Don’t get us wrong—we love rotisserie chicken. Whole spit roasted chickens are popular for good reason, but they are only the tip of the rotisserie “iceberg.”
If you’re getting tired of rotisserie chicken and your woefully underused rotisserie kit is collecting dust, it’s time to break it out and try some new recipes. Whole chickens may be the flagship choice, but rotisseries are extremely useful BBQ tools you can use to grill up a multitude of delicious treats, from different cuts of meat to vegetables and even fruit.
So, what else can you cook on a rotisserie? In this post, we’ll share 13 of our favorite things to cook on your rotisserie—no chicken included.
But first, let’s take a quick look at what exactly rotisserie grilling is.
What Is Rotisserie Grilling?
A rotisserie is a cooking appliance that uses a rotating spit to slowly roast food over indirect heat. Because the spit rotates at a consistent speed, whatever you’re preparing will slowly cook while it bastes in its own fat and juices, producing an extremely tender and deliciously juicy result.
GRILL SPOT TIP: Weight limits are an important factor when selecting a rotisserie kit. Different rotisserie kits are suited to different grilling styles, with options designed for cooking items weighing about 10 lbs all the way up to 55 lbs. If you only plan to rotisserie smaller cuts like a whole chicken or smaller roasts, a rotisserie designed to handle about 10-20 lbs should work just fine. If you plan to rotisserie larger cuts or whole animals over an open fire or BBQ pit, look for something rated for up to 55 lbs or more.
13 Other Things You Can Grill on a Rotisserie
Rotisserie kits are one of the most versatile grilling accessories to have in your arsenal. So without further delay, here are 13 new things to try on your rotisserie next time you grill:
Vegetables and fruit
1. Rotisserie baked potatoes
If you’re busting out the rotisserie, most people will suggest putting some potatoes in the drip pan below your meat and letting them slowly roast in the drippings. This is a delicious way to cook potatoes while you rotisserie, but with the help of a rotisserie basket, you can also cook small potatoes like baby potatoes or fingerling potatoes on the spit, resulting in fluffy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside potatoes.
How to do it: Pre-season your potatoes and lightly coat them in oil. Pour them into a rotisserie basket and grill over high heat for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check to see if the skin has started to turn golden brown. Check every 5 minutes until the skin begins to char slightly and the potatoes are fork tender.
GRILL SPOT TIP: You can partially cook the potatoes before they go on the grill so the insides are soft and buttery and the skin is crispy. If you put your potatoes right onto the grill, the outside may burn before the inside is tender.
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2. Pineapple
Slowly roasting a whole pineapple on a spit will gradually caramelize the natural sugars and intensify the already sweet flavor. You can even cook the pineapple at the same time, on the same spit, as the rest of your meal. Pair it with vanilla ice cream or custard sauce for an extra luscious treat.
How to do it: Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple and then cut away the skin. Thread the peeled pineapple on to the spit rod and set your grill up for indirect high heat (roughly the same as you’d do for a whole chicken). Glaze the pineapple (if desired) every 10 minutes until the desired color and temperature are reached—you don’t have to completely cook the pineapple.
Try this recipe for maple bourbon pineapple for an added punch of flavor
GRILL SPOT TIP: You can partially cook the potatoes before they go on the grill so the insides are soft and buttery and the skin is crispy. If you put your potatoes right onto the grill, the outside may burn before the inside is tender.
3. Cauliflower
Grill baskets are great for grilling chopped cauliflower, but whole cauliflower heads can also be slow roasted and gently basted on a spit for an extra jolt of BBQ deliciousness.
How to do it: Set up your grill for direct rotisserie grilling. Par-boil the cauliflower head whole before grilling it to make sure it will fully cook on the inside and get crispy and caramelized on the outside.
Looking for a recipe? Try this rotisserie cauliflower with North African yogurt by Big Green Egg.
4. Mushrooms
Whether you’re looking for a meatless meal or a sizzling side dish, rotisserie mushrooms are a healthy and hearty option.
How to do it: Preheat your grill to medium-high. Thread portobello mushrooms onto the spit, and cook for about 30 minutes. Baste the mushrooms periodically as they cook, and tighten the forks as needed as the mushrooms shrink.
Need inspiration? Try this recipe for thyme lemon rotisserie mushrooms.
Other Cuts of Meat
There’s no doubt that rotisserie shines when it comes to grilling meat. Here are 9 other cuts you can throw on the spit:
1. Prime rib
If you’re looking for rotisserie beef, prime rib is your best choice. It’s high fat content means your roast will slowly baste in its own juice, resulting in a succulent meal that no one will forget.
How to do it: Sear the outside of your prime rib over high heat till you have a nice crust all over (about 20 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium (around 300 degrees), place a drip pan in the center of your grill to catch any drippings, and mount the roast onto your spit. Cook until your roast reaches 125 degrees for medium rare, about 15-20 minutes per pound. Rest for at least 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Here’s a recipe to try: Rotisserie prime rib by Mountain Kitchen
GRILL SPOT TIP: Add a smoker box for even more delicious flavor.
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2. Ribs
Beef and pork ribs are both great options for the rotisserie thanks to their high fat content (and self-basting abilities). We recommend a flat rotisserie basket (LINK) for grilling ribs, but if you don’t have a basket, you can thread your ribs onto the rotisserie.
