I have owned an E-Z Que Rotisserie, designed for use with my Weber charcoal kettle, for over 3 years. I was skeptical when i first read their tag line of: “No more wiring, tying, or spearing. Fast easy loading and unloading”. The idea of a rotisserie is great, but the amount of work involved with most products (from set-up to clean-up) loses many people. After 3 years of product testing, I can say with authority that the E-Z Cue is different.
I have rotissed well over 100 chickens, as well as ducks, pork loins, lamb shoulders, fish, and countless racks of ribs since purchasing it. The rotisserie works as good today as the day I bought it. I am a true fan. I had a hard time choosing between the 6 inch cradle (which I ended up buying), and the 8 inch model which would be great for turkeys, hams, and prime rib. The friendly reps at E-Z Cue walked me through the decision process. One day, God willing, I will purchase the 8 inch cradle as well. Check out their website. They provide customized rotisseries for many types of grills as well as an impressive selection of stand-alone products.
My go-to chickens, from Heritage Farms, are raised with common sense. These chickens are given ample room to grow, fed an all-vegetarian diet, and are free from steroids, growth hormones, and antibiotics. Look at them as they sit in the display case and they will whisper to you that they were treated well. They will cost you $3.09/lb and can be found at quality meat shops throughout Greater Vancouver.
These chickens need only a good sprinkling of kosher salt and some freshly-cracked pepper, inside and out, in order to shine. It is not necessary to brine these birds if you are going to put them on the rotisserie, but if you have the time, it wouldn’t hurt. Just make sure that the chickens are rinsed and dried well before starting. I like to air dry them in the fridge on a rack for an hour or two before lighting the fire, as this will ensure that you get some nicely roasted, crispy skin. I happened to have some additional ingredients in the house last week, so I dressed them up with a generous amount of butter, rosemary, thyme, and smoked paprika. I also threw a half of lemon and a clove of garlic in the cavity for good luck. They took about an hour to cook. There are usually potatoes in the drip pan catching the falling fat, but inexcusably, there were none to be found in the house on this day.
If you are looking for a quality rotisserie and are frustrated with the traditional products, it is worth taking a look at the offerngs from the folks at E-Z Que.