Spatchcock

Spatchcocking is a skilful technique of preparing a whole bird (chicken, duck, turkey) for fast and even cooking. Its essence is to remove the backbone with kitchen shears and then flatten the carcass, pressing it so that it becomes flat.

Thanks to this flattening, the bird acquires an even thickness, so it cooks considerably faster and uniformly, without the risk that the breast will dry out while the thighs are still cooking. In addition, a larger surface area is in contact with the heat, so the skin comes out especially crisp and evenly golden — which is ideal for grilling or roasting. A spatchcocked and seasoned bird looks striking and cooks twice as fast as a whole one. This simple but very effective technique has long been in the arsenal of professional cooks and has become popular among grill enthusiasts.