Spatchcock chicken seasoning and cooking methods?

Mud Pig · May 2010

Hey guys,
I have two four pound chickens in the fridge that I spatchcocked last night. I'm going to be cooking them for dinner tonight and wanted to get some direction on a couple of questions I had.

Do you generally put the seasoning just on the skin, or under it as well? What is you oil of choice to rub the chicken with before applying the rub? Dizzy Dust, Tsunami Spin or Swamp Venom?

In terms of cooking the chickens, do you cook at the felt line or raise the chickens up into the dome of the egg with a grate extender?

Thanks,

MP

FearlessGrill · May 2010

MP,

I rub under the skin, and put some on the skin as well. I don't use oil. The chicken is wet enough without it, and it doesn't need the extra fat in my opinion. If I'm using some kind of paste, I'll use olive oil for that. I also sometimes put chopped fresh herbs or lemon slices under the skin for extra flavor.

Unlike some of the others here, I tend to cook whole chickens indirect at 375 degrees. I find this crisps up the skin to our liking, and comes out pretty good. If you're going to do it direct, higher in the dome is the recommended method, I think.

-John

Little Steven · May 2010

Mud Pig,

I usually apply the seasoning, do a light dusting of cornstarch on the skin side and go about 400* raised direct. I don't generally use oil.

Steve

Kenny 13 · May 2010

Like John, I go under the skin and on the skin with my rub and use no oil.

The only spatchcocked chickens I have cooked so far have been at 400° direct with the grate on the fire ring. Now that I have my adjustable rig, I will do future cooks the same way with the grate on top of the rig raised direct.

ChargerGuy · May 2010

MP,
The last Spatchcock I did I used DP Tsunami Spin for one and Shakin the Tree for the other, thay came out great. I cooked them 400 raised grid (even with felt line) direct. I did however dry them off really good and gave them a light coat of olive oil before I put the rub on. Personal preference I guess, I am Italian so everything has olive oil on it :laugh: !

Desert Oasis Woman · May 2010

Used the medium at former felt line (Woo 2) for these little Cornish guys

smaller but hot fire; think around 400ish

tjv · May 2010

Here is how I do them:

1. raised grid direct in dome
2. temp around 400ish, higher in the dome, higher the temp.
3. rub under the skin, work fingers starting at thick end of breast down to the legs to loosen the skin, pour in rub and work around with fingers, be patient and you can get into the leg easily. do each half (breast, thigh, leg) of bird separately.
4. start cook, skin side down to begin rendering, go about 5-10 minutes, depending on how skin is progressing.
4. flip over and cook for 60-75 minutes, till at least 160 internal temp.
5. you can flip back over, skin down, near the end of the cook to crisp skin, if needed.
6. option after cooking, foil and let the bird rest for 15 minutes to redistribute juices but you can loose crispness of skin or cut up immediately before juice redistribuiton but crispy skin.

Bird in picture was done in XL with lump on one side and bird on the other. Cool thing about this is set up is you can get the breast facing away from the heat to cook slower.

Hungry Celeste · May 2010

I almost never use bbq-flavored rubs on my spatchcock chix. Mostly, I make a paste of garlic, a bit of kosher salt, some herbes de provence, and enough olive oil to make it spready. I put a bit underneath the skin and rub the skin liberally. No seasoning except salt & pep on the "down" side. My other favorite seasoning for a spatchcock cook is finely chopped fresh rosemary or sage, lemon zest, and a touch of pimenton (smoked paprika).

2Fategghead · May 2010

I started spatchcocking chicken when I first got my BGE. This forum and the users web-sites were my sources along with the Dr.BBQ's book.

I started out indirect 350° because I baked a potato with them. I wash my potato's and dry them and rub evoo and sprinkle kosher salt all over them and if you have a thermapen the potato is usually baked when the center temp is around 210°. I always find a way to bake a potato on the egg. I would always butterfly the chicken and rinse with cold water. Then I would pat it dry and then evoo and rub or just rub. Raging river or the Dr.BBQ's sweet rub. Skin down for a certain amount of time. What ever it takes to crisp up the skin.

Now that I have my adjustable rig I grill them up high direct at 400°. I also notice some posters turn their bird where the leg quarters are in toward the center of the grill and the breast is closer to the fire ring where it may be less direct heat. I do these things in order to get crispy skin and I try to grill my leg quarters in this manner so it gets more heat than the breast meat.

Even from your simple question I pick up more tips and tricks. Like dusting it with flour or cornstarch. Great post. Tim

Lazydogsaloon · May 2010

Mud Pig,

We like several rubs depending on what we are eating with the chicken. Either way put it under the skin and I cook 350-360 on a raised grate for about 1 hour, I keep it simple, put it on, wait an hour, check temp, remove, rest, slice and serve.

I am sure you could do this many different ways but I like simple for a weeknight meal.

Lazydog

Mud Pig · May 2010

I think I'm going to try and go more Latin with my chickens. I'm planning on using adabo, lemon juice, under and over the skin along with fresh garlic and parsley. Sort of a Italian/Latin chicken.

I think I'll do it high in the dome at about 375 since it will be in the dome and not ont he felt line.

Grandpas Grub · May 2010

Rubs, all you mentioned are great on chicken, mmmmmm. My wife prefers Dizzy Dust, me anyone of them are great.

Most of the time I use either mustard or olive oil to coat both sides of the bird then coat pretty heavy. If you want the rub flavor more into the meat then put the rub under the skin also.

Chicken is so easy to cook and it can be done many different ways.

If I want a very moist meat I will cook the bird to 165° internal.

However, I also really like a deep bbq flavor and will keep cooking the bird anywhere from 180° - 200°. There will be a different flavor and different texture, it will be more dry but not unpleasant. I also like to get as much distance from the lump level to the cook level as I can if cooking direct.

Depending on the flavor I want I may cook from 225° to 400° (whole chickens I may go as high as 500°) - just pull the bird when it gets to the proper internal temperature. USDA says breast and legs are done at 165°.

If direct, on a large or medium, load the lump to just above the holes in the fire box and cook at fire ring level or raised grid.

GG

Carolina Q · May 2010

I cook them at the felt line. Direct. 375-400°. evoo with Herbes de Provence and s&p. Cooked two game hens like that last night. Awesome!

Spatchcock chicken seasoning and cooking methods?

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