The appeal of having restaurant style meats someplace other than the restaurant is very appealing, especially when people discover how inexpensive and easy using a barbecue rotisserie is. The flavorful, moist meat can be achieved by anyone in just about any setting imaginable with a little BBQ rotisserie education and training. Barbecue rotisseries are made for home use and also much larger to accommodate high demand commercial cooking needs.

A typical grill accessory, you can also find BBQ rotisserie attachments for the fireplace, kettle ring, camp fire, counter top and oven. They can also be powered by battery, electricity, coal or by hand. Specialty rotisseries are available — ones that can cook large portions of meat, like an entire pig and the latest in technology featuring infrared cooking. No matter the location or size, all rotisseries are made of the same basic assembly.

1. The barbecue rotisserie spit is a long rod with removable prongs that impales the meat and keeps it secure while it rotates.

2. The barbecue rotisserie motor is the source that powers the turning of the spit.

3. The heat source of a barbecue rotisserie cooks the meat as it turns.

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Learn how to choose the best BBQ rotisserie for your application

Before purchasing a rotisserie, compile a BBQ rotisserie list of preferences. Decide if you need a small rotisserie or a large one that is capable of holding numerous pieces of meat. Another choice to make is what heat source you prefer. Will you be using the rotisserie on the counter top inside, outside on the grill, to facilitate a retail store or do you need something on wheels for easy transport?

I recommend: At Metacafe, you can learn how to best choose a rotisserie to use with your grill. A search on Metacafe for rotisserie will bring up other helpful results from learning about a variety of different rotisseries to how to cook various meats on each one. Commercial rotisseries are also featured. Learn about the different sizes available at barbecue rotisserie provider Southern Yankee Bar-B-Q.

Learn about how to use your BBQ rotisserie

It is necessary to learn the proper way to set up, use and maintain your rotisserie. Improper following of any of these steps can cause the machine to work incorrectly or cause injury. Making sure the meat is mounted correctly is also important as it ensures the food is cooked evenly and does not burn.

I recommend: The Tool Wizard gives barbeque Rotisserie information to help set up, cook on and maintain your rotisserie. Big John Grills & Rotisseries can help you with barbecue rotisserie information on using and cooking on large rotisseries. Product manuals, like those shown at Ronco, can be obtained from the manufacturer and are helpful with learning about operating and cleaning the rotisserie.

Find barbeque rotisserie accessories available for the machine

A variety of accessories are offered to aid in expanding the cooking options of the rotisserie. Whole meats is not the only food you can cook on a rotisserie. With the right accessories, you can also cook vegetables and more tender meats like fish.

I recommend: About.com: BBQs and Grilling explores cooking techniques of using a basket on the BBQ rotisserie. Wood Stone has a barbecue rotisserie directory of accessories available for the machine, categorized by the type of meat being cooked.

Barbecue rotisserie units are a good addition to a grill for someone who doesn't want to have to continually turn meat or vegetables. Barbeque rotisserie units continually rotate the meat or vegetables to cook them evenly.

There is a wide variety of BBQ rotisserie units for sale. In order to appeal to the largest number of customers, you should stock a varied selection of rotisseries. Keep these suggestions in mind when you order your inventory:

1. Appeal to customers who want to barbeque small or bulky items by offering basket barbecue rotisserie units.

2. Make grilling meat easier for your customers by selling cradle style rotisseries.

3. Accommodate serious barbecue cooks and barbecue restaurants by offering commercial grade rotisseries.

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Sell basket barbecue rotisserie units

Basket style barbecue rotisserie units are useful for bulky meat, such as roast, loose meat, such as fajita strips or vegetables. Some specialty baskets are ideal for fish. Keeping a numerous baskets in stock allows your customers to find the basket that is right for their needs.

I recommend: Barbecues.com is a barbecue rotisserie provider. This company has a BBQ rotisserie list that includes various basket style BBQ rotisserie units for vegetables, fish and various meats. This company offers discounted prices and shipping options. The Barbecue Store has an extensive barbecue rotisserie directory that includes a large barbecue rotisserie basket. This company offers wholesale prices and low shipping costs.

Keep portable cradle style barbecue rotisserie units in stock

Portable, or cradle, barbecue rotisserie stations are good for customers who have to move their grill to various locations. These rotisseries attach to a grill only when the customer needs to use it. Often they simply clamp on to the grill.

I recommend: You can find barbeque rotisserie units at Shop 4 Barbecue Supplies. This company offers portable barbecue rotisserie units and rotisserie units built into the grill. Exterior Accents has a wide selection of cradle barbeque rotisserie kits for sale. This company offers low prices and free shipping on orders meeting certain requirements.

Offer commercial barbecue rotisserie units

Commercial rotisserie grills are large, easy to clean and fixed permanently onto the grill. These units aren't easy to move. A truck often has to pull them when they need moved. Most of these units are made of stainless steel. They are available in various sizes.

