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carved spatchcock turkey on a serving plate with orange slices, cranberry sauce and fresh cranberries

Spatchcock Turkey

Spatchcock Turkey is one of our Thanksgiving turkey recipes that you can make fool proof. Juicy, tasty and easy turkey recipe that cooks in less time than the traditional one.

Course holiday, main, Main Course, Main Dish, thanksgiving
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Keyword holiday meal, how to cook turkey, how to roast turkey, how to spatchcock, spatchcock turkey, spatchcock turkey recipe, thanksgiving, Thanksgiving recipes, Turkey brine, turkey recipe, turkey recipes
Prep Time 12 hours
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 771 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

Turkey

  • 10 lb Turkey

Brine

  • 15-20 cups Water
  • 2/3 cup Kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup Sugar
  • 1 onion large, quartered
  • 1 head garlic whole
  • 1/4 cup peppercorns
  • 2 oranges quartered
  • 1 bunch herbs oregano, rosemary and sage

Butter

  • 3/4 cup butter soft at room temperature
  • 1 orange zested
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tabelspoons garlic powder
  • 1 tabelspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg

To Roast

  • 1 onion thinly sliced
  • 4 celery stalks sliced
  • 1 garlic head peeled, and left whole
  • 1 orange sliced
  • 1 sage bunch torn
  • 2 cups stock

Instructions

  1. Spatchcock / Butterfly the Turkey:

  2. Once you have your whole turkey defrosted, place it on a non stick surface like this baking sheet above. Have the turkey lay down in such a way that the back bone is facing up.
    A hand holding a scissors and starting to cut through one side of the back bone of the turkey
  3. Use a sharp scissors on one hand, and hold the turkey back bone using the other, start to cut on one side of the bone.
  4. Now cut the other side of the back bone exactly the same way. You should have the entire back bone come out as shown above. Now stretch open the cavity of the turkey where the back bone has been removed to open up the turkey as best as you can. Remove any extra bones sticking out.
    A hand holding the entirely cut off back bone of the turkey
  5. Flip the turkey so the breast is facing up now. Use the palms of your hands and press firmly on the breast bone until it cracks and flattens out. You may need a rolling pin to crack it if it's too hard, that depends on the size of your turkey. Likewise, feel free to remove any excess bones that are pointing out in the breast area.
    A hand pressing firmly on the breast bone of the turkey to crack it and flatten the turkey
  6. At that point the turkey will be flat and you've successfully spatchcocked a turkey! Time to move on to the next step.

  7. How to Brine the Turkey

  8. Brining the turkey is a critical step to extra juicy meat and super flavorful turkey. This requires an overnight wait time, which is ideal the night before thanksgiving.
    turkey brine ingredients on a table including a large roasting pan with water, a bowl of salt, bowl of sugar, orange slices, quartered onions, whole garlic cloves, fresh herbs, whole peppercorns in a bowl
  9. You'll need a large roasting pan to fit the turkey and cold water in that pan. You'll add equal amounts of salt and sugar and dissolve that in the water.
    All the brine ingredients mixed together in a large roasting pan
  10. Then you'll go in with flavorings: quartered onions, whole garlic cloves, orange slices, fresh herbs, whole peppercorns is what we used today.
  11. The prepared turkey goes in to the brine solution overnight. Make sure it's submerged into the water so that it absorbs the flavors and juices to the max. If you don't have a large enough pan, then make sure to flip the bird halfway through the brining.
    The turkey placed in to the brining solution in the large pan
  12. The next day, when you're ready to flavor and roast the turkey, you'll need to first remove it from the brine. Place it on a kitchen towel lined baking sheet to absorb any excess water.
  13. Pat the turkey dry on all sides.
    A hand patting the brined turkey the ext day with paper towels to remove excess water
  14. To allow maximum seasoning and flavoring of the spatchcock turkey recipe, you'll start by separating the skin from the meat in a gentle way without removing it.
  15. You want to create space in between to add in your seasoning and butter, while still maintaining the skin intact. Your hands are the best tool for that.
    A hand separating the turkey skin from the turkey meat gently exposing how to do that

  16. Butter the Turkey

  17. To flavor this spatchcock turkey recipe, we use lots of BUTTER and the spice blend above.
    Ingredients for the turkey butter including a bowl of soft butter, some orange zest and a plate full of spices like salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, onions powder, garlic powder
  18. You can basically here be as creative as you'd like. Our favorite base spices include: Salt and pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and pinch of nutmeg.
  19. We blend all that with the butter along with some orange zest. The perfect citrus for turkey is orange, so we love adding notes of orange along the recipe.
    The butter for the turkey is mixed up in a bowl and ready
  20. Make sure the butter you use is at room temperature so it spreads easily over the turkey. Blend all ingredients together in a bowl and start using your hands again.
  21. Go in between the turkey skin and meat and spread a layer of the flavored butter. Press down the skin to make sure the butter spreads evenly and then go on top of the skin as well. Make sure to flip the turkey and repeat the same process. You'll need the butter to cover as much of the bird as possible.
    the spatchcock turkey slathered in the herb butter on the top and in between the skin evenly

  22. How to Roast the Turkey

  23. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. You need to start with a high temperature here to get the skin really golden and crisp skin. In the meantime prepare the roasting pan. Layer some onion slices, whole garlic cloves, orange slices and sage leaves at the bottom of the pan.
    A roasting pan ready and layered with onion rings, orange slices, celery and sage at the bottom
  24. Place the spatchcock turkey, cut side down on the bed of onions, orange, celery and garlic. Then take some chicken stock and pour that around the turkey. This ensures even MORE juicy meat, along with flavor of course! Plus this helps you create the gravy.
    The buttered turkey placed over the onions and oranges and veggies on the roasting pan and a hand ready to pour some stock over it.
  25. Roast the turkey on high heat for 30-40 minutes until you see the golden color, then drop the temperature to 350 degreesF.
  26. Continue roasting the turkey for 1 hour max until the turkey internal temperature reached 165 degrees F at the thickest part of the meat. Keep checking on your turkey as it could take between 40-70 minutes roasting at 350 degrees F depending on the weight of the bird.
    golden roasted spatchcock turkey on the roasting pan ready out of the oven
  27. Remove the turkey from the roasting pan on to a cutting board, and the remaining liquid is used to make your gravy. Follow the step by step details in this Turkey Tenderloin Recipe to make the BEST gravy.
    The spatchcock turkey removed to a cutting board and a meat thermometer inserted in the turkey.

