Roast Chicken, Cast Iron Seared

nolaegghead

@NPHuskerFL - yes, yes, did the deglaze with creme fraiche and veal consomme!!!.

NPHuskerFL

) serious note that actually sounds damn good man! Next yard bird I do I'm thinking of Spatch in a CI pan just to try it.

nolaegghead

It was exceptionally good.  It was a big 7.5 pound bird, tender as tender gets in the white and dark meat.  I used the left overs for paella last night, and that came out way better than I thought if would, given the effort I put into it.   And SWMBO loved all of it, that's what counts the mostest.

buzd504

CarolinaCrazy said:

I do a roast chicken in the oven and I lay the spatchcocked chicken over scalloped potatoes - the chicken fat cooks into the sliced potatoes and they are amazing.

Going to have to try that on the BGE.

I roast a chicken on the potatoes, but then fry off some of the chicken fat by pan frying the potatoes in the iron skillet.

Focker

NPHuskerFL said:

@nolaegghead‌ did you deglaze that pan? Oh yeah! Food Network Hotline: http://youtu.be/4wr2Nh8Pf2A

Was at a pie class last weekend at the American Gothic House in Eldon, IA.  Beth Howard, the instructor, was giving me **** about the size or lack therof of my white rolling pin.  She busted out this huge dark wood behemoth that Larry The Cable Guy used on his visit.  I replied, "I'll take the "Big Jim".  My friend busted up, nobody knew what the hell we were talking about.  That is my personal fave SP episode.  A classic.  We had fun.  "It's all about stiff peaks." 

SGH

@nolaegghead‌
Wow!! That looks insane. I recently picked up a large cast iron pan and have been wondering what to cook for the maiden voyage. I think I know what I will be cooking in now. Thanks for sharing my friend. Again it looks excellent .

nolaegghead

@SGH It's a great technique.  Having only done it once, the jury is out on reproducibility, but I'm sold.  I didn't use a big pan - 8" ID bottom, 10" OD lip, whatever that is, and that held a 7.5 pound bird.  Always liked the smaller birds, but this one was phenomenal.

Also, the fat and juice stays out of the grill in the pan. 

@Focker haha - love that episode.

grill4us

This would be a huge hit in my house 

CtTOPGUN

 I will have to try this. Lately I have been using a Bundt pan for whole chicken. It allows faster, more even cooking with the center chimney. Captures all the drippings. And I usually fill the pan with root veggies.

 

   Jim

mcmac

Now thats funny!!

mahenryak

So I wanted to try this tonight but I didn't read the fine print and I have already spatchcocked my chicken, instead of splaying it.  I wonder if this makes a big difference?

nolaegghead

@mhenryak - nah, you'll be fine.  Just plop it in the pan after it's hot, try to keep it oriented like a whole chicken - the idea is the dark meat cooks faster because it's touching the CI.

mahenryak

Cool! Thanks for responding so quickly.  Do you typically, splay, though?

nolaegghead

You're supposed to in the recipe, splay the legs.  I did.  I think they cooked a lot faster than the breast, but the skin was good.  So I don't think it matters too much. Splay a bit at least.

mahenryak

Okay.  Thank you, again.

nolaegghead

I think the trick with this method is to get the pan hot and keep the egg temp up around 500F for the duration of the cook.  Move it around, rotate to make the skin brown evenly and pull it out when the coolest part of the breast is 150F.  Take it off and let it rest on a rack in open air for 10-15 minutes to cool the outside down then serve.

NPHuskerFL

Focker said:

NPHuskerFL said:

@nolaegghead‌ did you deglaze that pan? Oh yeah!
Food Network Hotline: http://youtu.be/4wr2Nh8Pf2A

Was at a pie class last weekend at the American Gothic House in Eldon, IA.  Beth Howard, the instructor, was giving me **** about the size or lack therof of my white rolling pin.  She busted out this huge dark wood behemoth that Larry The Cable Guy used on his visit.  I replied, "I'll take the "Big Jim".  My friend busted up, nobody knew what the hell we were talking about.  That is my personal fave SP episode.  A classic.  We had fun.  "It's all about stiff peaks." 

Awe yes the Big Jim. But, did it have voice commands?
) Classic.

nolaegghead

Cooked another one of these CI pan yard birds.  Incredible.  Was in a hurry so just did it in the oven.  Preheated the CI on the stove before putting in the oven.

This was a nice 3.7 pound organic, cageless, etc chicken.  Crispy skin.  Used a blackened seasoning.  I'm sold.

nolaegghead

Pulled when the breast was 150F.  The dark meat was 180F.  This gives you an incredible moist breast.  Let it cool on a rack afterwards.  We overcook our chicken.  Try this, you'll never go back to the pull at 160-170F white meat.  I'm super serial.

cssmd27

nola - a few practical questions about doing this on the egg:

1.  Did your cast iron fit with handle?

2.  Did you do it raised "direct" or normal height?

3.  Did you let the dome and CI get to 500 and put the chicken on dry?

Thanks!

nolaegghead

cssmd27 said:

nola - a few practical questions about doing this on the egg:

1.  Did your cast iron fit with handle?

2.  Did you do it raised "direct" or normal height?

3.  Did you let the dome and CI get to 500 and put the chicken on dry?

Thanks!

1. yes
2. indirect - baked at 500F, better if higher in the dome, but nothing to worry about.
3. yes

itsmce

I think I'll try this for dinner tonight. Did the onions go in the pan after you pulled the chicken, or were they under the bird the whole time.  Seems like they'd burn if they were there from the beginning. Think I'll try to find enough new potatoes from my garden to put in the pan under the bird.

Canugghead

nolaegghead said:

... you'll never go back to the pull at 160-170F white meat.  I'm super serial.

makes perfect sense to me, that's close to SV temp. it's on my must-try list!

pantsypants

I will try this tonight . This looks great !!

nolaegghead

itsmce said:

I think I'll try this for dinner tonight. Did the onions go in the pan after you pulled the chicken, or were they under the bird the whole time.  Seems like they'd burn if they were there from the beginning. Think I'll try to find enough new potatoes from my garden to put in the pan under the bird.

@itsmce The recipe had stuff like ramps and onions in the pan, but my theory is - any veggies will just cools the pan and creates steam, hurting the texture of the skin.  So the pan is completely empty and dry when I start.  After the cook I used the oil/drippings (pretty much just oil, the water cooks off) to saute a few veggies, then made some gravy.

It's a good idea to heat the pan up HOT on the stove before you put in the egg/oven, The hotter the pan the better (within reason).

nolaegghead

pantsypants said:

I will try this tonight . This looks great !!

Do post your results!

pantsypants

I will fore sure , I will experiment with what to use as i dont have any ramps or things like that .

I am thinking spinach , garlic rosemary onions and what ever else is in the fridge .....

thanks for posting this it looks awesome

nolaegghead

@pantsypants - ignore veggies - don't put any in the pan.  I consider this a technique for cooking a killer chicken.  While you can use the fat for veggies after the chicken is done, I wouldn't recommend putting them in the pan when you are cooking the chicken.   See above a couple posts.

JRWhitee

Nice chicken, I have a cast iron and will be trying that. Thanks Nola.

pantsypants

nolaegghead said:

@pantsypants - ignore veggies - don't put any in the pan.  I consider this a technique for cooking a killer chicken.  While you can use the fat for veggies after the chicken is done, I wouldn't recommend putting them in the pan when you are cooking the chicken.   See above a couple posts.

I litteraly had just run out to grab veggies .

But i think you make sense. I will just focus on the chicken .
Thanks and I will keep you posted