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 - An Attempt

kindaquick14
kindaquick14 Posts: 94
edited June 2018 in EggHead Forum
I'm going to do some spatchcock chicken tomorrow.  The birds are ready and they're basking in the fridge - uncovered.  I don't have the adjustable rig like everyone it seems to have, but I think these will be good.  They're going in the fridge until tomorrow and I'm going 375 for the cook, indirect.  If you guys have suggestions, I'm open :).





We'll see tomorrow.  Going to use some Apple to complement this thing.  We'll see.  Big Bob Gibson's Alabama White Sauce.
Columbus, OH - XL BGE and Medium BGE

Comments

  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    That’ll work fine.  Personally I like raised direct for spatchcock chicken.  Orient the legs/thighs towards the back of the egg.  I’d reseason again tomorrow.  Have fun.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
  • Any advice on whether to flip or not?
    Columbus, OH - XL BGE and Medium BGE
  • JohnnyTarheel
    JohnnyTarheel Posts: 6,533
    Raised direct and no flip
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
  • mEGG_My_Day
    mEGG_My_Day Posts: 1,653
    I always put softened butter under the skin and poke holes through the skin just prior putting on the egg.  If it’s summer time and our herb garden is going, I might slip some fresh herbs under the skin also (Usually rosemary).

    I’m sure it will be great, however you season/cook. 
    Memphis, TN 

    LBGE, 2 SBGE, Hasty-Bake Gourmet
  • mlc2013
    mlc2013 Posts: 988
    I’ve done a few raised direct no flip great flavor ok skin. The other day I was in a rush so no prep fresh chicken softened butter and herbs rubbed under and over skin and I did direct 350 with a flip started skin side down 15 minutes flipped and 30-45 to finish skin had slight char which is think is a must for chicken. What Im trying to say is Both ways work so good luck and keep us postef
    Long Island NY    
    1 XL BGE 12/17, 1 LG BGE 3/18, 1 MM BGE 3/18
  • If I go indirect at 375 target, I feel I should be ok.  Again, I cannot do raised direct in the XL.  If I go 375 on dome temp, 5.4 lb hens, thoughts on the time?   My best guess is  55 mins 
    Columbus, OH - XL BGE and Medium BGE
  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
    You have an XL?  Something to consider...my favorite way to do spatchcock is in the oven on a foil lined baking sheet that's been covered in chopped baby carrots, celery, onion, and a couple of whole cloves of garlic.  I also add some wine (usually chardonay) and some water to keep the veggies from burning.  In an XL, you probably have room for that :)  When done, the veggies make a good side dish, and the liquid gets split between making gravy and adding to the stuffing [obviously cooked outside the bird].
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    400 Direct (I go raised on Adj Rig). I never flip.  
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • njl said:
    You have an XL?  Something to consider...my favorite way to do spatchcock is in the oven on a foil lined baking sheet that's been covered in chopped baby carrots, celery, onion, and a couple of whole cloves of garlic.  I also add some wine (usually chardonay) and some water to keep the veggies from burning.  In an XL, you probably have room for that :)  When done, the veggies make a good side dish, and the liquid gets split between making gravy and adding to the stuffing [obviously cooked outside the bird].

    Yes, I have an XL and Med.  Just don't have the adjustable rigs like a lot of ppl do.  I think I have too many hobbies.  That cook sounds pretty good.  Sounds a lot like a January cook, when the weather is no bueno.  I gotta show off for my Papa on Father's day and use an Egg for the cook.  Even without the adjustable rigs, I'm not bad on BGE's.

    bgebrent said:
    That’ll work fine.  Personally I like raised direct for spatchcock chicken.  Orient the legs/thighs towards the back of the egg.  I’d reseason again tomorrow.  Have fun.
    That's frickin' excellent advice now that I think about it.  I'll follow that legs to-the-back direction.  Probably going with Myron's Honey Money Cluck rub for the seasoning, along with a bit of corn starch.  Going to start these two at around 12:00 and finish up (I hope) at 1:00.  Will post pics today.  Thanks to all so far :)
    Columbus, OH - XL BGE and Medium BGE
  • Kcheves
    Kcheves Posts: 92
    You don’t need an AR rig to do raised direct on an XL.  Just use 3 foil wrapped bricks set on the fire ring to raise the grid to felt level.  You’ll have to jockey a little to get the lid to close, but it works.  

