Emily Carter
Removing the backbone and keel bone of a chicken is a process known as spatchcocking or butterflying. This technique involves removing the backbone and breastbone (also called the keel bone) to allow the chicken to lay flat on a grill and cook more evenly. To remove the backbone, one can use sharp shears or a sharp knife, cutting close to the bone to avoid cutting off meat or the bone itself. The backbone can be saved for chicken stock or discarded. To remove the keel bone, one must crack open the breastbone by folding the chicken outward and breaking the delicate skin on either side, pulling it out.
Characteristics and Values Table for Removing a Chicken's Backbone and Keel Bone:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tools | Kitchen shears, sharp knife, paring knife |
| Chicken Position | Back facing up, drumsticks pointing towards you |
| Backbone Removal | Cut along one side of the backbone, avoiding cutting meat or bone. Repeat on the other side. |
| Backbone Usage | Use for chicken stock or discard |
| Keel Bone Location | Front of the bird, opposite the backbone |
| Keel Bone Removal | Crack open the keel bone by folding chicken outward. Break delicate skin on both sides and pull out. |
| Post-Removal Steps | Flip chicken over, slice down the middle, separate thighs and breasts by cutting through the joint. |
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What You'll Learn
Locating the backbone
To locate the backbone, start by positioning the chicken breast-side down with its legs facing you. The backbone runs straight down the middle of the chicken, from the neck to the tail. It is important to identify the backbone accurately to ensure a clean cut and avoid wasting meat.
When looking at the chicken from this angle, you will notice the backbone running along the centre, with the ribs on either side. The ribs are smaller bones that branch out from the backbone. By identifying the ribs, you can trace them back to the backbone, ensuring a precise cut.
Another way to locate the backbone is to feel for it with your fingers. Gently run your fingers along the chicken's back, feeling for the prominent central ridge that is the backbone. This tactile approach can help you identify the backbone's position and ensure a more accurate cut when using sharp tools.
Once you have located the backbone, you can begin the process of removing it. This typically involves using sharp shears or a sharp knife to cut along one side of the backbone, being careful not to cut into the bone itself or remove too much meat. After cutting one side, repeat the process on the other side to fully release the backbone.
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Using shears or a knife to cut along the backbone
To remove the backbone and keel bone of a chicken, you'll need a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen shears. If you're using shears, start by positioning the chicken so that its back is facing up and the drumsticks are pointing towards you. Then, cut all the way down one side of the backbone, being careful not to cut through the centre of the bone itself—you're just cutting through the small rib bones. Make sure to cut close to the bone to avoid cutting off any meat.
If you're using a knife, the process is similar. Start by laying the chicken breast-side down with its legs towards you. Then, begin cutting along one side of the backbone down the entire length of the chicken. As with the shears, be careful to cut close to the bone to avoid cutting off any meat. You can use the shears to start the cut and then switch to a knife to cut through the chicken and free the bone on one side. As you cut, push the meat away from the bone.
Once you've cut through one side of the backbone, you'll do the same on the other side. After removing the backbone, you can keep it to make chicken stock or discard it. Now you're ready to flatten your chicken. Flip the chicken over and press down on the breastbone to flatten it out. You can press down a few times if needed. Then, tuck the wings under the breasts so they don't burn. At this point, your chicken is ready to be seasoned and cooked!
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Removing the keel bone
First, locate the keel bone. The keel bone is the dark-looking breastbone that runs along the middle of the chicken's cavity, at the front of the bird, opposite the backbone. Once you've identified it, make a 1/2" slit through the cartilage in front of the keel bone. You can do this with a sharp knife.
Next, you'll want to crack open the keel bone by folding the chicken outward. This will expose the bone and make it easier to remove. Be gentle during this step, as you don't want to tear the meat. With your fingers, break the delicate skin on either side of the keel bone and slowly pull it out. It may help to run your thumbs down both sides of the bone to separate it from the meat first.
After removing the keel bone, you can flip the chicken over and slice down the middle where the bone used to be, effectively cutting the bird into halves. This step is optional and depends on your cooking preferences and requirements.
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Flattening the chicken
Flattening a chicken is also known as spatchcocking or butterflying. It is a technique where you remove the backbone and breastbone (or keel bone) and flatten the chicken before cooking it. This allows the chicken to cook more evenly, as all the meat is about the same thickness.
To flatten a chicken, start by removing the backbone. To do this, lay the chicken breast-side down with its legs towards you. Using a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen shears, begin cutting along one side of the backbone, down the entire length of the chicken. Make sure to cut close to the bone, avoiding cutting any meat or the bone itself. Then, do the same on the other side. You can keep the backbone to make chicken stock or discard it.
Once the backbone is removed, flip the chicken over so that the skin is covering the legs. Press down on the breastbone, applying gentle pressure to flatten the chicken. You may need to press down a few times. The keel bone is the dark-looking breastbone that runs along the middle of the chicken's cavity. To remove it, crack open the keel bone by folding the chicken outward and breaking the delicate skin on either side with your fingers. Pull out the keel bone and slice down the middle to separate the chicken into halves.
Now, your chicken is ready to be seasoned and cooked! Tuck the wings under the breasts or under themselves to prevent burning.
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Using the bones for stock
Firstly, you will need to collect the bones. You can use the bones from a whole chicken or just parts, whichever you prefer. The keel bone, or breastbone, and the backbone are both excellent choices for making stock. To remove the keel bone, make a small slit through the cartilage in front of the bone, then crack and peel away the skin to reveal the bone. It should then be easy to pull out. To remove the backbone, use a good pair of kitchen shears and cut along the length of the bone. You may need to use two hands to get through the ribs.
Once you have your bones, you can begin making the stock. You can use a stockpot or a slow cooker for this. Add your bones to the pot, along with vegetables such as celery, onion, carrots, and parsley. Cover with water and add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add herbs like bay leaves, thyme, and parsley, as well as spices like black peppercorns, to enhance the flavour. Bring the mixture to a boil and then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow it to simmer for at least 4 hours, occasionally skimming off any foam that forms on the surface. The longer you simmer it, the more concentrated the flavour will be.
When your stock is ready, remove the bones and vegetables with a slotted spoon and strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve. Allow the stock to cool completely before transferring it to containers for refrigeration or freezing. Homemade chicken stock will last about a week in the fridge and several months in the freezer.
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Frequently asked questions
First, lay the chicken breast-side down with its legs towards you. Locate the backbone running straight down the middle and begin cutting along one side of it down the entire length of the chicken. Do the same on the other side to fully remove the backbone. You can use sharp shears or a sharp knife for this.
Crack open the keel bone by folding the chicken outward. The keel bone is another name for the breastbone and is found at the front of the bird, opposite the backbone. Remove the keel bone by breaking the delicate skin on either side with your fingers and pulling it out.
Removing the backbone and keel bone is a technique called spatchcocking or butterflying. This allows the chicken to lay flat on the grill and cook more evenly, as all the meat is about the same thickness. It also makes for a nice presentation and makes separating the two halves easy, either before or after cooking.
