I think I've become a spatchcock fundamentalist

[mattkime]

At this point I've cooked enough birds - turkeys, chickens, whatever - that I can basically do it in my sleep. Cut out the backbone, lay it flat, salt, pepper, then into the oven for about an hour at 450-500°F. Maybe there was a bit of prep or brining but it would have a minor impact. The goal is to cook it at the highest temp for as long as possible without burning the bird or your house. I've begrudgingly dialed back the heat to maintain indoor air quality and prevent triggering the smoke alarm. Why aren't ovens better ventilated?

Yesterday I cooked Samin Nosrat's buttermilk brined roast chicken - https://www.saltfatacidheat.com/buttermi...st-chicken

Perhaps I did something wrong but I followed her directions more closely than I normally would for a roast chicken. The skin was crispy but not as crispy as I make it. Perhaps it was my fault for being too literal with the recipe. The thighs end up greasy because they're at the bottom of the roasting pan. Perhaps I should have just cooked it at a higher heat but I think some of these flaws would remain.

Oh, thumbs up on the buttermilk brine. Its just better spatchcocked.

Please don't show me bacon draped over your turkey. I fear this is something I must try just to prove how misguided it is.

I could see deep frying a bird to be worthwhile if you really want to increase risk. The sum of small risks would add up much to quickly for me.

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It occurred to me that I should be more direct about what I'm talking about - https://www.seriouseats.com/butterflied-...jus-recipe

[August West]

Used Samin Nosrat's buttermilk brined spatchcocked turkey last week. Loved it, but SO wanted crispier skin. Leftovers remained excellent.

[davemchine]

I've only tried spatchcock twice but I enjoyed the result. It was reading about it on this forum that prompted me to try. I think someone wanted to cook a bird but didn't have an oven and needed it to fit in a toaster oven?

[Acer]

Definition of spatchcock
: a fowl split and grilled usually immediately after being killed and dressed


For those keeping score at home.

[mrbigstuff]

Crispy skin can be had by turning the oven to blast either the whole time you cook it (quick cooking, my preference for indoor roast birds) or just at the end.

[Gareth]

mattkime wrote:
I could see deep frying a bird to be worthwhile if you really want to increase risk.

The trick we learned after a couple of times deep frying. TURN OFF THE BURNER while you're putting the bird in!!! (And obviously make sure your bird is dry-ish and not still frozen). With the burner off, if you overflow oil, it isn't going to catch on fire.

We figured that one out after making the crazy A-Frame ladder and pulley system to "safely" lower the bird in. I'm surprised I've never seen it mentioned in any instructions to turn the burner off, but maybe it is, just not in the ones I've read.

But you need about 4 gallons of peanut oil to deep fry a 15 lb bird and it's often sold in 3-gallon jugs... Which gets really annoying and expensive. I've also learned that Smart & Final sells a 4-gallon jug, perfect!

[Fritz]

I like the spatch. Spouse thinks it's sacrilegious.
But then she's the most ravenous, more than O.

[pdq]

What, no beer can birds?

[pdq]

Continuing my free association, the first time I think I heard about spatchcocking was in Julie and Julia, a movie I found delightful. I remembered this scene (although it's not actually spatchcocking, it's about deboning a duck):

"Now take your knife and confront the duck."

[btfc]

425 for 20/min a pound is my standard for roasting a unstuffed chicken.

Have you calibrated your oven?

The first thing I’d try is not dropping the temp as the recipe calls for.


This site has a few ideas:

https://www.perdue.com/how-to/roasting/?...628eea9be6&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=How%20To%20%7C%20TIY&utm_term=how%20to%20roast%20chicken&utm_content=Generic%20-%20How%20To%20Roast%20Chicken