I Tested The Fastest Way To Cook A Whole Chicken 2.0
Spatchcock vs Whole Chicken: Direct Fire Edition
Looking to make better BBQ on your Kamado? Download my free “12 Mistakes Kamado Grill Owners Make” guide.
Introduction
Spatchcock vs. Whole Chicken, Round Two: Direct Fire
What's up BBQ fans! Today on the patio, we're running it back: spatchcock versus whole chicken 2.0. Last time I cooked both birds indirect, and at first I thought the whole chicken won on time. Then I pushed my thermometer in a little deeper and found it still needed more time.
The two were only about 5 minutes apart, but the top of the whole chicken cooked faster than the rest of it, and when I sliced into them, the spatchcock was juicier. This time I'm cooking both birds direct over the coals to see if that closes the gap. Let's get into it.
The Prep
I went through every chicken at the grocery store to find two that matched. I ended up with a pair of Wegmans organic birds at 4.66 lb and 4.61 lb. You don't get much closer than that.
Spatchcock: I use poultry shears instead of a knife. It's quicker and easier, and cutting through that backbone is hard on a good set of knives.
Press down to break the breastbone so the bird lies flat.
Rub: the Pitts & Spitts BBQ rub, same as the last video. It was tasty, so we're using it again.
Let both birds sit about 10 minutes so the salt can do its job. You'll see the rub darken and pull up some moisture, and then it sticks to the meat.
The Setup
The cooker is the Komodo Kamado 38. I loaded just over half the basket with lump so both birds could sit directly over the coals, and I lit the whole area to get as even a fire from below as I could. Is it perfect? No. I'm not running science experiments here, just fun, educational cooks.
Fuel: a mix of three bags of lump that were near the bottom, dumped in together.
Wood: a few chunks of Bear Mountain hickory under the lump, plus a couple on top after lighting. It's a quick cook, so you get a light wood flavor, but you'll taste it.
Lit with the GrillBlazer GrillGun (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%).
Cooker temp: 325°F.
Why only 325°F? When I cook chicken indirect, I like to be around 375°F. Go much hotter and the meat cooks far faster than the skin, so you end up with done chicken and flabby skin. Trust me, I've made that mistake plenty of times.
Over direct fire I slow it down even more. It gives the skin time to render, and all the drippings and fat fall into the lump and come back up as smoke. That flavor gets deep into the chicken, and I want to give it time to build.
The Cook
For temps I used the Typhur Sync Gold Dual (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%). I also have the Typhur Sync Quad; they're identical, just two probes versus four. I've used Typhur wireless thermometers for almost a year, cooking nearly every weekend, and I have yet to have a drop.
Last time, my probes weren't in quite the same spot, so this time I paid more attention and aimed for the center of each breast. Both probes were set to 155°F.
Both birds went side by side, direct, on the left side of the Komodo Kamado.
I rotated them a few times to even out the cooking, since lump never burns perfectly evenly.
As they got close, I used my Typhur InstaProbe to dial them in. A wireless probe only takes you so far, whether it's chicken, pulled pork or brisket. You still need an instant read.
From going on to cutting in was about an hour and a half, including a 10-minute rest. The spatchcock was on the grill for 1 hour 15 minutes and the whole bird for 1 hour 25 minutes.
And the smoke coming off that kamado? That's not wood smoke. That's fat dripping into the lump. Every time I walked out on the patio, it smelled amazing.
Pro Tip: Pull Chicken at 150–155°F
If you've got a problem with dry chicken, you're overcooking it. Don't blame the chicken. At 165°F, bacteria are killed instantly. At lower temps, it just takes a little time:
165°F: instant.
155°F: about 48 seconds. (On camera I first said 3 minutes. I was wrong, and I corrected it later in the video.)
150°F: about 3 minutes.
You're going to rest your chicken 10 to 15 minutes anyway, and it carries over once it's off the grill, so it holds those temps long enough. Pull it between 150°F and 155°F and you get a way juicier bird. It's a game-changer.
The Results
The first thing I noticed was when I probed the spatchcock with the instant read: the amount of juice that came out was insane. The whole chicken was good too. You could see it shining in the light, and no one's going to get mad at that bird.
On the cutting board, the two tasted about the same for juiciness. But the spatchcock had rested about twice as long, 20 minutes versus 10, because it finished first, and it was still every bit as juicy.
Across both videos, the spatchcock won on time. Indirect, it also won on even cooking and moisture. Direct, they were close on moisture, with the edge still going to the spatchcock.
Final Thoughts
For a change, the internet is right: spatchcock cooks quicker and more evenly, and you end up with a juicier chicken. My dad's going to call me and say "I told you so." He's been saying it for years, and he does his turkey that way too. I did side-by-sides a long time ago, but they were never quite equal. This time I did them close together in two different setups, and I have to admit I was wrong.
If you get the chance to cook chicken direct over lump, give it a shot. That rendered fat hitting the coals is magic. And whichever way you cook your bird, pull it at 150–155°F.
Thanks For Watching
Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a novice, these tips will enhance your cooking skills and leave your family and friends raving about your delicious, smoky creations. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more step-by-step videos, and let's together become the barbecue heroes we were meant to be!
*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. You will pay the same price, but I will earn a small percentage, which will help support the channel.
