A rotisserie is a great way to cook chicken because it leaves the chicken crispy on the outside and moist/succulent on the inside. It leaves many Pit Boss owners wanting to cook their own, not only to save money but to have full control over how it’s cooked. So can you put a rotisserie on a Pit Boss and if so how?
Can You Rotisserie On A Pit Boss Pellet Grill?
The Pit Boss pellet grill (or any pellet grill) doesn’t come with a rotisserie installed, but you can make some modifications to your grill and install a universal rotisserie kit. It’s a simple hack that makes it easy to use the pellet grill as a rotisserie.
Rotisserie kits are commonly used for traditional gas and charcoal as they produce high temperatures of direct heat. Pellet grills can be both indirect ad direct cookers, making them a great candidate for a universal rotisserie.
In this article, we’ll answer the most common questions regarding universal rotisserie kits such as;
- What is a rotisserie kit?
- Does Pit Boss have a rotisserie?
Plus, I’ll walk you through how to install one on your smoker.
Our family loves eating rotisserie chicken, we always pick one up when we’re at Costco. However, now that I’ve learned how to add one to the Pit Boss, I can cook my own.
Here’s what I’ve learned about adding a rotisserie to a pellet grill, in case you’re ready to add one to your grill.
*This page contains affiliate links to products I recommend. If you purchase something from this page, I may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.
But first.
What Is A Rotisserie Kit?
A rotisserie kit is an attachment that will allow you to spin your food over low indirect heat. It slowly roasts the food item, so it is evenly cooked inside.
Most kits are universal, meaning they are compatible with most gas, and charcoal grills up to 40 inches. The kits will come with everything you need to keep your roast securely in place.
Scroll down to see which rotisserie kit works best for the Pit Boss pellet grill, I’ll even walk you through how to install it on your grill.
Does Pit Boss Have A Rotisserie?
Pit Boss grills do not come with a rotisserie installed, nor do they offer one as an accessory. However, there are several OEM products you can easily install to turn your smoker into a rotisserie.
The one that I’ve found that works perfectly and has everything you need is the Char-Broil Universal Rotisserie Kit.
It comes with the rod, electric motor, two four-pronged meat forks that will hold your ham, chicken, or other poultry. Plus it has several positive reviews from happy customers.
The downside is you’ll have to make some modifications to install it.
Warning: According to the Pit Boss owners manual, cosmetic, and aesthetic changes are not covered under the warranty.
How to Put A Rotisserie Kit On A Pit Boss?
This video walks you through how to install a rotisserie on a Pit Boss 1100 with a smokestack. The process will be the same regardless of which Pit Boss model you have.
What You’ll Need to Install It
- Char-Broil Universal Rotisserie Kit
- Drill
- Hardware
- Long bolt
If you’d rather read the step-by-step instructions, I’ve written everything down in detail.
That said, be sure to watch the video as he discusses some of the problems he runs into while installing the rotisserie, and explains how to fix them.
Step One: Open The Box
Before getting started, you’ll want to open up the rotisserie kit box and make sure you have all the items. This is important as you don’t want to drill into the smoker and then find out that you’re missing a main component of the kit.
Step Two: Remove The Racks
Remove all the removable parts from the inside of the grill which include the top rack, bottom rack, and flame broiler. Also make sure the grill is unplugged and pulled away from the wall, so you have room to work around it.
Before removing the flame broiler, you’ll want to use a measuring tape to measure the cooking space inside the grill without the racks. Once you know the dimensions, you’ll have a better understanding of where to mount the spit.
Step Three: Mounting The Motor
The motor bracket will need to be attached to either the left or right outer side of the grill. This is where the motor that spins the poultry will sit during the cooks.
You will want it sitting as low as possible without rubbing the grill. Since the Pit Boss has a pellet hopper on one side of the grill, the best option for mounting the motor is the smokestack.
If your grill doesn’t have a smokestack, you can mount it on the opposite side of the pellet hopper. Mark the holes that you’ll be mounting the bracket and remove the motor.
6″x6″ brackets work best instead of using the ones that come with the kit. They are tall enough to securely fasten the motor to the edge of the smokestack.
Grab your drill and drill through the smokestack, ensuring you drill as level and staying about an inch above the bottom.
Insert the spit through the holes on the inside of the grill to make sure the holes are wide enough.
