Vertical Rotisserie Bushcraft Cooking
Vertical Rotisseries have been around for centuries. In America, we are more accustomed to seeing the horizontal rotisserie used over the campfire. But the horizontal rotisserie does become quite tiresome having to rotate the spit constantly and keeping the flames at a perfect level. This is where the vertical rotisserie has an advantage. It’s a lot easier to maintain a vertical rotisserie when you are out in the woods versus a horizontal rotisserie. Reasons?
My first experience with a vertical rotisserie was with Tacos Al Pastor at a local Mexican Restaurant Little Conejo. Like most good food, Tacos Al Pastor has a mixed background. With its origins actually coming from Shawarma, brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants. Al Pastor, Shawarma, and Gyros may have all come from the same heritage.
Iskender Efendi - Chef in Bursa who, legend has it, invented the vertical rotisserie because he didn’t like that some customers got better cuts of meat on a horizontal rotisserie. He came up with the idea to put a fatty piece of meat on the top of a vertical rotisserie so that as the meat is cooked, the fat would drip down vertically and baste the rest of the meat. Resulting in a more evenly cooked meat.
History aside, the vertical rotisserie makes for a fantastic meal around the campfire. It lends itself to an “eat as you go” atmosphere. Slicing off a thin layer of golden browned meat and allowing the newly cut meat to brown by the fire. The vertical rotisserie becomes much more than a meal. It is a ritual and a social affair.
I am sure there are all sorts of cultural nuances to Shawarma, Gyros, and Al Pastor, but I am most interested in how effective the vertical rotisserie is for outdoor cooking with limited tools. All that you need is some string or para-cord and a green branch for the skewer.
If you watch the video, you’ll see that we used para-cord. But next time I around I would use some thinner string, perhaps kitchen twine, which will do a better job at winding and unwinding itself at a slower rate, giving me even more hands free time.
All in all, this is a very fun way to roast meats. It doesn’t require many tools nor does it require much attention. This is a great set up for cooking for your small group of friends. Hang some meat and hang out.
-- Herman
- The vertical rotisserie spins itself.
- There is no fear of the flames touching the meat and charring it with an acrid taste.
- The juices and drippings can be kept for basting or for other purposes.
My first experience with a vertical rotisserie was with Tacos Al Pastor at a local Mexican Restaurant Little Conejo. Like most good food, Tacos Al Pastor has a mixed background. With its origins actually coming from Shawarma, brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants. Al Pastor, Shawarma, and Gyros may have all come from the same heritage.
Iskender Efendi - Chef in Bursa who, legend has it, invented the vertical rotisserie because he didn’t like that some customers got better cuts of meat on a horizontal rotisserie. He came up with the idea to put a fatty piece of meat on the top of a vertical rotisserie so that as the meat is cooked, the fat would drip down vertically and baste the rest of the meat. Resulting in a more evenly cooked meat.
History aside, the vertical rotisserie makes for a fantastic meal around the campfire. It lends itself to an “eat as you go” atmosphere. Slicing off a thin layer of golden browned meat and allowing the newly cut meat to brown by the fire. The vertical rotisserie becomes much more than a meal. It is a ritual and a social affair.
I am sure there are all sorts of cultural nuances to Shawarma, Gyros, and Al Pastor, but I am most interested in how effective the vertical rotisserie is for outdoor cooking with limited tools. All that you need is some string or para-cord and a green branch for the skewer.
If you watch the video, you’ll see that we used para-cord. But next time I around I would use some thinner string, perhaps kitchen twine, which will do a better job at winding and unwinding itself at a slower rate, giving me even more hands free time.
All in all, this is a very fun way to roast meats. It doesn’t require many tools nor does it require much attention. This is a great set up for cooking for your small group of friends. Hang some meat and hang out.
-- Herman
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