Choosing the Perfect Rotisserie Oven

October 03, 2011, By Steve McFarlane 0 comments

Indoor rotisserie ovens are a great way to roast flavorful meats and veggies while draining away fat. But they aren't only good for indoor grilling—they also bake breads and pizzas and perform basic warm-up operations. Here are some rotisserie shopping tips to help you make an informed purchase.

When buying a rotisserie oven, you will need to ensure that you get a product that will handle the size foods you want to cook and one that includes all the accessories and features you need. If you want to roast a 15-pound turkey, a lamb leg or two chickens at a time, make sure you get something to handle the capacity you have in mind but is still small enough to fit in your kitchen. While you probably won't need all the bells and whistles of a modern indoor rotisserie, these items are worth considering:

• Flavor injectors – Yes, these are available separately, but why pay more if you can get it all in one package? Find a product that includes flavor-injecting syringes in small and larger sizes.
• Searing feature – Sometimes you may find it necessary to give certain portions of a chicken, or other food, a deeper or darker finish. For this finish you will need a rotisserie that has a searing feature. This feature keeps the heating elements on but allows for the rotating action to be stopped at will, thus exposing one side of the food to the heating element for more focused cooking or searing.
• Skewers and Baskets – If you want to prepare a few kebabs or sausages in your oven, look for a product with a skewer accessory set. Depending on your needs, you may choose skewers designed to keep vegetables and sausages from turning on the skewer while they rotate in the oven. Buying a rotisserie with a basket accessory lets you roast or bake fish steaks and other flat pieces of food that don't fit on spit rods.
• Cleaning – It is always good to have a product that’s easy to clean. Look for a rotisserie that has dishwasher-safe, nonstick parts to make cleanup easy. Also, look for something that has an easy to remove and clean oven drip pan. Make your job easier: line drip trays with foil paper before you use the rotisserie (although a nonstick option is also easy to clean).
• Convection Ovens - If you decide to go with a convection oven, look for one with a third heating element that is positioned before the fan. The fan is used to circulate air, which reduces the cooking time, and a third heating element helps to further shorten cooking times.

There are always other features to consider, but in general you want to purchase a sturdy device that will fit your budget (prices start at $200 for the Cuisinart Vertical Rotisserie and go up from there) and look good in your kitchen. Ensure that the oven’s door shuts snugly so it doesn’t allowing heat (and flavor) to escape.

Other handy features to look for include a long cooking timer with an alert function and bonus rack accessories. These and other features should allow you to prepare toast, pizza, pies, cakes, breads and delicious roasted chicken with one appliance.