Spatchcock Chicken - First Attempt

bicktrav

Last night I tried my hand at a spatchcock chicken.  Threw on some olive oil, then rubbed the skin and the meat beneath with Dizzy Pig Dizzy Dust.  I stabilized the temperature at 400, tossed in a handful of cherrywood chips and cooked it direct for about an hour.  It came out pretty fantastic.  The only thing I might do differently next time is try a raised grate because I've seen that technique suggested here and elsewhere for spatchcock chickens.  Anyone happen to know what the benefit of raising the grate for a spatchcock would be?  Does it alter cooking time or the moisture of the meat?  Also--and this question isn't specific to spatchcock chickens--after I had the egg stabilized at 400 for a while and dropped the chicken in, the temperature went down to about 325.  That didn't surprise me; I was expecting a temperature drop.  But while the temp did climb back up to a bit over 350, it never returned to the 400 I stabilized it at prior to putting the meat on.  Is that common with the egg?  Are you supposed to achieve a return to the exact temperature you stabilized at?  It was in there for an hour, so I figured it would have gotten back to 400 by the time I took it out, but it didn't.  Not complaining really--the chicken was excellent--I'm just curious.  Anyway, here's a photo of the end result. 

Mickey

Nice and yes the raised will help by cooking off the dome. No flipping and better skin. I do direct, could not see how you did.

Griffin

Good looking yardbrd. :-bd

bicktrav

Mickey said:

Nice and yes the raised will help by cooking off the dome. No flipping and better skin. I do direct, could not see how you did.

Got it.  That makes sense.  I also cooked mine direct. 

jaydub58

Skin on that bird looks perfect!

Grillmagic

Winner Winner Chicken.... well you know the rest. One of my favorite cooks right there. That's a pretty bird.

JRWhitee

That looks great I cook mine raised direct at 400. It might have been good that the temperature did not get back to 400 as you were closer to the fire and 400 might have been too hot for a lower grid cook. 

nolaegghead

I flip them to cook the skin more

JRWhitee

@nola do you start bone down or up and how long with the skin down? SWMBO would like the skin cooked more. I did flip one once but apparently not long enough.