Saturday, November 8, 2025

The right way to Spatchcock Turkey (For Juicy Turkey with Crispy Pores and skin)


With a little bit know-how and some seasonings, this spatchcock turkey recipe shall be your vacation go-to. A butterflied turkey is seasoned with oil, seasonings, and contemporary herbs, and cooked to juicy perfection.

Spatchcock Turkey on a sheet pan after cooking

What’s Spatchcock Turkey?

Merely put, spatchcocking means butterflying (flattening) an entire turkey so it cooks evenly all the best way from the wing tricks to the neck, whereas saving tons of oven time.

  • Taste: Lean turkey stays juicy and tender with a savory, seasoned, crispy pores and skin baked spatchcock-style. 
  • Method: Take the guesswork out of cooking an entire vacation turkey with the spatchcock methodology. It takes some prep, however the turkey cooks sooner and extra evenly.
  • Really helpful Instruments: Poultry shears are an indispensable software for correctly and cleanly eradicating the spine (save that for turkey inventory). A deep rim baking tray will seize all that juicy broth for making turkey gravy.

The right way to Spatchcock a Turkey

  1. Utilizing kitchen shears, reduce the spine out on each side.
  2. Run a knife alongside the breast bone within the heart to “rating” it.
  3. Flip it over and flatten the turkey (full recipe under).
  4. Tuck the wing ideas beneath the turkey.
  5. Season and prepare dinner per the recipe under.

The right way to Cook dinner a Spatchcock Turkey

  1. Take away neck and giblets (save with the spine for broth or gravy).
  2. Spatchcock the turkey as directed.
  3. Mix oil and herbs, then brush excessive of the turkey with salt and pepper.
  4. Roast (full recipe under) till the pores and skin is browned and crispy.
  5. Take away the chook from the oven, tent with foil, and let relaxation at the least quarter-hour earlier than carving.
plated Spatchcock Turkey
How large ought to the turkey be?

I’ve used a turkey as much as 20 kilos, however something over 16 could be difficult because it’s laborious to discover a pan sufficiently big for a spatchcocked chook.
I’d recommend a turkey of about 10-14 lbs.

What seasonings ought to I exploit?

I wish to hold it easy with contemporary herbs and a little bit of olive oil. You may add garlic powder however contemporary garlic will burn at a excessive temperature.
I usually don’t use a wire rack, however typically I do put a number of onion slices and celery ribs beneath the turkey for additional taste.
Season the pores and skin generously with kosher salt and black pepper.

What’s one of the best temperature to roast a turkey?

Flattening helps it prepare dinner evenly and completely each time. A excessive temperature seals within the juices and ensures crispy pores and skin.
Roast at 450°F for an everyday turkey.
Roast at 425°F for a butter-basted (or Butterball) turkey.
The turkey must be baked till a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 165°F.
Like all roasted meats, relaxation the turkey for at the least quarter-hour earlier than you carve it.

How lengthy to Spatchcock a turkey

You’ll want to roast the turkey for 1 ¼ hrs to 1 ½ hrs, or till the thickest a part of the thigh reaches 165°F.

Turkey Dinner Should-Haves

Did you make this Spatchcock Turkey? Depart a ranking and remark under.

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook dinner Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes

Whole Time 1 hour 50 minutes

  • Take away neck and giblets from the turkey (and reserve for broth or gravy).

  • Place the turkey on a piece floor, breast facet down, so the spine is dealing with up. Utilizing poultry shears, reduce alongside either side of the spine to take away the spine utterly (reserve the bone for broth or gravy).
  • The breastbone is a tough ridge of bone within the heart of the turkey the place the 2 breasts meet. Rating it with a pointy knife to make it simpler to flatten the turkey.

  • Flip the turkey over, breast facet up. Utilizing your palms, press on the turkey to flatten it. It is best to hear the cartilage within the breastbone crack because it flattens.

  • Tuck the wing ideas beneath or snip them off and reserve for gravy.

  • You may cowl the turkey with plastic wrap and relaxation within the fridge for two hours or as much as in a single day. Discard any juices on the baking tray earlier than roasting.*

  • Preheat oven to 450°F*. Mix olive oil and chopped contemporary herbs. Put aside.

  • Prepare the turkey on a baking sheet with a big rim. Dab the pores and skin dry with paper towels. Brush with the olive oil combination and season nicely with salt and pepper.

  • Roast the turkey for 1 ¼ hrs to 1 ½ hrs or till the thickest a part of the thigh reaches 165°F.

  • Take away from the oven and loosely tent with foil. Relaxation at the least quarter-hour earlier than carving.

Turkey

  • If utilizing a butter-basted turkey, cut back oven temperature to 425°F.
  • Reducing the turkey and letting it relaxation permits for among the juices to empty. This step is elective.
  • I’ve used a turkey as much as 20lbs but it surely’s actually laborious to discover a pan that matches a spatchcocked turkey bigger than 16lbs. I’d recommend a turkey about 12 lbs.
  • Ask the butcher in the event that they’ll reduce the spine out for you, lots of them will and it’ll make your job loads simpler.

Roasting Pan

  • Ensure that your roasting pan has a reasonably deep rim because the turkey can have drippings that you just’ll need for gravy!
  • I usually don’t use a wire rack however typically I do put a number of onion slices and celery ribs beneath the turkey for additional taste.

Energy: 401 | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 47g | Fats: 22g | Saturated Fats: 4g | Ldl cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 508mg | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2.2mg

Vitamin data offered is an estimate and can fluctuate based mostly on cooking strategies and types of elements used.

Course Entree, Fundamental Course, Turkey
Delicacies American
close up of Spatchcock Turkey on a plate with a title
crisp and flavorful Spatchcock Turkey with writing
perfect Spatchcock Turkey on a sheet pan
Spatchcock Turkey on a sheet pan and plated with a title

Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Articles