Spatchcocking the bird

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dirtsailor2003

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
OTBS Member
Oct 4, 2012
21,947
4,224
Bend Oregon
I've had several requests on how to spatch a bird so here's a video that I like. If you haven't looked at Scott Rea's videos before he has some really good ones. His butchers knot tutorial is great!

 
 
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Excellent video. Spatchcocking sounds much more difficult than it really is.
Super simple to do. I prefer to use a knife and not shears. Takes me less than a minute to cut the backbone out and flatten the bird. I usually don't mess with removing the keel bone on the chickens. If its a turkey I will as it makes it easier to flatten the bird out. 

The birds I buy come with the neck so I throw  the back bone and neck into a pot for stock.
 
Depends on what else I'm doing at the time, but I usually break down a case of chickens at a time into both spatched and parts for the freezer so I'm usually a knife guy. Shears work too but why clean two items instead of one.
 
 
Depends on what else I'm doing at the time, but I usually break down a case of chickens at a time into both spatched and parts for the freezer so I'm usually a knife guy. Shears work too but why clean two items instead of one.
Exactly! The knife is already out and I hate cleaning shears that don't come apart!
 
 
As the water inside moves around it can move the knives around blunting them on the baskets. If you have wood handled knives the heat and water is bad for the handles. 
Oh ok.  I have seen the dishwasher ruin some wooden handles but the steak knives I use have been good for 10-15 years so far.  Most of the knives I have are Victorinox and don't have wooden handles.  I think (hope) putting the knives, scissors point side down probably keeps them stable.
 
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