spatchcocked turkey

This spatchcock Turkey recipe yields the juiciest, flavor packed turkey and the crispiest skin in only a fraction of the time! A must for those in need of extra time around the holidays!

Spatchcock Turkey

salt

carrots (chopped)

celery

onions

black pepper

thyme leaves

sage leaves (minced)

unsalted butter (softened)

Place the turkey on a large cutting board, breast side down and with the tail side facing you.  Pat it dry with paper towels.

Using kitchen shears, begin cutting from the tail end on one side of the backbone all the way to the neck.  Repeat the same cut on the other side of the backbone.  You can cut away any loose overhanging skin by the neck opening.  Save the backbone for gravy or stock.

Flip the turkey over and with two hands press the breast bone down until the turkey is splayed or flattened.  You should hear a couple of cracks during this process.  The goal is to flatten the turkey for even cooking.

Place the turkey on a baking sheet and sprinkle the salt all over the bird on both sides and underneath parts of the skin if possible.  Don&#39;t worry about using every bit of the salt, just make sure to cover the bird in all areas.  Refrigerate overnight uncovered.

Brining the turkey

Remove the turkey 1 hour before roasting.  Preheat the oven to 450f and set the rack to the middle level.

Mix the butter with the thyme and sage to form a paste.

Place all of the vegetables on a baking sheet and then place a wire rack on top of them.

Dry off the turkey with paper towels and season with pepper.  Place the turkey on top of the baking sheet/wire rack and tuck the wings underneath to prevent burning.  Spread the herb butter on top and underneath the skin.

Place a probe into the thickest part of the breast and set the alarm to go off at 150f.  Roast turkey, rotating the pan 180 degrees at halfway point.

Once the alarm goes off, remove it from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.  See notes below for more info on optimally cooking dark meat.

The vegetables, drippings, and backbone can be saved for making turkey gravy if desired.  Enjoy!

Roasting the turkey

No more spending hours in the kitchen to cook the perfect Thanksgiving turkey because this spatchcock turkey recipe will quickly become your favorite way to cook a whole turkey! Spatchcocked turkey involves removing the backbone from the turkey and roasting it flat. In less than 2 hours you have a fully-cooked, tender, juicy turkey ready to serve!

Spatchcock Turkey Recipe (Dry Brined Spatchcock Turkey)

12-14 lb Turkey, giblets and neck removed (defrosted if frozen)

Or salt

Herbs

tbsp Freshly Crushed Black Pepper

tbsp Smoked Paprika

tbsp Garlic Powder

tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped

tbsp Fresh Sage, finely chopped

tbsp Fresh Rosemary, chopped

Lemon

tsp Dried Thyme

Large apple, sliced

onion,

Stalks celery, roughly chopped

tbsp Butter olive oil

Garlic Cloves, minced

Sprigs

Remove the backbone. Using kitchen shears, cut along the backbone from the tail to the neck. Cut along both sides of the backbone until it is removed completely. You can save the backbone piece to make stock or throw it away.

Break the breastbone. Now, flip the turkey over and break the breastbone to flatten the bird. There are two ways to do this:Easy Method: Make a small cut in the cartilage between the breast bone. Using your palms, press on both sides of the breast bone. Using your full bodyweight press down to crack the bone all the way through, breaking the rib cage. Once done, the turkey should lie completely flat.Carving Method: Using a paring knife or boning knife, cut along the cartilage and rib bones to remove it from the turkey. This way takes a bit longer but is well worth the effort.

Place the turkey on a baking sheet. The spatchcock turkey is ready for brining.

Spatchcock The Turkey

Mix the ingredients for the dry brine in a small bowl. Then, rub the mixture all over the turkey, making sure to get under the skin. (***See Notes).

