With spring and summer fast approaching, hundreds of backyards and campsites will soon be filled with the amber glow and pungent aromas of grills and barbecue pits. If you have plans for your own outdoor cooking, this is the perfect time to try roasting, a cooking alternative that produces tasty meats and boasts greater fuel and heat efficiency than other methods.

Earl Watkins has put together an outline for a simple, homemade hog roaster you can use to barbecue pork, beef, chicken and venison, with delicious results.

Building the roaster
Once you've rounded up a few materials, the construction of the roaster is pretty straightforward. Earl's roaster is comprised of a body, spit and a small motor and gearbox to turn the spit. Look around for discarded materials you can recycle into an inexpensive and eco-friendly hog roaster.

As an example, Earl used a 300-gallon gas tank for the body of his roaster. He then cut the tank into two equal parts (horizontally) and used pipe hinges to connect the two halves. A recycled combine shaft became the spit. The old combine's 12' pulley was hooked up, with a drive belt, to the gearbox and motor from an ancient Maytag wringer washer. This helps ensure an even roast by automatically rotating the spit. Earl made the gearbox from the shaft and belt-tightener from a dilapidated lawn mower.

Prep and Sauce
Earl has used his roaster to cook pigs ranging in size (in live weight) from 50 to 300 pounds. The pigs are skinned before roasting and then basted with his wife's homemade sauce a couple hours before serving. This tasty concoction is credited with producing tender, savory meat, and the Watkins family has generously provided the recipe: