Help - Anybody know about spit roasting (or otherwise) a lamb?

Laurin

Laurin

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Ok so I went to talk to the proposed supplier for a Lamb Roast for AJ's naming do and the price seems to have trebbled!!!! Not really a viable option any more... and Hog roast is out or we'd be stealing Lynns thunder as she's doing this for her birthday 2 weeks later.

Happened to mention the problem to one of my new mummy friends and she knows a farmer that will sell us a lamb (15 - 25lb) at reasonable cost, we just need to figure if it is viable to cook it ourselves or if we should just resort to a big BBQ instead.

Venue is Bridgemarsh Marina, they all ready have a 1/2 oildrum BBQ, and a patch of grass that I wouldn't like to burn, though there is the gravel of the boatyard bit and a small paving area on the grass if I remember right.

Have found this on ebay but not sure if it looks too clever.

Does anybody have any ideas/experience/kit that might help us? Anybody coming along that could be there early to give us a hand?

Cheers

Karen & Pat
 
The local scout troop use a smaller half drum sitting on an upside down stool, so to scale that up, how about turning a workmate over and sitting the half drum on the feet

Or have I misunderstood the problem?
 
One snag is that you must place the meat in a balanced position on the spit, otherwise "square section" spit or no, it will turn round and overcook one bit.

Oh, and you are supposed to have it cooked by someone with a Food Hygiene sustificate.

We have an annual meeting on Exmoor, called the Riphay Scuffle, where about 6 of these spits are in operation. The best spits have a "steering wheel" at one end to turn the meat, and they are secured by a piece of line to top unwanted rotation.

The eBay one looks as if it needs some method of adjustment to bring the meat nearer/further away from the heat.
 
Karen

A friend of mine has a sort of BBQ come roasting thing that he has made to cook a whole small pig.
This is purely for his own entertainment and to feed a any group of friends he has round.

I could have a word with him if you want.

P.M. me contact details and I will get him to call you.
 
The Argentines have a very simple system. You need a metal stake sufficient for the length of the lamb and enough to stick in the ground to take the weight of the lamb. Across this are fixed (screwed or welded) two metal rods or bars. You crucify the lamb by securing its feet to the ends of the transverse rods. The fire is built on the ground, in a half oil drum if you will, and the stake, with the lamb on it, is driven in at an angle such that the lamb is angled towards the fire. Turn regularly and baste with a mixture of oil and vinegar in a squeezy bottle (shake and squirt whenever you turn it). Carve off as and when the meat is cooked (bit like those kebab things you see parked on street corners.) Delicious!

Michael
 
The version I have seen used in Montenegro is for a square section length of timber to be used with wooden crosses as previously described above for the spread legs at each end. The lamb is held to the timber using big nails and beer bottle tops as washers. You need to drink as much beer as necessary to secure the lamb, and some more /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Two long troughs are cut in the turf and the earth removed. The troughs are then filled with charcoal and the lamb is set up between the two lines of heat; that way the lamb gets cooked quickly (abt. 4 hours) all sides. Never put it straight over the fire or it will burn rather than cook; from the flaring fat which drips out.

The whole unit was driven through some rough old bike gears by a car windscreen motor connected to a 12 volt battery (obviously a deep cycle, AGM, whatsit type for the PB forum readers).

Once set up, drink more beer in case you need more securing.

From what little I can remember (we needed a lot of securing) it tasted grand, just slicing pieces off and drinking slibbovitch to wash it down.
 
The Argentinian asado was where we got the idea from.... we had our honeymoon in South America and loved these. However, assuming we get the crusifix made we'd also have to think about the fire... getting it low enough down without burning the ground. Maybe a low mounted oil drum might work. Will have a think about this otherwise we could well be taking you up on your offer Clive.

The second issue is that we're going to probably need some help on the day. Would anybody who is planning on coming along be able to help in return for lubrication... (our argentinian cook book says the lamb is done when the cook is drunk). Not sure if they have met D3B... might need a considerably larger lamb.
 
Karen

I had a chat with my mate last night.
He would be happy to lend his kit to you.
It is near Newmarket.

What he has is roasting BBQ.
There is a lower tray on legs that takes the charcoal.
A roasting Tray that is about 4'6" long 2' wide.
Then there is a cover that fits over the top of it all.

The whole unit is over 5' long and will need a fair size vehicle to collect.

Let me know if you are interested.
 
No, I am meant to be dressed as Neptune, but no bugger seems to know what that means besides a prong and a crown, a beard and a bit of a stern fizzog.
 
[ QUOTE ]
No, I am meant to be dressed as Neptune, but no bugger seems to know what that means besides a prong and a crown, a beard and a bit of a stern fizzog.

[/ QUOTE ]

And a fish tail instead of legs /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Pity I can't make it, but pictures would be appreciated, maybe /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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