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Last Night's Cook: First Ballotine (pic heavy)

I got inspired to try a Ballotine (fully deboned but intact chicken) last night. Coughed up the cash for a Springer Farms chicken, brined for 6 hours.

Using Jacques Pepin's YouTube videos on the subject, I managed to muddle through it in a record time of 45 minutes compared to his 60 seconds. Stuffed with a favorite Sage Stuffing, Proscuitto, fresh Spinach. Dusted with Dizzy Pig Tsunami Spin and into the Egg, 375 degrees for about 65 minutes. Veggies under the chicken were aromatics to flavor the juices for drizzling later.

Served with roasted Fingerling Potatoes, roasted Asparagus and Fennel.

Although visually not as pretty as Pepin's, it got rave reviews prompting SWMBO to say we need to serve this to guests next time. Worth the effort for no other reason than to see if I could even do it. My daughters immediately grabbed zee lollypoops.

In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating

Comments

  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    Looks awesome. I will be trying this as well sometime soon.
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • GlennM
    GlennM Posts: 1,360
    I've done a couple now. I can do it in about 15 minutes but I'm getting better. I really like it this way! First one was spinach, mushrooms and onions, the second was a bread stuffing.
    In the bush just East of Cambridge,Ontario 
  • Cymbaline65
    Cymbaline65 Posts: 800

    Looks good GlennM. Next time I think I want to try a vegetable instead of bread stuffing. The flavor was great but it can get a bit mushy. I think I can probably do my next one a bit faster..

    In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
    Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating
  • GlennM
    GlennM Posts: 1,360
    My stuffing was great, kept the layer fairly thin. I am thinking a bread stuffing with sausage might be nice?
    In the bush just East of Cambridge,Ontario 
  • Cymbaline65
    Cymbaline65 Posts: 800
    Yeah, sausage anything would be great!
    In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
    Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Very impressive!  I want that quarter on the back right of the cutting board.


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,227
    That looks great. I hope to give that a try in the near future. 

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Looks great!

    "Using Jacques Pepin's YouTube videos on the subject, I managed to muddle through it in a record time of 45 minutes compared to his 60 seconds."

    Pepin was once asked what the difference between a chef and a cook was. His answer was that a chef did everything a cook did. but 5 times faster.
  • Cymbaline65
    Cymbaline65 Posts: 800
    @Gdenby: DEFINITELY!
    In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
    Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating
  • Cymbaline65
    Cymbaline65 Posts: 800
    I will say that spending the extra dough on a GOOD piece of meat is always worth the price of admission. That and of course brining makes all the difference. It was a very juicy piece of meat.
    In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
    Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating
  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
    gdenby said:
    Looks great!

    "Using Jacques Pepin's YouTube videos on the subject, I managed to muddle through it in a record time of 45 minutes compared to his 60 seconds."

    Pepin was once asked what the difference between a chef and a cook was. His answer was that a chef did everything a cook did. but 5 times faster.
    x2
  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
    Nice job. It looks great!
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
  • BigWings
    BigWings Posts: 172
    GlennM said:
    My stuffing was great, kept the layer fairly thin. I am thinking a bread stuffing with sausage might be nice?
    Try an Italian sausage with pecans mix.   Goes perfect with this.

    New Brunswick, Canada

  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
    I'd say you nailed it. Looks like it was well worth the trouble.  I may have to try this myself!
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
  • Cymbaline65
    Cymbaline65 Posts: 800
    Thanks everyone. Only thing I would suggest is that you allow yourself an hour to complete the process of deboning and stuffing. if you get done early, you have plenty of time. Otherwise, you may be eating later than desired and the natives can get very wrestless (or at least mine do.)
    In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
    Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    Nicely done! Looks very good, especially the plated shots.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.