Spatchcock Chicken

RDMS

I have seen several recipes dont' know which is best, direct with raised grid or indirect. Also should bird be skin down at first then flipped over? I assume that it is agreed that brest temp shuld be 160. Thanks in advance for any help or ideas.

 

RDMS

travisstrick

There is no right way. I have done direct and indirect. I do direct mostly couse it's easy. Temp between 250 and 450 is fine. Almost everyone does skin up with no flipping.

chuff

I start skin down then flip and I personally think it makes a big difference in the skin. Like @travisstrick said, though, most don't flip and they have great results. Try it both ways and see which one you prefer! Heck, you can make two at the same time and do one each way - get a good comparison under the exact same conditions.

Mickey

There is no right way. I have done direct and indirect. I do direct mostly couse it's easy. Temp between 250 and 450 is fine. Almost everyone does skin up with no flipping.

+1

stike

listen to travis.

direct, it is grilled chicken.  you might do it a little higher on a raised grid at medium temps, and never flip it (the bones will get good and crispy, my wife likes them that way). if it's raised higher too, the radiant heat from the dome will help cook the upper side.  so flipping becomes a matter of choice.  most times we flip food to cook the other side.  but with a closed dome like the BGE, you DO get some cooking of the upper side. 

if you spatchcock it direct, but at higher temps and closer to the lump, you will need to flip it because you'll incinerate the underside while the top falls way behind.

indirect, it's just roasting.  also good. it will cook equally from top/bottom this way.  and flipping it doesn't really expose the skin to any more heat, so no need to flip it. 

always ask WHAT IS HAPPENING WHEN I COOK IT THIS WAY? or that way. or another way.
  what happens, why does it happen, and what are the dis/advantages?

and try both ways.  someone's 'best' way is someone elses's never-in-a-million-years way

pasoegg

we have done skin down for 15 minutes and did get a little more of a crisp on it.  I also do it not flipping the bird and enjoy that....i agree with trying 2 at one time and experiment...bet there won't be any left at the end of the day from either one...they are GOOD!!!!

twlangan

Raised direct, 300 deg here. Skin side down for 20 min and then flip for remainder of cook.

Outcast

I've tried both raised direct and indirect.  Both were delicious.  My wife however, prefers indirect.  Just took 2 spatch birds and 6 breasts off the XL.  She likes to use the breasts to make chicken salad.  It's going to be a chicken kind of week 
B-)

fowlerkevinj

Hi folks - brand new to the Egg World and am loving it. Will someone please explain where the actual recipes are if there are any? I just read this string looking for the "Complete how to" Spatchcock Chicken. All I can find here are cooking thoughts/techniques vice how to prepare the actual bird. What am I missing? Thanks in advance for any help.

newegg13

Use the nakedwhiz's recipe --  http://www.nakedwhiz.com/spatch.htm/ - he's got it down.  I think it's direct, raised, 250ish.  It takes about an hour.  

I go skin side down for the first 10 minutes and then flip.  

chuff

It all comes down to seasoning, and only you know what you like for seasoning. The technique is pretty universal with slight differences. The only advice I'd really give it to remove the keel bone. Many don't, but it helps your chicken lay much flatter on the grill and since the keel bone is 99% cartilage there's no way it's contributing anything beyond inconvenience. It only takes about 10 seconds to get it out of there. While you're in there doing that I always bend the thing backwards until I also hear the wish bone snap. This just makes it a little easier when it comes time to cut the thing up and eat it.

JWBurns

Which Dizzy Pig rubs are you guys loving on Spatch Chicken?

I'm doing my first two tonight, and I can't decide.

Wolfpack

I like the tsunami spin for chicken I am Prepping two tonight for cook tomorrow Good luck

BBQBeerman

I take the skin off and raised direct at about 375 to 400 I have found by taking the skin off I do not have to worry about getting it crispy and the rub is on the meat and adds great flavor. I do leave the skin on the legs and wings

MoOzarkEgg

I used direct @ 350. Used a brine soak for 12 hrs from BGE Cookbook. Removed all skin. Very moist and about the best chicken I've ever had. Trying to attach a pic but can't get "attach file" to work for me using an iPhone.

JWBurns

Success on the Spatchcock Chicken tonight.

Did 385, raised direct, skin on, Tsunami Spin, Hickory Wood. Came out perfect, moist, and flavorful.

DocWonmug

Jamaican Firewalk is awesome on spatchcock chicken.