  28. Cover and Rest the Turkey

  29. This is a CRUCIAL step for juicy meat. Once the turkey is on a cutting board, you'll need it to be covered with foil. It has to rest for at least 8-10 minutes before carving.
    cover the turkey with foil on the cutting board so the juices can distribute before carving.
  30. Resting allows the juices to redistribute and absorb by the meat instead of flowing out as you carve the bird. This is the perfect amount of time needed in order to make your gravy--so take advantage of it. Here are two videos explaining how to make turkey gravy: Turkey Tenderloin Recipe and Dry Brine Turkey Breast.

  31. How to Carve a Turkey

  32. To carve the turkey, use a super sharp knife. Begin be removing the thighs. This includes thighs and drumstick, so the entire thigh junction. Repeat the same with the other side.
    A hand holding a sharp knife and starting to carve the spatchcock turkey by beginning to cut the thighs
  33. Once you've cut the thighs separate the drumsticks from the thigh. How JUICY does this LOOK!!!!!
    A hand holding a turkey thigh to show how juicy the meat is after being carved!
  34. Next you'll move on to the breast. Using the same knife, you'll cut in the middle separating the turkey breast apart. Go all the way through cutting any bone and removing excess of the small bones if you find them.
    The hand now cutting the breast of the turkey in half to separate them apart
  35. The final step would be to separate the wings from the breast meat. You will find a junction where the breast meets the wings, let it guide you and cut right through the cartridge, not the bones.
    A hand separating the wings from the breast to complete carving out the turkey recipe
  36. Now your turkey is fully carved and all you need to do is thinly slice the breast meat.

  37. How To serve the Turkey

  38. You can serve it as is, or of course with our easy gravy that's made using the pan drippings after roasting the turkey.
    thinly sliced turkey breast arranged on a serving plater along with the other parts of the carved turkey
  39. Arrange the carved spatchcock turkey recipe on a platter and surrounded that with more fresh sage, orange slices and cranberries. Make sure to try our Sugared Cranberries Video as they make a festive addition!
    A hand holding a gravy boat made using the pan dripping of the turkey and ready to pour over the craved and sliced spatchcock turkey recipe on the platter

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Spatchcock Turkey Recipe TIPS

  1. Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and defrosted before beginning to butterfly it. 
  2. Use really sharp scissors to avoid friction while cutting the turkey, and make sure you're placing it on a cookie sheet.
  3. When you remove the back bone, don't throw it out--it makes wonderful turkey stock!
  4. Make sure to press down the turkey so it's completely flat. Use your hands and scissors to remove any excess small bones that may come in between.
  5. Brining creates a super juicy bird, so don't skimp! An overnight brine is all you need. 
  6. Flavor your brine solution to your taste, making sure to keep the same amount of salt and sugar.
  7. Have the turkey submerged entirely in the brine or flip it half way.
  8. Use room temperature butter and make sure to season it with your favorite spice/herb blend.
  9. Pat the bird dry completely before adding the butter so it can stick.
  10. Your hands are the best tools to separate the skin from the meat and slather the butter layers in between. 
  11. A layer of onions, celery, sage and orange slices in the roasting pan adds so MUCH taste to the turkey.
  12. Stock is optional, but it allows for a moist turkey recipe and gravy juices.
  13. Roast at high temperature first to ensure crisp skin and then drop it 30-40 minutes later. 
  14. Drop the temperature and let it roast for 45 minutes rotating half way before checking the temperature.
  15. Insert the meat thermometer in the thickest part f the turkey and it should read 165 degrees F to be ready.
  16. REST rest rest before carving! This step allows the juices to distribute and absorb by the bird instead of flowing out. 
  17. Make the turkey gravy as you wait. Recipe, instructions and video HERE.
  18. Carve as instructed above and Serve! 

What Size Thanksgiving Turkey to Make?

For today's recipe you can buy anywhere between 8-14 pounds turkey. Our bird was 10 pounds and it was great for 8 people. Make sure not to exceed the 14 pound as it will be challenging to fit the turkey into a roasting pan once butterflied. It maye be easier to roast two of them in that case. 

Is it worth Spatchcocking a Turkey?

YES! Absolutely! By spatchcocking the turkey and flattening it, you'll get the most even cooking ever for the bird. This allows for even heat flow, and for the entire bird tocook a the same time. Thighs and breasts cook evenly and at the same time, rather than having the breast dry out.

 

Nutrition Facts
Spatchcock Turkey
Amount Per Serving
Calories 771 Calories from Fat 360
% Daily Value*
Fat 40g62%
Saturated Fat 17g106%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 8g
Monounsaturated Fat 11g
Cholesterol 304mg101%
Sodium 8493mg369%
Potassium 1267mg36%
Carbohydrates 27g9%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 75g150%
Vitamin A 1234IU25%
Vitamin C 24mg29%
Calcium 149mg15%
Iron 8mg44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.