Spatchcock – Huh?

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Today’s Blog Post

Spatchcock – Huh?
The word doesn’t make any sense. When I read it and then pronounced it – it made even less sense.

English is like that for some of us. I can only imagine what happens to my friends that are trying to learn English and its many weird words.

Okay the Word for Today is “Spatchcock”.

Now apparently I knew this word before I ever read this word – which was this week at 65 years of age!

The word is so odd that it simply invites one to dig deeper.

To put it in its simplest definition means to cut the turkey or chicken down the backbone, remove the back bone, and break the bird until it is flat. The bird is then cooked in this flat position very fast compared to the regular way of the whole bird. A twelve pound turkey can be done in a little over One Hour!

I started wondering if the guys that pick up road kill might have used this word to describe the birds they pick up from the road. It sounds like “SPLAT” when the vehicle hits the bird.

Nope that wasn’t it.

It seems to have come from old Ireland. The “Languagehat” folk state that… quote…
"abbreviation of a dispatch cock, an Irish dish upon any sudden occasion. It is a hen just killed from the roost, or yard, and immediately skinned, split, and broiled." End quote.

“Spatchcock” is shortened from a “dispatched cock” – or a murdered bird. The addition of the words “upon any sudden occasion”. That is kind of like Road Kill – isn’t it?

The reason that I stated earlier that I know the word before reading the word… is simple. I watched my Grandma Kirk, Emma was her name, dispatch more than one cock when we arrived from the city.

That moment was something that I will never forget.

Grandma would ask us if we would like to go along with her. Then she would pick up her large butcher knife… which was just under the size of a machete used in many parts of the world. She then would wipe the large butcher knife on her apron and start toward the door looking back to see who would follow her.

Every grandkid would drop what they were doing and follow closely. Wherever the chickens were – was our destination.

The stupid birds were quietly eating – pecking away at the ground for seeds. If they were not where she wanted them Grandma Kirk would simply take a handful of grain with her and throw it out so the chickens would come.

In among the chickens were the proud roosters that took charge of the grain eating.

As the chickens were busy eating their new find of grain Grandma would quickly swoop down and trap one busy rooster to the ground. A loud squawk followed as the rooster flapped his wings furiously to get free. Her other hand grabbed is legs and then she dropped the body so he was hanging upside down – head struggling to see where she was taking him.

It was about 20 feet away to the wood pile… and the wood chopping block.

The rooster hung in her left hand… he large butcher knife in her right. Then Grandma looked around at us… and grinned. She placed the roosters head on the block and as she did he flared his wings… given a warning squawk…. The large knife went up above her shoulder and swish through the air to meet the top of the chopping block….Thump!

There was a burst of air from the flapping wings… and then she did the next thing we knew she would do… she tossed the headless rooster toward whoever was standing nearest… bravest… silliest and the headless rooster came rushing toward me… with blood spurting profusely.

Dispatched Cock – now Spatchcock.

At the end of the Grandma’s murdering episode… we all enjoyed the roast rooster.

I hope you can use this one in scrabble!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
www.murraylincoln.com/

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spatchcock
http://www.languagehat.com/archives/003406.php
http://hubpages.com/hub/Spatchcocked-Turkey-The-newest-trend-for-Thanksgiving-Dinner
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/13/AR2007111300406.html
http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:421132