Butterflying a chicken

[Matt Sanders]

I've got a Tyson young chicken that I butterflied tonight, per Chris' video. It worked awesome, and I looked like I really knew what I was doing!

Anyway, it's brining overnight (yes, I like loooooong brines), but I was wondering, is there any disadvantage to butterflying the bird, or any special considerations when I'm smoking her?

Thanks.

 

[Wolgast]

I always smoke my birds whole on the wsm.(bad habbit)

disadvantage´s? Well it can be done alittle bit faster

Aslong as you cook it breast side up,i think it´s gonna turn out PERFECT.

I like the method Chris shows in the video. Thats how i do it. Everytime!

 

[Matt Sanders]

Thanks, Wolgast. I'll be putting them on soon.

 

[Jon Des.]

Matt,

I would only worry about butterflying if you were grilling the chickens and are trying to get it all done at the same time over lower direct heat.

On a WSM you can cook whole without all of the work before, and it will be easier to get a great finished product.

 

[Bob Sample]

The disadvantage of butterflying your chicken is that you can't stuff it. I like stuffing my birds.

 

[Matt Sanders]

Bob,

What do you stuff them with?

 

[Bob Sample]

Well I like a traditional bread stuffing but sometimes I'll just shove some carrots, onion, celery and garlic in there for some flavour.

A nice wild rice stuffing is also good.

I don't usually use much smoke when I do a whole chicken.

If I'm going to be saucing the bird I'll cut the chicken up in quarters and grill it.

 

[Matt Sanders]

Sounds good. I may have to try that.

Does the stuffing go in at the beginning of the smoke?

 

[Les Stubby]

Matt


I butterfly all my chickens-I like the way they look, they cook a bit faster, and I think they're easier to handle after the cook. Going to grill some chicken tonight.

Les