Are you ready for the BEST way to cook your turkey evenly and in less time? A spatchco*ck turkey is the answer!
More commonly known as butterflying, spatchco*cking is a quicker route to a beautiful, delicious turkey for the holidays – or really any time of year. Perfect for roasting, grilling or smoking, a spatchco*ck turkey is sure to please the whole crowd.
Don’t let that extra effort of spatchco*cking (or the funny name) intimidate you. It’s easier than it sounds. We’ve answered some of the most pressing questions to walk you through the process below.
Spatchco*cking is removing the backbone of a turkey and laying it flat on its cooking surface. Yep, it’s that simple!
Why should I spatchco*ck my turkey?
While it is a little extra butchery work, spatchco*cking a turkey helps it cook more evenly and quickly. Additionally, this method exposes all the skin at the same time, so you end up with a perfectly crispy skin and juicy meat. Take your time and the results will be well-worth the effort!
Worth mentioning are the added benefits of using the backbone to create a flavorful turkey broth or gravy. For more uses for those “extra” turkey parts, click here.
How-to spatchco*ck a turkey
To spatchco*ck turkey, we recommend using heavy duty kitchen shears to remove the backbone. Alternatively, a sharp knife or meat cleaver can be used.
Remove a completely thawed turkey from any packaging and remove the neck, giblets and/or leg lock.
Pat the turkey dry.
Place it breast-side down on a cutting surface.
Starting at the tail, make an incision along one side of the backbone.
Continue cutting along the backbone until you’ve snipped through the rib bones up to the neck.
Use your hands the spread the turkey open slightly.
Make an identical cut along the other side of the backbone. Watch your fingers!
The backbone should now be freed – this may take some additional snipping. Remove.
Flip the turkey over and, using two hands, press down hard on the breastbone. Listen for a couple of cracks. The turkey should now rest flatly.
Now arrange your turkey for cooking. Splay the legs and tuck the wing tips under the breast (or remove entirely) to prevent burning.
Separate the skin from the meat – this will allow any compound butter or seasoning to easily get under the skin.
Turkey is a versatile protein that is perfect for traditional roasting, grilling and smoking.
Grilling a spatchco*cked turkey is best over a two-zone grill, with direct and indirect zones. Grill your turkey on the indirect zone at a temp of about 375-400°F or until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 160°F verified with a meat thermometer. Transfer your bird to the direct side (directly over the coals) to allow the skin to crisp up and cook until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165°F.
If you want to roast it in the oven, we recommend setting your oven at 400°F or higher based on the recipe. A spatchco*ck turkey can be brined, buttered or seasoned to your preference like a standard turkey. Roast the turkey until it reaches the proper internal temperature. Then put it under the broiler at the end to get crispy skin.
Here are a few of our favorite spatchco*ck turkey recipes worth a try:
Harissa Spatchco*ck Turkey
Dry Brine Spatchco*ck Turkey
Rosemary Lemon Grilled Turkey
Buttermilk Brined Turkey
How long does it to cook a spatchco*ck turkey?
A spatchco*cked whole turkey will cook more quickly than a standard turkey. While thespatchco*ck turkey cooking time will depend on the size and oven temperature, 6 minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb. Depending on the size of the turkey, cook times are estimated between 60-90 minutes.
To ensure doneness, we recommend verifying the internal temperature of the turkey has reached 165°F in three places: the innermost part of the thigh, breast and wing.
How-to carve a spatchco*ck turkey
Carving a spatchco*ck turkey does require a little bit of a different approach, but it’s pretty simple. After you’ve let your turkey rest for at least 20 minutes, use a sharp knife to:
Cut legs from breast.
Remove drumsticks from thigh.
Cut wings from breast.
Slice breast meat.
Arrange everything on a large platter and tent with foil until ready to serve.
Are there any helpful tips for a first-timer?
Safety first! Cutting gloves can help lessen the risk of cutting yourself.
Spatchco*cking requires a bit of elbow grease, so don’t hesitate to use pressure.
If you’re not quite ready to take the plunge, ask your butcher to spatchco*ck a turkey for you.
Make sure to wash your hands before and after handling the raw turkey. Sanitize surfaces and tools used during the process.
A spatchco*cked whole turkey will cook more quickly than a standard turkey. While the spatchco*ck turkey cooking time will depend on the size and oven temperature, 6 minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb. Depending on the size of the turkey, cook times are estimated between 60-90 minutes.
A spatchco*cked whole turkey will cook more quickly than a standard turkey. While the spatchco*ck turkey cooking time will depend on the size and oven temperature, 6 minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb. Depending on the size of the turkey, cook times are estimated between 60-90 minutes.
To spatchco*ck a turkey, you will want to first brine it, just as you would a bird for a traditional roast. When ready to roast, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, brush the turkey with oil and, depending on its weight, cook for 70 to 90 minutes. Roast until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
To save yourself some roasting time, you can spatchco*ck your turkey the day before. Just set it onto a baking sheet and leave it in the fridge uncovered overnight. Rub it with a little salt for a dry brine and allow the cold air to dry up the skin. This results in the ultimate crispy skin.
We recommend roasting turkey at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey. We've done the math for you — check out the chart below to determine both turkey cook times and estimated servings (with leftovers!).
If one part is done before the other, simply take it off the grill so that it doesn't overcook! A spatchco*cked turkey also cooks much faster than a whole one: our 15-pound bird only took about 1 1/2 hours to grill.
Once your bird is well flattened, it's time to roast. Cook your bird at 425°F (218°C) until it reaches an internal temperature on your ChefAlarm® of 155°F (68°C). (If that seems low, read our article on chicken internal temps—the same concepts apply to turkey as they do to chicken.
Spatchco*cking ensures even cooking and browning since the entirety of the skin and meat are exposed to even heat. Plus, with that shorter cooking time, you are especially guaranteed to have juicy, perfectly cooked turkey meat.
Since the whole process of how to spatchco*ck a turkey is removing the backbone of the turkey, you're going to need some sturdy, sharp kitchen shears. I used Shun shears, but you can use whatever you have. You don't have to go fancy, but I recommend you get some that come apart so you can clean and sanitize after.
After your turkey is done resting, cover it with foil and place it back in the oven. To ensure that the turkey stays moist, pour some warm water into a pan and place the pan under the turkey in the oven.
To prep turkey: Take out giblets/innards, set aside; Rinse bird with cold water inside and out, poke a few holes with fork on breasts and legs, to help brine to penetrate better. Do not add giblets / innards.
And guess what? Turkey is, too. So instead of spatchco*cking, get yourself some chicken legs and thighs, or cut that bird into parts yourself. Not only do these individual parts cook evenly, they also have more surface area—and that means more delicious, smoky charring from a grill and more golden, crispy skin.
12. Do You Rinse a Turkey After Brining? You should always rinse the turkey after wet or dry brining. Once rinsed, you can let the turkey air dry, uncovered, in the refrigerator for several hours, or pat it dry with a paper towel.
Since the whole process of how to spatchco*ck a turkey is removing the backbone of the turkey, you're going to need some sturdy, sharp kitchen shears. I used Shun shears, but you can use whatever you have. You don't have to go fancy, but I recommend you get some that come apart so you can clean and sanitize after.
There are two ways you can cook the turkey: in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet, with or without a wire rack. Putting the bird on the wire rack allows all the liquid to drain off the bird, which will make sure it's extra-crispy. However, both methods work well.
Using a very sharp knife or better yet, heavy kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone through the rib cage to remove a strip about 2 inches (5 cm) wide. Then you have a choice. Some people simply flip the turkey over and press downward to break the breastbone sufficiently so that the bird lays flat.
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