# How the heck to do you keep chickens on the spit?



## Gomezaddams51 (Nov 14, 2012)

I have tried to cook chickens on my rotisserie and the dang things keep trying to fall off and flop around on the spit.  I tried tightening the wire holders until I was afraid I was going to break the set screw and they still won't hold right.  The last time I used wire to wrap around the chicken and it sort of worked but not well...

How the heck do you do it and get it to turn out??


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## Vermin999 (Nov 14, 2012)

the thumb screws will sometimes loosen upon me when the  spit get warm. Other than that I have no issues. To prevent stuff from flopping around you need to balance the meat on the rod.


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## Gomezaddams51 (Nov 14, 2012)

Hmm I tried to balance the chicken, but it still flopped around especially after it had been going for a bit...  I cinched the wire wrap pretty tight around the chicken and that helped some...  I had wings and legs flopping all over the place..the wire helped a little with that also.

Is there a way to keep the screws tight?  Or just check them every few minutes?


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## Vermin999 (Nov 14, 2012)

tie up the legs and wings with some butchers twine


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## Old Dave (Nov 15, 2012)

*Rotisserie Cooking*

If you are not using a 4 prong meat fork on each end of your chicken, I would suggest you change over to them,

A great place for rotisserie parts can be found here:
Rotisseries, Rotisserie Parts & Baskets


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## bigwheel (Nov 15, 2012)

I was taught to anchor and pose the the bottom of the legs by impaling on the fork and tie around the entire chicken with twine so as to hold the wings in close to the body. You can also get a clamp basket or baskets which mount on the spit rod and allows a person to cook splits. That works pretty good too. I have one clamp basket which come from BBQ Galore which will hold 3 halves comfortably. Seems like Big Dave uses two or three baskets some of which come from Home Depot and he can twirl 5 or 6 halves on his Weber Kettle. Pair of pliers to tighten up on the thumb screw works to make it stay put. Would double check it periodically. If your going to do multiple whole birds mount them nose to butt.


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## Griff (Nov 17, 2012)

I have had luck using the prongs that come with the spit.  I put one on each end and tie the legs together with butchers string.


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## bigwheel (Nov 17, 2012)

Gasp..dont that make it have flappy wings?


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## Max1 (Nov 18, 2012)

I have found on my rotisserie that I have to pretty much mash the clamps on pretty tight to get the chicken to stay. but if you are having a real issue, you could always try chefs string, or "twine" it is sometimes called.


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## Old Dave (Nov 19, 2012)

*Rotisserie Cooking*

I think one of the best ways to hold your food on a rotisserie is to purchase a few of the much better 4 prong meat forks. They are not too expensive and come in many sizes. 







This chicken did fine with the larger meat forks.

Another method is to use a basket of some type and they come in many sizes as well.






This is two butterflied whole chickens in my spinner.






They come out nice with this method.






Some wings in the same spinner basket.






This setup is getting hard to find but works better than anything out there. It is the EZ-Que rotisserie unit and I have both the 6 and 8 inch baskets. The two whole chickens above are in the 6" basket. The 8" basket will hold a turkey. 






This is two bottom round roasts in my 6" basket.






Setting up a ham in the basket.











A couple of Cornish hens in my EZ-Que 6 inch basket.

Don't give up on your rotisserie cooking as when it works, it's a real treat.


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## bigwheel (Nov 19, 2012)

Great pics Old Dave. Thanks.


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## Nick Prochilo (Nov 19, 2012)

Get the basket or some twine.


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