“Spatchcock” refers to the method of cutting open a whole chicken, so that it sits flat in a pan, or on a grill. However, it wasn’t always the highly amusing verb it is today.
Originally, it was a highly amusing noun used to describe a small, young chicken. Since these tender birds were usually butterflied to cook faster and more evenly over the coals, “spatchcock” became the culinary term for this technique. So, if you use a small, young chicken like I did, then you’re actually spatchcocking a spatchcock, which is about the most entertaining answer ever to the question, “What are you doing for dinner?”
Originally, it was a highly amusing noun used to describe a small, young chicken. Since these tender birds were usually butterflied to cook faster and more evenly over the coals, “spatchcock” became the culinary term for this technique. So, if you use a small, young chicken like I did, then you’re actually spatchcocking a spatchcock, which is about the most entertaining answer ever to the question, “What are you doing for dinner?”
Above and beyond how fun it is to use in casual conversation, the technique really does work beautifully for grilling a whole chicken. Once you remove the backbone, and set free the sternum from its covering of cartilage, you'll have a bird that will cook quicker and more evenly. It also looks pretty damn cool.
If you don’t own a sturdy pair of kitchen shears, then I hope this video inspires you to go out and get this must-have piece of equipment. They make this technique incredibly fast and easy, and you can also use them to completely section a whole chicken into serving pieces, as we showed in this video demo.
Anyway, I hope you pick up some spatchcock soon, and give this whole spatchcocking thing a try. I’ll be showing a recipe I did using this technique in a future video, so stay tuned for that, and as always, enjoy!
15 comments:
Thanks, that looks easy. I always learn something new from you Chef John.
Randomly enough the website TheKitchn.com posted an article on Spatchcocking a chicken today as well! literally 3 minutes after you.
Aha! Slice the cartilage... And here I've been trying to crush the backbone through brute force all this time... Thanks, Chef!
I Loooooove technique videos, thanks again my good man Chef John. I'm definitely telling my wife that we're going to spatchcock tomorrow night and all thanks to you.
Dear Chef John,
this video came at the most funny time, i was watching Emeril yesterday on the food network channel and he had the exact same chicken style cooking on a stove but under hot bricks, i was saying to myself that's an intersting way to do cook chicken but i wish he'd show us how to open up a chicken like that.
Today what did i see on Foodwishes ? the best technique ever !! explained in the best way by the best Chef Ever.
Thanks Chef John, you're the best !!
Your N# 1 fan from Beirut, Lebanon
Razmik
Thank! Bam!
I'm squemish! Can chicken be purchased already spatchcocked?
sure, if you ask a real butcher for one.
I have spatchcocked many, many birds over the year. Sometimes I'd remove the keel bone, sometimes I'd do the "palm smash" to flatten the bird out. I have not seen your trick of just releasing the keel bone so I'll give it a try.
Does the starburst indicator come on regular fryer sized birds or just cornish hens? (ha ha)
Great video, Chef!
Awesome technique! Have you ever tried pollo adobado chef? That's my foodwish! Or camarones a la diabla!!!
Not for nothing, but this is a great technique to use with Cornell chicken. I think Doc Baker would approve.
Great minds think alike! See newest post...
i usually always spatchcock me chickens when I cook them on my smoker. It takes half the time and I think more smoke is absorbed.
Plus i get to say spatchcock.
Chef John, how many cutting boards should a kitchen have?
I spatchcocked a spatchcock today and impressed my parents and in-laws for Father's Day. Thanks for the technique, it's a keeper! Everyone loved how moist the chicken was. I grilled it. I put all the burners on Med except the one under the chicken, that was on low. Seasoned with S&P and that was it! The cutting out of the backbone was a little icky, but dissecting stuff in A&P helped me get over my squeamishness.
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