First Timer Spatch Chicken

ColAngus

We're having some neighbors over tonight for dinner.  I bought 2 whole chickens and need some advice.

I can't have a raised direct grate (no bricks or anything to elevate), so I guess I'll have to go the indirect route.  

I have these rubs to choose from:

• Dizzy Pig Dizzy Dust
  
• Dizzy Pig Jamaican Firewalk
  
• Dizzy Pig Tsunami Spin
  
• 3 Beer BBQ Rub

I also have garlic (power and fresh), fresh basil, fresh oregano, and fresh rosemary.

I'm going to also serve roasted rosemary potatoes and garlic cloves (in the oven).  So I don't know if using rosemary in the chicken will be overkill.

Any suggestions?

Mickey

IMO the Dizzy Dust. Still direct but watch it so much closer (no way to find 3 bricks?). If raised I cook direct at 400 but if I was doing your cook I would still go direct at 350 tops. Lose the rosemary. We still want pictures.

ColAngus

Thanks Mickey!

Every picture I see of people using bricks to raise, it looks like there are two grates.  Is that correct?

Or can I place the bricks where the plate setter goes?

Mickey

ColAngus said:

Thanks Mickey!

Every picture I see of people using bricks to raise, it looks like there are two grates.  Is that correct?

Or can I place the bricks where the plate setter goes?

Not needed. Put bricks on edge of fire ring.

CarolinaCrazy

+1 to Mickey's advice.  

Any bricks will do, just set around the edge on the Fire Ring. That's what I do.

ColAngus

Just bought 3 bricks for $1.70 at Home Depot.  The lady at checkout asked what I only needed 3 bricks for.  I told her it was for my grill, she thought I was building a brick grill.  :>

DMW

Even cheaper than bricks is empty beer cans, and it's more fun too. Chug 3 beers and stand the empties in the plate setter notches. Set grid on top. I was skeptical until I was at my buddies place shortly after he got his LBGE. He didn't have another raised direct method, so we tried it. It is surprisingly stable.

Eggcelsior

DMW said:

Even cheaper than bricks is empty beer cans, and it's more fun too. Chug 3 beers and stand the empties in the plate setter notches. Set grid on top. I was skeptical until I was at my buddies place shortly after he got his LBGE. He didn't have another raised direct method, so we tried it. It is surprisingly stable.

This. The only unstable part is the cook after shotgunning 3 beers.

DMW

Eggcelsior said:

Even cheaper than bricks is empty beer cans, and it's more fun too. Chug 3 beers and stand the empties in the plate setter notches. Set grid on top. I was skeptical until I was at my buddies place shortly after he got his LBGE. He didn't have another raised direct method, so we tried it. It is surprisingly stable.

This. The only unstable part is the cook after shotgunning 3 beers.

If there are 3 people helping with the beers, not as big of a challenge. Me, my buddy, and his wife.

JRWhitee

Tsunami spin is great on chicken. I would go one with Tsunami and the other with dizzy dust and compare. I did that last night one with Texas Chicken Tickler and the other with Raging River.

ChillyWillis

+1 on the Tsunami spin. It's amazing on chicken. Also, I do indirect spatchcock all of the time.... I love em!

If you have a CI skillet you should cook the potatoes under the chicken in the skillet. They turn out amazing! Below is a link to a thread I made for an indirect CI skillet spatchcock I cooked the other day. Even if you don't go in this direction with tonight's cook it's always a good thing to have a few more cook ideas in the ol' brain bank

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1168690/savory-spatchcock-ideas#latest

henapple

DMW said:

Eggcelsior said:

DMW said:

Even cheaper than bricks is empty beer cans, and it's more fun too. Chug 3 beers and stand the empties in the plate setter notches. Set grid on top. I was skeptical until I was at my buddies place shortly after he got his LBGE. He didn't have another raised direct method, so we tried it. It is surprisingly stable.

This. The only unstable part is the cook after shotgunning 3 beers.

If there are 3 people helping with the beers, not as big of a challenge. Me, my buddy, and his wife.

Threesome?

Mattman3969

Are you day drankin again?? You seem to be on a roll!!!

DouginTN

Did my first spatchcock chicken the other day. Tsunami Spin rub. I'm officially obsessed!!

Foghorn

Eggcelsior said:

Even cheaper than bricks is empty beer cans, and it's more fun too. Chug 3 beers and stand the empties in the plate setter notches. Set grid on top. I was skeptical until I was at my buddies place shortly after he got his LBGE. He didn't have another raised direct method, so we tried it. It is surprisingly stable.

This. The only unstable part is the cook after shotgunning 3 beers.

Lightweight.