Spatchcocked chicken question

[joesfolk]

I have a 5 lb. chicken that I spatchcocked (sorry if the spelling is wrong) and am wondering how long to cook it at what temp. I'm thinking maybe about 1 hr and 15 min at 350. Anyone know for sure?

 

[jennyema]

That's ballpark but you really, really need a meat thermometer.

 

[joesfolk]

I ended up putting it in for 45 min at 350 then I broiled it to crisp up the skin for 8 minutes. The thermometer said 170 degrees in the thigh and 150 degres in the breast. It is perfect. I'm so glad I didn't cook it longer.

 

[CraigC]

Usually cooking a chicken on a pressure cooker will only take about 20 - 30 minutes depending on the chicken breed you are cooking, this time is enough to cook the chicken right.

I don't think a pressure cooker was used.

 

[joesfolk]

No. I didn't use the pressure cooker for this dish. I roasted it in the oven. Now I will never roast a whole chicken any other way, It was great.

 

[CraigC]

No. I didn't use the pressure cooker for this dish. I roasted it in the oven. Now I will never roast a whole chicken any other way, It was great.

Did you put a brick on top? I like the results when the spatch cocked chicken has the added weight of the brick(s).

 

[Robo410]

I like 375* when I open it up like that. Sounds like with the broiling you got a good crisp skin.

 

[Kayelle]

I like to blast mine at 425 degrees and the broiler isn't needed.

 

[Zhizara]

How long, KL?

 

[Kayelle]

How long, KL?

I always rely on my instant read thermometer Z, but at 425 degrees a 5 lb. chicky only takes about 45 minutes. I like to smear a butterflied (I like that word better) chicken on both sides with General Tsao stir fry sauce. It turns out perfectly flavorful and mahogany golden every time.

 

[joesfolk]

No. I didn't use a brick.

 

[Silversage]

I don't like a brick, either. To me, it's like pressing down on a hamburger. I want the juices to stay inside the bird.

 

[Kayelle]

I'm with both of you about the brick. Besides, there's no way mine would brown so beautifully under a brick.

 

[HistoricFoodie]

butterflied (I like that word better)

You may not know it, Kayelle, but you've just touched one of the raging controversies in the culinary world. To wit: Just what is spatchcocking.

Most Americans, if they even know the word spatchcock, use it inter-changeably with butterfly. In general, however, we say butterfly and the Brits say spatchcock.

However, there is also a technical difference between them. If you merely cut away the backbone and open the bird like a book, you have butterflied it. To spatchcock you have to go further, and remove all the rib bones as well; a step most of us do not take.

All that aside, I'm with you on this: higher heat and faster cooking. Most often, in fact, I do a bird like that on the grill, after first rubbing it with a compound butter under the skin.

 

[CraigC]

In my experience, using the brick(s) seems to make the skin have more contact with the pan with better crisping results.

 

[Silversage]

In my experience, using the brick(s) seems to make the skin have more contact with the pan with better crisping results.

So are you cooking it skin side down?

 

[Andy M.]

So are you cooking it skin side down?

You would if you used a brick.

 

[Silversage]

You may not know it, Kayelle, but you've just touched one of the raging controversies in the culinary world. To wit: Just what is spatchcocking.

Most Americans, if they even know the word spatchcock, use it inter-changeably with butterfly. In general, however, we say butterfly and the Brits say spatchcock.

However, there is also a technical difference between them. If you merely cut away the backbone and open the bird like a book, you have butterflied it. To spatchcock you have to go further, and remove all the rib bones as well; a step most of us do not take.

A raging controversy?

Language evolves. New words and new meanings are added to the dictionary every year. Perhaps in the 18th century the term spatchcock was confined to Britain and necessitated removing the rib cage. In large part thanks to the interwebs, people on different parts of the globe have traded not only recipes, but language. North Americans, Europeans, even Australians (gasp!) have adopted each others' terms. Even your name, Foodie, wasn't in our lexicon 30 years ago.

I'm not qualified to speak for "most Americans", but the ones that I meet on the internet understand and use the term spatchcock precisely as the original poster did. If you 'Google" the word (Google is definitely one of those new words), you find that most sites describe it as removing the backbone or splitting it open at the back. Only one includes removing the sternum. And none mention the ribs.

We no longer speak the same language as Charles Dickens.

 

[Kayelle]

Yea, and besides all that, butterflied is easier to spell and is also a more descriptive word.
Spatchcock sounds like Sasquatch chicken.

 

[Andy M.]

...sounds like Sasquatch chicken.

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