood to burn as it will be a lot more work topping it up if not. You can also adjust the 2 sets of tripod legs to vary cooking height.

One last tip, start cooking it very early as to cook it properly can take upto 8 hours or so.

Happy cooking

 

[Lithril]

Cheers Dwardo, didn't even consider using wood for the spit, I might well do that. I'm probably going to use charcoal instead of wood to cook over, especially as its in a fairly urban area.

Cheers for all the ideas, I'll take some pics once I settle on which method I'm going to go for.

 

[dwardo]

Cheers Dwardo, didn't even consider using wood for the spit, I might well do that. I'm probably going to use charcoal instead of wood to cook over, especially as its in a fairly urban area.

Cheers for all the ideas, I'll take some pics once I settle on which method I'm going to go for.

Forgot to mention some thin wire to sew up the belly. Last time around i forgot the wire and had to use some very thick guage stuff which was orrible to use. Good luck