Impromptu spatchcock smoking.

[trundle888]

My wife came back with Costco this after noon with this, as soon as I saw it I said, that's going on the smoker!!
Smoked it over cherry wood at 275°.
I had my probe in the thickest part of the breast and it said it was at IT 165° after just over an hour. This was a lot quicker than I expected but have always read cook to IT not time. I pulled it cut it in half and the middle was raw. I thought this was strange because the part that was raw was half as thick as the breast where my probe had been.
Anyway, back on the smoker it went and after 2h15m I was getting IT 165° everywhere I tested so pulled it, again. Let it rest for 10m, didn't bother carving it, just put half on each plate then dig in!
I don't use store bought rubs and marinades but this was very good!! More expensive than buying a chicken, rubbing and spatchcocking it yourself but you couldn't complain with the finished product.

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• trundle888
• May 6, 2017

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• trundle888
• May 6, 2017

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• trundle888
• May 6, 2017

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• trundle888
• May 6, 2017

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• trundle888
• May 6, 2017

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• trundle888
• May 6, 2017

 

[noboundaries]

I'd say you just learned an interesting lesson.  Well done adjustment to make it safe for consumption.  Shows solid instincts, and the ability to recognize raw meat! 

Great pics.  Worth a

 

[trundle888]

Is that something others have ran into, thinner parts of meat taking longer to cook than thicker parts? Does everyone else know you measure the IT of a spatchcock chicken in the very centre, not thick breast?

 

[lancep]

Birds looks great and points as well for being on top of $&@". One thing I've figured out over time is to temp everywhere on poultry. Because, every so often, something gets tucked. I've had small chickens sitting there for 2 1/2 hrs and still not done only to realize a wing got tucked under the breast. Looks like you recovered well and enjoyed a great meal.
Lance

 

[chilerelleno]

Final product looks good... But Dang! That price would make my teeth itch paying for it for a chicken.

I test IT in both the thigh and breast, and I've never encountered that problem.
Did they freeze the bird?

 

[noboundaries]

When it comes to chicken, I always measure in the center of the breast and in the thigh. Your timing was too soon on the first cut at just an hour.  It was probably due to either part of the bird still being frozen, or the tip being too close to the exterior.  Sometimes you think you are in the center when you actually pushed through the center and are closer to the other side. 

Looking at your probe placement in the above pics, I don't think you were in the center of the breast meat.  I usually stick mine straight in, instead of coming at it at an angle like you did. 

Experience is a valuable teacher, and you did well! 

 

[SmokinAl]

Nice job on the chicken..

This is definitely a learning experience.

Al

 

[trundle888]

Yes, knowing where/how to probe is clearly very important!
Does anyone have a chart/diagram/website link telling you the most accurate location to probe different meats?
Next weekend I'm planning on doing pulled pork, with either a butt or picnic depends what I can get. I'd like to know where the most accurate place to probe each is.
Thanks.

 

[noboundaries]

Use the search feature above for "probe placement" and you'll get a bunch of threads to read.

Here's a link to the USDA where to place the probes.  https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/porta...ermometer-placement-and-temperatures/ct_index

General rules of thumb for probe placement.

1.  Stick it into the heart of the thickest part of the meat.

2.  Do not allow the tip of the probe, where the measurement is taken, to touch bone.      

3.  Avoid placing the tip of the probe in a fat seam. 

4.  General guidelines say do not put the meat probe into raw meat.  It pushes surface bacteria deep into the tissue.  Plenty do it though.  I've done it.  No one got sick.  I don't any longer. 

We're not supposed to link to websites that are not sponsors of SMF, except government food safety websites.  I found a very interesting article by a Boston University professor named Greg Blonder on his website "Genuine Ideas."  The article was called "To the bone," and he does a scientific analysis of where to place the probe and he addresses three of the four issues above.  If you Google "Genuine ideas to the bone" you'll get the website.

 

[trundle888]

Great, thank you very much!

 

[mdboatbum]

From the looks of things, the probe sensor may have been barely submerged in the meat. Not sure which thermo you're using, but on the mavericks, the actual sensor is maybe 2 thirds of an inch back from the tip. So it looks like you were getting a reading pretty close to the surface.

 

[catavalon21]

... But Dang! That price would make my teeth itch paying for it for a chicken.

Probably in Canadian dollars, which helps a little. Yeah, I know, I'm a few years late.

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

Thanks for the link noboundaries

Use the search feature above for "probe placement" and you'll get a bunch of threads to read.

Here's a link to the USDA where to place the probes. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/porta...ermometer-placement-and-temperatures/ct_index

General rules of thumb for probe placement.

1. Stick it into the heart of the thickest part of the meat.

2. Do not allow the tip of the probe, where the measurement is taken, to touch bone.

3. Avoid placing the tip of the probe in a fat seam.

4. General guidelines say do not put the meat probe into raw meat. It pushes surface bacteria deep into the tissue. Plenty do it though. I've done it. No one got sick. I don't any longer.

We're not supposed to link to websites that are not sponsors of SMF, except government food safety websites. I found a very interesting article by a Boston University professor named Greg Blonder on his website "Genuine Ideas." The article was called "To the bone," and he does a scientific analysis of where to place the probe and he addresses three of the four issues above. If you Google "Genuine ideas to the bone" you'll get the website.

thanks for the link. Saving it on my desktop

 

[disco]

I always check the IT with my Thermapen. Sometimes the remote probe gets in just the wrong place. That said, you turned this into a feast! Big like!