Introduction
We make no secret of the fact that we will only cook on open charcoal spits for all our spit roast packages. If you want tender, flavourful, evenly cooked meat, it’s the obvious choice. However, people do like to get all fired up regarding the fuel used, so we thought we’d weigh in on the argument, too.
Both have pros and cons, so we’re hoping to provide a detailed comparison between gas and charcoal spit roasts so you can decide which method best suits your needs and preferences.
Overview of Gas Spit Roasts
How Gas Spit Roasts Work
Gas spit roasts operate in much the same manner as charcoal-fuelled spit roasts but use propane or natural gas as their fuel source. You can often find gas spit rotisseries with features like adjustable burners, integral thermometers, and electronic ignition systems. These features allow for some serious precision in cooking temperatures and, thus, times.
Advantages of Gas Spit Roasts
- Ease of Ignition and Temperature Control: Gas spit roasts are super simple; one turn of the knob and you’re away!
- Consistent and Predictable Heat: The heat source is steady and reliable, assuming you’ve got a full tank…. This is ideal for maintaining consistent cooking conditions. It’s hard to deny that their predictability is useful when cooking large pieces of meat.
- Convenience and Speed: The setup is quick, and getting up to temperature is a speedy process, which is great if time is of the essence and you don’t have time to hang around prepping your heat source.
Disadvantages of Gas Spit Roasts
- Lack of Traditional Smoky Flavour: You will not get that smoky flavour that charcoal does. Although there are ways around this, like using smoking boxes or wood chips over the heat, these will not give you the flavour profile that charcoal does.
- Dependency on Gas Supply: Now, this may sound obvious, but believe us, it happens more often than you’d think. Running out of fuel mid-cook can be a serious nuisance! Gas spit roasts require a steady supply of propane or natural gas, and it might not be all that easy to rustle some up at short notice.
- Higher Initial Cost: Gas spit roasts have a higher outlay, including the initial purchase price and maintenance.
Overview of Charcoal Spit Roasts
How Charcoal Spit Roasts Work
In this method, the coals are lit and allowed to burn until they reach the desired temperature. The meat is then rotated above the hot coals. This traditional method is famous for imparting that rich, smoky flavour that is known and loved all over the world.
Advantages of Charcoal Spit Roasts
- Authentic Smoky Flavour: It goes without saying that the most significant advantage of charcoal spit roasts is the unparalleled smoky flavour they provide. The smoke from the charcoal really permeates the meat, adding depth and complexity to the taste that you can’t beat.
- High Heat and Searing Capabilities: Charcoal burns at higher temperatures than gas does, which means it has a better sear and caramelisation process.
- Traditional and Enjoyable Cooking Experience: The age-old image of standing around the coals, lovingly stoking the flames, can be a bit of a cliché, but with good reason! Prepping and tending to the coals can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. It also adds a sense of ritual and tradition to the process and heightens anticipation.
Why We Love Charcoal Spits
- The Ambiance and Ritual: Lighting and tending to the coals create a unique ambience that enhances the whole experience. Add the sound of a crackling fire and aromatic smoke wafting across the scene, and you’ll have the makings of a nostalgic and engaging atmosphere.
- Satisfaction of Achieving Perfect Smoky Flavour: Pulling off a perfectly executed charcoal spit roast makes you feel accomplished. Just nailing the flavour is a reward in itself.
- Flexibility with Different Types of Charcoal and Wood: Once you’ve reached black-belt levels of charcoal spit roasting, there is room for experimentation. So, if you’ve got a budding rotisserie champ lurking within, get playing with the types of charcoal and notice the difference in flavours you can attain.
Types of Charcoal
Lump Charcoal – Best Flavour
This natural hardwood charcoal has many fans due to its superior flavour. It burns hotter and is a cleaner burn than other charcoal types, producing less ash.
- Benefits: Unlike some other products, lump charcoal contains no chemicals or additives, so it provides a pure, natural fuel. It is quick to light and will reach high temperatures for that perfect sear and smoky taste.
- Ideal Uses in Spit Roasting: Because of the heat and the reduced ash yield, this charcoal is useful for large pieces of meat, and you’ll end up with a deliciously crusted end product.
Natural Hex Briquettes – What we cook with at Dizzy
These briquettes are made from compressed hardwood sawdust and are also additive-free.
- Benefits: Using these briquettes has several benefits. They are an environmentally friendly option, as they use a by-product. They also burn hotter and longer than lump charcoal, giving you that sought-after sear and flavour. As they are factory-made, they have a uniformity that results in a uniform burn.
- Ideal Uses in Spit Roasting: The long burn time and high heat make these an excellent fuel for spit roasting, especially if you’ve got longer cooking sessions planned and must maintain consistent heat throughout the process.
Heat Bead Briquettes – We do not recommend using these!
Traditional charcoal briquettes often contain additives and chemicals to ease ignition and increase burn time.
- Characteristics: Because briquettes are uniform, they are easy to stack and organise. However, the additives can impact the taste of the meat.
- Benefits: The longer burn time is useful and more affordable than lump charcoal.
- Ideal Uses in Spit Roasting: The main problem here is the additives. We don’t recommend using them for spit roasting because chemical flavours can permeate the meat over prolonged periods.
Common Misconceptions About Charcoal Spit Roasts
It’s Too Difficult
It’s a commonly held misconception that charcoal spit roasting is tricky, but we’re proof that it gets easier with practice and learning the right techniques.
