Spatchcock Chicken

60snight

Have been using th BGE for a few months now and this forum has been great.  Am learning alot from the posts.  Latest effort was pizza; store bought; and it turned out great.  Am going to try spatchcocked chicken next weekend and would like to have some of your thoughts on best; prep. and cooking info. i.e: temp.; lgth. of cook; setup; rub etc.  Any info. would be greatly appreciated.

Ragtop99

some good info in this thread:
http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1136488/
about the 5th post down, check out the video.

Mickey

For spatchcock I always do the same way. If time I put the bird uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin. I never use oil. The next day I like Butt Rub or a coffee rub I make to coat it. I use (VERY LITTLE) very little cherry and pecan chips in fire. I grill high on an adj rig (you just raise grate) and direct at 400. I like birds about 3.5lbs and they take under an hour. Cook to temp please and not time. Turkeys (like 12lb or less) if feeding a bunch do 2 or 3 of this size (only take 1.5hr or so) and Cornish Hens also the same.

boatbum

Last night was my first one.   Fast, Easy, and very flavorful ( moreso than a roasting rack).

Chubbs

For spatchcock I always do the same way. If time I put the bird uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin. I never use oil. The next day I like Butt Rub or a coffee rub I make to coat it. I use (VERY LITTLE) very little cherry and pecan chips in fire. I grill high on an adj rig (you just raise grate) and direct at 400. I like birds about 3.5lbs and they take under an hour. Cook to temp please and not time. Turkeys (like 12lb or less) if feeding a bunch do 2 or 3 of this size (only take 1.5hr or so) and Cornish Hens also the same.

Mickey, do you inject yours, or are they already moist enough?

Mickey

I never inject or brine and they are alway moist excep this bunch

 

SteveWPBFL

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!

bigguy136

I never inject or brine and they are alway moist excep this bunch

 

And what did you inject these with- Wild Turkey? Gas?

They look a little overdone or were you making your own lump??

Mickey

That is a quick lesson on making chicken lump. No just got distracted and forgot the Egg had wings on.Tell me you have never done that.....

bigguy136

Not yet. I got my egg last Sept. so I'm still a newbie with many mistakes to be made. I'm glad I found the forum early on as my cooking experience is 100% positive from everyone's help.

bigguy136

For spatchcock I always do the same way. If time I put the bird uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin. I never use oil. The next day I like Butt Rub or a coffee rub I make to coat it. I use (VERY LITTLE) very little cherry and pecan chips in fire. I grill high on an adj rig (you just raise grate) and direct at 400. I like birds about 3.5lbs and they take under an hour. Cook to temp please and not time. Turkeys (like 12lb or less) if feeding a bunch do 2 or 3 of this size (only take 1.5hr or so) and Cornish Hens also the same.

Okay, just got back from the store. One turkey and one chicken going on in a bit. I should've ate my left over burgers but no, I read the forum and go buy more food......

I guess my co-workers will be eating my left overs Monday.

Mickey

Bigguy136 we want the story and the pictures please.

bigguy136

I put on a turkey and chicken, raised grid at 400° and cherry wood smoke. I used Plowboys Yardbird rub on both. With the chicken getting done sooner than the turkey and I did a flip on the chicken before I flipped the turkey, I didn't get any finished photos. Here is when it went on. Chicken was okay. Not much flavor. Turkey was much better, like the smoke penetrated the turkey meat. Both very moist.

NightwingXP

Is that an XL egg?

NightwingXP

Looks awesome by the way!

bigguy136

Done on a large with raised grid

SteveWPBFL

Sitting at 410F dome temp with a large spatch chicken direct as we speak. Cheers!

SteveWPBFL

With my new thermapen, pulled it off at 165F breast! Thanks all for all the hints!

bigguy136

With my new thermapen, pulled it off at 165F breast! Thanks all for all the hints!

And how was it?

SteveWPBFL

Except for using cooking spray to hold the rub on it was perfect! The spray kept the skin from crisping up as much as we like so no more of that.

bigguy136

Except for using cooking spray to hold the rub on it was perfect! The spray kept the skin from crisping up as much as we like so no more of that.

Direct or indirect heat? I would do indirect (skin wouldn't get crispy) but last few, I've been doing direct with a flip during the cook and the skin is now crispy.

Mickey

Except for using cooking spray to hold the rub on it was perfect! The spray kept the skin from crisping up as much as we like so no more of that.

Steve you do not need the spray. I never oil or spray chicken or turkey spatchcocked.

SteveWPBFL

I won't do it again, can tell ya that!

suckit

Attempting my first chicken today.  Got Large BGE last Monday.  Spatched and cooking at 300 indirect with plate and grill at gasket level.  Guessing 2 hours.  Just dropped it on.  Looking forward to dinner in 2 hours.

Ragtop99

I grill high on an adj rig (you just raise grate) and direct at 400. I like birds about 3.5lbs and they take under an hour. Cook to temp please and not time. Turkeys (like 12lb or less) if feeding a bunch do 2 or 3 of this size (only take 1.5hr or so) and Cornish Hens also the same.

I may have to try higher temps.  Tonight I was at 375* raised direct (probably average temp was bit less due to start-up recovery) and an 8lb chicken took almost 1:45 to cook.  I set the thigh toward the center and the breast outside to try to cook the leg faster than the breast.  Came out good, but the big chickens always seem to take longer than I expect. 

egghead6

I'm going to do this tonight on my medium Bge. Love getting info from this site. I'm going to be more involved.
Ill start posting pics and stuff.

cookinfun

I did 3 spatch ckicks on Sunday.  Prepped, coated skin w/ evo, used Dizzy's Shakin the Tree.  Preheated LBGE to 250F, put on for 1.5 hrs.  Brought up to 375F for 1.5 hrs, no flipping.  Cooked to 165 white / 180 dark... Came out great, skin crispy, very moist.  Only hitch was the birds cooked different times due to height in egg,.

The only thing that bothers me is that no matter how good the crisp skin is on nite of cook, the next day its rubber.  depressing.

JaredMD

I did my first spatchcock this past friday.. followed Mickey's advice and put it on a tray, uncovered, in the fridge for a day before throwing it on the egg.. cooked it indirect at around 400, took about 80 mins, skin was very crispy and the meat was moist as could be.. absolutely thrilled with it!

SaturdayFatterday

Did three spatches last night.  Should have followed Mickey's advice re: the fridge, but saw it too late.  Used Dizzy Dust, cooked with a smattering of applewood at 400 direct on an unraised grate (counting on the bones to protect the meat, which they did) until up to temp.  I'll do pics next time, 'cause we ate it too fast - meat was very juicy and tender.