Spatchcock Chicken
I think it was 2009 when I discovered spatchcocking as a method for cooking a Thanksgiving Turkey. I had been brining for several years, with excellent results, but read in Living (she may be a nutjob, but she has good ideas) that spatchcocking not only provided a delicious end result, with more even cooking, but it reduced the cooking time.
A golden rule of entertaining is to not test new recipes on guest. I say bullshit. If you're coming over for a meal you very well may be trying something for the first time right along with me!
Last evening my in-laws came for dinner and the menu was, Spatchcocked Chicken, Garlic Rosemary Mashed Potatoes with Pan Gravy and Haricot Vert and for dessert Apple Crostata with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce. It was a lovely fall menu. Here is the chicken and pan gravy recipe:
1 8lbs. Roasting Chicken
4TBSP Butter, softened
1 Lemon, zested then sliced
1 Garlic Clove, grated
1 TBSP Herbs de Provence
Freshly Ground Pepper
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
Olive Oil
Preheat the oven to 350. Drizzle a large baking sheet with olive oil and have it ready next to the sink.
Remove the giblets from the chicken and other assorted parts and place in a saucepan, cover with cold water and heat at a simmer on the stove while chicken is cooking. Occasionally add more water, this will cook and reduce throughout the chicken cooking time.
Rinse chicken with cold water. With either kitchen shears or a knife remove the backbone from the chicken, cutting down either side of the spine. Throw the backbone into the saucepan with the other goodies. If you have pets, they will do back flips for this stuff later.
Place chicken, breast side up on the baking sheet and as if you were administering poultry CPR, using both hands push down on the bird until you hear the breastbone crack. If you are doing this with a turkey, I have found placing the baking sheet on the floor allows more leverage - a clean floor with a towel down first preferably.
Work your fingers under the skin of the chicken to separate it from the meat, push your hands from the breast all the to the drumsticks - don't poke your fingers through the skin, just gently push to work your way around.
Wash hands.
In a small bowl, mix butter, the zest of the lemon, Herbs de Provence, grated garlic clove (a micro planer works perfectly for this) salt and pepper until combined.
Using your hands, grab the butter mixture and work all under the skin of the chicken. Once the butter is under the skin you can work it around from outside of the skin as well. Rub the exterior of the chicken, give it a nice massage, ask it if it's from around here, etc.
Wash hands.
Place lemon slices on top of chicken, grind some pepper over the skin and pop it into the oven for 70 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 162, juices run clear and the joints should feel loose. Undercooked chicken is not only nasty, but dangerous, use your thermometer.
Allow chicken 15 minutes to cool, during that time - gravy!
Strain the giblet, neck, back, whatever else from the saucepan into another saucepan. Pour the juices from the chicken baking sheet into the saucepan. This might require an extra set of hands or removing the chicken from the pan. Scrap everything in there.
Return the gravy to the stove on medium heat. Mix a tablespoon of flour with 1/3 cup of warm water. Whisk the flour water mixture into the gravy and continue to whisk until the gravy thickens, taste and add salt and pepper to taste. There is a moment when you get the salt right and you'll know it. Don't over salt, but don't be timid.
Carve the bird and that kick ass gravy deserves a boat, not a bowl. Enjoy! Oh, and your pets are patiently waiting for the pieces parts.
A golden rule of entertaining is to not test new recipes on guest. I say bullshit. If you're coming over for a meal you very well may be trying something for the first time right along with me!
Last evening my in-laws came for dinner and the menu was, Spatchcocked Chicken, Garlic Rosemary Mashed Potatoes with Pan Gravy and Haricot Vert and for dessert Apple Crostata with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce. It was a lovely fall menu. Here is the chicken and pan gravy recipe:
1 8lbs. Roasting Chicken
4TBSP Butter, softened
1 Lemon, zested then sliced
1 Garlic Clove, grated
1 TBSP Herbs de Provence
Freshly Ground Pepper
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
Olive Oil
Preheat the oven to 350. Drizzle a large baking sheet with olive oil and have it ready next to the sink.
Remove the giblets from the chicken and other assorted parts and place in a saucepan, cover with cold water and heat at a simmer on the stove while chicken is cooking. Occasionally add more water, this will cook and reduce throughout the chicken cooking time.
Rinse chicken with cold water. With either kitchen shears or a knife remove the backbone from the chicken, cutting down either side of the spine. Throw the backbone into the saucepan with the other goodies. If you have pets, they will do back flips for this stuff later.
Place chicken, breast side up on the baking sheet and as if you were administering poultry CPR, using both hands push down on the bird until you hear the breastbone crack. If you are doing this with a turkey, I have found placing the baking sheet on the floor allows more leverage - a clean floor with a towel down first preferably.
Work your fingers under the skin of the chicken to separate it from the meat, push your hands from the breast all the to the drumsticks - don't poke your fingers through the skin, just gently push to work your way around.
Wash hands.
In a small bowl, mix butter, the zest of the lemon, Herbs de Provence, grated garlic clove (a micro planer works perfectly for this) salt and pepper until combined.
Using your hands, grab the butter mixture and work all under the skin of the chicken. Once the butter is under the skin you can work it around from outside of the skin as well. Rub the exterior of the chicken, give it a nice massage, ask it if it's from around here, etc.
Wash hands.
Place lemon slices on top of chicken, grind some pepper over the skin and pop it into the oven for 70 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 162, juices run clear and the joints should feel loose. Undercooked chicken is not only nasty, but dangerous, use your thermometer.
Allow chicken 15 minutes to cool, during that time - gravy!
Strain the giblet, neck, back, whatever else from the saucepan into another saucepan. Pour the juices from the chicken baking sheet into the saucepan. This might require an extra set of hands or removing the chicken from the pan. Scrap everything in there.
Return the gravy to the stove on medium heat. Mix a tablespoon of flour with 1/3 cup of warm water. Whisk the flour water mixture into the gravy and continue to whisk until the gravy thickens, taste and add salt and pepper to taste. There is a moment when you get the salt right and you'll know it. Don't over salt, but don't be timid.
Carve the bird and that kick ass gravy deserves a boat, not a bowl. Enjoy! Oh, and your pets are patiently waiting for the pieces parts.
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