Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Spatchcock Chicken in need of assistance!

Hi,

I attempted my 2nd spatchcock chicken last night and got less than desirable results. Here is what I did: 

Marinated the chicken for a few hours in a briny type liquid, then put the chicken in a new dish with the same marinade, but poured enough out so the skin side was not soaking in it (trying to dry out the skin a bit) for a few hours. Got the Egg heated up to a stable 375ish for raised direct cooking. I then put the chicken on, skin side up. One thing is noticed early was that it seemed like it was cooking fairly quick, breast was up to about 150 in about 30-35 minutes. About this time i flipped the chicken (harder than it sounds!) to try to crisp up the skin a bit, I also poured a little bit of the boiled off marinade onto the bird. After about 10 minutes i flipped it back over and basted it with a little Blues Hog honey mustard bbq sauce. I let it go about another 10 minutes and temp'd it right before i took it off. It said the breast was 162. I was excited, I was hoping the prep work would pay off with big flavor. When I started carving the bird up i noticed that it was EXTREMELY juicy/watery and still seemed a little fatty/rubbery. I'm guessing i could have thrown it back on for another 15-20 minutes to see if it would help, but we were ready to eat. Granted the chicken flavor was delicious, but the texture of the meat off the bone sections had the rubbery/watery texture.

The chicken was about 3.5 lbs all natural, cage free, antibiotic free, etc, so i would be surprised if it was the quality of the chicken, unless i just got a bad bird.

The first time I did spatchcock chicken, i simply put some rub on the bird and cooked similarly, if i remember correctly. The skin wasn't crisp that time either, but the actual texture of the chicken was much better.

I'm not sure how I should change my method so get better results. I was thinking next time to skip the marinade/brine completely, let it dry out in the fridge for 24hrs and then rub it up and throw it on.

If anyone has any suggestions i am all ears! Bring on the suggestions/comments!

Thanks! 
Ryan

XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO Flameboss 500

St. Louis, MO

Comments

  • byrne092
    byrne092 Posts: 746
    That was what I was thinking. Do you still just cook until the breast hits roughly 160, or go by visual cues such as the skin?
    XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO Flameboss 500

    St. Louis, MO
  • Grillmagic
    Grillmagic Posts: 1,600
    edited July 2014
    I'm a newbie my self but I have done 25/30 spatched and you just didn't cook it long enough. When I think my chicken is done my wife thinks it needs another 20 minutes, I go 400 raised direct with some cherry chunks and never flip, just EVOO and a ton of seasoning of choice  and 165/185 (I know that's high but my wife likes it a little more done, they are always juicy and the skin is ok, we only eat the skin on wings and drum sticks around here... Spatched is one of my favorite cooks on my XL BGE
    Charlotte, Michigan XL BGE
  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,407
    Sounds like undercooked. Sorry I have more questions than answers, is your thermometer accurate? did you take temp at the thickest part of the breast or the triangular tip, or multiple places? what was the thigh temp?
    canuckland
  • byrne092
    byrne092 Posts: 746
    Yeah, I think you all are right, I am guessing it was undercooked a bit. I took the temp in both the breasts, in the thick part. I didn't think to temp the thighs because I figured if the breast was at temp then the thighs should be fine. The thermometer readings were accurate, I had my probe in most of the cook, then temped with a different one when i took them off. And it was definitely "done", nothing was pink/nothing that stood out that it was undercooked, but it seems like it needed that extra bit of time to break down the fat more. Trial and error  :-w
    XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO Flameboss 500

    St. Louis, MO
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    I never brine anything. I would say 1) you brined it too long, 2) it didn't dry out while sitting in the reduced amt of brine in the fridge and 3) (maybe) depending on what was in your "briny type liquid", you may have had too many competing flavors (with the blues hog). I do mine at 400 raised direct. Skin side up until the last 10 minutes or so, then I flip.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Jwinn44
    Jwinn44 Posts: 49
    I did a spactchocked last night and as per my wifes instructions I was not allowed to remove the bird till the breats was 180.  I was worried that this would be overdone, but let me tell you, It was the best chicken I have ever ate.  I did raised direct at about 400, and it took roughly an hour.   The skin was crispy and the meat was perfect.
    Chilliwack, BC, Canada
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    byrne092 said:
    That was what I was thinking. Do you still just cook until the breast hits roughly 160, or go by visual cues such as the skin?