Place the turkey in the fridge. (Cover it loosely with foil, if desired). Allow it to brine for at least 24 hours or up to 72 hours. (24 hours is sufficient for a spatchcocked turkey)

Dry Brine The Spatchcock Turkey

Remove the turkey from the fridge. Take the turkey out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before baking. It generally takes 1 to 2 hours for the turkey to come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and Prepare the garlic butter. In a small saucepan, melt 5 tablespoons of butter with fresh rosemary and garlic.

Place the turkey on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place a wire rack onto the baking sheet. Then, place the sliced apple, celery, and onion on the rack. (This is completely optional but helps to give the turkey more flavor while roasting.)Place the turkey on top, skin side up. The turkey should be spread out completely and lay flat. Baste the turkey on all sides with the garlic butter. Reserve about 2 tbsp to baste later during cooking. Optional: Tuck the wings under the rib cage to prevent them from burning as the turkey cooks.

Roast the turkey. Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Then, remove the turkey from the oven and baste it with the remaining garlic butter. Place the turkey back in the oven for an additional 40 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375°F and roast for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove the turkey and check the temperature with an instant thermometer.

Rest The Turkey. After roasting the turkey, let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This will allow time for the juices from the turkey will be reabsorbed back into the meat. If you cut the turkey without resting, you’ll lose all the flavor juices and they will be left on the carving board.

Carve and Enjoy! Serve as a beautiful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving dinner with your favorite side dishes.

Roasting The Turkey

The instructions were so easy to follow and the video was so helpful!!! Thanks so much for the recipe. This was my first time making turkey and it turned out perfect. My family loved it!

This is such a great recipe! Perfectly clear instructions. I cooked a 12lb exactly as directed and it was fabulous; crispy skin and very moist tender meat, even the white meat was fall-apart tender.
The flavor was good but I didn’t realize that my turkey was pre-brined, so it was definitely on the salty side (my bad!). I will say that I prefer a classic herb flavor to my turkeys so I’ll probably reduce or leave out the smoked paprika next time as it was a  strong flavor. 
Overall I loved making my turkey this way! I’d like to do it again next year :)

Best turkey recipe on the internet! I've made it two years in a row now!

I made this for the second time yesterday. It truly is The Best Recipe. The dry brine is genius and sooooo much easier than wet brine. Turkey was perfect, again, and so very tasty. Huge hit.

Happy to say that with the butterball turkey, I used 3 tablespoons of kosher salt  and followed the recipe as is with the herbs and spices and the turkey turned out delicious and juicy! I probably could have even followed the recipe as is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiwfIgS0E94

Unlock a next-level Thanksgiving with a turkey that cooks faster, tastes richer, and looks downright impressive. In this tutorial, you’ll learn exactly how to spatchcock and dry brine your bird so every inch turns out juicy, evenly cooked, and beautifully crisp.

I’ll walk you through the spatchcock method, which is removing the backbone so the turkey lays flat and roasts with flawless consistency. Then we take it further with a dry brine, the no-mess technique that pulls out deeper flavor, locks in moisture, and creates that golden, crackling skin everyone fights over.

Whether you’re hosting for the first time or leveling up your holiday skills, this guide gives you everything you need to deliver a turkey that commands the table. Get ready to serve the kind of Thanksgiving centerpiece people talk about long after the plates are cleared.🍂✨ #TurkeyTransformation #SpatchcockAndBrine #ThanksgivingFeast

The video also includes a Maple Butter Glazed Turkey Recipe :) 

For more details and ingredients check out the free recipe on my site: 
https://goodfoodbaddie.com/spatchcock-turkey-recipe-easy-thanksgiving-turkey/
https://goodfoodbaddie.com/maple-butter-glazed-spatchcock-turkey

How To Spatchcock And Dry Brine Turkey | With Maple Butter Glazed Turkey Recipe

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Top 2 spatchcocked turkey recipes from across the web

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Spatchcock Turkey

Spatchcock Turkey Recipe (Dry Brine...

The most viewed spatchcocked turkey recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine