Nick2cd Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 It's turkey season so I'm thinkin of doing one. In the past, I've brined and cooked indirect on my Kamado with zero problems. Everything was moist and delicious. So my question is, why is spatchcock necessary? For direct cooks? For gassers? Seems like kamados keep everything so moist it's almost unnecessary. Am I wrong in my thought process? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bferne Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I don't feel spatchcock is ever necessary to cook anything - it's just a different technique for a different finished product. You can definitely cook indirect, but at least with smaller birds like chicken, going direct provides a much different flavor and of course presentation, plus cooking time, than whole, where you'd have to rotisserie otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cue Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I like to spatchcock whole chickens over cooking them upright because they cook a lot faster. I like that I can cook a chicken, I'm talking 5-6 pound monster here, in 45 minutes instead of 90 or so. I also like opening up that meat inside and getting a nice char on it and searing in my seasonings and stuff. As for a turkey, I would probably only do that if I was making something like a Turducken or something crazy like that. Turkeys seem to cook reasonably fast, judging from everyone's cooks here, so I am not going to go through the trouble or mess of hacking one apart BEFORE it's cooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I go back and forth from spatchcock to beer-can. Both are absolutely killer when they are done just right. Definitely a slightly different taste and texture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bferne Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I've always found beer-can to be a waste of time. That is, the actual can or container of beer, not the vertical roasting orientation. It has never, to my palette done anything for the taste at all. Rotisserie in every case has always turned out a much better bird - better looking, and much better tasting. Over coals, it's the wood-burning smoke that's going to give a lot of the great taste, plus of course the rub and/or baste. But nothing on the planet beats a spatchcock chicken over direct coals. And sorry, technically not "spatchcock" but butterfly - cut down the breast bone, not the back. That's the way all "frango no churrasco" is done. Mmmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I'd agree that there is no discernible difference between beer and water in the can, but I do notice that the liquid will give the chicken almost a braised, fall-off-the-bone texture that you don't find when cooking it without, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosch Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I like to do it for two reasons. I think with chicken flat, you get a more even temp over the bird and a more even browning of the skin. The second reason is it is easier to apply and have a mop/glaze stay on the bird when grilling when it is spathcocked. Halifax Aussie, jrow17 and rwalters 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwhinton Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Why not simply cut the chicken in two, snipping out the backbone and cutting along the breast bone? You've got your same, flat pieces, but they are more easily maneuvered over the fire. Halifax Aussie and rwalters 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwalters Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Why not simply cut the chicken in two, snipping out the backbone and cutting along the breast bone? You've got your same, flat pieces, but they are more easily maneuvered over the fire. Not to mention, you can fit more meat on the grill :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I most often do half birds. They're quick, juicy and you maximum the favor area. Plus they're super easy to portion carve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyjbbq Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Nothing is necessary (except charcoal and fire) everything else is personal preference.... Well, unless you ask ceramic chef, then whatever HE says you should take for gospel because it's the one and only truth, j/j cc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCKamadoJoe Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 I spatchcock chicken for direct cooks, but when smoking I do not. I never cook turkey directly, so no spatchcocking. The results are always great in either case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot In AZ Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 I've done chicken both ways, vertical and spatchcock. Most recently I did the APL "Honey-Glazed Spatcthcocked Chicken". That was the best grilled chicken I have ever eaten! The Flavors are amazing but I was impressed by the smoke that this produced, spewing out the top like a chimney! Most smoke I have ever produced on the Akorn. I will be doing this again soon and hope to have some pics available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bferne Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 This is not my image, but this is my favorite way to have chicken - which I've mentioned previously, but it's nice to see a picture. John421 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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