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Aubrey-Maturin dinner: Prep #2: spit-roasting
Today's project was supposed to be Raised Pies, but spit-roasting turned into such a Goddamned circus that I ran out of bits and never got that far. Also, I failed at finding the right kinds of bacon and veal.
No Regency-era English dinner was complete without a roast of some kind. This was prepared by jamming a spit through it, putting it in front of a bright, clear fire, and having some poor underpaid scullion turn it. I do have a fireplace, but it's not really suitable for that sort of operation; so I thought I'd employ Science! and get the electric spit attachment for our grill.
Surprisingly, I found the right item without hassle (and it was on sale, huzzah), and assembled it this morning. I intended to start by doing two small chickens (the ones that are generally on sale at our local store for 99c/lb.) for lunch. HA HA HA
Item the first: the prongs on the fork bits that hold the meat on are somewhat too widely spaced for small chickens of the 3-4 lb. variety.
Item the second: that might have been less of a problem if I had one fork going in at each end of a single piece of meat, but when you have two chickens lined up, this doesn't work so well.
Item the third: the stupid thumbscrews holding the forks in place keep loosening, which makes for all kinds of hilarity.
Item the fourth: Recipe I was using said to turn the burners to "high" for 10min., then down to medium for the rest, and that it should take 1 to 1.5 hrs. The bloody things have been on there for two and a half and I am only now thinking they MIGHT be done.
I suspect that all of this will work better with a larger, single joint of meat. I will try that next weekend, I think.
OTOH, I made carrot slaw by making it up entirely, and I think it's pretty good.
No Regency-era English dinner was complete without a roast of some kind. This was prepared by jamming a spit through it, putting it in front of a bright, clear fire, and having some poor underpaid scullion turn it. I do have a fireplace, but it's not really suitable for that sort of operation; so I thought I'd employ Science! and get the electric spit attachment for our grill.
Surprisingly, I found the right item without hassle (and it was on sale, huzzah), and assembled it this morning. I intended to start by doing two small chickens (the ones that are generally on sale at our local store for 99c/lb.) for lunch. HA HA HA
Item the first: the prongs on the fork bits that hold the meat on are somewhat too widely spaced for small chickens of the 3-4 lb. variety.
Item the second: that might have been less of a problem if I had one fork going in at each end of a single piece of meat, but when you have two chickens lined up, this doesn't work so well.
Item the third: the stupid thumbscrews holding the forks in place keep loosening, which makes for all kinds of hilarity.
Item the fourth: Recipe I was using said to turn the burners to "high" for 10min., then down to medium for the rest, and that it should take 1 to 1.5 hrs. The bloody things have been on there for two and a half and I am only now thinking they MIGHT be done.
I suspect that all of this will work better with a larger, single joint of meat. I will try that next weekend, I think.
OTOH, I made carrot slaw by making it up entirely, and I think it's pretty good.