Spit-Roasting Poultry

When birds are roasted on a turning spit, the principles are the same as for oven-roasting, but the smaller the bird, the closer it should be to the heat. Make sure the bird is balanced evenly so that it does not tear itself away from the spit. Little or no basting is needed since the bird cooks in its own juice as it turns, but it can be brushed with butter or a barbecue sauce. Spit-roasting is particularly suitable for fatty birds such as duck, where the fat must be rendered from under the skin and there is very little juice for making gravy.