How to Cook With the Sunbeam Rotisserie

The Sunbeam Rotisserie rotates your poultry or other meat as it cooks. Cooking your meat in a Sunbeam Rotisserie helps to seal in the meat's natural juices, while the unwanted fat drips into the pan below. This helps your poultry to stay moist and flavorful on the inside, while the outside skin becomes crispy and golden brown.

Place the rotisserie on a sturdy counter top, keeping the unit at least 8 inches from walls and other objects. Do not put the rotisserie under any cabinets; the heat and steam could ruin your cabinets.

Place the drip tray into the unit. The drip tray rests on the bottom of the unit to catch the grease of your chicken, roast or other meat.

Insert the heat reflector behind the heating element found at the back of the unit. Start at the top of the unit above the heating unit, fitting the reflector into the groves. Slide the heat reflector into place.

Trim off excess fat from the meat or poultry. Also, check the weight to make sure you don’t go over 12 pounds.

Tie the legs together with butcher’s string. Cut another length of string and tie the wings close to the body. This will keep the parts of the bird from hitting the door, heat shield or heating element. Cut a length of string about 15-inches long. Tie one end of the string onto one chicken leg and bring the string around the other leg, wrapping it around the end two times. Tie the string off. Cut another length of butcher's string about a yard long. Wrap this string crosswise around the body of the bird, securing the wings and the legs close to the bird. The string resembles a big “X” across the bird. Tie the ends of the string together. Make sure that there are no loose parts hanging from the poultry.

Open the adjustable fork and position this onto the open end of the spit rod. For one bird, insert the rod through the breast area of the chicken and go through the center of the poultry. If you are doing more than one bird, the rod is inserted between the wing and thigh area. The poultry or meat should be pushed onto the spit rod and into the fork close against the fixed wheel.

Insert the second fork onto the spit rod and push it into the meat as you did with the first fork. Check the balance of the food on the spit. Tighten the screws on the forks by hand to secure. Push the detachable wheel onto the end of the spit rod.

Install the spit rod into the rotisserie. Your left hand will hold the detachable wheel and your right hand should be under the meat. Place the right side of the fixed-wheel gear into the right side of the rotisserie gear space. Slide the detachable wheel on the left-hand side in place on the left side of the Sunbeam Rotisserie.

Close the rotisserie door and plug the unit into the electrical outlet.

Set the timer according to recommended settings. Watch the food to make sure that it turns without hitting anything inside the rotisserie. If something does hit, turn the timer off and adjust the food. If the rotisserie doesn’t turn, then your meat or poultry is unbalanced. Turn the timer off and unplug the unit for the electrical outlet. Reposition the food. Shut the door, plug the unit back into the outlet and set the timer again for recommended amount of time. When the timer sounds, the food is done, but allow the food sit for several minutes. Test the meat to make sure it is the correct temperature for safe eating.

Put on the protective gloves and keep them on until you no longer need to touch the spit rod, adjustable fork, detachable wheel and fixed wheel. These are very hot and it takes awhile before the metal cools enough to touch without wearing protective gloves or oven mitts.

Remove the drip tray. Be careful, because the juices in the pan are hot.

Hold a plate under the meat and use the plate to lift the spit rod up and out of position. Remove the spit and meat from the rotisserie. Put your plate onto your counter or cutting board.

Pull off the detachable wheel on the left side of the spit rod. Remove the adjustable fork by loosening the screw and then sliding the fork out of the food. Hold the fixed wheel in one gloved hand and use your other hand to slide the meat off the spit rod onto your serving plate.