I use the rotisserie frequently on a grill. I've only used on in an oven a couple of times but it's not that different. In fact just did a pork loin this weekend on the rotisserie. Rotisserie involves a bit more direct heat than smoking but both are considered "slow" cooking methods. Think of smoking as constant low temp (around 220-250F) and rotisserie as alternating high and low temps as it rotates. Others may not agree by I find that unless you have a separate infrared or similar rotisserie element, the oven heats up to much and cooks the meat with ambient heat.

The preparation and concept is the same. Most people associate rotisserie with chicken but it can be done with pork or even beef and lamb. Ironically, chicken is probably one of the harder meats to prepare because of the large cavity. The hardest part of rotisserie prep is balancing and securing the meat on the spit. Not an easy thing when there is a huge hole in the middle of what you are trying to cook like a chicken.

I'm gonna repeat some of the advice rococogurl gave here but maybe add a bit more. For chicken, buy lots of untreated cotton cord that can be found in most cooking sections even in supermarkets. For first timers, I'd suggest binding the bird with no less than 3 or 4 cords across the body of the bird prior to inserting the spit. Then tie the end of drum stick to the tail. You'll want to position the spit to go through the neck down between the tie of the drum sick to tail almost as if the chicken is gripping the spit between the to ends of the drum sticks and the tail. Make sure it's not flopping around on the spit. Hold the spit in your hand (over the sink probably) and rotate it a bit. If the body shifts around more than a tiny bit, then you'll need to tie down that spot. As the meat cooks it'll shrink up a little and that little movement can cause the whole thing to flop around half way through cooking. Also, as you rotate it in your hand, check for balance. Does it tend to rotate to one position very strongly. It's almost impossible to get perfect balance but if it's too far off, the motor might not be able to turn it or it'll cause strain that will damage it over time. Shift the body of the bird around to compensate. Use more cord if necessary. You can try a pork or beef tenderloin first. These cuts are extremely easy to prepare for the spit and you simply stick the spit down the middle lengthwise.

Aside from physical preparation, there's the question of how to prepare the bird so that it tastes good. I am a firm believer in brining. Rubs are good for certain meats but I almost always brine chicken and pork. I use brine to prepare meats for anything from baking to smoking to rotisserie. Brine takes advantage of reverse osmosis to add moisture and flavor to meat. Preparing a basic brine is very simple. All that's really required is salt and water. The proportion is important but there's a wide range so a rough measurement is usually sufficient. Somewhere close to 8 to 1 (water-to-salt) proportion is a mid-strong strength brine. You can use a weaker brine of 12-1 if you don't want your meat as salty. I find that about 6-8 hours for chicken is enough with this strength. At around 4-1, you'd actually be doing a wet cure rather than a brine. With the 8-1 brine, I've left a chicken brining for over 12 hrs and it's still not too strong. Larger or denser meats will require more time. For pork I'll do 12-14hrs with this brine and 15lb Thanksgiving turkey gets about 24hrs. I like to use kosher salt since it's tends to be more pure and have less minerals which could impede the brining process. Aside form the water and salt, you'll probably want to add some flavors. I like to use citrus and rosemary. Go with your gut here. Can't really go wrong.. well don't add any dairy. :) In a pinch I've used frozen concentrated oj or oj from a carton to add a bit of flavor. Usually about 1-2 cups citrus for 4-6 cups of brining liquid is good. Apple juice or apple sauce is also good for things like pork. You'll want to add a bit of brown sugar to cut the salt a bit. With sweet juices like apple, I'd cut the sugar down or out completely. A couple of bay leaves to cut the gamy flavor. Not take the brine mixture, without the meat, and boil it for 15 min or so. This will blend the flavors and cook down any solids to bring out the flavors. If I used fresh oranges or lemons, I'll grate the rinds in and then toss in the halves of skin for good measure. I've used mint in a a brine for lamb and hmm was it good. Once it's been boiled, set aside and let cool. Put in the fridge for several hours at least. You want the brine to be fridge temps when you drop the meat in so you don't risk a bacteria explosion. Then just let it sit in the fridge overnight.

When you're ready to cook, take it out of the brine and attach it to the spit. I personally wouldn't bother drying it. Unlike deep frying, the meat doesn't have to be completely dry. In fact, you'll want to use a baste or mop while it's cooking to ensure it doesn't become dry. *DO NOT* use the brine directly. That'll make your meat come out like a salt lick. Take some of the brine and add enough fluid to at least double the volume. I like to use wine. You can also use water. I'd avoid stock since most prepared stock has salt in it. If you have access to fresh unsalted stock, then you can use that as well. I also add a bit of olive oil but that's completely optional. Boil for at lest 10min (to kill any bacteria) and then just mop it on the meat at least 4 times through cooking. This depends on your cooking temps of course. I like to use a lower cooking temp which tends to produce more tender meat so my cooking time can be over 4-6hrs. In that case, I'll use the mop every hour or so. If you are cooking in an oven, that time will likely drop down to 2 hours or less which means every 20-30. One trick is to put your mop pot inside the oven or grill so it stays hot (as long as it's oven safe).

Good luck and let us know how it goes.