Spatchcocked chicken question

[Kayelle]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

I had that once. It's not bad if you can deal with the hairs.

[Zhizara]

[joesfolk]

So, I have the backbone removal thing down. How exactly does one remove the sternum and rib bones?

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by joesfolk

So, I have the backbone removal thing down. How exactly does one remove the sternum and rib bones?

After you remove the backbone, lay the bird skin side down and press it flat. You can see the back side of the keel bone (what you referred to as the sternum). Use the point of a knife to cut around the edges of the keel bone then work you fingers down along both sides to free the breast meat from the bone. Then grab it near the tip and pull it up.

If you're doing chicken under a brick, this step is important because it allows you to get the meat pressed flat against the pan surface so it will brown and cook evenly. If you're cooking it skin side up on the grill or in the oven, it doesn't matter much at all.

[Greg Who Cooks]

I've never heard the term spatchcock but that's something I've often done. I remove the neck bone, crack the breast bone so the chicken will flatten easier, remove the wing tips, and sometimes stick a narrow knife in the wing and leg bone joints and loosen them up a bit so that they're easier to separate after cooking is complete. I almost always remove part of the rib bones particularly the smaller ones, using kitchen shears.

I've sometimes thought of this as a whole chicken cut up but leaving just enough of the connections that all the pieces are still flying in formation.

I like doing this to a chicken because a flat chicken seems easier to cook than a whole chicken, whether grilling, or roasting or braising in the oven.