BBQ chicken - beer can vs spatchcock
Poll: BBQ chicken - beer can vs spatchcock
Total Members Polled: 39
Discussion
Doing a family BBQ at the weekend, feeding 20 or so people. I have two Webers and was thinking of doing a couple of chickens in a tandoori marinade, but I can't decide how to cook them. I'll also be doing sausages and burgers...
I haven't done either before, but spatchcocking them is tempting because it should be quicker (correct me if I'm wrong...)
Other ideas are welcome.
I haven't done either before, but spatchcocking them is tempting because it should be quicker (correct me if I'm wrong...)
Other ideas are welcome.
my 57cm weber can easily do 2 beer can chickens in the centre with the coals arranged around the outside and the lid on. I'd leave them cooking them for an hour or so in advance while you are getting ready, then take them off and put somewhere to keep warm/remove meat, rearrange/refill the coals to cook the sausages and the rest of the grill stuff when people are there.
I've had a couple of chickens topple during the cooking process (beer juice and steam everywhere) so make sure they are very stable on their legs/can on the BBQ.
Not done a spatchcock before but beercan would seem to me like a lot easier to prep (unless butcher is doing it) and cook (you'll have to oversee while grilling).
I've had a couple of chickens topple during the cooking process (beer juice and steam everywhere) so make sure they are very stable on their legs/can on the BBQ.
Not done a spatchcock before but beercan would seem to me like a lot easier to prep (unless butcher is doing it) and cook (you'll have to oversee while grilling).
Piri Piri spatchcock chickens are available in Aldi from tomorrow :
https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thursday-spe...
https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thursday-spe...
GreenDog said:
Piri Piri spatchcock chickens are available in Aldi from tomorrow :
https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thursday-spe...
I think it's much nicer if you do them yourself, ask your local butcher to spatchcock (open them) for you.https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thursday-spe...
At the end of the day he knows what he's doing.
Well should do.
I spatchcocked some partridges, marinaded them in a (homemade) tandoori marinade overnight, and barbecued them this weekend. They took about 20 mins with the lid down on low heat (gas bbq, don't flame me ;-), couple of turns during that time, came out perfectly. Yummo. Gamier and drier than supermarket chicken of course, and the children were entertained by finding the shot pellets under the skin! They were leftovers from Lidl's Christmas range which I found in the back of our freezer.
I also discovered a goose breast and some reindeer steaks in the freezer, must have been there from the Lidl Christmas run too. The Goose got oven roasted in red wine, garlic and rosemary, and finished off on the barbecue to crisp it up, and the reindeer got marinaded in red wine and juniper berries (crushed) overnight before barbecuing. I was staggered how much less fat there is in reindeer compared to beef, I expect venison's the same. It made excellent barbecue steaks and I'll be looking out for some more this summer, venison will do the job also. Way nicer than beef.
I also discovered a goose breast and some reindeer steaks in the freezer, must have been there from the Lidl Christmas run too. The Goose got oven roasted in red wine, garlic and rosemary, and finished off on the barbecue to crisp it up, and the reindeer got marinaded in red wine and juniper berries (crushed) overnight before barbecuing. I was staggered how much less fat there is in reindeer compared to beef, I expect venison's the same. It made excellent barbecue steaks and I'll be looking out for some more this summer, venison will do the job also. Way nicer than beef.
Mobile Chicane said:
On the sausage front, Lidl Nuremberg Bratwurst are ideal for BBQs. They're already cooked and just need crisping up.
Loads of caramelised onions (do these in advance in the oven), finger rolls and mustard = job jobbed.
Unfortunately the in laws are hosting and they have definite ideas on what makes a good sausage*Loads of caramelised onions (do these in advance in the oven), finger rolls and mustard = job jobbed.
*ie lips and eyelids mostly...
Shaolin said:
The comedy moment of taking the lid off in front of lots of people to reveal 2 beer can chickens could not be reliably replicated by the spatchcocking process.
That's a fair point, but they would be quicker to do. I also wonder whether the moisture of the beer can cooking might make it seem less tandoori 
Bill said:
Shaolin said:
The comedy moment of taking the lid off in front of lots of people to reveal 2 beer can chickens could not be reliably replicated by the spatchcocking process.
That's a fair point, but they would be quicker to do. I also wonder whether the moisture of the beer can cooking might make it seem less tandoori http://www.nakedwhiz.com/beercanchicken.htm
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