Tips For Making Delicious Spit Roasted Meat
Spit roast cooking is the perfect way to cater for a large number of guests at an event or gathering. A large amount of meat can be cooked, meaning that all of the guests can eat at the same time, instead of staggering eating times. Preparing perfectly spit roasted meat can take a little experience; however, if you are new to this style of cooking, the following tips will get you off to a great start.
Peak The Heat
Most people will use charcoal (or briquettes) to cook the meat. The difference between perfectly cooked meat and not so perfectly cooked meat is in the arrangement of charcoal. Try lighting the charcoal in two small piles, each at one end of the spit. When ready, these two piles can be spread across so that they meet in the middle; this gives an even heat from the charcoal. Also, create a small peak along the middle of the charcoal, running from one end to the other. The little tip will help you to cook the meat slowly and evenly.
Prepare Your Own Baste
While everyone can generally get meat of a similar quality, creating your own unique baste will allow you to flavour the meat with a personal taste, one that can stand out from the usual meat served at such gatherings. Simple flavours produce delicious results; try basting the meat in lemon or garlic, an herb mix or even some red wine. Experiment with a couple of your favourite flavours beforehand, so that you know which baste you want to use.
Invest In A Meat Thermometer
When serving food to anyone, you must ensure that it is fully cooked. Although it is possible to judge this when you have more experience, for a first time spit roaster, a thermometer is a great investment. Get the type that you stab into the centre of the meat and make it easy to decide when to serve the meat. Most authorities advise that the meat should be cooked to around 160 ° F or around 74 ° C.
Remember to Rest
To cook the meat properly, you should allow around an hour per kilogram of meat. If you are cooking a piece of meat that is 15 kilograms, then this translates into a long amount of time. This is, of course, the idea; slow cooked meat tastes better. One important thing to remember is to allow the meat to rest before eating. After waiting for so long, it can be tempting to immediately tuck in; but this is a mistake. Resting the meat allows the juices to settle and the flavours come to the fore. Allow around 10 or 15 minutes for the meat to rest before eating.
Remember to exercise care around the spit roasting equipment, especially if the party involves some alcohol. And if you aren't up to cooking like this by yourself but still want to enjoy this type of food, look into hiring a business like Victorian Golden Roast that specialises in spit roast catering.