How to do it: Prepare your grill for indirect grilling, remove the grates, and place a drip pan onto your heat plates. Preheat the grill to a lower heat, about 300 degrees, and grill till the meat starts to pull away from the bone, about 2 ½ hours depending on the thickness. Brush with glaze every so often during the last 30 minutes of grilling.
Need a recipe? Try this one by Dad Cooks Dinner.
GRILL SPOT TIP: With ribs, extra cooking time never hurts. If you aren’t certain they are fall-off-the-bone ready to eat, leave them on the grill a bit longer.
3. Pork shoulder
Pork shoulder is a great choice for the rotisserie because its higher fat content helps keep it moist and packed with flavor. For even more classic grill taste, add a smoker box to your grill before you fire it up.
How to do it: Set up your grill for indirect medium-low heat and preheat to a temperature of about 250-300 degrees. Mount your pork shoulder onto your spit, and cook with the lid closed till the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees (about 3-4 hours or 20 minutes per pound). Mop with sauce every half hour.
Looking for a recipe? Dad Cooks Dinner strikes again with this rotisserie pork shoulder roast.
4. Pork loin
Pork loin has less fat than pork shoulder, but its large size makes it ideal for feeding a crowd. For the best results on your rotisserie, brine your pork loin ahead of time so it’s flavorful and tender.
How to do it: Prepare your grill for medium heat indirect grilling (350-450 degrees). Mount the spit and grill with the lid closed till the roast reaches 145 degrees (for medium), about 30 minutes to an hour depending on the thickness of the roast.
Try Weber’s recipe for rotisserie pork loin with garlic, rosemary, and fennel.
5. Porchetta
Porchetta is traditionally an Italian dish made using whole suckling pig that has been deboned, stuffed, and rolled, then cooked over wood and charcoal. The result is a soft and tender pork belly interior with an amazing crispy crackle on the outside.
How to do it: Cook your prepared porchetta at medium heat till the skin is darkened and crisp and the internal temperature registers 155 degrees, about 3 hours depending on the weight.
Get inspired with this recipe by Smoked BBQ Source.
6. Glazed ham
Glazed ham is already cooked, so why bother with the rotisserie? We promise it’s worth it—spit roasting takes glazed ham to the next level, with an irresistible crust on the outside and juicy meat on the inside.
How to do it: Set up your grill for indirect medium-low heat with a drip pan underneath. Mount the ham onto the spit and grill till it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees in the thickest part, about 3 hours for a 10 lb ham (approx. 18 minutes per pound). Brush with glaze every 10 minutes in the last half hour of cooking.
Follow Weber’s recipe for flawless rotisserie ham with maple and brown sugar glaze.
GRILL SPOT TIP: Don’t use a spiral sliced ham on the rotisserie—the juices will leak and your ham will dry out on the grill. Look for ham that is labeled “ham”, “ham in natural juices”, or “ham, water added”. Avoid boneless “ham and water product” that has never been formed into a loaf—it’ll never crust up properly.
7. Leg of lamb
Unlike other cuts of meat we’ve featured on this list, lamb benefits from being marinated (not dry rubbed or brined). Marinating leg of lamb and spit roasting results in a tender meal that is full of flavor.
How to do it: Heat your grill to medium heat and mount your marinated lamb on the spit. Cook, basting every 15 minutes, till it reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees for medium rare or 130 for medium.
Looking for a recipe? Try this recipe for rotisserie boneless leg of lamb with lemon, rosemary, & garlic by Serious Eats.
8. Whole turkey
Cooking for a crowd? Turkey can be rotisseried whole on the spit or divided and spit roasted in a rotisserie basket. For added deliciousness, add a smoker box to your grill.
How to do it: Mount your whole turkey onto the spit or place divided pieces into your rotisserie basket. Cook till the breast meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 2-3 hours or 15 minutes per pound depending on the size of the turkey. The cook time will be lower for divided pieces.
Try this herb and garlic rotisserie turkey by Foodie Crush.
GRILL SPOT TIP: We don’t recommend stuffing a rotisserie turkey. It’ll add weight that your rotisserie kit may not be able to handle, and it will also restrict airflow and significantly increase the total cooking time.
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9. Duck
Duck is fattier than chicken and turkey, making it a great choice to rotisserie. Take your cookout up a notch by adding potatoes to your drip pan—they’ll slowly roast in the drippings, resulting in delicious duck fat roasted potatoes.
How to do it: Set the grill up for medium indirect heat. Cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh measures 180 degrees (about an hour and a half depending on the size of the duck). If you’re also cooking duck fat potatoes, add the potatoes to the drip pan after about 45 minutes.
If you’re hunting for a recipe, try this Peking-style rotisserie duck by Dad Cooks Dinner.
Cooling Down
The rotisserie is not just a one-trick pony. If you’ve been limiting your rotisserie adventures to the realm of whole chickens, it’s time to explore the vast possibilities that this versatile BBQ tool offers. From succulent cuts of meat to flavorful grilled vegetables and even unexpected twists like rotisserie-grilled fruit, your rotisserie kit is a treasure trove waiting to be fully unlocked.
Get ready to rotisserie with these tools and accessories:
