If you are serving turkey this holiday season, you have to try this roasted Spatchcock Turkey. You will enjoy an evenly roasted, juicy, crispy-skinned turkey in half the time of a traditional turkey. It’s quick, easy, and so convenient!
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If you are looking for new ways to prepare the star of your holiday meal, add this Roasted Spatchcock Turkey recipe to your must-try list! P.S. Don’t forget the Cranberry Sauce, which is delicious with turkey.
Spatchcock Turkey Video
Spatchcocking is a great method to use to cook your Thanksgiving turkey. It sounds intimidating, but it is not difficult. Get those sharp kitchen shears ready!
The flavored butter is based on our classic and beloved Roast Turkey recipe, which has graced the Thanksgiving tables of thousands of our readers’ families.
Why Spatchcock a Turkey?
Spatchcocking a turkey is the same as butterflying or removing the backbone to lay the turkey flat in your roasting pan. Here’s why it’s a game-changer for Thanksgiving:
- Done in half the time of a traditional Roast Turkey.
- Evenly cooked meat – there’s less chance of overcooking the lean turkey breast.
- Juicy and flavorful with crispy skin – The butterflied position of the turkey exposes more of the skin to direct heat, giving you a crispy, evenly browned skin.
- Easy to carve – Since the body is flat, carving is much easier.
Spatchcock Turkey Ingredients
- Thawed Turkey – we used a 12 lb turkey. 11-14 lbs will work, but bake time will vary. It’s difficult to find a roasting pan for a larger spatchcocked turkey. Your turkey should be fully thawed (see my thawing tips below). Brining is optional but will produce a more tender turkey and you’ll love my easy Turkey Brine Recipe.
- For the Flavored Butter – unsalted softened butter, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- For the Turkey Stuffing – onion, celery, carrot and garlic. For this turkey, you would want to serve the dressing on the side.
How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey
According to the USDA, there are three ways to safely thaw a frozen turkey:
- In the refrigerator (recommended) – Allow 24 hours per 4-5 pounds of weight (a 12 lb. turkey will require 3 days to thaw). After thawing, you can store the turkey in a refrigerator for an additional 2 days before cooking.
- Quick-thaw in cold water – In a cooler, sink, or bucket, submerge your turkey in water in its original packaging for 30 minutes per pound (use a weight to keep it submerged). After 30 minutes, replace the water with fresh, cold water. A 12 lb. turkey takes approximately 6 hours to defrost and will require 12 water changes. This method requires you to cook your turkey immediately after thawing.
How to Spatchcock a Turkey
Spatchcocking a turkey is just like making a Spatchcock Chicken, except it takes just a little more arm strength. You’ll need heavy-duty kitchen shears, or a chef’s knife, and a sturdy cutting board (or extra large baking sheet).
- Prep the turkey – Remove the neck and giblets. Pat dry with paper towels. Set on a rimmed baking sheet, breast-side down, and legs towards you.
- Remove the spine – Identify the spine and using sharp poultry shears, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Keeping shears close to the spine, cut through the bones all the way up the spine. This requires some force. Rotate the pan and cut through on the other side of the spine.
- Break the breastbone – Open the turkey, and you will see the bottom of the breastbone. With a chef’s knife, cut a slit into the breastbone. Flip the turkey over and press down on the breastbone until you hear a crack.
Pro Tip:
A butcher may be willing to spatchcock and cut out the backbone for you to save you some time in preparing the turkey.
How to Roast a Spatchcock Turkey
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 425°F. Scatter the vegetables in a roasting pan and add water. In a medium bowl, mash together the flavored butter ingredients.
- Season the bottom/inside cavity of the turkey generously with salt and pepper (If you brined, skip this step), then set the turkey breast-side up over the veggies in the roasting pan. Tuck the wings behind the turkey so they don’t scorch. Add the neck and spine in the same roasting dish to enhance the drippings.
- Add flavored butter – Slide your fingers under the turkey skin to separate it from the meat, going from both sides of the turkey. Be careful not to tear the skin. Stuff 2/3 of the butter mixture under the skin and massage over the skin to spread the butter. Set the legs to face inward. Melt the remaining butter and brush over the turkey. Season all over with salt and pepper.
- Bake – Bake at 425°F for 30 min to start the browning then reduce the heat to 400°F and roast for 1 hour, or until the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165°F on a thermometer. Check the temperature in several locations. Our 12 1/2 lb turkey about 1 hr 30 min total to cook.
- Rest the turkey – Remove the turkey from the oven, loosely tent with foil, and rest for 30 minutes before carving. This allows juices to redistribute for juicy turkey meat. Spoon the pan juices over the turkey or use them to make Turkey Gravy.
Do I Need to Brine the Turkey?
A turkey brine isn’t required but it will help to tenderize the turkey. Brining adds an additional 12 -24 hours to the prep. Some grocery-store turkeys are pre-brined, in which case you can skip the brining step altogether.
Can I use a rack in my roasting pan?
If you prefer a crispy skin all around, you can roast on a rack, but we like how the veggies and flavored butter self-baste the bottom of the turkey, adding tons of flavor.
Do I need to baste a spatchcock turkey?
There is no need to baste spatchcock turkey. Thanks to the butterflied position, it self-bastes in the roasting pan.
Keep those Turkey Leftovers!
Use leftover turkey carcass to make richly flavored Turkey Stock, which freezes well and can be used in Turkey Noodle Soup or any recipe that calls for chicken stock. You can also use turkey meat for Leftover Turkey in Gravy.
Make-Ahead Tip
You can prep and butter the turkey in advance and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. Keeping it uncovered dries out the skin resulting in an extra crispy turkey skin.
Spatchcock Turkey is a brilliant way to prepare the star of Thanksgiving dinner. You will be surprised at how easy it is and how much faster it roasts in the oven using this method.
Spatchcock Turkey
Ingredients
- 12 lb turkey, Anything from 11-14 lbs will work, but bake time will vary*
- salt & pepper
For the Flavored Butter:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 12 Tbsp, softened
- 2 Tbsp light olive oil, plus more to drizzle top
- lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 Tbsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
For the ‘Stuffing’:
- 1 large onion, sliced into rings
- 3 celery sticks, sliced
- 1 carrot, sliced into rings (no peeling)
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced (no peeling)
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
How to Spatchcock a Turkey
- Prep the turkey – Remove the neck and giblets. If your turkey was brined, drain the brine, carefully rinse, and thoroughly pat dry. Set the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet, breast-side down, and legs towards you.
- Remove the spine – Identify the spine and, using sharp poultry shears, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Keep your shears as close to the spine as you can, and cut through the bones going all the way up the spine. This requires some arm and hand strength. Rotate the pan and start cutting through on the other side of the spine.
- Break the breastbone – Open the turkey and you will be looking at the bottom of the breastbone. With a chef’s knife, cut a slit into the breastbone to score it – this will make the next step easier. Flip the turkey over and press down on the breastbone – You should hear a crack, allowing you to flatten the turkey.
How to Roast Spatchcock Turkey
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Scatter the onion slices, garlic, and parsley in a large roasting pan and pour the water over the uncooked vegetables. Set the pan aside. In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the flavored butter and mash together with a fork until combined, or pulse together in a food processor.
- Season – Using salt and pepper, season the bottom/inside cavity of the turkey generously (If you brined, you can skip seasoning the inside), then transfer the turkey breast-side up, to the prepared roasting pan. Tuck the wings behind the turkey so they don’t burn. If you have room, put the neck and spine in the same roasting dish to enhance the drippings.
- Add flavored butter – Slide your fingers under the skin to separate the skin from the meat. Do this from the front and the back of the turkey being careful not to tear the skin. Stuff 2/3 of the butter mixture under the skin then massage the top of the skin to spread the butter. Set the legs to face inward. Melt the remaining butter and brush over the outside of the turkey. Season the whole turkey with more salt and pepper.
- Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes to get the browning started. Reduce the heat to 400°F and roast for another 1 hour, or until the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165°F on a meat thermometer. Our 12 1/2 pound turkey took an hour and a half to fully cook. Check the temperature in several places with an instant-read thermometer.
- Rest the turkey – Remove the turkey from the oven, loosely tent it with foil, and rest the turkey for 30 minutes before carving. Spoon over the pan juices or use pan juices to make Turkey Gravy.
Notes
*As a rule of thumb, aim for 1 1/4 lbs turkey per person. If you want leftovers, aim for 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of turkey per person.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
What to Serve with Turkey
If you love this Roasted Spatchcock Turkey recipe, then you won’t want to miss these classic Thanksgiving Recipes. You’ll love these classic sides and dessert recipes to complete the meal.
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Turkey Gravy
- Au Gratin Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole (from scratch)
- Pumpkin Pie
- Apple Pie
- Stuffing
I did this for Thanksgiving. I brined it and then cut it as instructed. It was remarkably easy and roasted beautifully. I think I will always do it this way
That’s wonderful to hear, Krista!
After brining do you rinse the turkey with water?
Hi Mark, yes, you will need to rinse it. We have those steps and tips in the recipe under step #4. I hope that helps.