# Why can't you buy a spatchcocked chicken? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [July 27, 2021, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375 "2021-07-27T00:56:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/1 "2021-07-27T00:56:00Z")
Get your mind out of the gutter. It’s a method of cutting up a chicken for better roasting. You cut out the backbone, break the breastbone, and essentially [unfold the chicken so it lays flat](https://nomnompaleo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Spatchcocked-Chicken.jpg). This makes the chicken cook more evenly and avoids over and/or undercooking. It’s not really difficult to prep a raw chicken like this. But it’s not really difficult to cut up a chicken into pieces either. Stores make a profit by selling cut-up chickens. So why don’t they sell chickens that are already prepped for spatchcock roasting? Are stores afraid that shoppers wouldn’t be familiar with a spatchcocked chicken? It’s not that uncommon a technique and you’d figure stores would be eager to demonstrate a new and improved way to cook chicken (and get people to buy more chicken). ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/2 "2021-07-27T01:05:33Z")
I’m pretty certain I’ve seen them at Trader Joe’s. I think they were pre-seasoned, as well. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/3 "2021-07-27T01:09:49Z")
I’ve seen them for sale, too. Fwiw, i roast chickens all the time, and it’s easy and reliable. I tried spatchcocking once, and i looked at this enormous thing that didn’t fit in any of my roasting pans, and so i cut it up the rest of the way into parts and assembled them on my broiling pan. So I’ve never bought a spatchcocked chicken. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/4 "2021-07-27T01:11:08Z")
My grocery does sell them that way – some pre-marinated in a Mexican achiote paste of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/5 "2021-07-27T03:02:16Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So why don’t they sell chickens that are already prepped for spatchcock roasting? [Many supermarket butcher departments will prep a chicken that way on request](https://www.mashed.com/105835/things-didnt-know-grocery-store-butcher-can/), although IME it’s more usually called “deboning” or “butterflying” a chicken. But yeah, I doubt most stores would sell enough of them to make it worthwhile paying employees to prepare chickens this way except for custom requests. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > you’d figure stores would be eager to demonstrate a new and improved way to cook chicken (and get people to buy more chicken). I’d figure they’d figure that spatchcocking/butterflying per se is unlikely to convince anyone to buy a chicken who wasn’t already going to buy a chicken, and it requires expending extra time and labor that customers might not want to pay for. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/6 "2021-07-27T03:05:20Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > [Many supermarket butcher departments will prep a chicken that way on request](https://www.mashed.com/105835/things-didnt-know-grocery-store-butcher-can/), although IME it’s more usually called “deboning” or “butterflying” a chicken. A spatchcocked bird isn’t usually deboned. “Butterflying” should work, though. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/7 "2021-07-27T03:08:00Z")
I’ve also seen – and I don’t know if there’s a different name for this, something similar to a spatchcocked bird, but instead of the backbone being cut out and the bird being flattened with the breast in the middle, the backbone is left intact and the bird is simply cut right through the middle of the breast bone, so when spread out, there’s half a breast at either end. Maybe reverse spatchcock? ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/8 "2021-07-27T03:08:59Z")
It’s almost impossible around here to find a whole chicken cut into parts. Either it’s a package of wings, or legs or thighs, or breasts, but rarely all the parts together. I’ll buy a whole chicken and spatchcock it and like others have said, just continue to cut into pieces. I don’t want a back piece anyway! ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/9 "2021-07-27T03:11:52Z")
When I grill a whole chicken i cut it up into pieces including the back. And i eat the back. I really like chewing on grilled chicken back. Yeah, weird. But i like it, and it makes the other pieces nicer, so that’s how i do it. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/10 "2021-07-27T03:13:05Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > A spatchcocked bird isn’t usually deboned. Not totally, no, but the linked article lists it under “deboning” because of the backbone removal. > [@pulykamell](#): > > Maybe reverse spatchcock? Interesting, I haven’t seen that, unless “bone-in butterflied” refers to it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/11 "2021-07-27T03:20:52Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Not totally, no, but the linked article lists it under “deboning” because of the backbone removal. OK, because a “deboned” chicken is also a thing – where it’s completely deboned. I do see several Google hits relating to “reverse spatchcock” describing the other style of spatchcocking I mentioned. It doesn’t seem to be a popular style, but it is mentioned in several places, including here in the oregano chicken recipe: [PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions](https://www.pressreader.com/uk/olive/20200513/283338999412929) I want to say I encountered it in a chicken restaurant in Johannesburg, South Africa. I’m not entirely sure, though, just that I was served a whole chicken in that manner at some restaurant and was a little surprised by where the cut was. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/12 "2021-07-27T03:26:48Z")
I’m sure I would find people in the butcher department who would spatchcock a chicken for me if I asked. And I imagine there are some stores out there somewhere selling them already prepped. But in several decades of regular grocery shopping, I have never seen a spatchcocked chicken already prepped and on sale. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/13 "2021-07-27T03:38:49Z")
Hmm – I’m looking through the grocery store circular, and I may be misremembering – I’ll have to check tomorrow. I might just be thinking of their whole, cut-up chicken. I would never buy an already spatchcocked bird myself as I want to save that backbone for the stockpot and because whole chicken is cheaper than broken down chicken. But what I thought was a spatchcocked bird may have just been a whole, cut-up bird with all the pieces vaguely where they came from. It occurs to me that maybe the packaging of a spatchcocked bird could be a little awkward. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/14 "2021-07-27T03:40:54Z")
It’s like buying stew meat. It’s cheaper to buy a whole piece of meat and cut it up into chunks when you get home. But stores are able to sell already cut up meat and people pay a higher price for it because of the convenience. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/15 "2021-07-27T03:43:33Z")
Oh, sure, I understand. And the even bigger problem with “stew meat” is you don’t even know what cut it is. If you know your meat cuts, you can make an informed guess, of course. Usually, though, it’s not the chuck that I’m looking for – it’s something leaner, like a bottom round or rump or similar. I simply do not buy stew meat not because it’s already cut up but because I specifically want certain cuts (chuck or boneless short ribs, typically) when I’m stewing and not anything else. But I think the packaging of the spatchcocked cut might be the problem. I suppose you can still fold it over to package, though. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/16 "2021-07-27T06:05:31Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > But I think the packaging of the spatchcocked cut might be the problem. I suppose you can still fold it over to package, though. I figure they could sell it in a larger flat package. Like they use to sell large steaks or big pieces of salmon. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/17 "2021-07-27T06:34:52Z")
They sell these in supermarkets where I live. One type is marinated Portuguese-style. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/18 "2021-07-27T09:39:14Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > …Maybe reverse spatchcock? Sounds like something you might see at the Olympics. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/19 "2021-07-27T11:37:40Z")
Stores which sell marinated chicken may spatchcock them. But I would guess this is not routine because a) it is extra work that b) many people do not want to pay more for since c) it is easy to do at home if desired and d) some people stuff chickens or do not aesthetically want this since e) they may use the extra bones for soup which f) may also increase the weight of the bird, which may profit the supermarket or store selling it. In other words, they sell marinated spatchcock chicken at a higher price. Many prefer cheaper chicken. Stores include bones as part of the weight, so charge a higher price for lighter products. And not everyone grills chicken, they best use for spatchcockery. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375/20 "2021-07-27T12:41:57Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I have never seen a spatchcocked chicken already prepped and on sale. Ask at the butcher counter. There are always a few prepackaged marinated chickens at one of the supermarkets I go to, another supermarket rarely has them. But they’re not just butterflied birds; they are all marinated and not prepared in store. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-you-buy-a-spatchcocked-chicken/947375.md?page=2)