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Cut Me Smash Me Burn Me Spatchcock Chicken

Adapted from a recipe in Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients

• 3 lb. whole fryer chicken
• handful of fresh herbs – I used sage today.  Rosemary & thyme is another good choice
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• High temperature oil, like canola for brushing on the grill and the outer skin of the chicken

Instructions

• Wrap 2 good size bricks in heavy duty aluminum foil and place them on the grill.
• Preheat the grill (with the bricks) for 30 minutes on medium
• Mix the herbs (I leave sage whole, it’s so pretty) with the EVOO, salt and pepper.
• Dry the chicken with paper towels and lay the chicken on a cutting board with it’s back up
• Using a heavy pair of kitchen scissors start at the tail, cut up one side of the spine all the way to the top.

It’s really easy, just cut up either side of the spine.

• Repeat, cutting up the other side of the spine.
• Flip the bird over, lay it out and press firmly with your thumbs or even the base of your hands to break the breast apart. 

You need to break the breastplate to allow the bird to lay flat out. It’s not hard!

• Make pockets under the skin and slip the herbs underneath.  They add a nice mild flavor to the finished bird.
• Brush the outer skin with high temperature oil and oil the grill grate carefully
• Place the chicken, skin side down on the grill.  Cover with the two bricks.

The hot bricks help cook the chicken from both the top and the bottom.

• Halfway through cooking, carefully remove the bricks and flip the chicken.  Replace the bricks (remember, they are HOT).

Beautiful grill marks!

• The trickiest part is to know how long to cook the chicken.  I’m still dialing it in for my grill, so you’ll want to watch closely the first few times you try it.  3 lb chicken, Weber grill at medium, 15 minutes per side was just about right.  Use an instant read thermometer and look for 165° F in the deepest part of the breast or thigh.

Ground Cherry Chutney

adapted from a recipe at The Paisley Carrot.

Ingredients

• 1 pint container of ground cherries with skins, yielding 1 cup of ground cherries
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

Directions

• Place the sugar and 2 Tbsp. water in a saucepan, heat on medium stirring until it bubbles and carmelizes, turning a golden color.
• As the sauce thickens, add the onion, garlic and vinegar
• Add the ground cherries and golden raisins
• Adjust heat to keep at a very gentle boil and cook for 15 minutes
• Serve the chutney either warm or cool.
• Will hold in the fridge for at least a week.

Serve with: Grilled fresh carrots, grilled leeks, corn on the cob

Wine Pairing: Crisp white wines work the best.  Erbaluce di Caluso, a white wine from the Piemonte region of Italy was wonderful. Also from Italy, Arneis or Gavi would work well.  Chardonnay (if not too oaky) or white Rhones would be nice, too.