I recommend: You can find barbecue rotisserie units for commercial use at 4TheGrill.com. This company has a varied selection of items that are ideal for barbecues. This company offers low prices and discounted shipping. BBQ-Home.com has a barbeque rotisserie directory that includes enclosed and open BBQ rotisserie units. This company offers discounted prices and accepts orders for custom made products.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep barbecue rotisserie information cross-referenced by grill size and style to make it easy for customers to find BBQ rotisserie units to fit their grill.

Gone are the days when almost everyone barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers over open charcoals on a round, flat grill. Fortunately, today's food businesses get to choose from a huge selection of commercial barbecue rotisserie products. With so many types and styles of barbecue rotisserie products to choose from, knowing where to begin is the first challenge you face. Brushing up on the key terms that describe the different barbecue rotisseries can help you decide which kind best fits your business.

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Gas barbecue rotisserie ovens

Gas barbecue rotisserie ovens refer to industrial-grade ovens that are mostly used by supermarket kitchens and upscale cafeterias. These special ovens allow customers and patrons to watch whole chickens, turkeys, and beef and pork cuts turn slowly on the rotisserie as they roast.

I recommend: Cooking for Profit compares several different models of these commercial barbecue rotisseries.

Smoker box

These metal boxes for holding your wood chips have lips and holes. As the wood chips burn, the smoke escapes through the holes and flavors the food you're cooking inside the barbecue rotisserie unit.

I recommend: The discussion at The Firepit and Grilling Guru gives practical tips for how to use a smoker box and also explains how to find the right one.

Rotisserie basket

Sometimes called a tumble basket, a rotisserie basket is used when you want to barbecue foods that can't fit on a rotisserie spit, such as vegetables or fish. You simply lock the foods into metal baskets attached to the rotating spit.

I recommend: Read Recipe Tips to understand how a rotisserie basket is different from a steel grill basket.

Churrasco

Also known as the Brazilian Churrasco, or Brazilian barbecue, the Churrasco refers to a large brick or tiled oven which holds many skewers that large cuts of meat are roasted on.

I recommend: Green Field not only provides a short history of Churrasco cooking, it also explains why Churrasco is such a distinctive way of cooking.

Rock-lined pits

Rock-lined pits are used when roasting whole hogs on a barbecue rotisserie. They are known to produce a crisp skin and super-moist meat.

I recommend: Read Cannulis Meats for a discussion of how to build rock-lined pits for a pig rotisserie and how to prepare the hog for roasting in the pits.

Rotisserie wood-burning barbecue pits

Rotisserie wood-burning barbecue pits allow the heat to circulate around the food rather than attacking it from the bottom only.

I recommend: Read descriptions of Better BBQ Grills to understand the distinctive cooking method whereby foods are basted slowly as they rotate on steel spikes over slowly burning wood chips.

A BBQ rotisserie unit is a way to cook foods evenly. Some rotisseries can be used indoors or out. However, the majority of rotisseries are meant to be used in conjunction with a BBQ pit. When purchasing a BBQ rotisserie, it is important to remember that there are immediate costs and long term costs.

Whether you are purchasing a BBQ rotisserie to use for employee functions or to cook items to sell to customers, you must consider all the costs associated with the rotisserie. Use the following information to help guide you through the costs of owning a BBQ rotisserie unit.

1. Consider the cost of the actual BBQ rotisserie unit.

2. Add in the cost of BBQ rotisserie baskets.

3. Factor in the cost of replacing parts periodically.

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Determine the cost of the BBQ rotisserie

The cost of a new BBQ rotisserie varies greatly depending on the style and size of the unit you purchase. For a portable barbeque rotisserie, you can expect to pay at least $130. However, full stand alone units are usually higher than $2,500.

I recommend: You can find BBQ rotisserie units at Shop4BarbecueSupplies.com. KCK.com is a barbecue rotisserie provider. This company sells full rotisserie units.

Factor in the cost of BBQ rotissery baskets

A BBQ rotissery basket, which comes in round, flat or oblong versions, is the accessory that keeps the meat and/or vegetables from falling into the fire or heat source. These baskets must be replaced periodically. You can expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $50 on each basket, depending on the size and style of the basket. However, some large baskets may cost a little more.

I recommend: CLA Grills offers a barbecue rotisserie directory that includes various baskets. The Barbecue Store sells a variety of BBQ rotisserie products. Detailed barbecue rotisserie information is provided on each basket, including what size units they fit in.

Plan to replace BBQ rotisserie parts

Replacing parts on your barbecue rotisserie can make the equipment last longer. However, these parts can put a dent in your budget. For motors, you can expect to pay $50 to more than $200. Replacement spit rods cost around $20, while counterweights are usually under $20.

I recommend: 4theGrill.com is a barbeque rotisserie provider that offers universal motor replacement parts. TheBBQDepot.com offers a varied selection of BBQ rotisserie replacement parts.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are purchasing a BBQ rotisserie unit to cook food that will be sold, make sure you add the cost of obtaining permits to your budget. In some areas, these permits are priced under $100. However, they may be more expensive in your area. Contact your local health department for more information.