I got a seed catalog the other day….
We all know what that means: Spring is Coming !!!
And with warmer weather comes outdoor cooking and grilling chicken.
Ever since I watched Nigella Lawson spatchcock a chicken I’ve wanted to try it.
Okay, I’ve wanted mon mari to try it – he’s in charge of grilling, after all.
I’ve explained it to him: cut it in half and flatten it out.
He didn’t like my explanation.
When I was asked if I would like this article I jumped at the chance. I’m printing it out and giving it the the grill chef.
Read on for the info:
One of the best methods for grilling a chicken is spatchcocking, which involves the removal and flattening of the chicken’s backbone. The main benefit of spatchcocking is that it enables every part of the chicken to cook more evenly and faster. This method is particularly effective if you need to cook a chicken in a hurry.
Why You Should Spatchcock Chicken
When spatchcocking a chicken, some key benefits include:
Crispier Skin
Spatchcocking results in crispier skin because the chicken’s skin is grilled face-up, which allows for even browning and a larger volume of crispy skin.
Faster Cooking Time
You can speed up the cooking process with spatchcocking because the chicken cooks flat against the grill. Using this method, you can cook a chicken in as little as half the time as it would normally take, depending on the chicken’s size.
Better Appearance
Spatchcock chickens also tend to look better and offer more variety than a traditional grilled chicken.
Spatchcocking a chicken is ultimately easy to do and can give you great results when done right. All you need to do it is a pair of shears.
How to Easily Spatchcock a Chicken
To get started with spatchcocking, take the following quick and easy steps.
1. Unwrap the Chicken
Start by unwrapping your chicken and remove any internal stuffing, along with any other plastic. Then place it on a cutting board to start cutting.
2. Remove the Backbone
Locate the breast meat and flip the chicken over to begin removing the backbone. Using a good pair of kitchen shears, carefully cut the chicken along one side of the backbone from top to bottom or vice versa, avoiding cutting too much of the meat. Then cut along the other side and pull the entire backbone out.
3. Slice the Breastbone to Flatten the Chicken
Once you’ve removed the backbone, open the chicken up to locate the breastbone and cut a small incision through it without penetrating it completely. Doing so will allow you to flatten the chicken. You can also simply break the breastbone.
4. Tuck and Turn the Wings and Legs
The next step is to tuck tips of the wings so that they’re propped behind the shoulder, which will keep them from burning. Then turn out the legs to allow them to cook evenly. In some cases, the wings may already be trimmed off, in which case you can skip this step.
5. Grill the Chicken
With the chicken prepped for spatchcocking, place it on the grill. A charcoal grill can give you great results. One method for grilling spatchcock chicken is to use two-zone cooking, which entails placing the chicken on the indirect heat to start, then moving it over the grill’s direct heat for the final several minutes. If you want to add sauce while grilling, keep in mind that this will make the skin softer, and avoid adding the sauce until the last 5 to 10 minutes on the grill, or you could burn all the sugars in the sauce. Click for more chicken grillin’ tips at American BBQ.
After completing each of these steps, it’s time to enjoy your chicken! Simply remove it from the grill and serve.
I can’t wait to try it….
I do think a better name is in order…. spatchcock doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.
Has Mon Mari done it yet ???
No – we don’t grill in the winter…. division of labor lol He will though.