It can be difficult and time consuming to produce the perfect turkey. This spatchcock turkey is a great solution – it’s quick to make, looks super impressive, and is sure to get rave reviews! While this recipe speeds up cook time, if you don’t want to use an oven, try my recipes for smoked turkey, deep fried turkey and grilled turkey breast.
Spatchcock Turkey Ingredients
To make this spatchcock turkey you will need a turkey, turkey brine, butter, salt and black pepper. Serve your turkey with homemade cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, sausage stuffing or Thanksgiving stuffing and a variety of other side dishes for a memorable holiday meal.
How Do You Make A Spatchcock Turkey?
To make a spatchcock turkey, thaw your turkey if it is frozen. Remove the neck and giblets. Prepare a turkey brine. Brine the turkey for 18-24 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it and pat it dry. Spatchcock the turkey so that it lays flat on a baking sheet. Make a butter rub by mixing softened butter with salt and pepper. Rub the butter mixture over the turkey. Roast the turkey in an oven taking care to baste the turkey occasionally. Take the turkey out of the oven, carve it and enjoy!
How To Spatchcock A Turkey
Spatchcocking a turkey may seem intimidating, but it is surprisingly easy and worth the effort. Place the bird on its breast and locate the spine. On either side of the backbone cut down the length of the spine. Use poultry shears or a good set of kitchen shears. Snip through the ribs about 1/2 inch to an inch away from the spine. Cut down the spine on both sides until you can remove it. With the backbone removed, flip the bird over so that the breast is facing up. Spread the bird across a sheet pan and press down hard on the breast. You want to break the bones on the rib cage. Feel free to use two hands on top of each other for more force. Once some of the rib bones are broken the bird will lie flatter on a sheet pan. Arrange the legs so that they lie as flat as possible on the pan without breaking the joints in the leg or tearing the skin. Finally, tuck the wings under the rib cage to protect them as they cook. Congratulations, your turkey is spatchcocked and ready to butter and roast!
Tips For The Perfect Turkey
If you get stuck cutting the backbone out, try cutting a little closer or farther from the backbone. You may need to snip some bones using just the tip of the scissors. I like to start cutting from the tail end of the bird. However, if you get stuck, try snipping from the neck end of the bird and have the cuts meet in the middle. When the breast meat is done at 165 degrees F, the thigh and drumstick meat may reach a higher temperature. The fat content of the thighs will help keep them moist and juicy. Spatchcocking a turkey is also known as butterflying a turkey. You can use a similar technique to make spatchcock chicken. Make sure you have a large cutting board or sheet pan to work on and sharp shears. If you have any turkey leftovers try my favorite leftover turkey recipes like turkey tetrazzini, turkey soup and turkey salad.
Flavor Variations
Spatchcock turkey has the wonderful classic roast turkey flavor in a fraction of the time. However, you can mix things up with some other flavors.
Garlic: You can use garlic butter for some extra flavor. Simply, add one tablespoon of minced garlic in the butter mixture. Herbs: Feel free to mix minced sage, rosemary or your favorite fresh herbs into the butter. Mexican: You can make a Mexican spice turkey by adding to the butter a fajita seasoning blend that includes chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder. Cajun: Make a Cajun flavored turkey by mixing in the butter a spicy, flavorful Cajun seasoning.
This amazing recipe cooks juicy, delicious turkeys much quicker than the traditional roasting method. With this technique, cooking delicious turkey will be so quick and easy, you’ll want to make roasted turkey all year round, not just on holidays!
