You don’t have to spend hours cooking the perfect Thanksgiving turkey! This spatchcock turkey recipe will quickly become your favorite way to cook a whole turkey! To make a spatchcocked turkey, you take out the backbone and roast it flat. In less than 2 hours you have a fully-cooked, tender, juicy turkey ready to serve!.
This content contains affiliate links, which help goodfoodbaddie. com to provide free recipes and resources. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support of the blog!.
The best thing about Thanksgiving is spending time with family and friends. Spatchcocking the turkey will save you a lot of time and let you focus on that.
Spatchcocking is actually one of the first cooking methods I learned in culinary school. This method really was a gift from God! I use it to roast whole chickens, turkeys, and ducks so I can get the perfect crispy crust and flavorful, tender turkey meat in a lot less time.
And don’t worry! Making a roasted spatchcock turkey is easier than you think. We’ll show you how to spatchcock a turkey and give you tips on how to make it look great! (If you want to save even more time, you can ask your butcher to take out the turkey’s spine!)
The spatchcock turkey has become a rising star of the Thanksgiving table in recent years. Removing the backbone and flattening the bird promotes even roasting while dry brining infuses flavor and locks in moisture. When combined these techniques yield the ultimate roast turkey with shatteringly crisp skin and incredibly succulent meat. If you’re looking to wow guests this holiday season, mastering the dry brined spatchcock turkey is a must!
Why Go Spatchcock?
Spatchcocking also known as butterflying, is the process of removing the backbone and flattening the bird. This simple act makes a tremendous difference
- Promotes even cooking between white and dark meat
- Exposes more surface area for crisping the skin
- Reduces overall roasting time
With the backbone removed and breastbone cracked, the turkey roasts flat with the legs spread to the side. This allows the legs and thighs to cook faster, in sync with the breast, preventing dried out white meat or underdone dark meat.
Dry Brining Basics
Dry brining, sometimes called dry salting, involves rubbing salt all over the turkey and letting it rest refrigerated for 8-24 hours. How does it work its magic?
- Salt initially draws moisture out of the cells through osmosis
- Over time, the moisture gets reabsorbed, taking the salt and seasoning with it
- This flavors and tenderizes the meat while keeping it super juicy
The dry skin also crisps up incredibly well when roasted. No messy wet brine required!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Here is a step-by-step guide to perfectly dry brined spatchcock turkey:
Prep the Bird
- Carefully remove backbone with kitchen shears
- Flatten breastbone by pressing firmly with hands
- Trim any excess skin and fat
Season Under Skin
- Loosen skin from breast and legs by running fingers underneath
- Rub salt thoroughly under skin and in cavity
- Refrigerate 24 hours
Air Chill Uncovered
- Place spatchcocked turkey on a wire rack over a baking sheet
- Refrigerate uncovered 6-12 hours to dry out skin
Roast at High Heat
- Preheat oven to 450°F
- Roast 60-75 minutes until breast is 150°F
- Let rest 30 minutes before carving
Turkey Roasting Tips
- Brine fresh natural turkey, not injected or self-basting
- Roast over aromatics like citrus, garlic, ginger
- Add butter pieces under skin for extra moisture
- Use meat thermometer for perfect doneness
Benefits of Dry Brined Spatchcock Turkey
Compared to roasting a whole turkey the traditional way, dry brined spatchcock turkey offers:
- Shorter roasting time for more oven space
- Faster, more even cooking throughout
- Crispier skin with less work
- Better seasoning and moisture retention
- Easier carving
This Thanksgiving, take your turkey up a notch with this simple yet impactful technique. Your guests will be begging for your dry brined spatchcock turkey recipe!
How do I carve a spatchcock turkey?
Begin with the legs, by slicing where the thigh meets the body. Then remove the wings by slicing the joint that attaches it to the rest of the body. Hold one of the breasts in your hand and follow the bone with the tip of a sharp knife.
Slowly and carefully remove the breast from the bone as you continue to slice, pulling the meat outwards. Repeat these steps on the other half of the bird until you it is completely broken down.
What is a Spatchcock Turkey?
When you “spatcock” a turkey, you take out the backbone and roast it flat, which lets more heat in and cuts the cooking time by more than half. If you want to skip removing the backbone yourself, ask your butcher to remove it for you.
You can put any seasonings, brine, or marinade under the turkey skin because the spine has been taken out and the turkey is flat. You don’t have to poke holes in the turkey or put all the seasoning and flavor on the outside and hope it comes through. You can put any seasonings or marinades directly on the meat. When roasted, the turkey comes out with a PERFECT, GOLDEN, CRISPY crust and TENDER, JUICY, FLAVORFUL meat.
Dry Brined Turkey on a Pellet Grill
FAQ
Should you brine a turkey before spatchcocking?
Should you dry a brined turkey?
How long does a spatchcock turkey take to cook?
How do you get crispy skin on a brined turkey?
Can You Dry Brine a Spatchcock Turkey?
So, strap on your boots, pick up your gear, and let’s embark on a journey together into the world of turkey hunting. Welcome to my site, and happy hunting! Dry brined spatchcock turkey: A delicious and easy way to cook a turkey. Learn how to spatchcock a turkey and dry brine it for the most flavorful and juicy results.
How do you Spatchcock a Turkey?
Check out our complete list of tips for how to spatchcock, too! Place turkey breast side down on a cutting board and cut out backbone with sturdy kitchen shears. Flip bird over and flatten by pressing flat (you’ll hear a snap) and pat turkey dry with paper towels. Tuck the wings under the breast. Mix together Kosher sea salt and baking powder.
What is a Spatchcock Turkey?
This helps to draw out moisture from the turkey, which is then reabsorbed during cooking. Spatchcocking is a technique that involves cutting the turkey breastbone and backbone, which allows the bird to cook more evenly and quickly. When you combine dry brining and spatchcocking, you get a turkey that is moist, flavorful, and perfectly cooked.
How do you Thaw a Spatchcock Turkey?
Perfectly cooked dry brined spatchcocked turkey. This method gives the best crispy skin, with the most flavorful and moist meat! 3 tablespoons kosher salt if using table salt, half the amount. Fully thaw the turkey in your fridge. Rule of thumb is 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey.
How do you use Dry Brine on a Turkey?
This will keep the dry brine from getting all over the place when applying it to the turkey. Turn the bird back over, breast side down, on the prepared baking sheet and apply some of the prepared dry brine to the inside of the bird, about a third, reserving the rest for the other side.
Should you cook a spatchcocked Turkey first?
We suggest spatchcocking first; a clean, dry turkey is easier and less messy. A spatchcocked bird also exposes more meat for brining, and the flatter surface makes it easier to get your salt under the skin of the breast and thighs and into the cavity, which has been cut open to remove the spine. What temperature do you cook a spatchcocked turkey?