Spatch direct or indirect??? (Pics)

stemc33

I've done most of my spatchcock chickens raised direct at or near 400°. The last few have been indirect near the 400° range. My results with the indirect chickens have had notably crispier skin. Prep has been seasoned beneath skin and on top of skin. Nothing else added. Is this a fluke? I've tried several different methods from leaving 24 hours in the refrigerator to corn starch etc. etc. All other methods tried were cooked raised direct. Is there any forum members that cook their SC's both indirect and direct? What are your findings.

Below are pics of tonight's dinner. Spatchcock seasoned with BGE Simply Zensational. Cooked indirect at 400°ish grid temp. Sides- peaches(canned), Pasta with alfredo sauce, and mixed mushrooms sautéed in butter and seasoning.

theyolksonyou

I'll be following along cause I cannot get crispy skin. Yours looks good.

blind99

I have no evidence but I believe you. I would think that in an indirect cook at the grate level there is no radiating heat from the fire - only convective heat from air circulation and whatever radiates off of the dome. Same as at the the skin, which is higher and closer to the dome. It'd be interesting to have a probe near the skin on these cooks to see if indeed the temperature is relatively higher than the temperature at the grate on an indirect cook vs direct.

Just speculating.

Legume

Any idea if the cook times were comparable?

stemc33

@legume, I think the indirect takes about 15 minutes longer. That could be due to size of birds so I'm not sure. Hopefully, @mickey or @NPHuskerFL‌ will chime in.

Carolina Q

judy mayberry has been saying this for some time now. I still haven't tried it though.

http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1350550&catid=1

Mickey

I have had good luck 400 raised direct on the smaller birds sat 12lb

nolaegghead

people.  Use your heads.  If you cook direct, you cook the bottom faster.  There's no skin on the bottom, so you cook the skin (on top) less than if you SHIELD the bottom from direct heat and allow the convective reflective heat of the dome cook the skin more.

It's like a pizza.  If you cook it on a baking steel the bottom might burn before the top is done.  If you cook it on a ceramic stone, which doesn't transfer nearly as much heat to the bottom as the steel, the top will cook more proportionally to the bottom (inferred - than the steel would).

Hence, an indirect will cook the skin more provided you have the skin facing the dome.

Legume

stemc33 said:

@legume, I think the indirect takes about 15 minutes longer. That could be due to size of birds so I'm not sure. Hopefully, @mickey or @NPHuskerFL‌ will chime in.

Bingo.

stemc33

Thanks @blind99, @nolaegghead‌, and @carolina Q. Info makes sense to me. Now I'll just have to decide if I want the convenience of going raised direct or the hassle of setting up the plate setter and drip pan to get better skin. :-w :-?

grege345

That is one amazing looking bird. For the record I get extra crispy skin at raised direct.

AUCE

Time and weight at 400?

AUCE

And cooked to what temp?

stemc33

@AUCE‌, it was a small 6lber. Egged at 400° for just over an hour. Pulled when the breast hit 160°-165°.

AUCE

stemc33 said:

@AUCE‌, it was a small 6lber. Egged at 400° for just over an hour. Pulled when the breast hit 160°-165°.

Thx..lots of different opinions..

stemc33

AUCE said:

@AUCE‌, it was a small 6lber. Egged at 400° for just over an hour. Pulled when the breast hit 160°-165°.

Thx..lots of different opinions..

Thats the fun thing about the BGE. More options than a guy has time to try them all or appetite that can keep up. Well, that's for most of the people anyway, @SGH‌ not included.

AUCE

Its amazing. The versatility blows me away...this is going to be a very expensive hobby! Lol

stemc33

AUCE said:

Its amazing. The versatility blows me away...this is going to be a very expensive hobby! Lol

Yes it is. Hanging around the forum doesn't help either. These guys will get your "Wanter" rolling at full speed and trick you into thinking yours wants are actually needs.

AUCE

My minds reel I g with what to try next...Thinking fresh smoked ham for xmas. Not sure.if skin on or off is the way to go.

snakedriver

AUCE said:

Its amazing. The versatility blows me away...this is going to be a very expensive hobby! Lol

After nine months of egg ownership, I can wholeheartedly endorse the accuracy of the observation.

