# Spatchcock Chicken



## nola saints smoker

I want to cook a spatchcock chicken tomorrow, however there are so many posts with different grill temps. I want a chicken that is juicy and tender, so it seems like the slow and low method would not work.  I've seen posts that show 240* for 4 hrs and some that show 350 for an hour. Which temp is correct?


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## 5lakes

Hi,

When I do mine, I put the rub under the skin then drape bacon over it. Cook it around the 240 mark and it comes out incredibly moist.

Jerry


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## mballi3011

Ok do you have to spatchcock your bird or do you just want to do it. Now if you just leave the bird alone and smoke it whole I would smoke it at about 295-310 or so and then pull it around 165° (in the breast) and you will have a done and very juice bird. I do them all the time here. But if you want to spatchcock the bird them someone else will have to tell you how cause I haven't done one yet. Now cutting the backbone out of a bird usually a turkey is for when it's too big (over 12lbs) to get to the safe cooking temp rule of: 40° to 140° in four hours.


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## txbbqman

I generally Smoke mine around the 240* range, not sure how long it takes...never really paid attention. You want to get it to 165* internal.

Some times smoking them slow and low will give you a skin that is rubbery,
to fix that problem I throw mine on the gas grill for 10-15 minutes and it will crisp the skin right up


Good Luck and let us know how it turns out


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## nola saints smoker

First time butterflying a chicken Removed the backbone and the cartilage that seperates the breast. Can't remember the name. Rubbed it down wit a little EVOO and seasoned the bird with Adreneline chicken seasoning. Also added a couple pats of butter under the chicken to keep it from drying out.  Put in the fridge for a few hours and will be smoking later today.  Hopefully it will come out tender and juicy.


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## rbranstner

That would be the spatchcock method. I have yet to do one but really want to try it with that method.


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## pineywoods

I don't find that I have moisture problems going low and slow at 225 or hot and fast at 325 what I find is a difference in the amount of smoke it takes in and the way the skin comes out. Low and slow tends to give the most smoke flavor but the skin usually comes out kind of like rubber. Hot and fast the smoke flavor is not quite as much but the skin comes out crisp. I do usually brine my poultry but I have draped bacon over the breasts a few times. I have also just smoked the bird after just a rinse and dry then rub. Personally I find the brined birds to be the juiciest but I wouldn't say any of them have been dry.


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## nola saints smoker

The weather is nice here in south Louisiana (about 75*) so I may do the low and slow approach.  I may crank the temps to 275* just to try and get the skin a little on the crispy side.


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## nola saints smoker

Here are a few pictures from my first Spatchcock chicken. It took about 1:45 min to get the breast to 170.  The legs and thighs were just right.  Overall, it was a successful cook. Looking forward to more smoking.


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## chefrob

nice job!!!!!!!!


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## mballi3011

Now your bird looks great and I bet it tasted good too.


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## tjohnson

I love grilled chicken

Looks awesome!


Todd


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## caveman

What temp did smoke yours?  I am having some vegetarians over on the 11th of April & they want chicken.  I was going to do the same thing.  Your chicken looks great.  Thx for the view.  But what was the temp, please?


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## nola saints smoker

Caveman, I smoked the chicken at 275 until the breast temp was 170.  I would have liked to get the temp to 250 but still learning how to regulate the temps on my KEG.


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## birdman

I'm doing 2 birds today and gonna try spatchcock method for the first time. Do you cook breast down for awhile then flip or just lay it on breast up and leave it till done? Good looking bird BTW!!


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## miamirick

Heres one i did a couple months ago


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## caveman

Thanks.  I am sure you will get it with enough practice.  The bird looks good.


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## wingrider1

Looking good,,,,my to do list is getting longer.


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## njsmoker83

I made one two weeks ago, got temp to 170 and it was pink inside, which im learning is not unusual.  My wife wouldnt touch it cause she thought she was going to get sick.


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## schaydu

thanks for all the info. i am actually in the process of brining my chicken as i type. I spatchcocked mine as well, and i was going to do cook it at 300+ but i have changed my mind now. i reckon now i will try to cook it at 250 or so. how long did it take it take for it to cook?


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## nola saints smoker

When I do a spatchcock chicken, it usually takes about 1 hr to 1.5 hrs to get the breast temp to 165-170.  I did a low and slow bird at about 250* and I didn't like the texture of the meat. I also brined that one so I'm not sure if it was the brine or the low cooking temps that affected the meat. From that point, I have been smoking the birds at 300-325* and the meat is much better.  I don't brine anymore either. I have been injecting the birds with a mixture of melted butter and whatever rub I am using. The meat is always juicy and tender.


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## Bearcarver

I've never been a big Chicken & Turkey fan, but I probably never had any that were made right. I think things might change soon.

Thanks for showing,
Bearcarver


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## domapoi

Nola Saints Smoker said:


> Caveman, I smoked the chicken at 275 until the breast temp was 170. I would have liked to get the temp to 250 but still learning how to regulate the temps on my KEG.




I know this is an old post, but I was reading through some posts on Spatchcocking a bird. In these posts you keep saying that your cooked your bird till the temp was 170 deg. in the breast but your probe is shown in the thigh. Which is it 170 deg. in the breast or thigh?


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## africanmeat

It looks great and yummy


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## floyd

I am in the process of prepping 2 spatchcocks right now. I brined 2 birds yesterday, rubbed them down with Jeff's rub (it is great), Saran wrapped them, and they are resting.  I plan to start the smoker at 2:00 to steady the temp around 280 degrees. I'll send pix when we are done.  I also smoked a 10 lb pork butt  to a temp of 205 yesterday and she is juicing up wrapped in a cooler.  I plan to pull that while the Okie Joe smoker heats up for the chiks.

We are have a big family get together tonight and we are going to eat well! Wish me luck!


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## floyd

Mighty fine looking bird!


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