Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Spatchcock Chicken -- overnight process?

Kjunbob
Kjunbob Posts: 118
in EggHead Forum
Another Question about Spatchcock Chicken.  I see that some people recommend spatchcocking it the night before and leaving it in the fridge overnight.  What is the advantage to doing this and is in "highly recommended" or just an idea?

Should I leave it uncovered, or tent it in foil?  

And how much time is needed.  For example, would spatchcocking it on the morning before a late afternoon cook be sufficient?

Thanks
Large Egg.  New Orleans Area
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Hub
    Hub Posts: 927
    Spatchcoking it the night before and leaving it in the fridge uncovered will remove much of the moisture in the skin, which will in turn make it much easier to get crispy skin the next day when you cook it on the Egg.  It really comes down to how much you value crispy skin.  I consider it to be very important, so I am in the "highly recommended" group.

    Beautiful and lovely Villa Rica, Georgia
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Dries the skin out so it's crispier. Uncovered. Seems to help, IMO. Morning/evening should be okay. Not sure what is optimal.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • CincyEgg
    CincyEgg Posts: 119
    I've refrigerated a whole chicken as well as just the wings overnight and it does make a noticeable difference as far as crispiness of the skin goes. Depends on what kind of bite you like from your chicken.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MeTed
    MeTed Posts: 800
    If you have time I would leave it in the fridge uncovered it really helps to get the skin crispy. I find that 12 hours is perfect but I have let it sit for between 2 and 24 hours.
    Belleville, Michigan

    Just burnin lump in Sumpter
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JethroVA
    JethroVA Posts: 1,251
    edited June 2017
    dusting with a bit of cornstarch helps the skin crisp as well.  http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1197082/a-test-does-corn-starch-make-chicken-skin-crispier#latest

    Richmond and Mathews County, VA. Large BGE, Weber gas, little Weber charcoal. Vintage ManGrates. Little reddish portable kamado that shall remain nameless here.  Very Extremely Stable Genius. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232
    Aside from the totally optional skin drying, the cook takes only 35-40 minutes at 375 raised (grid at gasket level) direct w/ breast to 160 and leg/thigh to 180-185.

    Spatch is a fun cook , flexible for all kinds of rubs/marinades, quick, easy and really hard to screw up. 
    New Albany, Ohio 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,793
    Another vote for the overnight (or extended day time) uncovered fridge process for the crisp skin result as noted above.  I am in the "highly recommended" camp as well.  I have had audibles called on a few spatch chix cook plans and gone for two days-no issues and very crispy skin.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • buzzvol
    buzzvol Posts: 534
    BeerMike said:
    The chicken will still be fantastic without crispy skin.  Me, I don't eat the skin. I try hard to save on calories so I can drink more beer!  
    I definitely agree on the saving calories for beer, but man I love a crispy skin!
    Lawrenceville, GA
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Kjunbob
    Kjunbob Posts: 118
    OK.. chicken has been out overnight.  Didn't have time to spatchcock it last night, so I just left it whole and will spatchcock it in a bit and let it sit a bit longer.  I will probably use some DizzyPig on it (wife gave me an assortment for Father's Day).  

    But any recommendations on which one?  

    Also, should I put Olive Oil on it first?  My gut says no... and that his would counteract the overnight drying process.

    Thanks
    Large Egg.  New Orleans Area
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232
    Dizzy Dust is a great one to start. No, no EVOO (the preferred acronym of the forum) for Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 
    New Albany, Ohio 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Gulfcoastguy
    Gulfcoastguy Posts: 7,335
    My vote is for Shaking the Tree.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hoosier_egger
    hoosier_egger Posts: 6,808
    Raging River offers a nice uniqueness to chicken 
    ~ John - Formerly known as ColtsFan  - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
    XL BGE, LG BGE, Med BGE, BGE Chiminea, Ardore Pizza Oven
    Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    THEBuckeye said:
    Dizzy Dust is a great one to start. No, no EVOO (the preferred acronym of the forum) for Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 
    Except for most cooking applications you really don't want extra virgin but normal olive oil.  
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories