Kettle Cooked Spatchcocked Chicken

WolfieQ · Posted: Jun 29 2011 Post subject: Kettle Cooked Spatchcocked Chicken

I love cooking whole chickens. Here's my method:

Unwrap the chicken, Rinse it and dry well, then cut out the backbone, open it up, press it flat, and cut 2 little front pockets for the wing tips

Skewer it to keep it flat and rub it down with 50/50 Big Ron's Original and HOH

Meanwhile, outside, 3/4 of a chimney has been lit, dumped on top of a few unlit coals and small oak and hickory chunks and has been burning with the lid off to get it nice and hot.

When the chicken is ready to go on, I rotate the grate so the side that was over the fire is on the indirect side, and place the chicken meat-side down on the hot grate and close the lid, leaving the vents wide open. I'm usually cooking at about 400° here.

After the start of my second beer (10 - 15 minutes) I go back out, flip the chicken head over heels, put the lid back on, completely shut the lower vents and leave it until the temp in the breast hits 165° (about 45 min, maybe a little more). Since the thighs and legs are closer to the heat, they are up to 175° - 180° by then.

Unfortunately, I don't have any plated picks of this one, and my camera phone didn't take the best pic, but hopefully you can tell the juicy goodness left in the carcass. I know I left a lot of meat on there, that's all going into some white bean chicken 'chilli' this weekend.

This method doesn't usually get me a smoke ring, but I don't mind, the hint of smoke flavor is just enough to come through the rub and the sides, the meat is tender and juicy and the skin is crispy and awesome.

Dr Obvious · Posted: Jun 29 2011 Post subject:

Interesting. When you said "indirect" I assumed you were going to end up with vulcanized skin, but that looks good.

How important are the skewers for you? I never use them, and haven't found the need.
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SoEzzy · Posted: Jun 29 2011 Post subject:

When cooking a spatchcocked chicken the skewers are what help make it work right.

If it looks good before you put it on the pit, it will look good when it come off the pit!

I tend to use Bamboo for them rather than metal, but that's just me.

One does what one chooses, skewers or no, flip or no, smoke or no! Wink

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Big Ron · Posted: Jun 29 2011 Post subject:

Looks great to me. I have never seen skewers used, but looks like it works and makes it easy to flip it as well.
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Cat797 · Posted: Jun 29 2011 Post subject:

Looks good there Wolfie........I've never needed the skewers, but that's because I always cut the keel bone out of the breast. She'll lay perfectly flat then. Cool

Now, I'll take a bowl of that chili when you get it done too....... Very Happy

All the best,
Ed
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WolfieQ · Posted: Jun 29 2011 Post subject:

I'll admit, the skewers aren't 100% needed. I started using them before I figured out that breaking the keel bone has the same effect. I've kept them though and I specifically use those metal ones for a few reasons.

Mostly, like Big Ron noted, it makes it easier to handle, I usually pick it up by the loops to transfer and flip it, that way I don't disturb the rub. But 2 other big reasons are the wow factor when someone sees it coming off the grill for the first time, and that when my 4 year old wants it, he asks for 'Warrior Chicken' because he thinks it looks like 2 swords behind a shield.

Dr Obvious: Spinning the grate so that even though it's indirect it's still very hot when the chicken hits it helps crisp up the skin, also even though I shut down the lower vents eventually, I try to have the kettle about as hot as I can get it at the start and I'm still usually cooking around 350° when I pull it off so it stays nice and crisp.

istock74 · BBQ Pro Joined: 28 Jun 2007 Posts: 965 Location: Logan, IA

Id never given consideration to using skewers before but Im going to try it. Thanks man!
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Mike Lawry · Posted: Jun 30 2011 Post subject:

Nice, I always leave mine skin side down though. Dont flip maybe . Holds the juices in better.

Keep up the good work.

Mike Lawry.