Spatchc*** Chicken

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Spatchc*** Chicken

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Sep 2 @ 12:41 PM Spatchc*** Chicken

cbond35

Posts: 29 Spatchcock the chicken. What's that? It's a term that is thought to have originated in 18th century Ireland. It means "to butterfly". Basically, you cut the backbone out of the chicken so you can open it up and press it flat.

Think of it as butterflying the chicken. The real term is to "spatchcock." According to The Oxford Companion to Food: "The theory is that the word is an abbreviation of 'dispatch the cock,' a phrase used to indicate a summary way of grilling a bird after splitting it open down the back and spreading the two halves out flat." I personally agree that spatchcocked birds originated in Ireland. I have noticed them in Irish cookbooks that date to the 18th century.

Besides making an intriguing presentation and being simple to carve, a spatchcocked bird requires less time in the oven or on the grill. That means that the breast meat won't be dry. It's also easy to make a pocket between the skin and breast meat to stuff the bird with a protective layer of vegetables and/or seasonings.

If you are suspicious that the bird might not be done, be sure to use the standard methods for determining if poulty is done. Does the leg move freely? Do the juices run clear? Does an instant read thermometer read 160° in the breast and 180° in the thigh?

I've done this on the grill several times myself. Sometimes I "stuff" under the skin but most times I just rub the skin (as well as every orifice) well with a paprika laden spice. (Yes, I love the spicy/crispy skin almost as much as the breast meat)

Sep 6 @ 4:57 PM Spatchc*** Chicken

misschoos

Posts: 1,481 I bought three spatchcock chickens for a dinner party at my house a few weeks ago, the were ready prepared. I didn't have the time.

Does the leg move freely? Do the juices run clear?

If the leg moves freely, it usually falls off the bone and the meat is knackered, BUT if the juices run clear? Wahey!

According to The Oxford Companion to Food:
I have never read it, and although I trust the Oxford dictionary for the English language, I am not sure I would trust it for food.

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