The last time I prepared a spatchcocked chicken was with one already cut up perfectly The chicken was from Commonwealth Farm, in Unity, Maine. They sell their chickens at the Camden Farmer’s Market, which I visited a few weeks ago. It’s a great market, very old-fashioned with a good mix of vendors). Now, don’t confuse Commonwealth Farm chickens with Commonwealth Poultry Farm in Gardiner, whose chickens are widely available in Portland; the latter are not. They are not one and the same. The latter is the son of the owners of Commonwealth Farm. He gets his chickens far and wide and processes them in Maine. They are a good, fine choice. But if you’re after authenticity and local, Commonwealth are raised and butchered at their farm in Unity and they’re wonderful chickens, with the usual provenance, organic and pastured. They have great chicken flavor and very meat breasts and legs.
Sorghum glazed spatchcocked chicken
If you want a whole chicken, you need to call them to order. I missed their supply of whole chickens, but I was perfectly happy with the split (spatchcocked) bird available. If you get there early enough also get their poussins, not often raised by Maine’s specialty poultry farmers, grab one. They are a delicacy.
The recipe I used can be made in the oven or the grill. If you’re grilling put the chicken on indirect cooking, adding some wood chips if you like and roast and glaze as directed in the oven recipe. It’s a great chicken preparation. The original recipe from th4e Virginia Willis cookbook “Secrets of the Southern Table” calls for sorghum. But you can substitute honey. Sorghum is rarely available anywhere in Maine. If it is, tell me. I order it either directly from the producer Muddy Pond or you can find it on Amazon. It’s a great ingredient that has many uses. Put it in baked beans or whipped into softened butter with sorghum to top biscuits. Generally you can substitute honey but it’s not the same. It’s similar to molasses and can generally be used in place of. But don’t use molasses in place of sorghum. The latter is more delicate. Here it works beautifully to glaze the chicken with the sorghum mixed with melted butter and smoked paprika.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pound chicken, spatchcocked
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 sorghum
- 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Optionally you can brine the chicken first or just season it very generously with kosher salt and let it sit in refrigerator for about an hour. Then season generously with freshly ground black pepper
- Line a rimmed sheet pan with 2 layers of foil. Put a rack over this.
- Prepare the glaze by simmering the sorghum, melted butter and paprika for a few minutes until the glaze thickens slightly.
- Brush the underside of the chicken with some of the glaze then put on a rack, skin side up.
- Roast for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and glaze the chicken all over, especially generously over the skin side. Put back in the oven for another 45 minutes, basting occasionally with the glaze, keeping the glaze warm over very low heat between uses.
- Roast until a thermometer registers 155 degrees. Let rest for a few minutes then carve. For a summer menu a panzanella salad over farro goes well; in winter go all out with mashed sweets or potatoes and simple glazed carrots or rutabaga.
