Spatchcocking chicken and poultry
Skill level
Intermediate
Equipment you will need for this technique
Sharp knife
Chopping board
Spatchcocking means to split open and flatten out a bird for grilling or barbecuing. This speeds up the cooking time and ensures more even cooking.
-If the bird is trussed, remove the string tying the legs together. Cut off the flap of skin at the neck, then cut off the ends of the legs at the joints.
-Place the bird, breast-side down, on a chopping board.
-Use strong, sharp kitchen scissors to cut down one side of the backbone from the cavity to the neck. Repeat on the other side and lift away the backbone completely. Save this (freeze it for later if required) and use to make chicken stock.
-If you don't have kitchen scissors, remove the backbone from the bird by carefully pushing a knife into the bottom-end of the bird until you see the point of the knife emerge at the neck. Push the knife down against one side of the spine, cutting through the rib cage. Open up the bird and cut away the spine at the other side.
-Place the bird, skin-side up, onto the chopping board. Break the breast bone by pressing it with your hand (this will flatten the bird so that it cooks more easily).
-Turn in the legs of the bird so that it looks like it's cross-legged. Tuck the wings under the body of the bird.
