By now youve heard of spatchcocking. Maybe youve done it? Maybe youve only giggled at the word “spatchcock” and moved on with your life. To refresh, its the act of removing the backbone from a chicken or turkey so that the bird will lie flat, allowing the meat to cook more evenly in a shorter amount of time.
Halving a chicken enables it to cook in even less time than the spatchcocked version. It also means that portioning meat at the end is a less messy chore, because youve already done a lot of the work.
From a practical cooking standpoint, a halved chicken is better too. “Its easier to fry,” says assistant food editor Kat Boytsova, a fan of easy-frying. Its easier to flip on a grill or in a pan on the stove too, as its smaller than a spatchcocked bird, which can be dangerously clumsy to flip, and quicker than chasing a chicken cut into 8 parts with a pair of tongs. Finally, and, I think, most importantly, a halved chicken looks more elegant than a spatchcocked chicken, which can sometimes appear a bit…I dont know, scandalous.
Spatchcock Chicken is also known as butterflying – a technique of removing the backbone for a faster roasting time that results in juicy and flavorful chicken. 9 Comments. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy. Spatchcock Chicken is just a fancy term for butterflying chicken.
Flatten the Chicken
Now that the back bone has been removed, use a chefs knife to make a score on the center of the underside of the breast bone, and then flip the bird over. Using the heel of your hand, press down like youre giving the bird the Heimlich. Youll hear a snap and the bird will flatten beneath your barbaric weight. Your bird has been spatchcocked.
Next, flip the bird over and with your palms press down on the breastbone to break it so the bird will lay flat.
Spatchcocking (a.k.a. butterflying) poultry involves removing the backbone and flattening a whole bird. Itâs a useful cooking technique because the flatter poultry leads to more even cooking between the white and dark meat. Hereâs how itâs done.
Grab a pair of sturdy kitchen shears (the type that come apart are great for easy cleaning) and cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Good kitchen shears should make easy work of cutting through the bones.
To begin, remove the neck and any other giblets from the cavity and reserve for another use (the neck, gizzard and to-be-removed backbone are great for making stock) or discard.
Lastly, pat the chicken dry, season (or brine or marinate) as desired and fold in the tips of the wings (optional). Now itâs ready to cook! Slap it on the grill, roast it in a hot oven or fry it in a large pot on the stove. Whatever you decide, youâve got a versatile piece of poultry primed for delicious results.
How to Spatchcock a Chicken | Food Wishes
FAQ
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