Current Crop of Ronco Showtime Ovens?

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Count Porcula

Meat Mopper
Original poster
SMF Premier Member
Sep 25, 2020
214
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This is not totally on-topic, since it's about a non-smoking machine, so feel free to delete it if it's too far afield. I figured the people on this forum would be more likely to be able to give me information than anyone else.

I made a big mistake and threw out my dad's Ronco Showtime oven. Now I am regretting it, because as hokey as Ronco products sound, it worked great, and it looks like there are ZERO companies making competitive products now. Not unless your idea of food is a 4-pound chicken. The Showtime would take a decent-sized turkey or rib roast.

I found out Ronco has been resurrected, and they sell new versions of the Showtime. Some people complain they spin too slow, and others have moaned about the construction. Does anyone here have personal experience?

I found a very new-looking old machine on Craigslist, but I haven't gotten an answer to my inquiry. I figure I would be better off restoring a solid old machine than trying to modify a new one that doesn't have a good foundation to begin with.
 
I had some deer tenderloins that my buddy did on an old ronco last winter. Turned out amazing. That's my only experience lol
 
I know a guy that bought a Showtime about 20 years ago and cooked on it at least 3 times a week. If the neighborhood watering hole had a Football Sunday pot luck, he would often cook two roaster hens, which always turned out great. That one finally died and he found one at a garage sale still in the box. Now he's back in business.
 
Loved mine for 15+ years. it got neglected after the pellet smoker moved in. wife junked it
 
I know bearcarver has one and think sawhorse ray does too . I found one at goodwill . Still in the box and I didn't buy it . That was a mistake .
 
Hi Count,
I got My Showtime Rotisserie about 25 years ago.
I loved it, and did small Hams, Turkeys, CSRs, and a bunch of other things.
Then I started noticing the cord, at the plug end was getting hot, so I stopped using it, until I got time to look at it. Then I got my first Smoker, and forgot all about it.

Then when my health went bad, making it hard for me to go in & out, I got a few indoor toys to cook with. Then we drug out the old ShowTime, and checked it out. It turned out the problem was the wire was broken near the plug, so Bear Jr fixed that, and that got it back on line. So now I use it again, but only when I want to Spin something, because my Ninja Smart Grill works better in most ways, but the only good Rotisserie I have is the ShowTime.
I don't know anything about the new Ronco "Showtimes".

Hoping this Helps,

Bear
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I considered getting a new model and installing a different gearmotor to get Ron Popeil's allegedly-perfect 6 RPM, but in the end I picked up an Ebay antique in like-new condition.

People who buy the new ones say the steel is flimsy, so I figured it was best to have a solid box.

It's amazing that no one makes a competitive product. I wonder why that is. All the rotisseries on Amazon are tiny. They have a bunch of vertical rotisseries, but they don't self-baste.
 
I just picked up a Breville Smart Air Fryer Pro, and it's somewhat like that. Proofs dough, reheats beautifully, toasts, has weird programming for roasting...pretty crazy. It won't rotate anything however.
 
I've had my Showtime 4000 for over 20 years now. Spun hundreds of yardbirds, beef, and lamb roasts, about perfect every time, still works like new. I recall seeing a couple on Ebay last year for around $500. RAY
 
I guess we are hoarders, cuz we seem to have two of them! :emoji_blush: Well actually one is our daughter's but their current house is so small we are storing it for her. We love ours also! Does awesome on chickens and I know we've done a rabbit on it.

Ryan
 
I don't know about the new model but the old Ronco was used on my jobsite for everything and it never let us down. Should be able to find one in good condition on eBay
 
I found an unused model 4000 on Ebay and grabbed it. Total was about $70. The spits were a little short. Maybe that's why it wasn't used. I managed to make them work, and I also ordered a couple of 0.2" stainless rods from Amazon. I'm going to put them on the lathe and make new rods that are less dodgy.

Yesterday I made a pork roast. I made a reduction of peach nectar, Marsala, butter, salt, garlic, and sage and smeared it on the roast after boning it and letting it sit in the fridge dusted with salt and Accent.

My original pork glaze calls for apricot nectar, but it looks like coronavirus has produced an apricot nectar shortage.

The roast was fantastic even though I went to 160 instead of stopping when I should have, at 145. I'll post a photo. You would think the black parts were ruined, but the truth is that they were loaded with flavor. Next time I'll try to char more of the meat.

I don't know why these ovens aren't more popular. Maybe people are using grill-mounted rotisseries instead? Showtimes do fantastic work, and the construction isn't bad.

This glaze is really good. I've used it on whole pigs. The proportions are 12 oz. nectar, 1/2 cup sweet Marsala or sherry, 1 tsp. sage, and butter and crushed garlic to taste. I also created a recipe for stuffing, if you do a pig or stuffed pork chops. It contains rice, bread cubes, almonds, and golden raisins. There is nothing like opening a pig and seeing 8 pounds of steaming stuffing inside.

12 13 21 Ronco showtime pork 3.jpg
 
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Try the glaze. It's easy and delicious. When my dad bought his oven, I thought he had been ripped off, but it's a good product. Seems like a rotisserie gives a great combination of juiciness and crust.
 
I tried roasting a chicken the other day, and I was not completely happy. Using the recommended time, I got a chicken that was a bit dark on the outside but not done enough to be tender.

I read up, and I saw that people were modifying their Showtimes to produce less heat, allowing meat to slow-cook. Has anyone here tried this?

You can put in a control with a knob that varies the heat from zero to maximum, or you can install a diode and a switch, reducing the current to the element by half.

I decided I didn't really need infinitely variable control, so I ordered a diode and a switch today.
 
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