Spatchcock Turkey (Smoked or Roasted)
How to Spatchcock a Turkey – Whether you plan to roast or smoke your whole turkey, this easy Spatchcock method will reduce cooking time and produce a perfectly tender, juicy turkey.
Why We Love This Spatchcock Turkey Recipe
First and foremost, let’s talk about what Spatchcock Turkey is…
“Spatchcock” is a specific method of preparing and cooking poultry. In this technique, a sharp knife is used to remove the backbone from whole poultry, allowing the chicken or turkey to be spread out, pressed down, and cooked flat. Butterfly is another term for this, as in “butterflied turkey”.
There are several benefits to cooking your turkey using the spatchcock method:
- Reduce Cooking Time – By flattening the turkey, heat is able to more thoroughly and quickly cook the meat. Traditionally, roasting a turkey in a 350 degree oven requires 13-14 minutes per pound to cook. When you spatchcock first, however, you only need about 8-9 minutes per pound. The difference really adds up for a 12-14 pound turkey!
- Create a Super Crispy Skin – All of the turkey skin is in an even, upward-facing layer when you spatchcock. This means that every available inch is roasted to golden, crispy perfection.
- Try Something New! – While we all know and love traditional roasted or smoked turkey around the holidays, there is a lot to be said for featuring a delicious bird with a unique twist.
Ingredients You Need
My favorite turkey spice rub actually smells like the holidays. Just one whiff and you’ll feel ready to pile on the sweaters and huddle around the family dinner table together!
Our fantastic Turkey Spice Rub includes:
- Salt – The perfect balance of salt enhances all the flavors in the spice rub, bringing out the savory richness of the turkey.
- Pepper – Freshly cracked black pepper adds a touch of heat and depth, making the rub both bold and aromatic.
- Garlic powder – Garlic powder imparts a mellow, savory warmth, providing an irresistible depth of flavor without the bite of fresh garlic.
- Onion powder – Onion powder contributes a subtle sweetness and savory depth, making the rub more complex and savory.
- Dried thyme – Dried thyme offers an earthy, slightly minty note that complements the rich flavor of the turkey with a touch of herbal brightness.
- Dried rosemary – Rosemary adds a fragrant, pine-like aroma and a woody, robust flavor that enhances the turkey’s natural taste.
- Paprika – Paprika brings a smoky, slightly sweet flavor and vibrant color, elevating the appearance and taste of the roasted turkey.
- Ground nutmeg – Ground nutmeg adds a warm, slightly sweet and spicy kick that elevates the overall depth and complexity of the spice rub.
For this Spatchcock Smoked Turkey recipe, you’ll also need a 12-14 pound whole turkey (obviously important for a smoked turkey recipe…) and melted butter.
We highly recommend that you brine the turkey a full 24 hours before cooking. This will help create the absolute crispiest skin and juiciest meat! However, the rub can act as a “dry brine” if you rub it on in advance.
How to Spatchcock Turkey
If you’ve brined the turkey, remove the bird from the brine and allow it to air dry for about 1-2 hours at room temperature before spatchcocking.
Before starting, look at the turkey carefully to determine where you see the breast meat. Then, flip the turkey over and find the backbone. Use strong kitchen shears (poultry shears) to cut alongside the backbone, from one end of the bird to the other. Then, cut along the other side of the backbone to remove it completely. Keep the shears very close to the backbone so as not to cut off any meat.
Pro Tip: Keep the backbone and all discarded turkey bones and juices to make a homemade stock!
Next, open the turkey’s cavity to find the breastbone. Cut a shallow incision through the flexible bone from one end to the other, yet not all the way through the breast meat and skin on the other side. This allows the turkey to be flattened. (See photos for reference.)
Place the turkey breast-side-up on a large-rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Push the breasts down to flatten the turkey, and pull the drumsticks down and together to create the classic spatchcock shape. If there’s no room on the baking sheet, you can leave the legs folded in their natural position.
Fold the tips of the wings backward under the breast to keep them in place.
You now have a spatchcocked turkey. Ta-da!
Get the Full (Printable) Spatchcock Turkey Recipe + Video Below!
Roasted or Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
A fabulous roasted or smoked whole turkey is a must-have at the Thanksgiving table. By spatchcocking the bird beforehand, either cooking method you choose is sure to yield a juicy, flavorful, tender turkey with lots of wonderfully crispy skin.
Here are the simple steps for preparing a turkey after it’s been brined and spatchcocked…
First, pat the turkey totally dry with a paper towel. Then pour the melted butter over the top and rub (or brush) it over the entire surface of the turkey.
Mix together all the herbs and spices for the turkey rub, and sprinkle generously over the turkey to coat. Follow the steps below for either a roasted or a smoked turkey.
How to Smoke a Spatchcock Turkey
- Preheat a smoker (or pellet grill) to 350 degrees F.
- Once hot and ready, move the turkey from the baking sheet and onto the smoker rack.
- Close the smoker and cook the turkey until the temperature of the turkey breast reaches 165 degrees F.
Smoking the turkey not only offers moist juicy turkey meat and crispy skin, it also provides a deep smoky flavor and frees up the oven for other holiday dishes!
How to Cook a Spatchcock Turkey in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Move the racks, if needed, to allow for the height of the turkey.
- Once hot, place the turkey in the oven and roast until the temperature of the turkey breast reaches 165 degrees F.
Tips and Tricks
- For both cooking methods, be sure to place the thermometer deep into the breast. The total cooking time is determined by the size/weight of the turkey… Again, spatchcocking a turkey first will mean you only need about 8-9 minutes per pound to cook!
- Allow the smoked or roasted turkey to rest for several minutes before moving to a cutting board for carving and serving.
- Save the drippings and giblets to make an excellent gravy! How To Make Turkey Gravy
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy Spatchcock Smoked (or Roasted!) Turkey for Thanksgiving with other Thanksgiving recipes like:
- Best Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Carrot Souffle
- Oven Roasted Vegetables with Maple Glaze
- Candied Carrots with Maple Syrup
- Homemade Slow Cooker Stuffing or Epic Seafood Dressing Recipe
- Apple Cider Turkey Gravy
But seriously, who says turkey is just for Thanksgiving?
Make succulent turkey any time of the year and serve it with:
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Fluffy Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
- Spiced Apples (Instant Pot)
- Lt. Dan’s Steakhouse Salad
Whenever and however you make Spatchcock Turkey, I hope you love this method as much as we do!
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s best to thaw the turkey fully before spatchcocking it, as it will be much easier to handle and cut through.
Yes, you can spatchcock and season the turkey the night before, then store it in the fridge to marinate overnight for more flavor.
Simply cut along the breastbone and remove the breasts in one piece, then slice. Separate the thighs and drumsticks and slice the meat off the bone.
Looking for More Fabulous Holiday Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Cocoa-Cola Spatchcock Chicken
- Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Baked Turkey
- Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze
- Skillet Turkey Pot Pie
- Oven “Fried” Turkey Breasts
- Southern Corn Spoon Bread
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
- Easy Cherry Pie Bars
Get the Full (Printable) Spatchcock Turkey Recipe + Video Below!
Spatchcock Turkey Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Turkey Rub:
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Plus:
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 12-14 pound turkey fresh or thawed
Instructions
- If possible, brine the turkey for 24 hours before cooking. Remove the turkey from the brine and air dry for 1-2 hours. (Brining creates super moist flavorful turkey meat.)
- Look at the turkey carefully to determine where you see the breast meat. Then flip the turkey over and find the backbone. Use strong kitchen shears to cut alongside the backbone, from one end of the bird to the other. Then cut along the other side of the backbone to remove it completely. Keep the shears very close to the backbone as to not cut off any meat.
- Open the cavity of the turkey to find the breastbone. Now cut a shallow incision through the flexible bone, from one end to the other, yet not all the way through the breast meat and skin on the other side. This allows the turkey to be flattened. (See photos for reference.)
- Place the turkey breast-side-up on a large rimmed baking sheet. Push the breasts down to flatten the turkey. Pull the drumsticks down and together to create the classic spatchcock shape. If there’s no room on the baking sheet, you can leave the legs folded in their natural position.
- Fold the tips of the wings backward under the breast.
- Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel. Then pour the melted butter over the top and rub (or brush) it over the entire surface of the turkey.
- In a small bowl, mix all the herbs and spices for the turkey rub. Sprinkle the rub generously over the turkey.
Smoked Turkey:
- Preheat a smoker to 350 degrees F. Once hot and ready, move the turkey off the baking sheet and onto the smoker rack. Close the smoker and cook the turkey for 1 ½ – 2 ½ hours until the temperature of the turkey breast reaches 165 degrees F. (Place the thermometer deep into the breast. The total smoking time is determined by the size/weight of the turkey.)
Roasted Turkey:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Move the racks, if needed, to allow for the height of the turkey. Once hot, place the turkey in the oven. Roast the turkey for 1 ½ – 2 ½ hours until the temperature of the turkey breast reaches 165 degrees F. (Place the thermometer deep into the breast. The total cooking time is determined by the size/weight of the turkey.)
I wasn’t going to do this, but it was so dang successful, I just had to. Pairing this prep with the brining recipe was out of this world good. Thank you for taking the time to put it in writing.