How Long to Cook Roast Beef on a Rotisserie BBQ

Cooking roast beef on a rotisserie is a great way to get evenly cooked, juicy and flavorful beef. The rotisserie setup allows the roast to cook slowly and rotate, ensuring even exposure to the heat source. While oven roasting certainly has its place, rotisserie roasting over a BBQ is hard to beat when it comes to flavor and tenderness.

If you have never cooked roast beef on a rotisserie before you may be wondering how long it takes. The cooking time can vary quite a bit depending on a few factors

Size and Thickness of the Roast

Obviously, a larger and thicker roast will take longer to cook than a smaller and thinner one. A good rule of thumb is to estimate 12-15 minutes per pound for a 3-4 pound roast For roasts 6 pounds or larger, estimate 10-12 minutes per pound

Boneless roasts tend to cook a little more quickly than bone-in roasts of an equivalent size. The bones conduct heat slower than the meat, so expect bone-in roasts to take slightly longer.

Desired Doneness

How you want your roast beef cooked also significantly impacts cooking time. Roasts cooked to lower doneness levels like rare or medium rare will cook much faster than those cooked to medium or beyond.

For medium rare roasts, cooking to an internal temperature of 135°F is common. These roasts would be on the quicker end of the time range. Roasts cooked to medium (140-145°F internal temp) or medium well (150°F) will need more time to allow the interior to come up to the right temperature without burning the outside.

Rotisserie Setup and Temperature

The specifics of your rotisserie setup and maintaining the right temperature also factor into total cooking time. Some key points:

• Indirect heat: Your BBQ should be setup for indirect cooking, with the roast offset and not directly over the heat source. This allows the roast to cook slowly and evenly.

• Two zone fire: Use a two zone fire, with one side hot and one side low heat. Sear over direct heat, then move to indirect heat to finish cooking.

• Maintain 225-250°F: Use BBQ vents and additional fuel as needed to keep the temperature in an ideal range between 225-250°F. This low and slow heat is perfect for roasts.

• Rotate frequently: Rotating frequently ensures even cooking. If your rotisserie motor doesn’t turn the roast reliably on its own, give it help by turning it manually every 20-30 minutes.

• Use a drip pan: Placing a drip pan under the roast will catch the delicious juices for making gravy or sauce later. It also minimizes flare ups.

Resting Time

Don’t forget to factor in a resting period after the roast comes off the rotisserie. For beef roasts, you’ll want to allow a 10-15 minute resting time before slicing into the roast. This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat for maximum tenderness and moisture.

Signs Roast Beef is Done

Relying just on time to know when your roast is done can lead to over or undercooked meat. Use these techniques to determine doneness:

• Instant read thermometer: Insert into the thickest part of the roast and verify it has reached the minimum internal temp for your desired doneness level.

• Touch test: Feel the firmness of the roast by gently pressing on it. When done, it should feel firm with a little spring.

• Visual test: Check the color of the meat. As it cooks, it will go from bright red to pinkish red to light pink as it approaches medium or beyond.

Troubleshooting Tips

Having trouble getting perfect results? Here are some troubleshooting tips:

• Roast cooking too fast? Make sure the temperature inside the grill is 225-250°F and you are using indirect heat. Move coals away from the roast if it seems to be cooking too quickly.

• Roast not getting brown? Try searing it over direct heat for the first 10-15 minutes of cooking before moving to indirect heat.

• Interior not cooking through? Use an instant read thermometer to verify the internal temp, and cook longer if needed. Thicker roasts take longer than thinner ones.

• Outside getting too dark? Try using a lower heat, putting a foil tent over it, or reducing total cooking time for thinner roasts.

Sample Roasting Times

To give you an idea of approximate rotisserie roasting times, here are some estimates based on size:

• 2-3 pound roast: 24-36 minutes total
• 4-5 pound roast: 50-60 minutes total
• 6-7 pound roast: 60-84 minutes total
• 8-10 pound roast: 96-120 minutes total

The times above are approximate. Always rely on an instant read thermometer to determine when your specific roast is cooked to your preferred doneness, regardless of cooking time.

Additional Tips for Rotisserie Roast Beef

Here are a few final tips for rotisserie success:

• Let the meat come to room temp before rotisserie roasting for more even cooking.

• Tie the roast with butcher twine to maintain shape and evenly cook.

• Season simply with salt, pepper and herbs so the beef flavor shines through.

• Use hickory, oak or other hardwood chips for extra smoke flavor.

• Make carving easier by letting roast rest before slicing across the grain.

Cooking roast beef on a rotisserie is simple and delivers juicy, flavorful results every time. With the guidelines above, you’ll turn out a perfect roast beef to enjoy all summer long. Give it a try for your next BBQ—your guests will be impressed!