Customers frequently ask me why I need a back brace.
You don’t need a back brace if you’re only preparing chunks of meat, gyros, birds, or anything other than a whole animal. When preparing a whole animal, such as a lamb, pig, or goal, a back brace is very necessary. A back brace wraps around the skewer and runs through the animal’s spine.
It helps to secure the centre of the animal to the skewer so that the back does not bend and flop around during cooking. Unsecured animals will progressively come loose, become unbalanced, and put more strain on your spit roast motor.
A spit back brace is just a U bolt with a flat plate attached by two wing nuts. It is important that the ends of the U bolt be sharpened so that they may be easily pierced through the back of the animal.
The wing nuts and flat plate must be removed before mounting a back brace to the animal’s spine.
Second, pass the U through the stomach cavity such that the U of the back brace spans the spit roast skewer and the animal’s spine. If you’re using a two-piece skewer, make sure the back brace isn’t right above the connection; otherwise, the spit roast skewer may bend due to the pressure of tightening the back brace.
If you’re having problems pushing the back brace through the animal, pierce the skin with a sharp knife to make it easier to push the back brace through.
Once the back brace has been placed through the animal, secure the flat plate to the U bolt with the two wing nuts. Tighten until the back brace is secure, but do not fully tighten until the animal is completely affixed to the skewer using the large prongs and leg holders.
This is an accessory pack for rigging together a complete animal.
Below is a video example of how to use a back brace for spit roasting a lamb
How to use a Back Brace When Cooking a Whole Animal on a Spit Rotisserie
If you can’t find your back brace and there’s no way to order one in time for your next lamb on a spit, you can use some stainless steel wire to tie the back of the animal to the skewer. Thread the wire through the back of the animal, around the skewer, and back through the back. This should be done at least six times in the same spot so that the wire thickness is sufficient to keep the animal in place.
Again, this is only a last resort if you have no other options. I would stress that if the animal is not properly secured, it will be unbalanced and will not rotate evenly on the skewer. It may appear to be fine at first, but the composition and weight distribution of the lamb will change during the cooking process. In the best-case scenario, your meat will be slightly burnt on one side and slightly underdone on the other. Worst-case scenario: your lamb is burned and you’ve stripped the gear box of your vehicle.
I don’t say this to scare you; I tell it to assist you be as prepared as possible. Spit roasting is a fun event that relieves the stress of cooking for a large group of people. The last thing you need is a malfunction (and last-minute pizza orders) that might have been fully avoided with proper planning.
