Electric Rotisserie – Your New Best KMH

Some girls go gaga over the newest JimmyChoo shoes. Some guys go ape over their latest fantasy football trades, but when it comes to a new kitchen doohickey, we foodies put fashion AND sports on the back burner! My friends, I’d like to introduce you to my favorite acronym: your next “kitchen must have” or (KMH). These days mine is Cuisinart’s Electric Rotisserie! It’s a new countertop cooker that turns out exceptionally juicy, evenly roasted foods by rotating them on a vertical spit. If you want to lock in flavor and juices while draining away unwanted fat and grease, this is your KHM!

This rotisserie is equipped with a programmable touch-pad control, LCD readout and auto-shutoff. Removable, easy-to-clean chrome inserts reflect heat as the rotisserie turns, providing the most consistent cooking temperature possible. Five preset oven temperature settings – ranging from 325°F to 450°F – and a three-hour countdown timer offer pinpoint heat control.

Whew! Am I done cheerleading for this particular KMH? Not by a long shot! The rotisserie chamber’s generous size accommodates food as large as an 8-lb. roast; its brushed-stainless-steel exterior complements any kitchen decor and, thanks to a non-stick interior, easily wipes clean. Accessories include a recipe book, an eight-piece skewer set, a roasting rack, a poultry tower, a multipurpose basket and a drip tray. And, he best part? It’s all dishwasher safe!

My fellow foodie friend, Lucy, recently purchased this electric rotisserie and gave it a test drive. Her rating is ***** five-stars!! My first question to Lucy was, is the appliance light enough to move around? Not many of us have enough counter space to display the unit when it is not in use, necessitating storage space in a closet or under a counter. Lucy’s response, “Yes, it’s easy to move. I can store in on a shelf and bring it out when needed.” Just to make absolutely, positively sure, I went to my local Williams-Sonoma store and, without messing up their stunning display, lifted the unit to find that it is, indeed, light weight!

On the day of the “test drive” Lucy picked up a 7 pound chicken and headed back home to give it a go. To begin, she injected the chicken with a mixture of herbs, lemon juice and melted butter. Per the instructions that came with the oven, she tied the chicken’s legs together and placed it onto the rack. She then brushed the outside of the chicken with the remaining melted butter and sprinkled it with a dash of herbs. Into the rotisserie goes the chicken. She closed the door, set the temperature and 1 ½ hours later, out came THE most delicious roasted chicken! Lucy was sure to note that she cooked the chicken at 325 degrees instead of the recommended 400 degrees. She used a thermometer to determine doneness. Next time, she plans to cook the chicken at the higher temperature. Lucy raves that the cleanup was a breeze, as promised and confides that her next project will be a beef roast. (Let’s see if we can wrangle an invitation to dinner for that one!!)

Before I get cookin’ on my next dinner, I’ll leave you with the good news: although the new, electric rotisserie is pricy, retailing at $365, it sells for $199.95 on Amazon and at Williams-Sonoma.com. If you have an outdoor grill with a rotisserie attachment, you can achieve a similar result. Another option is to use a non-stick vertical roaster in the oven (there is also grilling king, Steven Raichlen’s, beer can version, designed for the outdoor grill). Place the injected, seasoned chicken onto the roaster and into a roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place the chicken into the oven. Reduce the temperature to 375 and cook the chicken until a thermometer reaches the desired amount of doneness (about 185 degrees).

Whether using your new rotisserie oven, your outdoor grill, your indoor oven or a combination of all, the recipe for Roasted Chicken with Herb Butter from my book Fresh Traditions will get you well on your way to a yummy chicken supper – one to share with family and friends.