It’s not often a new product hits the market that is likely to alter an RVer’s traditions,
but we found one that has just such potential: The Auspit. This portable battery-operated
rotisserie is a slick little system that allows you to barbecue anything you want over an
open flame or a charcoal-filled trough – all while using minimal equipment and space.
We
tested the company’s 304-grade stainless-steel model, the All-Stainless Auspit Kit. Made in
Australia, the kit comes with the spitbar and support post, two 3-inch and two 5-inch
Squeezloc Spikes, batteries, the drive motor, an operator’s manual and a recipe guide.
Everything fits into the kit’s 5 x 5 x 40-inch carry bag and weighs only 11 pounds, making
it easy to take with you on any RV trip.
The people at Auspit say this system enables
surprisingly tasty flavors, handling up to 18 pounds of food and operating for up to 90
hours on two D-size batteries. With the holidays nearing, we put the system to the ultimate
test by making an entire Thanksgiving dinner (everything but the pumpkin pie) over an open
flame on the spit. With minimal effort – and amazing results – we roasted a 13-pound turkey
with all the trimmings.
It took only a few minutes to set up the whole system: We whacked
the support post into the ground, slid the turkey onto the spitbar, attached that to the
motor and then watched it slowly roast while we enjoyed talking around the campfire. It was
really that easy. The sound of the turkey sizzling was louder than the motor, even after
adding sweet potatoes, corn, apples and squash to the spit using the Squeezloc Spikes,
bringing the total weight on the spitbar to 18 pounds. The system handled the weight well,
rotating evenly and smoothly.
We were able to enjoy our friends and family – as well as the
wonderful aromas on the rotisserie – the entire time the meal was on the spit, because
cooking food on this rotisserie really doesn’t require much attention. For heat control, we
lowered or raised the spitbar on the support post by squeezing the post clamp to bring the
food closer to or farther from the flames. Also, we could swing the food completely away
from the fire to remove it from the heat when necessary. Regarding the fire, we simply
added a log when needed.
Surprisingly tasty flavors, indeed! The turkey was crispy, juicy
and roasted to perfection – in fact, a fellow RVer claimed it was the best turkey she had
ever eaten – and the smoke-roasted sides were tasty delights as well. You’ve got to try the
sweet potatoes. And after we ate more than we should have, we simply wiped the spitbar
clean, a small task that took less than a minute.
We’ve since tested the Auspit again and
again, making marinated tenderloin, roasted chicken, smoked ribs, rolls, peppers and more.
We even tested it using some accessories, including the Spitmate Junior ($85), an
8-inch-long x 5-inch-wide perforated barrel for cooking veggies, fruits, chestnuts and so
on; and the FireTrough ($95), which fits right under the spitbar and is used to cook with
charcoal (the company suggests using natural lump charcoal, such as Royal Oak or Cowboy
brands) when a campfire isn’t possible, such as in fire-ban areas. Both accessories fit in
the carry bag with the basic kit, and add only five pounds to its total weight.
And with
the holidays approaching, the All-Stainless Auspit Kit is a great gift idea, retailing for
$199.
AllClear LLC, (888) 628-7748, www.auspitbbq.com
