Dwelled spatchcocked chickens -- it's tender-er

Unknown

Still working on the ultimate spatchcock. Latest wrinkle [probably already figured out by everyone else]: cook it for an hour at about 300 and then let it dwell [shut the vents] for a half hour. I discovered this by accident, when my kids showed up late for dinner and we had to just put dinner on pause. [p]I was worried that the birds would dry out, but when I opened the Egg, a cloud of steam gushed out and almost burned my arm. The chicken came out much more moist and tender than when we take it off immediately after an hour of grilling. It was still very hot, too.[p]This is not what I would have expected, but I have tried it several times since then and it works every time.[p]

Unknown

Dan Schechter,
Not sure if you're asking or question or if it was just a comment. If it's a question here's why. [p]By leaving it on the BBQ you're not only giving the meat time to cook but to rest as well. Resting gives the meat time to cool, which stops all the juices from flowing out, rendering the meat very tender.[p]Another way I find helps improve my chicken dinners is to brine the chicken like you would a turkey. It's real simple and will make it absolutely delicious. [p]Ingredients
 ½ cup kosher salt,
 ½ cup sugar
 5 cups of water [p]Directions
1. Heat water until warm and remove from heat.
2. Add salt and sugar and stir until dissolved.
3. Let the brine cool.
4. Place chicken in a container, add enough cooled brine to cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
5. Pour out the brine and quick rinse the chicken under cold tap water.
6. Pat dry and cook anyway you like.[p]claudio

The Naked Whiz

claudio,
Oh geez, something else I have to try now! Thanks![p]TNW

WooDoggies

Dan Schechter,[p]I'm curious how the skin on the dwelled chicken turns out with the steam and do you detect a smokier flavor with the dwell than without? [p]Thanks and Beers,[p]WD

Bama Fire

Dan Schechter,
Sounds good! I think it's time for me to try the spatched chickens.

The Naked Whiz

WooDoggies,
I'd be surprised if the dwell would make a stronger smoke flavor. First of all, poultry sucks up smoke about as good as any meat, and it is hard to imagine it sucking up an more. Second, meat only absorbs smoke flavor until it reaches a temperature of around 137-140 degrees. I would hope that after an hour cook, the meat has reached this temperature! But the skin question is a good one.[p]TNW

Prof Dan

WooDoggies,[p]The skin is still very good. Maybe not quite as crackly as straight off the fire, but great. It's not any smokier, though, for a couple of reasons, I think: first, the chicken stops absorbing smoke after a while. Also, when the Egg is "dwelling," the smoke stops. The ceramic mass of the Egg stays at about 300 for a long time after the vents are closed, so the chicken stays good and hot.

RayS

claudio,[p]I tried this brine on a Spatchcock the other night. I only used 1/4 cup of salt, 1/8 cup of brown sugar and 5 cups of water. I left the chicken overnight until the next night when I cooked it for 1 hour at about 350. I used apple wood for the smoke. This has been the best one yet.[p]RayS

Unknown

RayS,
Cool. I've never left anything in a brine that long. Glad it works.

Unknown

The Naked Whiz,
You can also try leaving a mixture of lemon slices and erb under the skin, infuses flavor.

WooDoggies

Prof Dan,[p]You're right. I did a bunch of drumsticks tonight and when they were done I just closed the egg down and let them rest inside for about 20 minutes.
There was no added smokey flavor and the skin was still good.
Nice to know when the guests are running late you can let the chicken set inside the hot egg without any noticeable difference in the quality of the bird.
Thanks for your post.[p]WD[p]

Nature Boy

Dr. Woo,
Nice to see you jump right into actual testing of the hypothesis. Amazing how much we learn by trying different things. You can quickly learn your boundaries by pushing the limits.[p]Yowza.
Chris

WooDoggies

Nature Dude,[p]I'm wif you pal. I learned something new tonight about a sealed-tight egg and done chicken.[p]Beers raised to Prof Dan! .... a Yuengling Lager, that is. [p]WD

char buddy

WooDoggies,[p]and might I add that is a fine beer choice for saluting Prof Dan. [p]CB