Step Four: Install The Stand
Next, you’ll want to install the height of the stand that holds the spit in place. Make sure both the basket and the spit rod have enough clearance to roast the poultry.
Otherwise, you’ll have trouble closing the lid. You want enough clearance to allow the poultry and basket to spin without hitting the top of the grill.
The lid should be able to close as you’ll keep it closed throughout the cook, only opening it when you are basting the food.
So, make sure you measure several times before deciding where to put the rotisserie.
Step Five: Attach The Motor Bracket
This is the bracket that holds the motor in place. You’ll want to attach the brackets to the 6″x6″ brackets you’ve attached to the smokestack in step three above.
In the video above, he mounts the legs of the brackets to the outside, because they are too long and hit the inside of the grill. He discusses it about 9 minutes into the video on mounting the motor bracket.
Step Six: Test Out The Kit
Once the motor and spit have been mounted, turn on the motor to see if the rotisserie works. It should have enough clearance to spin without coming into contact with the grill.
As long as the rotisserie works, you don’t have to bolt the brackets into the shelf to secure them. Plus not bolting them down makes it easy to remove the rotisserie when you’re not using it.
If the motor does happen to fall during the cook, the meat will still be supported by the stack, and it won’t fall. it just won’t be rotisserie chicken.
Step Seven: Creating A Stopper
You’ll want to use a large screw that will plug up the hole when you’re not using the rotisserie. This will prevent the heat from escaping through the hole and causing the temperature to fluctuate.
Take a long screw and push it through the drilled hole from the inside of the grill to the outside. Next, use a washer to plug up the hole and then use a screw to secure it.
After a couple of smokes without the rotisserie, you’ll be able to determine whether the plug is working or not. If the grill is losing too much smoke, you may have to bend the washer, with the curvature of the smokestack.
Should You Add A Rotisserie to Your Pit Boss?
If you’re a DIY type of person and don’t mind drilling into your smoker, you can attempt to add one to your grill. That said, if you just purchased your grill I’d recommend buying a rotisserie instead.
The Ronco Showtime can roast a large turkey ad up to two rotisserie chickens at once.
- LARGE CAPACITY OVEN: The interior is large enough to cook up to a 12 lb turkey or 2 whole chickens at a time but at only 13 inches tall and 18 inches wide, the Showtime Platinum Rotisserie is compact to fit under cabinets for easy storage when not in use
- SELF-BASTING ROTATION: The classic Ronco rotisserie design locks in flavor and seals in natural juices while the removable heat reflector helps brown meat to perfection giving you tender, mouthwatering rotisserie chicken at home, anytime
- EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL COOK SETTINGS: With three simple digital control settings, Roast, Sear, and No Heat Rotation, the unique Ronco Showtime Platinum Rotisserie has the perfect preset temperature and rotation speed to evenly brown foods. No guesswork needed
- HEALTHY & DELICIOUS: Rotisserie cooking seals in flavors while unwanted fat and grease melts away so you are left with deliciously moist, flavorful, healthier poultry and roasts. Perfect for preparing Keto friendly, low carb meals
- AUTO SHUTOFF: An adjustable, 3 hour timer makes the Ronco Showtime Platinum Rotisserie Oven as easy as ever to use and will automatically shut off when time is up so you don’t have to worry about overcooked foods
It also features an auto-shut-off feature so you don’t have to worry about it. It’s a great alternative for anyone (like myself) who doesn’t feel comfortable making these times of modifications to their pellet grill.
Since modifications such as drilling into the smokestack will void the Pit Boss warranty. Plus, it can affect the way the smoker cooks, especially, if done incorrectly.
That said, if you look on YouTube, you’ll detailed instructions on how to install a rotisserie kit on Traeger, Pit Boss, Oklahoma, Louisiana, etc pellet grills.
So if you really want one, it is possible to do it. Just know that it will void your warranty.
Related Questions
No, leave the flame broiler in the grill but remove both the top and bottom racks.
Final Word
The Pit Boss Pellet Grill (or any pellet grill) doesn’t come with a rotisserie installed, but you can make some modifications to your grill and install a universal rotisserie kit.
Hopefully, this article has shown you that you can turn your versatile smoker into a rotisserie. For those of you who don’t like the thought of drilling into your smoker, there are other alternatives to making your own rotisserie chicken at home.
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