How To Make Good Spatchcock Hen On Your Pellet Grill

The Spatchcock method is the best approach to prepare dinner a complete hen for individuals who love flavorful, juicy hen with completely crispy pores and skin. By spatchcocking the hen, it cooks evenly and absorbs wealthy, smoky flavors from the wooden pellets whereas sustaining its moisture.

For this recipe I used my trusty Traeger Ironwood 885 as a result of it strikes that good steadiness between efficiency and trustworthiness.  I do know that I’m going to get a good prepare dinner, after the smoker quickly involves temp.  This implies we’re consuming shortly, and with some deliciously juicy hen. 

Why do you have to do this recipe

• Even Cooking: Eradicating the spine and flattening the chicken is called spatchcocking or butterflying a hen. This methodology ensures even cooking all through, delivering tender breast meat and juicy thighs each time you put together it.
• Enhanced Taste: Cooking hen on the Traeger Ironwood 885 at 350°F infuses the meat with a wealthy and splendid smokiness, elevating its taste profile and creating a complete new degree of deliciousness. The consequence? Tender, juicy hen with a delicate smoky essence that can excite your style buds.
• Crispy Pores and skin: While you mix a cooking temp over 350º with the Spatchcock methodology alongside Traeger’s constant warmth, you’ll obtain greatness. This cooking method ensures evenly cooked, succulent meat with completely crisped pores and skin, making it a superb alternative whenever you need deliciously juicy hen.

Substances for Spatchcock Hen

• 1 entire hen (4-5 lbs): To spatchcock a hen, you will want a complete, recent, and plump chicken for optimum outcomes. It’s vital to pick out a high-quality hen to realize the very best taste and texture.  I at all times attempt to discover a steadiness between an enormous chicken, however one which has the least quantity of yellow tint to the pores and skin.
• 2 tbsp Smoked Q Rock’s Hey Boo! Spice Mix:  This small batch spice mix delivers deliciously pure candy taste by infusing deep honey taste to something you apply it to.
• 1 tbsp Smoked Q Rock’s Smashville Spice Mix:  What is best than candy and warmth, properly not a lot.  That’s the reason combining Smashville with Hey Boo! delivers an superior taste combo that’s laborious to beat.   

Directions for making Spatchcock Hen

1. Preheat the smoker:  Set your Traeger Ironwood 885 to 350ºF and permit it to preheat with the lid closed when you prep the hen.

2. Put together the Hen:  Place the hen breast-side down on a sturdy chopping board.  Utilizing sharp kitchen shears, lower alongside either side of the spine to take away it then discard.  Earlier than flipping the hen over, make a small incision to the bone between the 2 breasts, then flip over and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten it. This step is essential for even cooking.

3. Season the Hen:  Begin by making use of a fast layer of seasoning to the underside aspect of the chicken.  Then flip over pores and skin aspect up, however earlier than making use of the rubs, use a paper towel to pat down all the hen, drying off the pores and skin as finest you’ll be able to.  Then generously apply a dose of the Smoked Q Rock’s Hey Boo! spice mix, ensuring to maneuver the pores and skin as wanted to evenly cowl all of the nooks and crannies.  Lastly, hit it with a light-weight dusting of Smoked Q Rock’s Smashville HOT Spice Mix to get that candy warmth impact. 

4. Cook dinner the Hen:  Place the spatchcocked hen skin-side up instantly on the grill grates then prepare dinner for about 1.5 hours, till the inner temp reaches 165ºF within the thickest a part of the breast. 

5. Relaxation and Serve:  As soon as the hen has reached 165ºF inside temp, take away it from the grill and let it relaxation for 10-Quarter-hour, permitting the juices to redistribute, making certain each chunk is juicy and flavorful.  Carve the hen by eradicating the wings, then separate the leg and thighs, then slice off each breasts, earlier than choosing the remainder of the meat from the bones for some pulled hen. 

Variations and Substitutions:

Alternate Rubs: Whereas I like my Smoked Q rubs, a few of my favourite options for this recipe, whereas conserving an analogous taste profile are, Meat Church’s Honey Hog and Heath Riles Scorching BBQ Rub.

Substitution or variation: The Spatchcock method is nice for a lot of different poultry choices, particularly turkey!  Subsequent Thanksgiving give it a strive, and prepare dinner your turkey in much less time whereas nonetheless delivering amazingly moist meat.   

Suggestions and tips for making this Spatchcock Hen

• Dry the Pores and skin Completely: To realize that deliciously crispy pores and skin, it’s essential to utterly dry the hen earlier than seasoning. Use just a few paper towels to pat the hen dry, making certain to take away all the surplus moisture you’ll be able to. This step will be sure that the pores and skin crisps up fantastically when cooked.
• Use a Meat Thermometer: I at all times make the most of a meat thermometer to make sure I hit the right inside temp on the hen. This may assure it’s completely cooked with out changing into dry.  I personally like to make use of a Meater+ wi-fi thermometer to not solely hit the correct temp, but additionally monitor the progress from my cellphone. 
• Let the Hen Relaxation: After cooking the hen, it’s essential to permit it to relaxation for about 10-Quarter-hour earlier than carving. This enables the juices to redistribute, leading to moister and extra flavorful meat. The great half about hen is that you just don’t have to relaxation it practically so long as one thing like brisket or pork shoulder.