If you haven’t tried a smoked turkey, you are missing out! Brined, seasoned, and smoked to perfection, this Juicy Spatchcock Smoked Turkey will be your new favorite way to enjoy this large bird. So juicy (both the white and dark meat), flavorful, and perfect to feed a crowd.
This Traeger spatchcock turkey will be sure to become your favorite way to prepare turkey. Once you smoke turkey, you will never go back to more traditional ways of cooking this poultry. Great for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, or anytime you want to feed the family. I am going to walk you step by step on how to spatchcock a turkey and smoke it!
Spatchcocking, also known as butterflying, is a great technique for smoking turkeys that helps the bird cook faster and more evenly. It involves removing the backbone and flattening the turkey so it lies flat. Smoking a spatchcocked turkey infuses it with delicious smoky flavor while keeping the meat incredibly moist and tender. Follow this simple guide to spatchcocking and smoking a turkey for the perfect holiday centerpiece.
Why Spatchcock Your Turkey?
There are several benefits to spatchcocking your turkey before smoking
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Promotes Even Cooking With the backbone removed and the turkey flattened out, it will cook much more evenly since the breast and thigh meat are the same thickness. No more dried out breast meat!
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Cooks Faster Spatchcocking allows the turkey to cook in about half the time of a traditional whole turkey The increased surface area speeds up cooking
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Easy to Smoke: The flattened shape exposes all the meat to smoke and makes it easy to access all areas when applying a rub.
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Crispy Skin: With more surface area exposed, you can get incredibly crispy skin all over the turkey when smoked at higher temps.
How to Spatchcock a Turkey
Spatchcocking a turkey is simple and takes just a few minutes:
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Place turkey breast side down on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone from tail to neck.
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Repeat on the other side of the backbone to fully remove it. Save the backbone for making stock.
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Open the turkey like a book and use your hands to press down and flatten the breastbone until the bird lies flat.
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Turn over and tuck the wing tips under. Your turkey is now spatchcocked and ready for seasoning!
Dry Brining for Flavor and Moisture
Dry brining, or salting, before smoking helps deeply season the meat and keeps it incredibly juicy. There are a couple approaches:
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Salt Brine: Rub kosher salt all over the meat and underneath the skin. Let rest 12-24 hours. Rinse off salt before smoking.
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Seasoned Brine: Use a pre-made blend like Jacobsen Sea Salt and Savory Citrus Brine. The citrus adds great flavor.
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Herb Brine: Make a mix of kosher salt, chopped herbs like rosemary and thyme, garlic, and pepper. Let the turkey brine for up to 24 hours for full penetration.
Smoking a Spatchcock Turkey
With your spatchcocked and brined turkey ready, it’s time to get smoking:
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Prepare your smoker or grill for smoking at 225°F using indirect heat. Use wood chunks like hickory, maple, or apple.
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Place the turkey skin-side up with legs outspread directly on the grates. Let smoke for 2 hours.
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Increase heat to 350°F. Insert a probe thermometer in thickest part of breast and smoke until it reaches 160°F.
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For crispy skin, glaze with a mix of melted butter and rub during the last 30 minutes.
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Once breast hits 160°F, remove turkey and let rest 15 minutes before carving. The temp will rise to a safe 165°F.
The savory smoke flavor pairs perfectly with the seasoned, juicy meat from spatchcocking and brining. Spatchcocking truly is the best way to smoke a turkey! Experiment with different brines and wood smoke flavors to make the bird your own.
Make sure to checkout my review on the INKBIRD INT-11P-B Wireless Meat Thermometer!
Advantages of spatchcocking a turkey
This method sounds a little silly but once you do it you will understand. Basically the bones are broken down and the bird is spread out more evenly over your cooking grates. This allows for more smoke penetration and more even cooking. You can still roll low and slow and have a quicker cooking time for a smoked turkey.
Spatchcock Smoked Turkey Recipe
FAQ
How long does it take to smoke a spatchcocked turkey?
- The time it takes to smoke a turkey depends on the size of the bird, the smoker, and other factors.
- Some recommend smoking the turkey for about 12–15 minutes per pound.
- Others recommend smoking the turkey for 3–4 hours.
Is it better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?
- Crispy skin: Cooking at a slightly higher temperature like 250°F promotes crispier skin on the turkey compared to 225°F where the skin might become rubbery.
- Cooking time: Smoking at 225°F will take significantly longer than at 250°F.
- Smoke flavor: If you want a more intense smoky flavor, opt for the lower temperature of 225°F.
Is it worth spatchcocking a turkey?
Spatchcocking turkey cooks more evenly and more quickly than non-butterflied versions, for stunningly crisp skin and perfectly cooked white and dark meat.
How do you smoke a Spatchcock Turkey?
Place the spatchcocked turkey directly on your grill grates underside down, and let it smoke for 2 hours. After two hours adjust the temperature up on your smoker to 350 degrees. Place a temp probe in the thickest part of the turkey breast to monitor temps, and let the turkey cook until the internal temp hits 160.
How do you cook a Spatchcock Turkey?
Fill the hopper and walk away for up to an hour at a time. Smoke this spatchcock turkey low and slow (275°F) for the first 3 hours. At this point the internal temp of your turkey should be around 135°-140°F (estimates). Turn up the heat at the end of the cooking process (350°F) until the internal temperature has reached 165°F to crisp up the skin!
What temperature should a Spatchcock Turkey be smoked at?
When smoking a spatchcock turkey at 250°F, use this timetable as a guide: The best way to tell when your turkey is done is to use an instant read thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding the bone. The turkey is finished when it reaches 165°F. The thighs will be in the 175-185°F range when the breast hits 165°F.
How long does a smoked Spatchcock Turkey take to cook?
This can take a little over 3 hours. Take the smoked spatchcock turkey out of the pellet grill and let the turkey rest on a cutting board for at least 15 minutes before carving and serving. The best sized bird for smoked spatchcock turkey is between 10 and 12 pounds. On average, these tend to boast the best flavor and texture.
What is the best sized turkey for smoked Spatchcock?
The best sized bird for smoked spatchcock turkey is between 10 and 12 pounds. On average, these tend to boast the best flavor and texture. Not to mention, as far as cooking time goes, it takes a shorter period of time to smoke on a pellet grill as well.
Should you Spatchcock a Turkey?
Spatchcocking a turkey gives you easier access to all of the meat on the bird, making it much easier to apply your brine. Spatchcocking a turkey is easy to do. The day before you will smoke the turkey is when you should spatchcock it. Place the turkey on a cutting board with the spine on top.