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 question

CaptHowdy
CaptHowdy Posts: 45
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm getting ready to start my first attempt at using my egg. But I can't decide if I should use the plate setter for spatchcock chicken. Some recipes don't specify whether to use it or not. This is my egg's first time so be gentle lol

Comments

  • wmd36
    wmd36 Posts: 58
    I like to use the Setter. I think it keeps the chicken from drying out, i.e. is a bit more forgiving than not using it!
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    (Correction) I never use the platesetter. Do direct and raised at 400. Never turn over and works fine.
    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.   

  • TheLazyC
    TheLazyC Posts: 97
    I cooked my first one with the plate setter in place, and it did not do well.

    I did not do it intentionally, I just threw the chicken on there when I finished my brisket and wondered why it took so long and it never browned up.

    The next one will be without the plate setter, which most recipes I have seen say "direct heat"
  • CaptHowdy
    CaptHowdy Posts: 45
    Forgiving is just what I need. I'll use it then. Thank you for the quick response. This board rocks when it comes to getting help.

    I also plan to keep reading so I won't have to ask as many questions that I'm sure have been covered before. Thanks again!
  • CaptHowdy
    CaptHowdy Posts: 45
    Ok now I'm seeing more votes for "not" using it. Hmmm now I'm torn. Is everyone this nervous before their "first" haha
  • CaptHowdy
    CaptHowdy Posts: 45
    Mickey wrote:
    Never use the platesetter. Do direct and raised at 400. Never turn over and works fine.

    What do you mean when you say "raised"?
  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
    Mickey,

    Never say never... :blink: Each person will find the way they do it and to say never implies doing it indirect is WRONG and it isn't. ;)
    I do almost all of my chickens indirect with a platesetter and they turn out fine. We don't like the chicken fat dripping into the coals giving off the acrid smoke & taste...also be sure and cover the platesetter so you can keep it clean for the next cook. :P
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Chicken, whole or spatchcocked is a very easy and forgiving cook.

    On your first cooks use the plate setter and a drip pan or at least some aluminum foil formed into somewhat of a catch pan for the grease and to keep that plate setter clean.

    Use the plate setter feet up, your 'drip pan' then the grid and meat.

    If you haven't done so check the calibration of the dome thermometer and you are ready to go.

    325° - 350° is a good safe cooking temperature on your beginning cooks. Cook the chicken until it is at least 165° (breast, legs and thighs) and you will have a great flavor and very moist chicken. You may or may not like the texture of the skin, however, with some experience you can pretty much get the skin where you want it while keeping the meat nice and moist.

    I cook a chicken (spatchcocked or whole) direct on a raised grid at temperatures from 225° up through 500° dome and as long as I cook the bird to temperature (165°) it always comes out great. The only difference is the skin and the apx. time it takes to cook the bird.

    Enjoy your cook, it is really a simple and rewarding cook on the egg.

    GG
  • ShedFarm
    ShedFarm Posts: 499
    I know I was nervous before my first cook. Now, I'm constantly looking around for things to throw on the egg!

    BTW - Add me to the votes for cooking spatchcocked yard birds on a direct and raised grid.

    Raised grid means you've put something between the fire ring and the cooking grid, to raise it up above the original height... usually to at least the felt gasket line. There's many ways, both cheap and expensive, to accomplish this. Do a search on "raised grid" for some examples.
    BJ (Powhatan, VA)
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Mickey's suggestion is a great and my prefered way to cook chicken.

    Here is the use of a raised grid.
    sausage_summer.jpg

    Raised grid put the food further up in the dome and further away from the lump. Cook above the gasket lever.

    Another way to raise a grid is to lower the lump lever in the egg. You will not get as much radiant heat off the dome but it is a way to cooked somewhat raised.

    You can use fire bricks, rocks, bricks, kiln stilts, nuts and bolts go make a home made raised grid.

    I really like the adjustable rig and spider offered from the Ceramic Grill Store.

    Good cooking.

    GG
  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
    Legs & thighs to 165...uh oh here we go again... :lol:
  • CaptHowdy
    CaptHowdy Posts: 45
    Thank you all for the help. I'm going to go get started now. I'm hoping it comes out ok. I'll be sure and report back.

    *why the hell am I so nervous lol*
  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
    You will do fine and no matter how you cook it, it will be the most moist chicken you have ever had... :)B)
  • CaptHowdy
    CaptHowdy Posts: 45
    I would like to do the raised way with direct heat but I don't have time to figure out how to do it on this cook. I've got some hungry little ones running around. I'll try it with the place setter this time and i'll have an excuse to try it again the other way.
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Are you a 165°/185° kind of person?

    Yup, there are always thoughts but USDA says turkey and chicken 165° breast, thighs and legs are safe to eat.

    I do love whole chicken slow cooked to 190° - 200° throughout. Great BBQ flavor and different texture.

    Icing the breasts is just a PIA and doesn't accomplish much of anything.

    Here is what USDA says
    USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures

    Steaks & Roasts - 145 °F
    Fish - 145 °F
    Pork - 160 °F
    Ground Beef - 160 °F
    Egg Dishes - 160 °F
    Chicken Breasts - 165 °F
    Whole Poultry - 165 °F

    And the link to the article if anyone is interested.

