Key Tips

Never leave a spit cooking unattended, if you do, make it brief.

An "ideal heat" has been achieved when surface fats or juices are gently bubbling.

If a meat product starts to reduce in size, stop immediately, it is cooked and is now drying and toughening.

Practice is the key to good roasting.

Our statistics show from Auspit users that over 60% of the time beer or wine drinking practices while cooking have also been noted to improve flavour.

Any product cooked on a woodfire is subject to:

Convected heat - this is heat that is rising directly off and above the heat source containing smoke, burnt gases, flame and high amounts of heat.

Radiant heat- produced from the coals,this heat is transfered through the air producing a sterile clean heat but not tranferring any flavours to the product. The ideal requirements for spit roasting are good radiant heat, small amounts of flavour enhancing smoke and a simple formula of 70% radiant heat, 30%convected heat.

Therefore the ideal location for the spit bar is slightly off to one side of the heat source gaining predominantly clean radiant heat and picking up small sections of smoke producing a perfect flavoured golden roast meat or vegetable.

Use only dry cured natural cut timber where possible, wet or green wood will give poor radiant heat and undesirable partially burnt gases and very strong smoke which can destroy the flavour of your product when spit roasting.

 

Desired Flavour • Strong full flavour • Medium flavour    • Subtle flavour

Type of wood Redgum Jarrah Karri Messmate Yellowbox Ironbark Peppermint gum Hickory Wattle Blackwood Pine Cypress

 

Differing flavour can be achieved with any fruit trees - eg. apricot, cherry, etc.

Barbecue Briquettes
Made from coal these are convienient where a open type fire is not applicable or wood not available.  Producing a clean radiant heat, try placing small amounts of dry sticks or wood occasionally off to one side to burn with the beads, this again will enhance your product flavour.
 
LPG
Again convient where solid fuel is not applicable. If possible place a small tin of sawdust suitably located in the oven, the idea is to gain enough heat for the sawdust to smoulder but not turn to flame and burn; you should be left with a slightly burnt ash in the tin.

Operation
Operation of the auspit can be for use at home or in areas where a open or ground fire is not practical.
This can be achieved by the use of a tray or steel container. Some of the following can be applicable:
Lay Flat Bin: Currently in development by us, made of s/steel it is a fully tranportable bin giving the ability to fold up completely flat, ideal for storage and transport in vehicles or where a bulky bin is not suitable. Check our website for its release.
Washing Machine Internal Drum: If possible stainless-steel spin drums are best. Consult your local washing machine repair centre with a slab of beer under your arm, they may be able to assist.
Old Beer Kegs: These are very suitable, made from stainless-steel. Must be cut in half longways with a mechanical cut off wheel. Legs can be added for stabilty.