How long to spit braai a whole lamb

7 min read · Updated September 2026

A whole lamb on a spit is the centrepiece of a wedding, a farm function or a very good Saturday. It is also the one braai where getting the timing wrong is expensive.

Here is the timing we give every customer who collects or receives a Lamb Spit, based on years of units in the field.

How to spit braai a whole lamb

1Prepare the lambTake the lamb out of the fridge two hours before it goes on. Trim loose fat, season generously with coarse salt inside and out, and let it come to room temperature.
2Load the rodThread the rod through the length of the carcass along the backbone. Lock the forks into the shoulders and hips, tie the legs and shoulders tight against the body with butcher's twine, and tie the flaps closed so nothing swings.
3Balance the rodRest the rod across your hands. If it rolls to one side, loosen the forks and shift the carcass until it sits balanced. An unbalanced rod strains the motor and cooks unevenly.
4Light and set the heatLight the burners with the lid or wind shield in place and bring the spit up to a steady medium heat. Never light in wind and never let gas build up before lighting.
5Cook low and slowRun the motor from the start. Allow 4 to 6 hours depending on carcass weight, turning constantly and never by hand.
6Baste from hour twoBaste every 30 minutes from the second hour with a simple mix of oil, lemon, garlic, rosemary and salt. Basting earlier just burns.
7Check the temperatureProbe the thickest part of the leg, away from bone. 70°C is ready to carve. Rest the lamb for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Timing by carcass weight

15kg lamb: about 4 hours at a steady medium heat
20kg lamb: about 4 hours 30 to 5 hours
25kg lamb: about 5 hours 30
30kg lamb (the maximum our Lamb Spit carries): about 6 hours
Add 30 minutes on a cold or windy day — wind steals more heat than cold does

Start earlier than you think

Plan to have the lamb off the fire an hour before you want to eat. A rested lamb carves cleanly and stays hot under foil for well over an hour. A rushed lamb does neither.

If you are feeding a function, work backwards from the speeches, not from the meal.

The mistakes we see most

Heat too high in the first hour — the outside colours long before the inside is done
Tying too loosely, so the legs flop and cook unevenly
Basting from the start, which burns the sugars and blackens the skin
Turning the rod by hand instead of letting the motor run — it damages the gearbox
No wind shield on an open field, which can add an hour with no warning

What you need to run it

The Lamb Spit carries a full 30kg carcass on three gas burners with an electric motor, and it rolls on wheels so it can be positioned once and left. It is built to order, which means allow 5 to 10 working days — each one is welded for the order it is going out on.

If you are catering rather than feeding a single big function, the Cater Spit handles 12kg or four to five chickens at a time and is far quicker to turn around between services.

After the braai

Let the unit cool, then clean the rod and forks with warm water and mild dish soap — never abrasive pads. Store it dry and covered. Our covers are waterproof UV ripstop with a 3-year warranty and are cut to fit each model exactly.

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