How to Put a Lamb on a Spit Roaster

If you're thinking about cooking a lamb on a spit roaster for the first time, it is important to make sure you have the correct accessories required to affix it to the spit properly. 

The first thing you'll need is a rotisserie skewer. The skewer should be at least 1200mm long, have a point at one end and be able to attach to a motor.

The next part of the process is to use a back brace to secure the spine of the lamb to the skewer. Failure to use a back brace will result in your lamb bending like a banana during the cooking process. The back brace needs to have a point on the ends so that it can pierce through the back of the animal. It comes with a plate and 2 wing nuts. The skewer passes through the U and then on the outside of the animal the plate secures the spine to the skewer.

The next part of the process is to use stainless steel wire. We use it to sew up the stomach cavity so that you don't lose any stuffing, making your cook even tastier. You could use a needle and thread instead, however, I personally find it easier to use wire and pliers. 

You'll also need 2 large stainless steel prongs. The holes in the prongs are 22mm round so it is perfectly compatible with the 22mm skewer. It comes with a large locking nut meaning you can get it nice and tight on the skewer. You'll need two of these if you are cooking a whole animal. You pass one through the hind legs and one through the shoulders.

Next, you need 2 leg holders. Again it has a 22mm hole for the 22mm skewer with a locking nut so that it can lock onto the skewer. To attach the legs, you forced the animal's legs back to sit into the V of the leg bracket. 

Last, of all, we have a counterbalance weight. It's probably the most important part when cooking a whole animal as it assists with making sure that the animal is fully balanced on the skewer as obviously one side of the animal is going to be heavier than the other. If it's not balanced correctly you'll find that the skewer won't turn evenly, it will flop one direction and really struggle up one side. This will put a large amount of undue stress on your motor which is the most expensive part.

Here's a video I put together explaining how to attach a lamb to a spit roaster

Attaching a lamb to a spit is a bit more involved than put attaching a roast or a chicken, but the flavour and spectacle is well worth it.