    My preference is raised direct at 400-ish.  Skin side down for 15 minutes then flip.

    "Semper ubi sub ubi"

    San Diego, CA

  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,230
    edited June 2018
    Raised direct and no flip
    Agree. Spatch is a rite of Egg passage, an easy cook, hard to screw up, can season in countless ways and is as good of chicken as you will ever eat.
    New Albany, Ohio 

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    IMO, all you have to do to achieve "raised direct" is to use less lump. Don't raise the grid, lower the fire. If all you're cooking is a bird, you can use less lump and still have plenty to finish the cook, especially in an XL.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Austin  Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    I do direct at felt line temp at 375 and I don't flip. 
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
    njl said:
    You have an XL?  Something to consider...my favorite way to do spatchcock is in the oven on a foil lined baking sheet that's been covered in chopped baby carrots, celery, onion, and a couple of whole cloves of garlic.  I also add some wine (usually chardonay) and some water to keep the veggies from burning.  In an XL, you probably have room for that :)  When done, the veggies make a good side dish, and the liquid gets split between making gravy and adding to the stuffing [obviously cooked outside the bird].

    Yes, I have an XL and Med.  Just don't have the adjustable rigs like a lot of ppl do.  I think I have too many hobbies.  That cook sounds pretty good.  Sounds a lot like a January cook, when the weather is no bueno.  I gotta show off for my Papa on Father's day and use an Egg for the cook.  Even without the adjustable rigs, I'm not bad on BGE's.

    My point was, with an XL, I suspect you may have enough cooking grid real estate to fit a foiled baking sheet, and do my oven spatchcock method in the egg...getting the best of both worlds (the veggies exchange flavors with the meat, and you'd get some smoke flavor).
  • GoldenQ
    GoldenQ Posts: 565
    I go indirect at 350 with two grates.  The regular grate and a smaller webber grate that I raise on bolts for my XL but for spatchcock like that I usually just use one grate and cut the chickens into quarters for better fit and moving around to get white and dark cooked to temps better.
    I XL  and 1 Weber Kettle  And 1 Weber Q220       Outside Alvin, TX-- South of Houston
  • Well, I ended up having a pretty successful cook.  Went indirect with PS at 375 degrees for around an hour and 15 mins.  Turned out good.  Some pics:

    Maybe had a little too much baking powder on these, but they turned out good anyway :blush: 




    Columbus, OH - XL BGE and Medium BGE
  • shadowcaster
    shadowcaster Posts: 620
    They look tasty to me, I know I would eat them! Now you can experiment with different seasonings and different methods. Spatchcock chicken is the one thing I always get asked to make again. I do a lot of different cooks on my eggs but it is always the chicken that gets them coming back for more. 
    Pure Michigan
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Mini BGE, Weber Smokey Mountain, Weber Performer.
    If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
  • nicely done!


    1 LBGE in Chapel Hill, NC
  • Thanks!!  Oh, and I really think that spatchcock is a much better method than beer-can chicken.  Beer-can chicken is good, don't get me wrong, but I think that spatchcock is better and doesn't take quite as long on the cook.  Anyway, I think next weekend I am going to do another one, pull it, and put it in some kind of chicken soup.
    Columbus, OH - XL BGE and Medium BGE
  • Hebs
    Hebs Posts: 5
    I go indirect at 425-450. 15 min, skin down and then 45min skin up. I do pull the skin away from the meat before I cook, just so it crisps up better. (Cajun Blackening for the seasoning) 


  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,352
    I flip.  Maybe I shouldn't
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
  • booksw
    booksw Posts: 470
    One MUST imho for either beer can or spatchcock is a small bird.  I aim for them around 4 pounds a piece- these tend to turn out a lot juicier than the bigger 5+ lb birds that are more common at most groceries
    Charleston, SC

    L/MiniMax Eggs