Bringing the Flavor: Commercial Rotisserie Ovens & Smokers
These days, diners are more savvy and invested in delicious, high-quality food than ever! But this doesn't have to translate to extra tedious and tricky work for your kitchen staff. With specialty appliances from Eleven36, like rotisserie ovens and commercial smokers, you can bring on the flavor AND save time, energy, and money in the kitchen.
The Plot Chickens: Commercial Rotisserie Ovens
There's no time like right now to add a commercial rotisserie oven to your kitchen setup. Roasted chicken is always a popular menu option, but roasting whole chickens can take an hour or more, which makes it inefficient for busy foodservice establishments. Well, not anymore!
Since the commercial rotisserie oven keeps your whole chickens rotating, they are always evenly cooked, hot, juicy, and ready to serve with consistent results as soon as the order comes in! Plus, continuous cooking means you'll always get consistent results.
At Eleven36, we believe in getting you the highest quality restaurant equipment to meet your particular kitchen needs and save you money in the long run. So, here are some things you should consider before picking which rotisserie oven is right for your restaurant.
Keep Your Spin Up: How to Pick the Right Rotisserie Oven
Size/Space
Commercial rotisserie ovens come in a variety of sizes and configurations, so finding one that fits your kitchen needs should be a breeze. For kitchens with limited floor space, countertop models are perfect. If you run a high-volume kitchen or have space to spare, free-standing floor units—which can hold dozens of birds at a time—would be an excellent fit for you. There are also pass-through models, which allow you to access the contents from both sides of the oven.
Broiler vs. Spit
You have two different options when it comes to cooking style. A broiler-style rotisserie oven, like this American Range Horizontal Broiler, is similar to a grill in that the heat source comes from the bottom, and the chickens are rotated above it. Spit ovens, on the other hand, like this American Range Countertop 4-Spit Rotisserie Oven, spin and rotate the chickens on stainless steel skewers within an oven enclosure with glass doors. Some models, like this Vollrath Countertop Rotisserie Oven, even offer the option of cooking baskets rather than spits, which can accommodate whole chickens, side dishes, vegetables, or other items.
Natural Gas vs. Electric
It's the age-old question in any restaurant kitchen: electric or gas? Most kitchens prefer gas because it provides a hotter and faster cook than electric. They are also cheaper to operate and more reliable in the long run. That said, electric ovens do offer more even and responsive temperature control, but replacement bulbs can be expensive. Electric might be the way to go if you operate a catering business, food cart, or small kitchen without a gas hookup. Otherwise, we say gas all the way!
Go Whole Hog: Commercial Smokers
Nothing brings the heat like a commercial smoker in the kitchen. Commercial smokers like this American Range 6-burner Wood Chip Smoker work by distributing the smoke from wet wood chips to whatever ingredients you add to the chamber. A high-quality restaurant smoker allows you to serve customers those down-home flavors they love. And not just barbecue! Commercial smokers can also cook vegetables, fish, cheese, or anything you want to give a bit of extra smoky flavor to.
At Eleven36, we're here to support you in your smoker dreams, whether you plan to add a little extra flavor to dishes indoors or bring in new customers to your barbecue joint. Before you start smokin', here are a few things you should know.
Is the Smoke Worth the Hype?
Let's get the obvious out of the way up front: Barbecue is a favorite among diners. Smoking meats had a renaissance of sorts in the early 2000s, especially in hip cities like Austin, Texas, and the interest in high-quality smoking hasn't waned. You'll rest easy knowing your new high-quality commercial smoker will allow you to make authentic barbecue exactly the way you like it. Once you've mastered your signature recipe, your customers won't just want any barbecue—they'll want your barbecue, and nothing else will do!
Picking the right commercial smoker oven is a matter of knowing your food business and what you need. How is your kitchen arranged? Do you have sufficient outdoor space? Decent weather year-round? Is your kitchen well-ventilated, and do you have the interest or experience in setting up certain types of commercial smoker units to abide by local regulations? Do you want the ultimate time-saver of an indoor commercial smoker oven, even if it means sacrificing a bit of smoky flavor?
Low and Slow Cooking
Smokers use low and slow cooking techniques to achieve the most tender texture and smoky flavor. A premium restaurant smoker also offers precise temperature controls and safety features that mean you won't have to spend all day and night watching your meat, saving you on labor and freeing up your staff to do other things.
It's an efficient and surprisingly energy-friendly way to cook. A good commercial smoker oven means that your slow-cooked food will come out with consistency, imparting smoky flavor reliably to whatever you choose to cook low and slow, from veggies to poultry to fish to ribs, brisket, and more.
Indoor Installation
Don't have outdoor space? Don't despair. Commercial indoor smoker units can help you create that barbecue magic within your existing kitchen space. Just be mindful during installation that your commercial indoor smoker is installed correctly, balancing smoky flavor with actual smoke—in other words, ventilating properly and abiding by local regulations and fire codes.
