How to Spatchcock a Turkey Without Poultry Shears

You’ll never go back to traditional roast turkey once you know how to spatchcock a turkey without poultry shears (or with them if you have them). The turkey only needs to be roasted for less than an hour and a half if you use this method to remove the backbone.

It also means that the dark meat and the white meat cook more evenly, so the breast isn’t dry by the time the dark meat is done. Talk about a game changer!.

This spatchcock turkey recipe is the best turkey Ive made my entire life. Yes, I know that sounds dramatic and brag-y, but it really is true. And once you try it, Im pretty sure this will become your go-to turkey recipe too.

I hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving dinner recipe. If you want to add more to your meal, you might want to save some other Thanksgiving dinner recipes. You will need a great Southern dressing. I make mine in the air fryer so that I have room in the oven for other things.

I love to serve my baked macaroni and cheese with Gouda too. And, my sweet potato cornbread is another amazing side dish. Finally, I like to serve my apple dumplings made from crescent rolls with the pecan pie my mom brings for dessert. Enough dilly-dallying–lets get to making that turkey and gravy![feast_advanced_jump_to].

Spatchcock Turkey and Gravy

• chefs knife
• poultry/kitchen shears (optional)
• dry measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• liquid measuring cups
• wire mesh strainer
• large roasting pan
• wire rack
• instant-read thermometer
• whisk
• large saucepan
• meat injector
• small bowl

• 1 (12- to 14-pound) whole turkey, thawed if frozen
• ½ cup salted butter, softened
• 3. Three tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs, like thyme, rosemary, Italian parsley, and fresh sage. Top with whole sprigs of herbs.
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Honey, Butter and Beer Injection Marinade
• 2 yellow onions
• 2 stalks celery
• Orange wedges and kumquats for garnish (optional)

• Pan drippings from the roasted turkey
• ¼ cup salted butter
• 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 to 3 cups chicken broth (as needed)

• Take the turkey’s neck and giblets out of the body and set them aside. On a stable work surface, put the turkey breast side down. Cut through the bones on the sides of the backbone with a sharp knife or poultry or kitchen shears. (Reserve the backbone for the gravy. ) .
• Turn the turkey over and press down hard on the breast with the heels of your hands until the breastbone breaks. This will make the turkey flat on the surface.
• Line a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with foil and put a wire rack inside. The rack should be big enough to hold the turkey. Arrange the celery and onion pieces around the pan.
• The butter should be soft. In a small bowl, mix the herbs and garlic together. Use paper towels to dry the turkey all over, including the skin and the part of the meat that is under the skin. Put the butter mixture on the breasts, legs, and thighs and rub it under the skin.
• Put the turkey on the wire rack in the roasting pan. To make the turkey lay flat, tuck the tips of its wings under and stretch its legs out. With a meat injector, put the turkey marinade into the breast, wings, thighs, and legs where the meat is. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place a meat thermometer in the meaty part of the thigh and roast at 425°F for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the turkey is golden brown and the thermometer reads 165°F. If necessary, cover the turkey with aluminum foil to keep it from browning too much. Rest the turkey on a baking sheet with a lip while you make the gravy.
• Put the turkey neck, giblets, and backbone in a large saucepan and cover them with water. Do this while the turkey roasts. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the meat and giblets are soft.
• Pour the broth into liquid measuring cups through a wire mesh strainer and set it aside. Let the neck, giblets, and backbone cool. Take the meat off the bones and giblets from the chop.
• Let’s finish the gravy. Pour the pan drippings into a large liquid measuring cup through a mesh strainer. Skim off excess fat from the top. Place the roasting pan over two burners. Put ¼ cup of butter in the pan and melt it over medium-low heat.
• Whisk in the flour and cook until foamy. Pour in the reserved pan drippings and whisk until smooth. Slowly add 2 to 3 cups of the broth you saved and whisk until the gravy is the right consistency for you. (Add boxed broth if necessary. ) If you want, add the chopped meat and giblets that you set aside. Serve with the turkey.

How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey

Put the frozen turkey in a big pot or roasting pan and put it in the fridge for three to four days to thaw. (These instructions are for a 12- to 14-pound turkey. It will take a little longer if your turkey is bigger, and a little less time if it’s smaller. ).

Taking the turkey out of its box and taking out the neck and bag of giblets from inside the bird This will indicate if there are any leftover frozen parts or icy bits still inside the turkey. Let the turkey stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

That’s it! The turkey is no longer frozen and we have all the things we need to cook it. Here are the exact steps for the spatchcock turkey:

• First, take the turkey’s neck and giblets out of its body and set them aside. Place the turkey, breast side down on a cutting board. Cut through the bones on each side of the backbone with a sharp knife or poultry or kitchen shears. (Reserve the backbone of the turkey for the gravy. Then, turn the turkey over and press the breast with the heel of your hand until the breastbone breaks. This will make the turkey flat on the table.

• Next, put a wire rack in a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet that is big enough to hold the turkey. Arrange the celery and onion pieces around the pan.

• Then, mix together the softened butter, herbs, and garlic. Dry the turkey all over, including the skin and the part of the meat that’s under it. Put the butter mixture on the breasts, legs, and thighs and rub it under the skin.

• Last, put the turkey on the wire rack in the roasting pan. Use a meat injector to put the turkey injection marinade into the breast, wings, thighs, and legs where there is meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put a meat thermometer in the thigh’s meaty part and roast at 425°F for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the thermometer reads 165°F. Remove the turkey from the oven. Rest the turkey on a baking sheet with a lip while you make the gravy.