TripleD

Thumb up for the Jamaican Firewalk

newegg13

I take the skin off and raised direct at about 375 to 400 I have found by taking the skin off I do not have to worry about getting it crispy and the rub is on the meat and adds great flavor. I do leave the skin on the legs and wings

+1. The 250 degrees in my comment was a typo.

nolaegghead

High up in the dome, 400-475 F hot and quick, let it finish cooking during the rest.  Pull off around 155 breast temp. I think poultry dries out in low and slows.  You can dry the skin in the fridge overnight if you want it crispy.  It should cook up to 165 after 15 minutes rest.

If you're worried about pathogens, found this interesting (hope it formats ok)

Here's where it gets complicated: Cooking temp is not the sole determinant of safety.

Center Temp	Pasteurized
130°F	121.0 minutes
135°F	38.3
140°F	12.1
145°F	3.8
150°F	1.2
155°F	23.0 seconds
160°F	7.2
165°F	2.3

Pathogens start croaking at about 130°F. But at that temp, it takes a long time to kill them all. Ground beef held at 130°F in the center for about 2 hours is considered pasteurized (10⁷ kill rate). The cooking time gets lower as the temperature goes higher. So chicken at 140°F degrees will be pasteurized in about 12 minutes, while at 160°F degrees, pathogens are destroyed in just 7.3 seconds, hence the USDA guidelines for the consumer. Take chicken up to 160°F for as little as 7 seconds and you're safe.

gte1

I tried the start skin down method last time, it did help with the skin crispness. 375-400 raised direct. I halve rather than spatchcock so I can trim a little more fat and skin off. Also a bit easier to handle, seems to yield the same results though. George

liquidicem

I take the skin off and raised direct at about 375 to 400 I have found by taking the skin off I do not have to worry about getting it crispy and the rub is on the meat and adds great flavor. I do leave the skin on the legs and wings

I did mine like this last night for the first time.  It was really good. The seasoning direct on the meat makes a big difference.

probe1957

I like the tsunami spin for chicken I am Prepping two tonight for cook tomorrow Good luck

I do too and that is what I generally use.  The other nite I spatched 2 chickens.  Used TS on one and Essence of Emeril on the other.  The wife like it better with Emeril.  I thought they were both damn tasty.  Perhaps I should mention I drank 3 Coronas while they cooked so feel free to take that little detail into consideration.

Budgeezer

I do indirect for about an hour skin up.  I try and put rub on the night before, under the skin as well and leave uncovered in the frig.  Then 375 for about an hour.

jleon401

Dumb question, but if I don't ask I will never know! What does everyone use when cooking raised?

calracefan

Fire Bricks, cause I dont have adjustable rig yet !

Wally_Wabash_03

We just did it for the first time. Followed the book (skin down first, direct, cast iron, ~325) and it was great. I didn't brine it at all and only let it sit out in the open for about an hour. Skin could have been more crisp, but sitting it out in the fridge would address that. Great finger-lickin' good stuff.

anez

just did my first spatchcock tonight. 350 indirect to temp. my wife was stunned by how good it was. She was very skeptical about a big green purchase (got our two weeks ago). now she's in love with it.

Gonna do raised/direct next time to get the skin a little more crispy.

thanks for all the tips/advice on this board. great stuff

RichmondBGE

Does anyone use a drip pan when spatchcocking?  Has anyone ever noticed a burnt grease taste when the fat drips out of the skin and onto the fire?  When I've tried spatchcocking, the fat/drippings from the chicken smoke/burn heavily for the entire cook. (There is a usually a continuous flow of white smoke out of the top of my grill for the entire cook.)

dweebs0r

RichmondBGE said:

Does anyone use a drip pan when spatchcocking?  Has anyone ever noticed a burnt grease taste when the fat drips out of the skin and onto the fire?  When I've tried spatchcocking, the fat/drippings from the chicken smoke/burn heavily for the entire cook. (There is a usually a continuous flow of white smoke out of the top of my grill for the entire cook.)

Had that happen to me yesterday doing spatched chicken raised direct.  Havent noticed it before but it was very apparent during my cook yesterday.  I may try an aluminum pan next time to prevent it.

tbk420

RichmondBGE said:

Does anyone use a drip pan when spatchcocking?  Has anyone ever noticed a burnt grease taste when the fat drips out of the skin and onto the fire?  When I've tried spatchcocking, the fat/drippings from the chicken smoke/burn heavily for the entire cook. (There is a usually a continuous flow of white smoke out of the top of my grill for the entire cook.)

I do - I put chopped up potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery in it, and they cook in the juices from the chicken.