    155/160
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
    I never brine anything. I tried it a few times at the beginning of my BGE days, but never liked  the results - usually too salty and texture not right.  When I spatchcock now, I cook at 400 indirect until the breast is around 160 and the thighs around 175 which usually happens at about the same time.  Some of the skin is usually crispy.  I never flip the bird.  I've thought about cooking it a little hotter to see if all the skin stays crispy - may try that next time.

    I carefully pull back the skin and put some sesame  based rub under it then pull the skin back in place.
    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
  • byrne092
    byrne092 Posts: 746
    Well it sounds like the general consensus is to not do a brine, which kind of makes sense because i don't think i have made anything on the egg that has been dry, even if it got overcooked. Also because the first one i did turned out great other than the skin not getting super crispy and i didnt do anything special to that other than pat some of the wetness off. I think im gonna try to redeem my chicken tonight with some wings for wing day, havent had a bad wing off the egg yet...
    XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO Flameboss 500

    St. Louis, MO
  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
    Ryan,  You do not mention if you are going direct or indirect.  If for some reason you are indirect,  going direct will help. 
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
  • byrne092
    byrne092 Posts: 746
    I did it raised direct at about 350-375. I guess the only thing im a little confused, but definitely agree with, is that it was undercooked. Since the breast hit a bit above 160, i figured it would be good to go. Maybe I should have left it rest awhile longer as well. 
    XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO Flameboss 500

    St. Louis, MO
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    I brine...my liver while cooking a spatchcock. The breast read 160 but check the dark meat. Sometimes it takes longer. Position it towards the back where more heat is. Cut the chicken in half....easier to deal with.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Grillmagic
    Grillmagic Posts: 1,600
    I brine Chicken, Turkey and most Pork except ribs and always do a clean soak for 1/2 hour and it comes out Great!
    Charlotte, Michigan XL BGE
  • morrobayrich
    morrobayrich Posts: 104
    After all that, how could you taste the chicken?  Just go 350-375, raised grill for 55 to 60 min.  No flipping, just pull it off and eat.
    Morro Bay, CA
  • byrne092
    byrne092 Posts: 746
    Lol henapple, I do as well sir, in the process right now.
    I mean the chicken was delicious, I didn't put a ton of sauce, just enough to coat at the end. But yeah sometimes simpler is the way to go. These 2 bone chops that Foghorn inspired me to cook tonight should be a nice rebound.
    XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO Flameboss 500

    St. Louis, MO
  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,718
    I dry brine. I make sure to salt and season the meat a day before and that works similar to a brine.

    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
  • byrne092
    byrne092 Posts: 746
    I dry brine. I make sure to salt and season the meat a day before and that works similar to a brine.

    Thanks for the link, was a good read. So many different methods to try..so little time
    XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO Flameboss 500

    St. Louis, MO
  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
    I did a 5 lb bird last night atop the rig extender. Took 1hr and 15 min or so @400. Only the legs and thighs had crispy skin, which is OK don't need toneatntoo much. Breast was juicy, and skin rubbery which I take off.
    Seattle, WA
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    For most box store or supermarket chickens, they are already brined. Brine adds moisture - customers pay by the pound so the cost of salt and water is more than made up by charging anywhere from $1.29 to $1.99 a pound. 
    Yours was an "organic" bird so brining is OK. Suggest a couple of hours for a spatched bird, remove from brine and rinse. No need to let it sit in the brine. 
    Pat the skin dry and let it sit on a rack in the fridge overnight, uncovered, starch optional.
    Cook a little hotter, raised at 350º to 400º dome. No need to flip. 
    If you want to sauce during the cook, I get best results when I flip to crisp the skin a bit before flipping again and brushing on the sauce. Usually, I finish the bird and brush the sauce on before plating. 

    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,230
    You overthunk it. 

    Wash, pat dry, rub with light oil, rub of choice, apple chunk. raised direct at 350-375 for 50-55 minutes. 

    Incredible
    New Albany, Ohio 

  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,230
    You overthunk it. 

    Wash, pat dry, rub with light oil, rub of choice, apple chunk. raised direct at 350-375 for 50-55 minutes. 

    Incredible
    New Albany, Ohio