Spatchcook Disaster

Tom · June 2002

Cooked my first spatchcook chicken last night. Although it was good it was a pain to cook. The chicken was really dripping fat into the fire big time. This caused major flare ups and fire. I had to keep opening up the egg and moving the chicken around. I finnaly had to put the plate setter in to deflect some of the drippings. I got a better idea on what to do next time but man was it a pain in the butt.[p]Tom

Nature Boy · June 2002

Tom,
Just a suggestion. Try getting a good hot bed of coals first, like up to 375, then closing the bottom vent to a slit. Then coast down to your 300-325 cooking temp. Once you put the bird on, don't open til you are ready to turn, and keep the bottom vent opening very small. As long as the fire doesn't have a ton of oxygen, you won't get flareups. At least in my experience.[p]Also, when cooking direct, it can't hurt to trim off the huge globs of fat that you can get to easily...especially that huge hunk by the neck. [p]I never have had a flareup when doing this.
Best of luck next time!
Chris

Tom · June 2002

Nature Boy,
Thanks for the suggestions I will definatly try that next time. I was like a firefighter last night![p]Tom

YB · June 2002

Tom,
Good advise Chris... And I always use a raised grid when cooking chicken.
Larry

hounddog · June 2002

I agree with this. I forget where I first heard it here, but was in the context of wings. The best way to avoid flareups is to shut the bottom vent just before you open up to turn the chicken. This is NOT a good idea if you are hot enough for flashbacks or if you are the kind of guy who can't remember to open it back up when you shut the lid. Being of the second variety, I had to train myself to remember to open it later. This will control most wild fires. If you have something that makes you think fire department around spatchcocked chicken, then you are giving your fire too much air. And even if you weren't having grease fires, I suspect your bird would not cook very evenly.

Tom · June 2002

hounddog,
Its my fault really. Im just not too good at cooking chicken anyway. My biggest fear is not cooking it long enough. Ill try it again another time. It still came out good. I cook steaks all the time and never had a problem like that before. [p]Tom

Prof Dan · June 2002

Tom,[p]We've had a few discussions lately about various ways to lift the grid up to the top of the bottom section of the Egg -- this technique has changed the way I cook. I do a lot more high-temperature stuff, especially chicken, and it comes out great. I do half chickens at 400, 20 minutes per side, and then let them sit on the grill at about 300 for another 20 minutes. [An hour total.] Crispy, juicy, never burned.[p]Hang in there!

Tom · June 2002

Prof Dan,
Speaking of raising the grid, where can i buy firebricks at?
Home depot? Lowes?[p]Thanks
Tom

Nature Boy · June 2002

Tom,
Most brickyards have them for under a buck each. Bolts can also be used to raise the grid. BGE's extended grate is nice also (though the bars are kinda far apart). [p]HTH!
Beers
NB

Tom · June 2002

Nature Boy,
I have the extended grate howeverI could not fit two chickens on it. Maybe next time ill just cook one. I forgot about the bolt idea. Think I will look into that one again also.[p]Thanks
Tom

Nature Boy · June 2002

Tom,
If you have a second full-size grate, like a weber grate, you can set that (or the BGE grate) on top of the grid extender. Then you will have the full-width surface.[p]Heee!
Chris[p]

Tom · June 2002

Nature Boy,
I wish I had thought of that last night. I do have a weber grid that fits perfect in my egg. However last night I wasnt thinking clearly I was battleing chicken fires!

Gfw · June 2002

<p />Tom, I believe this is what we used to call Butterfly Chicken - I have only done it indirect - no flame ups!

[ul][li]ButterFly Chicken[/ul]

Gloria · June 2002

Tom,
It is funny how one thing works for some and one thing works for another. I have had a devilish time with steaks, but thanks to the guys on the Forum, we finally had one to die for (the rub on it went a long way). The very first spatchcocked chicken was unbelievably good and all the rest have been too. We have cooked them for family and for friends and they are snarfed up before you can turn around twice. We always have cooked with a drip pan under it and Nature Boy is right on it when he says to trim off those globs of fat around the neck and the pope's nose. Don't give up on this method for cooking chicken. It is the best IMHO. Good luck on your next one.

The Naked Whiz · June 2002

Tom,
As the inventor of the spatchcock chicken, I think I can speak with some authority on the matter. (I got out of my padded room again....)[p]First of all, get rid of the great big gob of fat that you will find around the neck opening. It may be in two gobs, one on each side. If you see any other easily-removed gobs of fat, remove them.[p]Second, if you visit my website, you'll see how I cook them. I raise the grid up using a couple of firebrick pieces on their sides. [p]Finally, I usually get the egg up to 350 degrees, then throw on some smoking wood, set up the grids, and place the birds on the top grid. By time I close the egg, the temp has dropped to 250 or so. I have to open up the vents to get it back up to 350.[p]I've never had flareups like this. Good luck!!
[ul][li]The Naked Whiz's Guide To Spatchcock Chicken[/ul]

Rib-Rob · June 2002

YB,
I agree more than a hundred percent. I always had trouble cooking spatchies on a Large or Medium on the grid anywhere near the "recommended" 350°. I had to throttle back to around 300 to prevent burning, flare-ups and various other bad things. When I used the grid extender---problem solved! Now I do the suckers direct at 350° on the grid and never had better chicken. Don't remember who cued me to it. Might have been you. Thanks.

Unknown · June 2002

The Naked Whiz,
The Inventor???? Not saying a word...[p][p]Dylan

The Naked Whiz · June 2002

Q.N.E. tyme ,
Don't you remember? I also invented the telegraph, chocolate ice cream, and a few other things. I think the barometer and the submarine. It's hard though lately because I don't invent things well in that padded room. But yes, I lived in 18th century Ireland and invented the spatchcock chicken....[p]TNW

Unknown · June 2002

The Naked Whiz,
Oh cool, I opologize, I thougt you were serious.. I give you credit for adapting it to the egg, but I was thinking you wanted more.. [p]

Dylan

The Naked Whiz · June 2002

Q.N.E. tyme,[p]You must have missed my post of a month or so ago where I claimed to invent most everything in the last 300 years. When reading my posts, feel free to first assume that I am full of you-know-what and then switch over into "Serious Mode" if it seems appropriate.
:-)
TNW

The Naked Whiz · June 2002

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I also invented the smiley face and the emoticon --> :-)[p]TNW

dublin · June 2002

Nature Boy,
That's what I do
It works great

drbbq · June 2002

Tom,
Was it one of those extra fatty evil Johnsonville type chickens.
[/b]

Spatchcook Disaster

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