Spatchcock! Direct or Indirect? This is the quest

Kitarkus

I loved my first spatchcock bird last week...I'm gonna do another this eve for my grandmother and wife. Last time I used the placesetter...took about 60minutes +/-
at 350-400 degrees.

Should I try it tonight direct? I don't have the ability to raise the grate so it would be at standard large egg height. If so...at what temp/time?

Thanks all

Little Chef

Kit...You will get more input I am sure....as I have said many times, there are several "correct" ways to cook things in the Egg.
My preferred method for Spatchcock is indirect, but I go with higher temps....400-425*, even 450* is ok. It helps achieve crispy skin. 350* is like roasting in a 325* oven, and the skin won't crisp at that temp. So, I would go indirect again, but up your dome temps. I think you will like the result and crisp skin.
There will be a lot of tending and flipping if you choose to do the bird direct without the raised grid, and you will likely burn the skin in places, but I will leave it ultimately up to you.
My two cents....indirect....425* dome.

Kitarkus

Hey Thanks Little Chef...good suggestions. I always take temps with chicken.....but how long does a typical 3-4lb bird take at those higher temps? The only reason that I ask...is due to the fact that I will also put some baked potatoes on which will take almost 1 hour at 400 degrees'ish.

THANKS Again!

Kitarkus in Kansas City

Little Steven

Kitarkus,

You gan raise the grid with a couple of bricks, plumbing or electrical fittings, bolts anything that won't burn.

Steve

Little Chef

I would put the potatos on about 15-20 minutes before the bird....Bird should take about 50 minutes. But as you already said, cook to temp.

Tennisbum

I have done several and have done them all direct. I place skin side down first and let it cook for about 1-15 minutes to get skin golden and crisp
then turn bone side down and cook till breast is at 165
I take a look at it again at this temp and if needed put it back skin side down for another 5 mintues.
I generally cook my chicken at about 375 dome.

hope this helps
gp

Blazer

I've always done them at 350-400 direct. I do use the original BGE cooking grid but with 3 stainless steel bolts attached to elevate it about 3 inches higner than normal. Spatchcock chicken is nearly impossible to mess up.

fishlessman

i find the raised grid more handy than a platesetter, time to make a raised grid. since your making this for others stick to the method you know and have luck with, use the platesetter. and get a raised grid or make one, lots of ways to raise a grid. high end buy an adjustable rack, for the cheap, a second weber grill from the weber parts area at the home depot and some empty tomato paste cans or some bolts nuts and washers, or some fire brick splits. fire brick splits come in handy for a lot of different cooks

EGGARY

LC,

No need to raise the grid when cooking indirect with Plate Setter ?

Next time I will try indirect. What about wings ? I usually do direct raised grid.

Thanks.

Gary

Kitarkus

Thanks all for the advice. I did an indirect cook at 425'ish last night as I had a guest and didn't wish to potentially ruin a meal. I think I'll try direct next time as I like my outside a bit more charred. The spatchcock is absolutely the way to go imo...it is unlikely that i'll ever beer can a chicken again.

It is funny...just yesterday morning I thought "I don't need to raise the grid....I'll do that in the future sometime". Well....I think that this is the next step in my eggvolution....I'll figure out some creative way to raise the grid when I wish. The expensive adjustable rig seems difficult to deal with from the photos that I've seen. I may just find some spacers of some kind and give it a whirl.

Off to the store....Pork butts bone in are $0.99 lb. today.

Thanks again for all the information folks

ViennaJack

For what it's worth I've done spatchcock direct and indirect and like them both. My current preferred method is direct with a dome temp of 275. Takes about an hour, the meat is very moist and the outside is just right for me.