Spatchcock herb butter chicken now with 100% more brick
I was happy when I got out of work and the sun was shining. Only thing I could think of was getting home and firing up the charcoal grill for grilled chicken. However, my dreams were soon crushed when I got home and the sun decided time to go away. Instead of the sun I was faced with this:
Yes boys and girls, that is hail and yes it really freaking hurts when it hits you. I was determined not to let painful hail stop me from grilling and instead fired up the gas grill that has a permanent home inside the garage.
On a side note I never realized how dirty the word spatchcock is and as I typing this post I find myself laughing like a 10 year old who just heard the word boobs. Hehehehe ok I laughed when I typed out boobs too.
Stay the course Jeff….stay the course…
Spatchcock (hehehehe) is a great way to grill chicken. All you do is using a sharp knife or scissors remove the backbone of the chicken. Without the backbone the chicken lays flat and allows for even grilling.
For the spatchcock (hehehehe) chicken I went outside and grabbed some herbs from the garden (this is where I learned hail hurts and yes I know I am not smart). One of my favorite ways for grilling chicken is a herb compound butter rubbed under the skin.
For this recipe you will need:
- 1 spatchcock (hehehehehe) chicken (save the backbone for stock making or else the chicken monster will haunt your dreams)
- 8 tablespoons of butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup of assorted herbs finely diced
- Pinch of lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice
- 2 cloves of garlic grated or finely diced
- Pinch of crushed red pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper
Combine everything but the chicken. I find the stand mixer on medium does a great job of beating the butter into submission. Remove and set aside.
With your spatchcock (hehehehe yes I am trying to see how many times I can say this in the post) carefully separate the skin from the meat. Shove the compound butter under the skin and massage it all over. To help crisp up the skin I like to rub a little oil or some of the compound butter all over the outside.
Fire your trusty grill up to medium and place the spatchcock (hehehehe) chicken skin side down first. As promised this recipe has 100% more brick than my previous 10 posts so take your trusty brick (you have wrapped it in a good amount of foil right?) and plop it on the chicken. The weight from the brick helps flatten the chicken and just looks cool. An added bonus if your friends decide they want to peek at the grill you have a hot foil wrapped brick to toss at them so they learn grill lid down means no peeking.
I kept the chicken skin side down for about 10 minutes and then flipped it over and let it finish cooking skin side up. The chicken I used was about 3.5 pounds and it took about 30 minutes or so.
Spatchcock (hehehehe)
That chicken looks huge for some reason! Totally good eats though. Irresistible.
Also: That hail is out of control. Yikes.
to quote the ever funny Butthead from Beavis & Butthead…”you said spatchcock….spatchcock rules!”
:::cue headbanger music::
Your a riot!!! Can I adopt you???!!! I can’t believe you had hail!! This is a great way to make chicken on the grill, I never would have thought of the brick, you taught me something today as well as made me laugh!
Sounds delicious, yet still humble!
Cheers,
elra
LOL @ Spatchcock. Yes it does sounds dirtier than it is. I always guffaw at the British dessert “Spotted Dick” and the tube station “Cockfosters”. You know the picture of it splayed with the herb butter is funny too! OK yes I’m juvenile…
I have always wanted to spatchcock, now I’m afraid I’ll giggle all the way through it.
You are a survivor, cooking in the hail! I hate that it is hailing in April, that is crazy.
I have never heard of the term spatchcock (that’s what she said) but now I might throw it around just for the hell of it.
That chicken looks really good.
You funny guy you! Spatchcocking looks like a fun way to go. Might be impressive to guests to do the whole brick thing too
Hail? What’s that?
I haven’t tried this technique either, but maybe I can get away with buying hubby a brick for father’s day and calling it a bbq accessory!
I enjoyed your post - spatchcock really is a ridiculous word. Reminds me of the one time I used the word penis in a post - also the one and only time a famous person stopped by and commented (Dorie Greenspan) Sigh. I will forever be the person who said penis to Dorie.
Lol! I confess that I giggle a little every time I see the word “spatchcock” too! It is, however, my fave way to cook a whole chicken. Yours looks so good that I’m seriously thinking of dragging out the BGE and making one tomorrow. Great job!
What is life if you can’t giggle at the goofy things? You don’t dare talk about using nuts in a recipe around my house with the kids in hearing distance! I have yet to ever spatchcock a chicken, but they always look fabulous. I definitely need to get the grill ready for the warm weather.
p.s Thanks for the comment on my blog. My garden is currently growing tomatoes, yellow peppers, fennel, italian peppers, zucchini and I just planted a blackberry bush which is budding already (it has been hot here lately!). Plus I have loads of herbs. Take care Jeff and have a great weekend.
You crack me up! The chicken looks amazing - I’ve never tried cutting out the back bone before or cooking with a brick. Looking forward to trying this (when it’s not raining)
that hail is huge! that chicken looks delicious - i’ve never done it with the brick before.
This looks like a brilliant way to grill a whole chicken! Thanks for all the tips — and the new vocabulary!!
Spatchcock…it sounds as dirty as the bird’s unladylike pose! A fine chicken, simply prepped…good one!
It is always disappointing when my chicken doesn’t come with enough brick!
The chicken looks good!
Mmmmm, more brick….yum!
Your so funny, I laughed a bit too at that word!
I debated too on Saturday whether or not to just grill in my garage, but decided against it, its so messy in there!
Your chicken looks amazing!
only a true grill-master grills in the hail–kudos to you, and fabulous fowl.
This method of grilling is the BEST:D The chicken cooks in half the time and it doesn’t dry out during the process, couldn’t be better.
That chicken looks delicious! Nice recipe!
Cheers,
Rosa
Very nice and delicious looking, and way to take one for the team (going out in the hail for the herbs and all.) My husband encountered hail for the first time last summer…. it was not a meeting that went well.
We love doing cooking classes and demonstrating spatchcock (hehehehe) because we get to say cock (hehehe) to students and yes, it is TOTALLY ‘Super Troopers’.
Fav Spatchcocked (hehehe) Chicken: Rubbed down with (all ground) cinnamon, coriander, all spice, chili, cumin, and onion powder. Perfect South West style.
Love the brick accessory! I’m going to pull one out for my next BBQ
people need to KNOW how amazing spatchcocking a chicken makes the flavor of the chicken pop - it also makes the most moist (yes, i said it - MOIST and SPATCHCOCKING inthe same breath!) chicken as well.
and, if any of your blog fans are interested in knowing how to spatchcock - check out a post we did a long time ago: http://www.weareneverfull.com/how-to-spatchcock-a-chicken/
Thanks for stopping by my site. This chicken looks amazing. My goal is to learn how to barbeque better this summer! I just bought a brick to try out..can’t wait.