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spatchcock

Chef Boyaree
Chef Boyaree Posts: 150
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
When I spatchcock chicken, it ends up coming out w/ way too smokey of a flavor. I have tried both direct and indirect methods. One thing I haven't tried is putting a pan w/ a good amount of liquid on top of the platesetter underneath the grid where the bird is. I think the juices are dripping off the bird and then smoking off of the drip pan (or coals when done directly). Can anyone offer some help with this?

Comments

  • Woody69
    Woody69 Posts: 360
    What kind of lump ?

    You are waiting until the lump is burning "clean" before cooking, right ?
  • I have tried with both the big green egg lump and the wicked good (which I love). I wait until the lump is burning clean before I ever put food on.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    the skin will turn to rubber with water in the pan, it will never crisp up. when your cooking direct are you raising the grid up high and cooking at say 375 plus dome temps, that seems to work best for me with a whole bird. getting it high in the dome adds radiant heat that helps it cook faster, faster means less time in the smoke
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • I did 2 the other day at 300-350* high in the dome and direct. Turned out awesome. Not sure why you are getting so smoky. Maybe you should make me some and I can be the judge :whistle:
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    I don't mean to be captain obvious...but you are not using any wood are you? If so- use less :).

    Maybe try doing a high temp burn prior to your next cook. Put in a nice big load of lump- and let it run wide open for a while (30-45 minutes). Close down the vents and let it reduce to 375ish and then cook your bird. I think direct on a raised grid as fishless suggested is the best method.


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

  • I was having same issues, wife hated it. i tried indirect with a drip pan (home made out of hdaf) but the I had an AHA moment a couple of weeks ago, (someone suggested it in a thread) Leave the dfmt completely off so the smoke gets out of the egg. control the temp with only the bottom vent opening, I found thata this method works great.
    I haven't used any wood to smoke with anything yet, next butt I will though.

    good luck.
    XL   Walled Lake, MI

  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    I use Royal Oak Lump and put my chick on after the bad smoke clears. I grill high in the dome at 400F using my adjustable rig. Sometimes I don't use wood chunks but, I still get a smoke flavor that I like. What is bad is when I try to grill say 3 or 4 or 5 chicks at one time. I know there is a lot of dripping going on and I have in the past went indirect in the middle of a cook for this reason. So, if you think it's the fat drippings tainting your chicks try going indirect and if you desire crispy skin try 400F indirect.

    If you think it's the lump putting out to much smoke flavor I have a couple of thoughts.

    Think about using a different lump while grilling chicks. I think Cowboy may have less smoke flavor.

    I wonder if used lump might have a little less smoke flavor.

    It may be you can't get away from the smoke flavor you get from grilling a chick on the BGE. :unsure: Tim
  • I don't like my cooks very smokey either and have made a few adjustments that have worked for me. I switched over to Wick Good lump which I absolutely love. I also adjusted the settings on the egg and now do all cooks except slow and low without the DFMT on. So for about 350 degrees I will open the bottom vent up about the width of my thumb and will remove the top completely, I think this helps the air to flow through the egg and not collect at the top. Good luck.
  • Kip,

    Are you doing this direct or indirect?
  • Direct. High in the dome using the Adjustable rig. For a spatchcock chicken I will add the extender and get it really high in the dome. I have read that some people prefer indirect as they feel the fat drippings from the chicken can cause the meat to taste funny. I have not had this issue.
  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    If you're cooking at standard grill level -- whether direct or indirect -- I think that is your issue. My chicken improved dramatically when I started using a raised grill. I do mine raised grill, direct at around 375, with one small chunk of hickory. I think the taste you're finding objectionable is "soot" rather than smoke. It's coming from the fat dripping on the hot coals or the hot platesetter. Moving the meat high in the dome will eliminate the soot.

    I would try raising the cooking grid before I add a water tray. Three fire bricks will do the job.
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    "smokey" meaning wood smoke, or burnt chicken fat?
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • I think the smoke I am tasting is the soot/chicken fat and juices burning on the coals, or platesetter or drip pan when indirect. I have 2 eggs and have been using them for 2 years. I consider myself a vet and have had at least a hundred great cooks, but the spatchcock is the only thing I have had trouble with. I do not own an extender and would love to get one as I think this is the problem. Where do I order/find one?
  • http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/ceramicgrillstore/

    I would suggest the package that has the rig, spider, and oval slid grid but that is my opinion. Also get the rig extender if you want to spend the extra cash - the $200 I spent with Tom has been well worth it. Totally changed the way I cook and makes the egg much more versatile
  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    While I love my Adjustable Rig, and wouldn't be without it, you can decide if this is the issue or not with three fire brick splits. Place them on edge on top of the fire ring, then place the grid on top. It will raise the grid just about the same as an AR. It's what I use in my Medium all the time. You can find the fire bricks at home centers and brick suppliers. Prove this is the issue for less than $10.
  • agreed!

    But I am now even happier that I own the adjustable rig after I have been using the firebricks to raise my grid on my small. I am too clumsy and having to mess with the firebricks is a pain in the butt sometimes. It is well worth it for me to have spent that much money on my rig for my large.
    However I am still on the cheap side of the fence when it comes to buying a similar type setup for my small. With the large I do the majority of my smoking, but I guess if I had the versatility in my small I would smoke more stuff with it!

    I think I just sold myself on a small rig, dammit