First attempt: spatchcocked whole chicken on 2-zone
Hi friends, going to make my first stab at doing a spatchcocked whole bird on the gas grill with the 2-zone method. My going-in idea would be to set up so that the indirect side is about 325F/163C and bring it over to the hot side for finishing when IT in the breasts gets to about 160F/71C, but would be happy for any other pointers.
One thing I might do is just keep right on and cut the bird in half just for ease of manipulation. Once the thing is spatchcocked, doesn't seem to me that anything would be lost if it's in two pieces.
At 160° your bird is starting to dry out. Putting it on the hot side will only make it dryer. All the little nasties are killed in less than 30 seconds at 158°, and that's where I pull anything with breast meat. There will still be some carry over cooking anyway. So I suggest moving to the hot side a bit earlier so as to not overcook the breasts. I can't give you an exact temp because I don't move the chicken to the hot side because the skin gets nice and crisp at the higher temps I use.
I would also shoot for a higher temp - 350° minimum, and I wouldn't be worried about 375° if ya want crisp skin. If you want to put it on the hot side after it's been on the grill a while, be careful because once the skin has started to render, it won't take long for it to crisp, and that's just a very short time from burned.
And, of course, you will get other opinions on how to do this too.
I'm with Ron, bump the cooking temp to 375 and let it be. You didn't mention dry brining but it's a good idea to do so, then set the bird in the fridge, uncovered, an hour or 2 before cooking as that helps attain a nice crispy skin.
And spatchcocking is for the birds! Get it? For the birds..... Anyway, spatchcocking is fun to say and makes for a fun, unusual presentation, but I see no difference in cooking a spatched bird over half birds, and half birds are easier to manipulate.
Looking forward to your results and impressions.
Last edited by CaptainMike; March 30, 2022, 09:56 AM.
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I have done spatchcock chickens on my gasser a bunch of times. However, mine is a 4-burner, so it is easy to setup without much thought to the grill's temp. I turn the 2 outer burners on High and leave the 2 inner ones off. Well, I do run the 2 inner ones to preheat the grill, then turn them off about 5 minutes before putting the bird on. I think the grill temp hovers between 350-400*, but I go by the internal temp of the breast (150* to pull). Since most of my birds are marinated or sauced, crispy skin isn't a focus.
I do agree that cooking a bird as 2 halves is just as good and easy to do, but with my grill size, it has not been an issue to leave them whole.
If you want crispy skin, the guys above are right. If you're worried about too little smoke, you can do the lower temp then hot side thing but you want to ove it over when the breasts are about 150F or so (hot side plus carry over will be fine).
Think of the grill as an oven. You are roasting the bird with indirect heat. You want the bird on the indirect side with the heat inside the closed grill around 350. You could then quickly sear off/finish the bird skin side down to crisp it up over the direct heat. But watchout the fat in the skin burns quickly.
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I run my grill as hot as I can get it in the indirect zone - like 375F. I dry brine ahead of time for a couple hours. Then I add my rub and a bit of olive oil to the bird right before she goes on the grill. Spatchcocked or cut into halves, either way is fine. When the breast temp is 160, I pull. I don't even do the skin side down over direct. Comes out with crispy skin and juicy breasts every time. My wife likes it and doesn't complain that the chicken breasts aren't cooked enough.
Did one just like that last night ..... posted pics over in SUWYC
Something I’ve done when spatchcocking a chicken. I cut out the ribs and wishbone. Then when your bird is done you can cut nice slices of the breast. A leg and a couple slices of tender breast is a nice presentation.
Spatchcock is a good way to cook.
Here are two chickens cooked on a Traeger, super smoked at 225*F for an hour, then 325*F to 160*F internal. The cook was for friends and the only seasoning is rosemary salt. Bite through-skin, and roasted rosemary potatoes. Started at 9:30 and the cook was completed at 12:00.
It is really hard to mess up a chicken if you keep an eye on the cook.
Don't forget pictures.
Why not hot side first, sear the heck outta the skin, then move to indirect for the rest of the cooking? I watched STCG on YouTube do one just like that the other day.
If you sear skin when it's already at temp, you're overshooting your target temp.
Thanks folks! I figured if I posted this question before work I'd have some good feedback by the time I could check back, and y'all delivered
Think I'll just keep it simple, use the higher temp and leave it on the indirect side for the duration, pull in the high 150sF/70ishC. I totally get how it's just an oven in this configuration. And with no move to the hot side in the game plan, I can flip the hot side GrillGrates over from flat side up (how I'd have them if I were gonna sear) to channel side up and sprinkle some pellets in the hot side channels for smoke during the cook.
And rest assured I dry brine everything, pretty much. I guess it literally went without saying I've got a poultry rub I've been iterating on, having stolen ideas from many sources (only the best, I assure you), and will use that.
Thanks again, this is the cook for Friday, so will duly report back.
Welp, the weather yesterday put the kibosh on the plan to cook this bird, so I'm doing it today. Brined with kosher for about six hours, then applied a poultry rub I've been iterating on ("Fowl Play") before going on the indirect side of the gasser on 2-zone with an indirect T of about 370F/188C. Sprinkled some pellets in the channels on the hot side to generate a little smoke. So far, so good.
Working out fabulously! I managed to hit the sweet spot on the gasser, hot side hot enough to get those pellets smokin, and the indirect side smack on 375F/190C. I just pulled them off to rest while the sides get ready to plate.
And here's the deliverable. It was fantastic! Super juicy and tender throughout. Nice hint of smoke, and I think this is the final on this rub I've been iterating on. Hit my target for sure. Salad and steamed zucchini, and my lovely bride whipped up some cheesy biscuits from scratch *chef's kiss*
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