I’ve been waiting for the momentum train to arrive. It never did. Turns out momentum is not something you wait for. Spatchcocked chickens are. Well, specifically dry-brined, spatchcocked chickens.
Welcome to Edition 12! It’s the one where I finally get to write about the food breaking breast bone barriers round the world.
Readers, fear not, spatchcocking is not only incredibly straightforward, but the outcome is so deloicious everyone will be fighting for the breast. Lol, ya. The damn breast.
Spatchcocking is also the tabula rasa of poultry. You can dress it up any which way you like. Today, I’ll be convincing you of the glory that is spatchcocking and coupling it with additional techniques and recipes to get you cooking by the time you’re done reading. Maybe even before.
Let’s dig in!!
Don’t believe me?
Well, do you believe in Kenji’s wisdom? Do you believe Google? Do you believe ChatGPT? I asked all three. The consensus: spatchcocking is in fact a technique sent from the poultry wizards.
My favorite response was from ChatGPT. See our quick, but meaningful conversation below:
In a newer attempt to bring sketchnoting into more parts of my life, I summarized Kenji’s explanation for how to spatchcock and the pros of it, in a chaotic way only Chef DPo can pull off. Did I first person and third person myself in the same sentence? Perhaps. That’s how confident I’m feelin right now. The spell of the spatchcock knows no bounds.
But I realize not everyone (including myself) can learn from this absurdly real life depiction of everything you need to know about spatchcocking. So instead, I will leave you with a few options to try this on your own, followed by steps to bring the wizardry to your mouth:
Option 1- I’m-never-gonna-get-intimate-with-this-bird-but-want-to-spatchcock:
You’re not one to cut up your bird solo. It’s ok. Next time you’re grocery shopping, simply ask the butcher counter for some help. Here’s the line: “Hi there, can I please get one spatchcocked chicken?” Or two if you’re hosting more than 4 people.
To which they will look at you slightly skeptical thinking, “no way they know what that is.” The key here is to nail the pronunciation of the cock part of spatchcock. If you got that down, they’ll know you’re a chef.
It’s worth noting they may ask if you want to keep the spine. To which the correct answer is “yes”. We can use the spine for stock!! Or a jus (fancy gravy)!!
But if that freaks you out go ahead and say, “not this time friend!”. Then tell the person next to you that you got their backs and hand over the spine.
Option 2- I’m-a-visual-learner-but-also-need-help-beyond-technique-and-am-ok-getting-intimate-with-a-bird:
Grab your poultry scissors or a knife, friend. We’re performing open back surgery. In this video, Kenji is perfectly summarizing everything you need to do and know about taking your chicken game to the next level. You can probably skip the rest of the edition and just watch this. But that would be no fun!! Stay longer!!
Option 3- Explain-this-in-under-2 minutes-but-also-I’m a visual learner:
Straightforward, step by step visual explanation. A great primer for our more impatient readers.
Option 4: I’m-a-vegetarian-but-here-to-support-you-DPo:
Option 5: I’m-invested-but-not-a-visual-learner-and-also-I’m-down-for-the spine:
Check out a great recipe + technique + spine (3 for 1) from our friends at Serious eats here.
Feeling good about technique? Next, we dry brine, baby!
If you went for option 2 or 5 above, then you’re ahead of the game. But for our Option 1, 3 or none folks, the next step (and it’s important) is to dry-brine the bird. We brine because we care just as much about our future selves as our current ones. Because it will make for an even better life for our bird-friend. We brine because it really works.
Also, dry-brining is not only great for poultry, it’s also a fantastic method to keep your steaks, fish and turkey juicy too!! Keep this technique in your back pocket! Or keep it for Thanksgiving in 8 months. Just don’t use the technique on burgers, ok???
Brining 101: What even is it?
Bring back the venn diagrams, said no one:
Why does dry-brining work?
For our long-form-readers, check out this wonderful Serious Eats deep dive. For the rest of us, here’s a visual:
And for our audio-style-learners, I’ve created an ultra-short-less-than-2-minutes-knowledge-drop:
Some dry-brining tips (specifically for your 🐓):
Use your hands/fingers to separate the skin from the meat and put salt there too. Separating the skin will help achieve higher crisp levels 📈. Then take that hand that was in the chicken and tell someone to “Take my hand.”
You can also add some baking powder to your salt mix. Why? Kenji said so. But also because baking powder (NOT soda), will create micro-bubbles of even more crispier skin. I could write another edition about this. Kenji also explains in the previously-mentioned-youtube-video.
Leave it uncovered on a mesh baking tray in the fridge.
And remember, give it time!! A day or two works great.
After a day or two, we’re ready to cook:
At this point, you marinate it however you want!!! Then, roast or grill it. In either cooking technique, you want to bring your breast temp to around 150F and your thigh to 170F.
Don’t have a thermometer? Whatcha waiting for? This one is great and is $16. No affiliate $ is included. darn.
I cook mine at around 450F in a smaller tabletop oven and check temp throughout the process. Usually it takes about 30/40 min. Here are some of my recent ones:
Some cooking tips:
No need to add a lot more salt to the marinade.
Buy a thermometer. Just do it!!
Jack up the temp of the oven to like 450F and let it preheat before bird is added. But again, use that thermometer. Why not?? I’ll buy you one!!
After you’re done cooking, cover it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes or so before serving.
Enlist someone else to carve it as a right of passage. This is my go-to move.
That’s it folks. You’re ready!!
… And when your friends marvel at the incredibleness you made, let them know Chef DPo sent you on this mission.
Then tell them to subscribe:
Alternatively, share it with a friend who’s more likely to cook this:
Have more questions? Drop me a comment:
Is this font too big? couldn’t tell.
I hope you enjoyed my chaotic cooking show. I’ve missed you all a lot. Life has thrown a few curveballs recently but I’m stoked to be sharing this space with you again. My heart, brain, and eyeballs thank you as much as your guests will!
Next week we’re heading to Japan and I’d love any recommendations for the weirdest, most memorable things you can do there. Oh, and delicious food. Both are great.
I’ll top this edition off with the valentines day meal we made (lol ya a month ago!!), which included a fun menu that had trivia at the bottom. Also everyone got a scratch off ticket. Because valentines day is all about getting lucky, duh. I won $5:
Oh, also I’m on Instagram now!!!
So much has happened since Edition 11. Click the photo below to see what else I’m cooking up on other parts of the interweb:
That’s all for Edition 12. Sending lots of love your way!
Chef DPo