Spatchcock Chicken in need of assistance!

byrne092 · July 2014

Hi,

I attempted my 2nd spatchcock chicken last night and got less than desirable results. Here is what I did:

Marinated the chicken for a few hours in a briny type liquid, then put the chicken in a new dish with the same marinade, but poured enough out so the skin side was not soaking in it (trying to dry out the skin a bit) for a few hours. Got the Egg heated up to a stable 375ish for raised direct cooking. I then put the chicken on, skin side up. One thing is noticed early was that it seemed like it was cooking fairly quick, breast was up to about 150 in about 30-35 minutes. About this time i flipped the chicken (harder than it sounds!) to try to crisp up the skin a bit, I also poured a little bit of the boiled off marinade onto the bird. After about 10 minutes i flipped it back over and basted it with a little Blues Hog honey mustard bbq sauce. I let it go about another 10 minutes and temp'd it right before i took it off. It said the breast was 162. I was excited, I was hoping the prep work would pay off with big flavor. When I started carving the bird up i noticed that it was EXTREMELY juicy/watery and still seemed a little fatty/rubbery. I'm guessing i could have thrown it back on for another 15-20 minutes to see if it would help, but we were ready to eat. Granted the chicken flavor was delicious, but the texture of the meat off the bone sections had the rubbery/watery texture.

The chicken was about 3.5 lbs all natural, cage free, antibiotic free, etc, so i would be surprised if it was the quality of the chicken, unless i just got a bad bird.

The first time I did spatchcock chicken, i simply put some rub on the bird and cooked similarly, if i remember correctly. The skin wasn't crisp that time either, but the actual texture of the chicken was much better.

I'm not sure how I should change my method so get better results. I was thinking next time to skip the marinade/brine completely, let it dry out in the fridge for 24hrs and then rub it up and throw it on.

If anyone has any suggestions i am all ears! Bring on the suggestions/comments!

Thanks!

Ryan

Mickey · July 2014

Skip the brine. Do the 24 hours uncovered in fridge ( or not, both work). 400 raised, Direct, skin side up and no flip. It works.

byrne092 · July 2014

That was what I was thinking. Do you still just cook until the breast hits roughly 160, or go by visual cues such as the skin?

Grillmagic · July 2014

I'm a newbie my self but I have done 25/30 spatched and you just didn't cook it long enough. When I think my chicken is done my wife thinks it needs another 20 minutes, I go 400 raised direct with some cherry chunks and never flip, just EVOO and a ton of seasoning of choice and 165/185 (I know that's high but my wife likes it a little more done, they are always juicy and the skin is ok, we only eat the skin on wings and drum sticks around here... Spatched is one of my favorite cooks on my XL BGE

Canugghead · July 2014

Sounds like undercooked. Sorry I have more questions than answers, is your thermometer accurate? did you take temp at the thickest part of the breast or the triangular tip, or multiple places? what was the thigh temp?

byrne092 · July 2014

Yeah, I think you all are right, I am guessing it was undercooked a bit. I took the temp in both the breasts, in the thick part. I didn't think to temp the thighs because I figured if the breast was at temp then the thighs should be fine. The thermometer readings were accurate, I had my probe in most of the cook, then temped with a different one when i took them off. And it was definitely "done", nothing was pink/nothing that stood out that it was undercooked, but it seems like it needed that extra bit of time to break down the fat more. Trial and error :-w

Carolina Q · July 2014

I never brine anything. I would say 1) you brined it too long, 2) it didn't dry out while sitting in the reduced amt of brine in the fridge and 3) (maybe) depending on what was in your "briny type liquid", you may have had too many competing flavors (with the blues hog). I do mine at 400 raised direct. Skin side up until the last 10 minutes or so, then I flip.

Jwinn44 · July 2014

I did a spactchocked last night and as per my wifes instructions I was not allowed to remove the bird till the breats was 180. I was worried that this would be overdone, but let me tell you, It was the best chicken I have ever ate. I did raised direct at about 400, and it took roughly an hour. The skin was crispy and the meat was perfect.