    [url][/url]http://www.fsis.usda.gov/is_it_done_yet/brochure_text/index.asp

    Kent
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Some results of different bird cooking temperatures. Except for the last cook all birds were cooked to 165°.

    500° direct
    chick500.jpg

    400° direct
    chick400.jpg

    Chicken over a veggie tray 300°-325° this would be indirect
    chickspud2.jpg

    chickspud3.jpg

    chickspud4.jpg

    chickspud5.jpg

    Good example of raised grid and a 'drip pan' which somewhat acts as an indirect cook.
    chicken1plug3rdeyeplug.jpg

    chicken2plug3rdeyeplug.jpg

    chicken3plug3rdeyeplug.jpg


    Extreme raised grid. Raised Grid, BGE raised grid. Chicken 16.5" away from lump bed. Cooked at 225° direct. This was a great cook and a very nice traditional BBQ'd chicken.
    chicken1.jpg

    When cooked to temperature the meat is always nice am moist.

    chicken3.jpg

    GG
  • I do c hicken 2x week and have done them both ways. I parefer raised direct. Remember with the BGE you really want to cook to temp and not time. Good luck and post some pics of the first cook.
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Kim you are MOST correct sir. When I just looked at it this time I saw I FORGOT "I" never cook.......
    I never cook anyway but direct for chicken.
    Did not see that I had put down and forgot the word "I" :blush:
    Sorry for bad typing.... My bad.....
    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.   

  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
    there are as many ways to cook a bird on your egg as there are eggers to give an opinion LOL all spatchcock in our house whether chicken or turkey are direct. 400-450 no wood chips as we are nto huge fans of smoke on poultry.
    2d9776bf.jpg
    this had a small pan of vegis getting basted in chicken drippings
    004-1.jpg
    Picture942-1.jpg
    011.jpg
    the turducin had a drip pan due to the duck fat to render out and all the other goodies in there LOL
    022-2.jpg
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    What? No kama sutra?

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
    :blush: they were flagged for removal :lol: :silly:
  • CaptHowdy
    CaptHowdy Posts: 45
    Thank you so much for the help. It turned out very moist and flavorful. The skin wasn't as crispy as I would like but next time I'll try it without the plate setter. The temperature was easy as could be to keep right where I wanted it. Now to find something else to cook! lol :laugh:
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Call Tom and get an adj rig.
    The height makes for very forgiving cooking of chicken.
    I could never cook chicken in the gas days, always burnt or raw.
    Now direct at 400 and high in the dome----I can cook chicken man......
    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.   

  • CaptHowdy
    CaptHowdy Posts: 45
    Mickey wrote:
    Call Tom and get an adj rig.
    The height makes for very forgiving cooking of chicken.
    I could never cook chicken in the gas days, always burnt or raw.
    Now direct at 400 and high in the dome----I can cook chicken man......

    I looked on his page and it looks like he makes some nice stuff! Although not knowing exactly what I'm looking for makes it difficult. Would you mind linking me what you recommend?
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Call the phone number and talk with Tom.
    If Tom says it is going to rain, buy a raincoat from him. He will get you fixed.
    Tom is that kind of guy....
    Everyone is different, just talk with him...
    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.   

  • CaptHowdy
    CaptHowdy Posts: 45
    Mickey wrote:
    Call the phone number and talk with Tom.
    If Tom says it is going to rain, buy a raincoat from him. He will get you fixed.
    Tom is that kind of guy....
    Everyone is different, just talk with him...

    Sounds good. Thank you.
  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
    CaptHowdy: Please also consider doing indirect, (with platesetter and drip pan) at 425-450* dome in the future as well. This is our preferred method, and the skin is quite excellent! We don't care for the direct method due to the fat drippings on the coals, but that's just us, and we are sensitive to the smoke, espeically on poultry. Seriously though, this is what egging is all about! Find the method YOU like best, and go with it! Until then, experiment! (Oh darn...you have to cook more on the Egg. :laugh: ) Now that you got the "first cook" jitters out of the way, welcome, and have fun!
  • dugdbug
    dugdbug Posts: 244
    Hope you did well CptHowdie :)

    Based on your post I picked up a "Flat Chicken" at my local supermarket. "The newest way to cook a chicken" apparently.

    Regardless; my wife and I loved it and will finish the leftover breast in some quesadillas later in the week!

    Dome at real close to 400*F, did on raised grid over drip pan. FWIW this raised grid is not my favourite SS puzzle....
    DSC03616.jpg

    Good stuff for salad:
    DSC03618.jpg
    Bird at temp (took 55 mins to get breast of 3.5 lb bird to 165*F)
    DSC03619.jpg

    Good thing I ate all that turkey sausage first
    DSC03620.jpg

    Best Regards
  • dugdbug, Sold in the market as "flat chicken"? Wonder if it's like what they call spatchcocked here? Was the backbone removed? Or did you do the 'flattening' yourself? Curious. Looks great BTW.
  • dugdbug
    dugdbug Posts: 244
    It is definitely what everyone here calls spatchcocked.
    Backbone removed with "Garlic and wild herbs" already applied. The label said it was packaged that day so I tried it. I'll do it again. :)
    Regards