Jerry
Northwest Georgia mountains

fence0407

That is a great looking bird @stemc33! I normally do spatchcock raised direct at 400, but haven't done one recently. I did switch to indirect when I cook chicken wings though and I think they turn out much crispier than raised direct. Plus, I don't have to flip them at all. I will be doing a spatch chicken this weekend indirect around 400. If I can get it to look like that one above, I'd be satisfied!

stemc33

Thanks @fence0407‌, please post your results of your cook.

Jeepster47

@AUCE ... If you come from a technical background where a product finished to two decimal points is sloppy work, you're going to have to be on meds to stay on the forum.

When I decided to cook a chicken I just knew there was a one-and-only-one best way to cook it.  Pulled out the BGE cookbook, another Kamako cookbook, and surfed this forum.  What I found was temps from 250 to 500 (a finish temp only); temps measured at the dome and grate; cooked direct, raised direct, and indirect; flipped, flipped several times, and left skin up for the total cook; brined and not brined; left whole with breast up, left whole with breast down and, spatchcocked (missed seeing splayed in a CI pan ... gotta try that); iced breast and not iced breast; ... oh heck, you get the picture.

After the nice guys in their white uniforms took my buckles-in-back jacket off, I realized how liberating the BGE is.  There is no secret recipe for the perfect cook.  Collect a few ideas from others and go with what seems interesting ... to you!  It's hard to totally screw it up ... at least that's my story so far ... give me some more practice and I might do something where the egg can't carry me.

jcaspary

I used to do spatch chicken direct but have recently switched to indirect. While the skin isn't all totally crispy it is way better than direct and I like not having to worry about the bottom not getting charred beyond recognition. BTW your chicken looks awesome.

TylerA

I like to cook indirect for anything larger than a burger or a steak.  I think it cooks more evenly and is easier to not burn things.  I did some pork chops indirect the other night because I already had the plate setter in and didnt want to take it out.  They turned out great, but likely would have been better direct.

TigerTony

I geaux raised direct at 400*. No flip. I'm not concerned about achieving crispy skin. Flavorful and moist is my objective.
Crispy skin is overrated.

Eggcelsior

TigerTony said:

I geaux raised direct at 400*. No flip. I'm not concerned about achieving crispy skin. Flavorful and moist is my objective. Crispy skin is overrated.

Crispy skin is the best part of the bird.

Zmokin

Sure fire way to get crispy skin.

Cook your chicken.

When done, if skin isn't crispy, remove skin from chicken, place skin in toaster oven for a few minutes, Voila, crispy skin.

TigerTony

Eggcelsior said:

TigerTony said:

I geaux raised direct at 400*. No flip. I'm not concerned about achieving crispy skin. Flavorful and moist is my objective.
Crispy skin is overrated.

Crispy skin is the best part of the bird.

@Eggcelsior‌ -- then you really must love fried chicken.
I understand the obsession with crispy skin. My wife and daughter are with you on that.
It's just too difficult to achieve on the egg. IMO.
I'll focus on flavor and moistness.

Zmokin

TigerTony said:

I geaux raised direct at 400*. No flip. I'm not concerned about achieving crispy skin. Flavorful and moist is my objective. Crispy skin is overrated.

I like crispy skin.  I also happen to like skin that isn't crispy.
If getting crispy skin means overcooking the meat, then NO, it's not worth it.
Soft moist flavorful skin is still good to eat in my book.

Eggcelsior

TigerTony said:

TigerTony said:

I geaux raised direct at 400*. No flip. I'm not concerned about achieving crispy skin. Flavorful and moist is my objective. Crispy skin is overrated.

Crispy skin is the best part of the bird.

@Eggcelsior‌ -- then you really must love fried chicken. I understand the obsession with crispy skin. My wife and daughter are with you on that. It's just too difficult to achieve on the egg. IMO. I'll focus on flavor and moistness.

Yes, I love fried chicken. However, roasted chicken with crisp skin is one of the greatest meals there is. In fact, it is typically the dish most often used to "interview" cooks/chefs. I agree with @Zmokin that the meat should not be sacrificed for the skin crispness and that moist skin is good. However, getting crisp skin with moist meat is the hallmark of a "textbook" properly cooked chicken and my personal favorite. Obviously, you may feel otherwise and that works too. Personally, I have no issue getting crisp skin on the egg, but I go 425-450 indirect. Perfect every time. Give it a try! Allowing the chicken skin to dry for a few hours and/or using baking soda with your rub helps too.