Pure Poultry in Motion: Our Trusted Brand Partners
Working with Eleven36 means partnering with a commercial kitchen equipment supplier with industry-favorite rotisserie ovens and commercial smokers. Our commitment to long-term solutions that save you money is why we are proud to stock brands like American Range and Vollrath!
These established and respected brands have proven track records of manufacturing top-tier commercial equipment that you can trust to be reliable workhorses in the kitchen. In fact, the SEFA National Sales Conference awarded Vollrath the Supplier of the Year Award in 2024. With over 40 years of experience equipping commercial kitchens, American Range was acquired in 2022 by Hatco Corporation, a trusted manufacturer of foodservice equipment since 1950.
Commercial Smokers
Nothing brings the heat like a commercial smoker in the kitchen. A high-quality restaurant smoker allows you to serve customers down-home flavors not just in barbecue, but in vegetables, fish, anything you want served with a bit of extra smoky flavor. At Eleven36, we’re here to support you in your smoker dreams, whether your plan is to just add a little extra flavor to dishes indoors or to bring in new customers to your barbecue joint. Before you start smokin’, here are a few things you should know.
Benefits of Adding a Commercial Smoker To Your Food Business
Let’s get the obvious out of the way up front: Barbecue is a favorite among diners, and a commercial smoker allows you to not only make authentic barbecue, but make it just how you like it, earning devoted customers who don’t just want barbecue — they want your barbecue, and nothing else will do! And of course barbecue is an easy way to feed a lot of people at once (and profitably). Smoking meats had a renaissance of sorts in the early 2000s, especially in hip cities, like Austin, Texas, and the interest in high-quality smoking hasn’t waned. Diners are savvier than ever, and a high quality commercial smoker can make a big difference to your business. At Eleven36, we are passionate about setting up kitchens to meet our foodie customers where they are — and we bring the heat when it comes to smoker knowledge and powerful equipment.
A premium restaurant smoker also offers precise temperature controls and safety features that mean you won’t have to spend all day and night watching your meat — saving you on labor and freeing up your staff to do other things. It’s an efficient, and surprisingly energy friendly, way to cook. A good commercial smoker oven also means that your slow-cooked food will come out with consistency, imparting smoky flavor reliably to whatever you choose to cook low and slow, from veggies to poultry to fish to ribs, brisket, etc.
Don’t have outdoor space? Don’t despair. Commercial indoor smoker units can help you create that barbecue magic within your existing kitchen space. Just be mindful during installation that your commercial indoor smoker is installed correctly, balancing smoky flavor with actual smoke — in other words, ventilating properly and abiding by local regulations and fire codes.
We encourage you to connect with us at Eleven36 to get the down-home download on what each of our smokers can do. But to give you a sense of what you’re looking for, check out our mini-guide below. Or connect with us today for a real conversation about the smoker that will meet your needs — we’re here to help you meet all your smokin’ goals, especially if you save us a plate.
Choosing the Right Commercial Smoker Oven
Picking the right commercial smoker oven is a matter of knowing your food business and what you need. How is your kitchen arranged? Do you have sufficient outdoor space? Decent weather year-round? Is your kitchen well-ventilated, and do you have the interest or experience in setting up certain types of commercial smoker units to abide by local regulations? Do you want the ultimate time-saver of an indoor commercial smoker oven, even if it means sacrificing a bit of smoky flavor? Do you think of yourself as a barbecue aficionado, willing to wake up and tend to the meat outdoors … or do you want the power of an electric restaurant smoker oven to save time and labor and get your meat, poultry, veggies and other delicious food (even cocktails) smokey and ready to serve?
Trusted Brands
When it comes to high-quality commercial kitchen equipment, American Range and Vollrath are brands you can rely on. Both are leaders in the foodservice industry, each with a proven track record of durability and performance.
American Range is known for its high-performance equipment, designed to meet the demands of professional kitchens. With over 40 years in the industry, they’ve perfected their craft, offering products that withstand heavy use. Vollrath, another trusted name, has been at the forefront of commercial kitchen solutions for decades, consistently earning respect for its durable, efficient, and high-quality appliances.
Check out these popular models from American Range and Vollrath:
- Vollrath 40704 Countertop Rotisserie Oven - 208/240V
- American Range AHSR-48 48" Horizontal Rotisserie Chicken Broiler, Natural Gas
- American Range ACB-14 14-Spit Rotisserie Oven, LP Gas
Whether you’re investing in a rotisserie oven or a commercial smoker, American Range and Vollrath bring decades of expertise to your kitchen, providing top-tier results for every dish.
For the Roast of Your Life: Trust Eleven36 for Your Commercial Kitchen Needs
In today's increasingly foodie world, becoming an innovative leader in the flavor industry is more important than ever! What better way to expand your menu and develop surprising dishes than with specialty ovens that simplify your cooking methods AND open up your flavor options?
If you're ready to take your restaurant menu into the future, reach out to our team to explore our top-of-the-line range of specialty ovens today! Your loyal customers (and your long-term profits) will be glad you did!