# Spatchcock Chicken on the Weber Kettle



## harleysmoker (Oct 7, 2012)

This is my first Spatchcocked chicken. I removed the backbone, rinsed/patted dry with paper towels. Brushed it down with olive oil on both sides, applied Mcormicks Montreal Seasoning, onion and garlic powder, lifted the skin and put a butter and garlic mixture on the breast. Cooked it on the Weber Kettle with a full chimney indirect at around 375*-400* for 1 hour and 20 minutes. I sprayed it every 20 minutes with 1/4 cup of lemon juice and a 1/4 cup of olive oil mixture. I used Kingsford blue and added a few apple wood chips every time I sprayed it. Turned out pretty good.













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Lets get the party started.













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Breast side down, use kitchen shears to cut on each side of the back bone.













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Backbone removed, can save for stock or pitch it.













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Olive oil, and seasoning on it.













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On the Kettle













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1 hour 20 minutes later.













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Lets eat!


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## scarbelly (Oct 7, 2012)

Looks like it came out great


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## willy2763 (Oct 7, 2012)

That chicken looks great! Looks like the skin got nice and crisp.


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## smokinhusker (Oct 7, 2012)

That looks outstanding!


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## linguica (Oct 7, 2012)

Now that's how to use a Weber Kettle. Moist chicken, crisp,spicy skin. It doesn't get any better.


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## crabby (Oct 8, 2012)

I keep forgetting how much i need a pair of poultry shears..

thanks for the post...Did you put anything in your pan (liquid) or is it strictly a catch pan?


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## acemakr (Oct 8, 2012)

Reinforced something I suspected; got to add in a 22.5 Weber Kettle to my arsenal. The 18.5 I have is just not big enough.


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## cricky101 (Oct 8, 2012)

Great looking chicken! That's my favorite way too cook them - especially when they go on sale and we can get a few of them for the freezer!


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## rdknb (Oct 8, 2012)

That does look GREAT.  Well done.


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## pit 4 brains (Oct 8, 2012)

Nice work! that is one of the finest ways to do a yard bird..

A couple things you might consider is going a step farther after removing the backbone, trim out the ribs with a boning or paring knife and then remove the sternum. I do to mine just to reduce the amount of bones that are presented with the dish. Also, since you use Kiingsford, have you tried the hickory-embedded briquettes? They do the trick when I do briq's..

Again, great job and tutorial post..


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## mballi3011 (Oct 8, 2012)

Looks awesome.


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## harleysmoker (Oct 10, 2012)

Pit 4 Brains said:


> Nice work! that is one of the finest ways to do a yard bird..
> 
> A couple things you might consider is going a step farther after removing the backbone, trim out the ribs with a boning or paring knife and then remove the sternum. I do to mine just to reduce the amount of bones that are presented with the dish. Also, since you use Kiingsford, have you tried the hickory-embedded briquettes? They do the trick when I do briq's..
> 
> Again, great job and tutorial post..


This was the first time I grilled a spatchcocked chicken. I read online about removing the Keel bone in the breast, some remove, some leave in. I was afraid it may fall apart if I removed it. I also was worried about the rib bones but told my wife to be careful, especially feeding the 2 yr. old. It was not a problem though. I Have never tried the Kingsford Hickory yet but will soon. How does the Kingsford Competition compare?


Crabby said:


> I keep forgetting how much i need a pair of poultry shears..
> 
> thanks for the post...Did you put anything in your pan (liquid) or is it strictly a catch pan?


The pan was just placed there to catch the drippings, no liquid added.

Thanks all it was good, will do another soon. I want to get a small turkey and spatchcock it.


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## pit 4 brains (Oct 10, 2012)

> This was the first time I grilled a spatchcocked chicken. I read online about removing the Keel bone in the breast, some remove, some leave in. I was afraid it may fall apart if I removed it. I also was worried about the rib bones but told my wife to be careful, especially feeding the 2 yr. old. It was not a problem though. I Have never tried the Kingsford Hickory yet but will soon. How does the Kingsford Competition compare?


The bones aren't really a problem, it's just nicer to serve the chicken without them. They don't contribute much to the flavor IMHO and they are just plain unsightly. 

I have tried the comp briqs with hickory chunks but didn't see any advantage. I use briqs in a UDS so my experience will definitely be different than yours. Shorter smokes in a kettle with some hotter briqs and chunks just might be up your alley. 

Lump hardwood is a better route to go but the only thing I can get of value around me is mesquite, and I have a patio full of that for chunks. It's a bit rough for chx and pork anyhow...


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## worktogthr (Mar 27, 2014)

HarleySmoker said:


> This was the first time I grilled a spatchcocked chicken. I read online about removing the Keel bone in the breast, some remove, some leave in. I was afraid it may fall apart if I removed it. I also was worried about the rib bones but told my wife to be careful, especially feeding the 2 yr. old. It was not a problem though. I Have never tried the Kingsford Hickory yet but will soon. How does the Kingsford Competition compare?
> 
> The pan was just placed there to catch the drippings, no liquid added.
> 
> Thanks all it was good, will do another soon. I want to get a small turkey and spatchcock it.


To start, that chicken looks incredible.  I know this an old thread now, but I just picked up a weber performer that has the 22.5 kettle on craigslist and I have a chicken defrosting that I wanted to use for my first cook.  My charcoal cooking is limited (burgers and dogs on my Smokey Joe) so I just had a few questions that maybe you can answer from your experience.  

1.  A chimney lasted the whole cook and the original charcoal you used was able to maintain 375-400?  (When I spatchcock chickens to roast, i always go at 400 and love them)

2.  My chicken is a roaster, so it's about 3#s larger than the one in your picture.  I am sure I will have to add more coals, but if so any ballpark on how many and should they be cold, or preheated in the chimney 15-20 minutes before I think I'll need them.

Thanks!


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## oldschoolbbq (Mar 27, 2014)

Good going , Harley 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





. That b*ird looks great. For a first , you did well *






Keep having fun and . . .


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