scdub
Basic Member
- Joined
- May 29, 2004
- Messages
- 2,945
Hey Folks!
I’m looking for a good set of take-apart poultry/kitchen shears, primarily to use for spatchcocking chickens.
I’ve done some research and so far my favorites are the Shun Kitchen Shears (the ones with differing finger hole sizes).
My only concern with these is that I’m not sure if they’re robust enough for regular use in bone cutting.
Please let me know if you have any experience with these shears or if you have others to suggest.
I’ve read good things about the OXO shears but I’d like to avoid Chinese made products.
Also, if you’ve never “spatchcocked” a chicken I highly recommend you try it out. I did it for the first time a couple of days ago and made the best chicken I’ve tasted. Recipe below:
“Rosemary Garlic High-Roast Chicken”
Start with about a 4 pound chicken. Wash it, then place it into a large Ziploc bag or pot containing approximately 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup of table salt, and some dried rosemary, then put it in the fridge. This is brining and should be done for at least an hour and as long as overnight to help the meat retain moisture while cooking.
After brining, rinse and dry the chicken, then place it uncovered back into the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to dry (this helps the skin to crisp).
Now it’s time to spatchcock, which essentially just means removing the spine (poultry shears apparently work best, but my utility scissors eventually worked with some effort) then pressing down on the breast to flatten the chicken out. This is primarily to allow the chicken to roast evenly (fully cooked thighs without overcooked breast meat).
Now, starting at the neck area, slide your fingers between the meat and the skin on the breasts thighs and drumsticks. Make a quick paste of olive oil, around five garlic cloves, and about half of a sprig of fresh rosemary and using your fingers again, press the paste into the pockets you’ve just created in the skin.
Preheat your oven to 500°, (yes 500°!) Cut up some potatoes and carrots into bite sized pieces, (with the carrot pieces being slightly larger as they take longer to cook),. Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper, and place them in the bottom of your roasting pan. Put a wire rack or a “V” roasting rack over the top of the veggies and lay the chicken on top, breast side up, with a little oil and salt on the skin.
Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, turn the chicken and cook for another 20 minutes, then check the temperature at the thickest part of the breast with an instant read thermometer.
The chicken is done when it reads 160° F.
I cooked a 4.5 pound chicken in an earthenware roasting pot which extended the cooking time. It took almost an hour at 500° to cook thoroughly. Also I did end up covering it for the last 10 minutes or so to make sure the skin didn’t burn. Foil would work for this too if needed.
Good luck and happy spatchcocking!
I’m looking for a good set of take-apart poultry/kitchen shears, primarily to use for spatchcocking chickens.
I’ve done some research and so far my favorites are the Shun Kitchen Shears (the ones with differing finger hole sizes).
My only concern with these is that I’m not sure if they’re robust enough for regular use in bone cutting.
Please let me know if you have any experience with these shears or if you have others to suggest.
I’ve read good things about the OXO shears but I’d like to avoid Chinese made products.
Also, if you’ve never “spatchcocked” a chicken I highly recommend you try it out. I did it for the first time a couple of days ago and made the best chicken I’ve tasted. Recipe below:
“Rosemary Garlic High-Roast Chicken”
Start with about a 4 pound chicken. Wash it, then place it into a large Ziploc bag or pot containing approximately 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup of table salt, and some dried rosemary, then put it in the fridge. This is brining and should be done for at least an hour and as long as overnight to help the meat retain moisture while cooking.
After brining, rinse and dry the chicken, then place it uncovered back into the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to dry (this helps the skin to crisp).
Now it’s time to spatchcock, which essentially just means removing the spine (poultry shears apparently work best, but my utility scissors eventually worked with some effort) then pressing down on the breast to flatten the chicken out. This is primarily to allow the chicken to roast evenly (fully cooked thighs without overcooked breast meat).
Now, starting at the neck area, slide your fingers between the meat and the skin on the breasts thighs and drumsticks. Make a quick paste of olive oil, around five garlic cloves, and about half of a sprig of fresh rosemary and using your fingers again, press the paste into the pockets you’ve just created in the skin.
Preheat your oven to 500°, (yes 500°!) Cut up some potatoes and carrots into bite sized pieces, (with the carrot pieces being slightly larger as they take longer to cook),. Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper, and place them in the bottom of your roasting pan. Put a wire rack or a “V” roasting rack over the top of the veggies and lay the chicken on top, breast side up, with a little oil and salt on the skin.
Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, turn the chicken and cook for another 20 minutes, then check the temperature at the thickest part of the breast with an instant read thermometer.
The chicken is done when it reads 160° F.
I cooked a 4.5 pound chicken in an earthenware roasting pot which extended the cooking time. It took almost an hour at 500° to cook thoroughly. Also I did end up covering it for the last 10 minutes or so to make sure the skin didn’t burn. Foil would work for this too if needed.
Good luck and happy spatchcocking!
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