Spatchcock Chicken band wagon with Pics.

JRWhitee

Seeing all the spatchcocks being cooked I had to do one too. Washed and dried the chicken, rubbed with EVOO and John Henry's Texas Chicken Tickler when Egg was at 375 added some Pecan and Cherry chips after white smoked cleared put on the chicken. I thought I would try skin side down for 10 minutes and then flip. I pulled with the White at 160 and the dark about 180 took about an hour. Another spectacular chicken. SWMBO thought it had the texture of a mild white fish, it did almost melt in your mouth. 

loveTheEgg

Yes indeed! after i did this once I never do Chicken any other way. it is the best! if you use DP try some cowlick. do just as you have here just use DP cowlick.... it is outstanding!!

Mickey

I use 400 raised/direct and never turn chicken ( Skin side up). Same for turkey

Mattman3969

Looks really good. I cook a little closer to 400 like Mickey and generally use tsunami spin rub but have been told Mickeys coffee rub is really good too

milesbrown4

Great post - Spatchcock is the only way.  Agree with @Mickey I have gotten good results with skin side up.  It really is "comfort food" from the BGE.  

JRWhitee

@lovetheegg - I have cowlick but have only used it with beef mostly briskets i will try on Chicken thanks.

@Mickey - That is how I usually do it but thought I would try something different.

@Mattman - Have used Tsunami Spin on wings and will try it on Chicken, we fell in love with the chicken tickler recently.

@milesbrown - Thanks I agree, we have been doing beer can for years and once I tried this never looked back.

TexanOfTheNorth

Looks pretty good. Next time, gently separate the skin from the meat, around neck area and where the thighs connect, so that you can put rub directly on the chicken (i.e., underneath the skin).

Fbialas

I'm a newbie on spatchcocking. So the breast should bd 160 degrees and the thigh 180 to indicate it's done? Will the thigh naturally cook to a higher temp than the breast? Last time I tried a bird, both the breast and thigh seemed to be the same temp - so I didn't know to take it off at 160, or leave in till the thigh was 180. Didn't want to risk drying out the breast meat. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Terrebandit

This was my first attempt. Indirect heat at 350 until the breast temp was 165. Tx BBQ rub with Italian dressing both under and on the surface of the skin.

Skiddymarker

JRWhitee said:

Seeing all the spatchcocks being cooked I had to do one too. Washed and dried the chicken, rubbed with EVOO and John Henry's Texas Chicken Tickler when Egg was at 375 added some Pecan and Cherry chips after white smoked cleared put on the chicken. I thought I would try skin side down for 10 minutes and then flip. I pulled with the White at 160 and the dark about 180 took about an hour. Another spectacular chicken. SWMBO thought it had the texture of a mild white fish, it did almost melt in your mouth. 

JR - Well done, if SWMBO is happy, it was a success. Your plating reminded me, if you are trying to cook multiple birds and have limited grill space, you can part the birds before you cook them. I had two Franken-Birds that would not fit on my medium as spatched birds. I cut them into 6 pieces, leaving the breast halves hole. One advantage I learned was the legs/thighs can go on a few minutes early near the rear where it is hotter, they cook to 180 when the breasts cook to 160. Another was more rub on the pieces. 

JRWhitee

Fbialas said:

I'm a newbie on spatchcocking. So the breast should bd 160 degrees and the thigh 180 to indicate it's done? Will the thigh naturally cook to a higher temp than the breast? Last time I tried a bird, both the breast and thigh seemed to be the same temp - so I didn't know to take it off at 160, or leave in till the thigh was 180. Didn't want to risk drying out the breast meat. Thanks for any help you can provide.

I have only done about 6 spatchcocks and the legs and breast usually finish about the same time, not sure why but I wont complain.

JRWhitee

Thanks Skiddy I have done 2 birds on the large with good success.

JRWhitee

@porkrind what exactly do yo disagree with?

Porkrind

Didn't even know I disagreed with anything until you asked. It must be fat fingers on a small phone screen. I will see if I can undo it.

Plano_JJ

Terrebandit said:

This was my first attempt. Indirect heat at 350 until the breast temp was 165. Tx BBQ rub with Italian dressing both under and on the surface of the skin.

 

Is that from Bill's recipe in the email? I did that same one a few weeks ago and its awesome. I am doing chicken fajitas tonight using his brine recipe on the chicken breasts. 

Todwad17

Im a brand new "egghead" and Im going to try a spatchcock chicken this weekend. Thanks for all the recipe help.

JRWhitee

Welcome to the cult, we want to see pics...

CharlieTN

Todwad17 said:

Im a brand new "egghead" and Im going to try a spatchcock chicken this weekend. Thanks for all the recipe help.

Good luck (not that you'll need it much) and you will be hooked on this method. Makes such good chicken.  

freedog74

I am a newbie to the BGE as well. I did my first spatchcock chicken tonight and it was awesome!

Streetglider

Spatchcock chicken is the only way to go.  Self-carving yard birds, love it.

cookinfun

Yeah, done spatch a lot.  Never did skin-down first (for limited time), but sounds like a good idea; I'll try.

Thanks, JR.

Kasey595

Have done spatch-**** turkey but never chicken. The skin down idea sounds like a possible try for me.

JRWhitee

It looks like a spatchcock cult!

awm

Ive got one in the fridge now getting ready to try it for the first time. I was going to do it indirect. About how long do I need to keep it on for?

awm

Also do yall recommend coating it with oil before putting the rub on?

JRWhitee

awm said:

Also do yall recommend coating it with oil before putting the rub on?

Had my daughters graduation party yesterday and didnt get online. Did you make the chicken? I do evoo and rub and cook direct at 400 on raised grid for 1 hour or until done by temp.

CANMAN1976

Does anyone else find the skin leathery when air dried overnight? Maybe the oil will prevent this?

BigWings

Canman, I used to find the skin a bit leathery but the problem went away once I started cooking at 400.   A perfect blend of juicy and crispy.

I've been rubbing Jamaican jerk paste under the skin and letting it sit uncovered in the fridge for a few hours.   It's the most addictive food I've ever made.  Great with chicken thighs cooked indirect at 400 as well.

awm

I ended up covering with a little olive oil, and the skin turned out crispy. It was great tasting also. I''ll be doing more for sure. I cooked it between 375 and 400 for about 1.5 hours.

JRWhitee

awm said:

I ended up covering with a little olive oil, and the skin turned out crispy. It was great tasting also. I''ll be doing more for sure. I cooked it between 375 and 400 for about 1.5 hours.

Looks great awm, nice job.

thebaron

awm said:

I ended up covering with a little olive oil, and the skin turned out crispy. It was great tasting also. I''ll be doing more for sure. I cooked it between 375 and 400 for about 1.5 hours.

Looks awesome... I will be trying this with my next chicken.  

Is there a reason it is called Spatchcock chicken?  What is the technique/recipe that makes it unique?