Are you ready for the BEST way to cook your turkey evenly and in less time? A spatchcock turkey is the answer!
More commonly known as butterflying, spatchcocking is a quicker route to a beautiful, delicious turkey for the holidays – or really any time of year. Perfect for roasting, grilling or smoking, a spatchcock turkey is sure to please the whole crowd.
Don’t let that extra effort of spatchcocking (or the funny name) intimidate you. It’s easier than it sounds. We’ve answered some of the most pressing questions to walk you through the process below.
Spatchcocking is removing the backbone of a turkey and laying it flat on its cooking surface. Yep, it’s that simple!
Cooking a whole turkey can be an intimidating task. Getting the breast meat perfectly moist while fully cooking the legs and thighs takes skill. However, there is a simple trick to cooking turkey more evenly – breaking the breastbone. By cracking the turkey’s breastbone before roasting, you allow it to lay flatter in the pan, promoting more even cooking. Read on to learn the easy process of breaking a turkey’s breastbone so you can serve a flavorful and juicy bird this holiday season.
Why Break the Breastbone?
When left whole, a turkey’s breastbone causes the breast meat to curve up and away from the legs and thighs. This exposes the white breast meat to more direct heat from the oven, causing it to overcook and dry out long before the dark meat is finished.
By breaking the breastbone you flatten the bird so the breast lays right next to the legs and thighs. This allows both light and dark meat to cook at the same rate preventing dry breast meat. Breaking the breastbone also speeds up overall cooking time since heat can penetrate the turkey more efficiently when it lays flat.
So breaking the turkey breastbone solves two common turkey cooking problems – overcooked breast meat and excessively long cook times. It’s a simple hack that makes roasting turkey much easier!
How to Break the Turkey Breastbone
Breaking a turkey breastbone is surprisingly easy – all it takes is a bit of brute force! Here is a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Remove the backbone
Place the turkey breast side down on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears cut closely along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Save the backbone for making broth or gravy later.
Step 2: Flip and crack the breastbone
Flip the turkey over so the breast side is facing up. Place your non-dominant hand on top of the turkey’s breastbone Then, with the heel of your dominant hand, press down firmly in the center of the breastbone You should hear and feel a crack as the bone splits.
If you need extra force, you can place a rolling pin on top of your dominant hand and lean your body weight onto it. The breastbone should crack open easily.
Step 3: Flatten the turkey
With the breastbone broken, the turkey can now lay completely flat. Press down on both sides of the breast to flatten it out fully. If desired, you can also tuck the wing tips under the body to keep them secure.
Step 4: Roast as usual
With the turkey butterflied, seasoning and roasting is just like normal. Simply rub the turkey cavity with herbs, salt, and pepper then roast breast side up at 350°F, basting periodically, until the thighs reach 165°F. The flattened shape will allow even cooking from breast to thigh.
And that’s it! With just a quick backbone removal and breastbone crack, you’ve sped up cook time and prevented the classic dried-out turkey breast.
Turkey Breastbone Breaking Tips
Here are some extra tips for breaking and roasting a butterflied turkey:
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For easier cracking, score the breastbone with a knife before attempting to break it. This weakens the bone.
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Opt for a 12-14 lb turkey, Larger birds are harder to flatten completely Cook two small turkeys if needed,
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Roast the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet with a rack to allow air flow. A flat pan works better than a deep roasting pan.
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Use melted butter or oil to coat the skin and underside of the turkey before roasting for maximum browning and moisture
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Let the roasted turkey rest 20 minutes before carving for juicier meat.
With these tips and the simple four-step process, you can look forward to a perfectly cooked turkey this holiday season. Breaking the breastbone helps novice and experienced cooks alike achieve tender, juicy meat from breast to thigh. Give it a try for your next turkey dinner!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you remove the breast bone from a turkey?
Using a very sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone through the rib cage to remove a 2 inch wide strip. Then flip the turkey over and press downward to break the breastbone so the bird lays flat.
What knife is best for breaking a turkey breastbone?
Poultry shears or a serrated bread knife work best to cut through the turkey backbone cleanly. Use the heel of your hand or a meat mallet to crack the breastbone.
Does breaking the breastbone change roasting time?
Yes, it can reduce roasting time since the flattened turkey cooks more evenly. Expect the turkey to roast 15-30 minutes faster when butterflied.
Should I break the breastbone on a stuffed turkey?
No, don’t break the breastbone on a stuffed turkey. The stuffing needs the breast cavity to cook properly and hold its shape. Only break the bone on an unstuffed roasted turkey.
Can I grill a turkey with a broken breastbone?
Yes, butterflying makes turkey perfect for grilling. Break the breastbone, then grill over indirect heat with the breast up to cook evenly. It shortens grill time significantly.
So go ahead and crack that turkey breastbone! With this easy hack, you’ll be rewarded with tender, juicy breast meat and hassle-free roasting.
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Why should I spatchcock my turkey?
While it is a little extra butchery work, spatchcocking a turkey helps it cook more evenly and quickly. Additionally, this method exposes all the skin at the same time, so you end up with a perfectly crispy skin and juicy meat. Take your time and the results will be well-worth the effort!
Worth mentioning are the added benefits of using the backbone to create a flavorful turkey broth or gravy. For more uses for those “extra” turkey parts, click here.
How-to spatchcock a turkey
To spatchcock turkey, we recommend using heavy duty kitchen shears to remove the backbone. Alternatively, a sharp knife or meat cleaver can be used.
- Remove a completely thawed turkey from any packaging and remove the neck, giblets and/or leg lock.
- Pat the turkey dry.
- Place it breast-side down on a cutting surface.
- Starting at the tail, make an incision along one side of the backbone.
- Continue cutting along the backbone until you’ve snipped through the rib bones up to the neck.
- Use your hands the spread the turkey open slightly.
- Make an identical cut along the other side of the backbone. Watch your fingers!
- The backbone should now be freed – this may take some additional snipping. Remove.
- Flip the turkey over and, using two hands, press down hard on the breastbone. Listen for a couple of cracks. The turkey should now rest flatly.
- Now arrange your turkey for cooking. Splay the legs and tuck the wing tips under the breast (or remove entirely) to prevent burning.
- Separate the skin from the meat – this will allow any compound butter or seasoning to easily get under the skin.
Step-by-step with Emily Dingmann, My Everyday Table: Cut out the backbone, flatten the breast and arrange on a tray for cooking.