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Spatchcock Fail

DoubleEgger
DoubleEgger Posts: 19,172
in EggHead Forum
I guess I've become a chicken snob. I've been buying Publix Greenwise birds for a long time. Stopped in today and they were out so I grabbed a "regular" bird. Spatchcocked raised direct with DP IPA rub at 400F. Turned out awful. It was like rubber. One bite and it went into the trash. Chicken is a go to staple for me and I'm really surprised at how bad this was. Never again will I cook anything but Greenwise birds. 

Live and learn I guess. Headed out to get a fast food burger now...
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Comments

  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262

    I don't know what a "greenwise" bird is, but enjoy your burger.

    I too cooked a disgusting bird a while back.  It was so bad I haven't done another in a couple months now.  Kinda grossed me out.

    Phoenix 
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    Question: does greenwise display their birds in the butcher's case, unwrapped (like whole foods)?

    if so, they are dried birds. Skin crisps ip beautifully. The wrapped birds turn to rubber in the egg. You gotta dry the bird for a day or so, like grandma's butcher did. Dry skin, crisp skin 
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,172
    edited October 2015
    The Greenwise birds are organic but come in the cryo bag. They are pretty dry though. I did notice that the bird I cooked tonight was far wetter out of the cryo. 
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  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
    Couple of weeks ago I was suckered into buying some chicken quarters at 49 cents per pound sale.  I figured how bad could they be.  Well,  they were HORRIBLE!  The biggest legs and thighs of any chicken I have ever cooked.  More like Turkey parts.   No taste, a lot of gristle and wouldn't crisp up.  I think they were Chernobyl chickens! 
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
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  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,458
    Did you get a roaster or a fryer?  Roasters are rubber grilled. 
    Jacksonville FL
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  • johnnyp
    johnnyp Posts: 3,932
    Dobie said:
    Did you get a roaster or a fryer?  Roasters are rubber grilled. 
    I've had pretty good luck with roasters and fryers.  On the bigger birds, I make sure to go indirect so that I can cook longer and crisp up the skin.
    XL & MM BGE, 36" Blackstone - Newport News, VA
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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    Love the green wise stuff here too. But I've had good luck with the regular stuff too, you just might have gotten a bad one. 
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
    I've had no problems with the non-greenwise chickens from Publix.  Can't remember the brand (Perdue?)...but I generally look for the biggest they have and land in the high 7 to low 9lb range.  Indirect at 450F works here.  Cooking veggies in the drip pan adds noticeably to the flavor of the bird.  I skipped that part once, and we had a fairly tasteless bird.
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    Costco sells organic birds for $2.99 a lb. they also sell several of the cuts organic. Like half the price of publix
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,836
    Wet chicken = gummy chicken. As @Darby_Crenshaw mentioned, put it in the fridge uncovered for a day or so before cooking. Skin will crisp up nicely.
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,458
    johnnyp said:
    Dobie said:
    Did you get a roaster or a fryer?  Roasters are rubber grilled. 
    I've had pretty good luck with roasters and fryers.  On the bigger birds, I make sure to go indirect so that I can cook longer and crisp up the skin.
    I did exactly one roasting hen and it was so tough it was almost inedible. Never had a problem with fryers. Most of my birds are bought at Walmart and I get about a 6-7 lb bird for 98 cents a lb. Publix poultry is overpriced.  I get a antibiotic and hormone free bird ocassionaly at Freshfield Farms for $1.59 lb. 
    Jacksonville FL
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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    Michael I get the 2 for 1 birds at Sam's Club and the singles at Publix. And have done a couple freshly harvested from a friend's farm. Was the farm fresh bird better?  Absolutely!  I've never had an issue with the other birds being rubbery or anything short of delicious flavor with crispy skin etc. Greenwise is a great source and to each their own. But, consider this....Just like brisket, ribs, butts etc you can get a bad one. It happens. Or you may have just grown to prefer what you get from a Greenwise product (likely farm fresh quality and more consistent time after time). :peace: 
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,172
    Maybe I simply got a bad bird. I was in a hurry to plant my butt in front of the TV for the games yesterday and didn't pay attention to the roaster/fryer thing. I'm going to stop by Publix at lunch to see what the heck I bought yesterday. 

    Thanks to all for the comments and advice. 
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  • Chef_Hobo
    Chef_Hobo Posts: 70
    I usually have good luck with the Purdue chickens from Publix as well.  Bought a free range chicken not too long ago and it was like chewing on a rubber tire.  I'll have to give the Greenwise birds a try.
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,172
    Here's the culprit from yesterday and here is a Greenwise bird. The Perdue has a diaper in the cryo and the Greenwise does not. 



    Sorry about the last pic. Don't know what happened there...
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,261
    I have been doing whole birds for a while now, spatching. I did one with a marinade, and it was not bad, just not great. Going to try marinade, let dry in the fridge, rub and cook. I wonder if that may help?
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • BigWader
    BigWader Posts: 673

    @Doubleegger Biggest difference there is air chilled vs water chilled.  The water chilled is the fastest, cheapest way to do it and the birds float in an ice water batch to cool them... of course you loose natural chicken juice and flavor and replace it with water - probably also end up with the rubbery, wet skin.

    Air chilled is just as it sounds, a blast chiller of cold air, which retains natural juice and doesn't replace it with water.  Air chilled chicken is definitely the better way to go.

    Whenever you see parts on sale for a ridiculous price it is almost a guarantee of water chilled.  Okay for soup in my opinion, but for eating quality the air chilled is always the way to go.

    Toronto, Canada

    Large BGE, Small BGE

     

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  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
    Here, I mainly buy Foster Farms whole fryers in cyro.
    Never had a problem with rubbery meat.
    Always firm and very tasty when spatchcocked .
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
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  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324
    I see the problem!!!!  The chicken is from Florida.....  Its a Gator fan!!!!

    LBGE since 2014

    Griffin, GA 

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Never heard of Greenwise. I buy whatever's cheap and low sodium. Some birds have about 200mg per serving, others more like 50. I buy the 50. Store brand usually, sometimes Perdue. I never leave em in the fridge to dry...don't eat much skin anyway. Never had a bad bird. 

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324
    I think the "Greenwose" is a Publix Brand....

    LBGE since 2014

    Griffin, GA 

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  • volfan1
    volfan1 Posts: 167
    Yes. Greenwise is Publix Organic brand. 
    XL & Mini-max & knock off medium. Western North Carolina. Formerly Franklin, TN. Formerly in Palm Harbor, FL. 
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