Mickey · July 2014

byrne092 said:

That was what I was thinking. Do you still just cook until the breast hits roughly 160, or go by visual cues such as the skin?

155/160

Shiff · July 2014

I never brine anything. I tried it a few times at the beginning of my BGE days, but never liked the results - usually too salty and texture not right. When I spatchcock now, I cook at 400 indirect until the breast is around 160 and the thighs around 175 which usually happens at about the same time. Some of the skin is usually crispy. I never flip the bird. I've thought about cooking it a little hotter to see if all the skin stays crispy - may try that next time.

I carefully pull back the skin and put some sesame based rub under it then pull the skin back in place.

byrne092 · July 2014

Well it sounds like the general consensus is to not do a brine, which kind of makes sense because i don't think i have made anything on the egg that has been dry, even if it got overcooked. Also because the first one i did turned out great other than the skin not getting super crispy and i didnt do anything special to that other than pat some of the wetness off. I think im gonna try to redeem my chicken tonight with some wings for wing day, havent had a bad wing off the egg yet...

jhl192 · July 2014

Ryan, You do not mention if you are going direct or indirect. If for some reason you are indirect, going direct will help.

byrne092 · July 2014

I did it raised direct at about 350-375. I guess the only thing im a little confused, but definitely agree with, is that it was undercooked. Since the breast hit a bit above 160, i figured it would be good to go. Maybe I should have left it rest awhile longer as well.

henapple · July 2014

I brine...my liver while cooking a spatchcock. The breast read 160 but check the dark meat. Sometimes it takes longer. Position it towards the back where more heat is. Cut the chicken in half....easier to deal with.

Grillmagic · July 2014

I brine Chicken, Turkey and most Pork except ribs and always do a clean soak for 1/2 hour and it comes out Great!

morrobayrich · July 2014

After all that, how could you taste the chicken? Just go 350-375, raised grill for 55 to 60 min. No flipping, just pull it off and eat.

byrne092 · July 2014

Lol henapple, I do as well sir, in the process right now.
I mean the chicken was delicious, I didn't put a ton of sauce, just enough to coat at the end. But yeah sometimes simpler is the way to go. These 2 bone chops that Foghorn inspired me to cook tonight should be a nice rebound.

Thatgrimguy · July 2014

I dry brine. I make sure to salt and season the meat a day before and that works similar to a brine.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/11/the-food-lab-the-truth-about-brining-turkey-thanksgiving.html

byrne092 · July 2014

Thatgrimguy said:

I dry brine. I make sure to salt and season the meat a day before and that works similar to a brine.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/11/the-food-lab-the-truth-about-brining-turkey-thanksgiving.html

Thanks for the link, was a good read. So many different methods to try..so little time

SkinnyV · July 2014

I did a 5 lb bird last night atop the rig extender. Took 1hr and 15 min or so @400. Only the legs and thighs had crispy skin, which is OK don't need toneatntoo much. Breast was juicy, and skin rubbery which I take off.

Skiddymarker · July 2014

For most box store or supermarket chickens, they are already brined. Brine adds moisture - customers pay by the pound so the cost of salt and water is more than made up by charging anywhere from $1.29 to $1.99 a pound.

Yours was an "organic" bird so brining is OK. Suggest a couple of hours for a spatched bird, remove from brine and rinse. No need to let it sit in the brine.

Pat the skin dry and let it sit on a rack in the fridge overnight, uncovered, starch optional.

Cook a little hotter, raised at 350º to 400º dome. No need to flip.

If you want to sauce during the cook, I get best results when I flip to crisp the skin a bit before flipping again and brushing on the sauce. Usually, I finish the bird and brush the sauce on before plating.

THEBuckeye · July 2014

You overthunk it.

Wash, pat dry, rub with light oil, rub of choice, apple chunk. raised direct at 350-375 for 50-55 minutes.

Incredible

THEBuckeye · July 2014

You overthunk it.

Wash, pat dry, rub with light oil, rub of choice, apple chunk. raised direct at 350-375 for 50-55 minutes.

Incredible

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