Spatchcock Chicken on the Weber Kettle

[harleysmoker]

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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• harleysmoker
• Oct 7, 2012

Lets get the party started.

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• harleysmoker
• Oct 7, 2012

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

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• harleysmoker
• Oct 7, 2012

Backbone removed, can save for stock or pitch it.

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• harleysmoker
• Oct 7, 2012

Olive oil, and seasoning on it.

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• harleysmoker
• Oct 7, 2012

On the Kettle

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• harleysmoker
• Oct 7, 2012

1 hour 20 minutes later.

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• harleysmoker
• Oct 7, 2012

Lets eat!

 

[scarbelly]

Looks like it came out great 

 

[willy2763]

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

 

[smokinhusker]

That looks outstanding!

 

[linguica]

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

 

[crabby]

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?

 

[acemakr]

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.

 

[cricky101]

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!

 

[rdknb]

That does look GREAT.  Well done.

 

[pit 4 brains]

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..

 

[mballi3011]

Looks awesome.

 

[harleysmoker]

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?

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.

 

[pit 4 brains]

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...

 

[worktogthr]

 
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!

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Good going , Harley

. That bird looks great. For a first , you did well

Keep having fun and . . .