Hint: You may have bundles of all these fresh herbs if youre making this turkey during the holidays. Also keep an eye out for small clamshell containers of “poultry roasting blend,” which have a mix of all of these.

Now that the turkey is cooked, its time to make the giblet and turkey neck gravy:

• Put the turkey neck, giblets, and backbone in a large saucepan and cover them with water. Do this while the turkey roasts. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the meat and giblets are soft. Strain the broth into liquid measuring cups and reserve. Let the neck, giblets, and backbone cool. Take the meat off the bones and giblets from the chop.

• The last step is to finish the gravy. Pour the pan drippings into a large liquid measuring cup through a mesh strainer. Skim off excess fat from the top. Place the roasting pan over two burners. Put ¼ cup of butter in the pan and melt it over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until foamy. Pour in the reserved pan drippings and whisk until smooth. Slowly add 2 to 3 cups of the broth you saved and whisk until the gravy is the right consistency for you. (Add boxed broth if necessary. ).

Out of an ingredient? Need to make some substitutions? Here are some suggestions:

• Butter—If the butter you have doesn’t have salt added to it, you’ll need to add ¼ teaspoon of salt.
• Herbs: For this recipe, use your favorite mix of herbs.
• Chicken Broth: After simmering the turkey pieces and giblets, you should have plenty of homemade turkey stock to use. But I like to have some on hand just in case. Nothing is better than chicken stock, turkey broth from a box, or vegetable broth or stock.

Check out these additional ways to change up this recipe:

• Cajun Spatchcock Turkey: To make this in the style of Louisiana, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning to the softened butter.
• Spatchcock Chicken: You can roast a chicken with the same ingredients and method.
• Smoked Turkey: Put the turkey in a smoker or grill outside. Set up an indirect heat environment and heat to 425°F. Light one side of a gas grill and leave the other side out. Put hot coals on one side of a charcoal grill. In a smoker box, put wet wood chips on the hot side of the grill. I like to use apple, pecan, or cherry wood chips. Place the turkey in a roasting pan on the side of the grill that isn’t lit up. Cover the grill and cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F. If you need to, add more wood chips and keep the temperature even while the turkey smokes.

Heres the equipment youll need to make this recipe:

• chefs knife or cleaver
• poultry/kitchen shears (optional)
• dry measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• liquid measuring cups
• wire mesh strainer
• large roasting pan
• wire rack
• instant read digital thermometer
• whisk
• large saucepan
• meat injector
• small bowl

Refrigerate leftover sliced turkey in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Freeze leftover sliced turkey in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months.

Be sure to rub the butter mixture on the turkey before you inject the meat with the marinade. If you do it the other way around, youll risk pressing out all the injection mixture.

If you dont have poultry shears, a pair of kitchen shears will work. (Thats what I use. A sharp knife will also work. To cut through the bones and cartilage, I use both my chefs knife or cleaver and a boning knife together.

Yes, they are different. Poultry shears are specifically designed for cutting through bones but heavy-duty kitchen shears will work too.

A good boning knife is easier for spatchcocking because you can cut through the cartilage easier than scissors.

Insert an instant read thermometer in the meaty portion of the thigh (be sure to avoid the bones. It’s best for me to use a wired instant read thermometer with an alarm that goes off when the thigh reaches 165°F. By then the thickest part of the breast has likely reached temperature as well.

You don’t have to, but I like to use one to let the turkey’s juices drain off and make the skin very crispy. If you dont have one though, thats okay. (A cooling rack will also work great. ).

I have a really large roasting pan thatll fit a 12- to 14-pound spatchcocked turkey. Cooking a bigger bird than that wont fit. A very large rimmed baking sheet or sheet pan is also a good option.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this holiday turkey recipe:

How To Spatchcock A Turkey (Without Poultry Shears)

FAQ

Can you spatchcock without shears?

Do you need poultry shears to spatchcock a turkey?

What can I use instead of poultry shears?

Can you use a knife to spatchcock a turkey?

How to Spatchcock a Turkey?

Full details on how to spatchcock a turkey are listed above. Season – Using salt and pepper, season the bottom/inside cavity of the turkey generously (If you brined, 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.

What size Turkey should you Spatchcock?

A 13-lb. turkey is the largest bird you should spatchcock to ensure it fits in a roasting pan, and 10 to 12 pounds is ideal. If you’re tight on space, a smaller turkey will more easily fit properly in the pan. Look for 6- to 11- pound Li’l Butterballs in stores this holiday season. Carson Downing. Food Styling: Lauren McAnelly

How long do you cook a spatchcocked Turkey?

Roast the spatchcocked turkey in a 450°F oven. Roast until the thickest part of the thigh registers 175°F. For a 12- to 13-pound turkey, this will take about 70 to 80 minutes. Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Test Kitchen Tip: The safe internal temperature for poultry is 165°F.

How do you cut a turkey breast into 2 parts?

Open up the turkey: Pull the breast up and away from you, pushing it until the turkey is completely opened up. Cut the turkey into two parts: Using the kitchen or poultry shears, cut through the backbone right above the legs to separate the turkey into 2 parts. Pat the inside dry with paper towels.

Why is a Spatchcock Turkey better than a round Turkey?

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 without overcooking the meat. Easy to carve – Since the body is flat, carving a spatchcocked turkey is much easier compared to a plump, round turkey.

How do you cook a Turkey in a sheet pan?

Remove the rack with the turkey from the sheet pan and set aside. Spread an even layer of the celery, carrots, onions, bay leaves, sage, thyme and rosemary on the sheet pan. Place the rack with the turkey over the sheet pan with the vegetables and herbs. Roast for 45 minutes, then rotate the sheet pan halfway.