- Addressing the Learning Curve: Don’t bite off more than you can chew! If you’re new to the game, honing your skills on smaller cuts of meat will make life a lot easier. You can also use a charcoal chimney to get your coals going, and investing in quality tools, as with everything, can simplify the process.
- Practice Makes Perfect: Like any skill, charcoal spit roasting becomes more intuitive with practice. Over time, and with experience, you’ll learn to control the fire, and maintaining a consistent temperature will become second nature.
It Takes Too Long
This is another popular misconception that we’re here to dispel.
- Efficient Methods for Lighting and Maintaining Coals: A charcoal chimney can significantly reduce the time it takes for the coals to reach the desired temperature. Also, it pays to prepare your area. By arranging the coals properly and using a lid, you can help maintain the desired temperature more efficiently.
- Time Management Tips for Quicker Setups: Get all your ingredients and tools organised before you embark on the mission. It may sound obvious, but having everything ready to go can really streamline the process, allowing you to focus on cooking rather than setting up.
It’s Messy
Okay. This one might be true. Charcoal spit roasting can be messy, but as long as you stay organised, you can keep your cooking area clean.
- Tips for Managing Ash and Keeping the Cooking Area Clean: We recommend using an ash catcher and having a dedicated container for old ash on hand to keep the mess under control. Regular cleaning and using a grill mat are also good ways of keeping it under control.
- Using the Right Tools and Accessories: Investing in high-quality tools, such as long-handled tongs and brushes, can make the process cleaner and more efficient as you can clean as you go.
Making Charcoal Spit Roasting Easier
Using a Charcoal Chimney
We swear by using a charcoal chimney if you’re a spit roast enthusiast.
- Step-by-Step Guide: Fill it with charcoal, put a fire starter or crumpled newspaper under it, and light it. Once you’ve got glowing coals that are covered in ash, they’re ready to be transferred.
- Benefits: We find doing it this way guarantees that the coals are lit evenly, which reduces the amount of time needed before they are ready to be cooked over
Temperature Control Techniques
Consistent heat is the key to successful spit roasting. So how do you maintain it?
- Tips for Maintaining Consistent Heat: Your first option is to adjust the air vents. These control airflow to the coals and, thus, the temperature. You can also add coals at phases of the cooking process to maintain a steady temperature.
- Adjusting the Distance Between the Meat and the Coals: Moving the spit up or down also regulates cooking speed and can prevent burning.
Balancing and Rotating the Meat
Now that you’ve got all the components in place, we need to discuss balance and rotation, as these can make or break the consistency of your roast.
- Ensuring Even Cooking by Properly Balancing the Meat: Secure the meat firmly on the spit. This will allow it to rotate smoothly through the cooking process without wobbling.
- Tips for Adjusting and Fine-Tuning During Cooking: To maintain even cooking throughout, check the meat’s position regularly and make any adjustments needed as you go.
Flavour Comparison
Charcoal Spit Roasts
When you choose a charcoal spit roast, you know you’ll get that deep, smoky flavour.
- Unique Smoky Flavour Profile: The smoke produced by burning charcoal or wood infuses the meat, creating a deep, complex flavour. Try as you might, but you can’t quite replicate that with gas, even with every trick in the book.
- Impact of Different Types of Charcoal and Wood on Flavour: There are so many options for customising your food depending on what you’re hoping to achieve, and there are some natural-born combinations out there. For instance, hickory adds a robust flavour that works perfectly with beef or pork, while fruitwoods like apple and cherry provide a sweeter, milder flavour and work well with lighter-flavoured meats such as chicken and pork.
Gas Spit Roasts
Gas spit roasts offer a cleaner, more straightforward flavour.
- Cleaner, Simpler Flavour: Some think that the meat’s natural flavours are more obvious without the smoke from charcoal. This can be a benefit for those who prefer a purer taste.
- Techniques to Enhance Flavour: There are ways of imparting a smoky flavour that doesn’t rely on charcoal. You can use smoking boxes or wood chips that add a hint of flavour and can act as a bit of a halfway house between charcoal and gas.
Cost Considerations
Initial Investment
The cost of setting up a spit roast can vary significantly between gas and charcoal options.
- Price Range for Gas vs. Charcoal Spit Roasts: Gas usually costs more at the initial outlay as the burners are more complicated and come with additional features. Charcoal spit roasts, on the other hand, are typically more affordable upfront.
Operational Costs
Of course, operational costs can differ between the two methods.
- Ongoing Costs of Charcoal and Gas: Charcoal must be topped up frequently, especially for long cooking sessions. Gas is generally more economical in the long run, as a single tank can be used for several sessions.
- Maintenance and Replacement Costs: Gas spit roasts require more maintenance due to the burners and gas lines, and replacement parts can also be more expensive when they perish or break. Charcoal spit roasts, while simpler, may require regular cleaning, upkeep, and the occasional replacement of grates or other components that break through wear and tear.
Conclusion
In summary, choosing between gas and charcoal spit roasts will depend largely on personal preferences and your cooking priorities. Gas spit roasts offer a convenience that is hard to ignore. They also offer ease of use and consistent heat, which makes them ideal if simplicity and efficiency are what you’re looking for. Charcoal spit roasts, on the other hand, provide a traditional, smoky flavour and an engaging cooking experience that many enthusiasts cherish. They’re probably the weapon of choice most suited to the purists.
As a quick summary, gas spit roasts are quick to start and maintain but lack the deep, smoky flavour of charcoal. Charcoal spit roasts require more effort and time but reward the cook with a rich, authentic taste that is hard to beat.
