Crapaudine — Spatchcocked and Grilled Poultry

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Crapaudine (from crapaud, 'toad') is the French technique of spatchcocking a bird — removing the backbone and pressing the bird flat so it resembles a toad — then grilling or pan-roasting it under a weight. The flattened bird cooks in half the time of a whole roast, with both the breast and legs receiving equal heat exposure, solving the eternal poultry problem of breast overcooking before the thighs are done. The technique: place the chicken (or pigeon, quail, guinea fowl) breast-side down. Using poultry shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it entirely. Turn the bird over, open it like a book, and press firmly on the breastbone with the heel of your hand — it should crack and the bird should lie flat, roughly symmetrical. Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders. For grilling: brush with oil, season generously, and grill skin-side down over medium-high heat (250°C) for 12-15 minutes under a brick or heavy pan wrapped in foil (the weight ensures full contact with the grill, producing even browning and crisp skin). Turn, remove the weight, and grill flesh-side down for 8-10 minutes. Total time for a 1.5kg chicken: 20-25 minutes (compared to 60-70 minutes for a whole roast). Target temperature: 72°C at the thigh. For the pan-roast variation (poulet en crapaudine): sear skin-side down in a heavy ovenproof pan with butter and a weight on top for 8 minutes until deeply golden, remove weight, flip, and finish in a 200°C oven for 15 minutes. The skin should be uniformly crisp, crackling, and deeply coloured — the pressed contact with the hot surface is what distinguishes crapaudine from simple grilling.

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