Butterflying a Whole Chicken (Spatchcock)
A whole chicken grills so much quicker and the meat cooks evenly if it is butterflied and lies flat on the grill. Following are instructions on how to do this. Or you can have one of Mert’s meat cutters butterfly it before you leave the store.
Step 1: Remove neck and giblets from the cavity of the whole chicken.
Step 2: Place the chicken on a cutting board breast-side-down. Working from the cavity opening up to the neck, cut down each side of the back bone with a pair of kitchen shears. Discard the backbone. Grab the chicken with one breast in each hand and open it like a book, exposing the cavity of the bird. The breast bones should crack a bit – that’s totally normal.
Step 3: Running from the middle of the bird down between the two legs is a soft bone – this is the breast bone. It’s a triangular shape that is firm towards the middle of the bird and becomes softer cartilage as it tapers down between the legs. To remove it, use a paring knife to cut down either side of it.
Step 4: Once you’ve cut it free, use your fingers to simply pull out the breast bone. Discard the bone.
