Flat Iron Chicken

ALRIGHT.....yesterday I decided to try something a little different. This was a cooking method that I had seen before and that my good friend Jeremy had told me about......You have your beer can chicken, Fried Chicken, Pan Fried Chicken, Baked Chicken, etc. But now there is another weapon for the arsenal...... I call it Flat Iron Chicken. So simple even a Bear can do it (sorry, just another play on commercials).

For this it is nice to have a heavy Cast Iron Skillet.

You start of with a nice whole chicken.

Using a sharp knife....or better yet....a GOOD pair of poultry sheers (also known as culinary sheers or more accurately "Heavy scissors").....cut the chicken from "stem to stern"along the back bone and lay the chicken flat. Then simply remove the keel bone. Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry.

From here on you can marinate or season the chicken any way you want....the Sky's the limit. However this is how I did it:

1. Preheat your grill and skillet on high for at least 10 minutes
2. Liberally season the entire bird with dry rub (Adkins Western Dry Rub)
3. Oil your cooking surface. I use a plastic spray bottle with an oil with a high smoke point.
4. Place the chicken bone side down on the cooking grate
5. Place the Iron Skillet on top of the chicken (don't forget it's HOT)
6. If using a gas grill (which I do), lower your heat to low and close the lid.
7. After about 15 minutes Turn the chicken and again place skillet on top.
8. After about another 10-15 minutes, I turned the bird again and sprinkled some Mexican Seasoning on top.
9. Just before the chicken appears to be done I squeeze some Black Magic Finishing Sauce over the bird.

Cooking the chicken this way shortens the time needed and quickly cooks the chicken throughout.

REMEMBER....this is how "I" did it. As long as you have a chicken and some good marinade or seasoning mix you can't go wrong.

Things you will need:

• 1 whole Chicken
• GOOD poultry sheers (or a very sharp knife)
• Dry Rub (or any other seasoning / marinade you prefer)
• 1 Cast Iron Skillet
• Black Magic Finishing Sauce
• Tex Mex Spice Seasoning.

Chicken Marinade

I know, I know.....there are hundreds of chicken marinades out there, but every now and then one comes along that just grabs your attention. Not only is it very easy to make, it adds just a little kick without hurting the tasebuds of even the most bland pallets. Of course the best way to marinate any piece of meat is to place the meat and marinade into a ziploc bag, sqeeze out the excess air and refrigerate anywhere from a couple hours to overnight.

Simply place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and combine on high for 2 min. until smooth.

• 2 jalapeno peppers
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/8 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 cup Olive Oil

Basic Beer Mop

A mop is some type of liquid / sauce which is applied or "mopped" on a cut of meat (much like basting) which is being slow cooked or smoked. Although its main purpose is to prevent the meat from drying out during the slow cooking process, it also provides another layer of flavor. Although there are hundreds of mop recipes out there, they are all as individual as the person creating it. This is a basic mop recipe which can be built upon any way you like. Most everything is pretty straight forward. For the dry rub I usually use ADKINS western style seasoning. The drippings come from the pan after the meat has slow cooked overnight. If the meat has not been pre-cooked then you can eliminate that particular ingredient. All the ingredients are mixed together and allowed to simmer over a low heat for a few minutes.


• 12 oz of beer (a good dark beer is preferable, however any will do)
• 1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 medium Onion - Chopped or sliced into thin strips
• 2 Cloves Garlic - minced
• 1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tbs Dry rub or seasoning
• 1 cup of meat drippings