Spatchcocking, also called butterflying, is a great cooking method for whole turkeys that delivers incredibly moist, flavorful meat and gorgeously crispy skin. By removing the backbone and flattening the bird, it roasts more evenly in less time. The New York Times’ popular spatchcock turkey recipe takes this technique to delicious new heights.
As an avid home cook and entertainer, I’ve tried all types of turkey recipes over the years, but nothing tops the NYT spatchcock method. Their creative use of a flavorful herb paste slathered under and on top of the skin guarantees your holiday table will be graced with the most luscious, succulent roasted turkey imaginable. Follow along as I share my best tips for recreating NYT’s famous spatchcock turkey success.
Why Spatchcock Turkey?
Butterflying or spatchcocking a turkey has some major advantages over roasting it whole
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Cooks faster – A 12 lb spatchcock turkey roasts in just 1 1⁄2 hours while a whole turkey takes over 3.
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Roasts more evenly – With the backbone removed, it lies flat so the breast and thighs cook at the same rate.
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Incredibly juicy – Moisture redistributes throughout instead of the breast drying out.
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Extra crispy skin – The skin gets direct heat contact on both sides, browning beautifully.
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Easier to carve – No struggling with an awkwardly shaped whole bird. Just slice right through the breast.
New York Times Spatchcock Turkey Recipe
Here are the simple steps to recreate the NYT famous spatchcock turkey recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 whole 12-14 lb turkey, backbone removed
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 4 sage leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Directions:
1. Remove turkey backbone: Lay turkey breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of backbone and remove it. Flip turkey over and press down to flatten.
2. Make herb paste: In a food processor, blend oil, thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic, salt and pepper into a paste.
3. Loosen skin and spread paste: Slide your fingers under breast and thigh skin to loosen. Spread some paste directly onto meat under skin. Spread remainder on outside of skin.
4. Roast turkey: Place on a broiler pan, breast-side up. Roast at 450°F for 60-90 mins until 165°F internal temp.
5. Rest and carve: Let rest 15 minutes before slicing. Dig in and enjoy!
It’s that simple to make the foolproof NYT spatchcock turkey recipe. The herb paste infuses incredible flavors into the meat to deliver the most moist and savory holiday bird you’ve ever tasted.
Handy Turkey Roasting Time Chart
Use this chart as a guide when roasting a spatchcock turkey:
| Turkey Weight | Cook Time at 450°F |
|---|---|
| 10 lbs | 60-75 mins |
| 12 lbs | 75-90 mins |
| 14 lbs | 90-105 mins |
Always rely on a meat thermometer for doneness, not just time. Cook to 165°F.
Spatchcocking Step-By-Step
Removing the backbone may seem intimidating but it’s actually quite easy. Follow these simple steps:
1. Place breast-side down: Put turkey on a cutting board or rimmed baking sheet with the breast facing down.
2. Cut along both sides of backbone: Using sturdy kitchen shears or sharp knives, cut down along each side of the backbone from tail to neck end.
3. Remove backbone: Run your fingers along either side to loosen. Then grasp backbone firmly and twist it out. (Reserve for making turkey stock if desired).
4. Flip over and press to flatten: Turn turkey over breast-side up. Press firmly on the breastbone until the bird lies flat.
And that’s all there is to perfectly spatchcocking your turkey!
Helpful Gear for Spatchcocking
Having the right tools makes removing the backbone much easier:
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Sturdy kitchen shears are ideal for cleanly cutting out the backbone. Much easier than using a knife.
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A sharp boning knife lets you precisely separate the backbone if you don’t have shears.
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A rimmed baking sheet contains any mess and juices as you work.
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Poultry shears snip through thick ribs if kitchen shears struggle.
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Meat mallet is useful for really flattening the breastbone after removing backbone.
Get the Skin Super Crispy
Crisp, golden turkey skin is one of the best parts of a spatchcocked turkey. Follow these tips:
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Pat the skin totally dry before seasoning. Damp skin won’t get as crisp.
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Loosen the skin from meat so seasoning and fat penetrates everywhere.
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Rub skin evenly with oil or butter. Oil promotes max crispness.
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Crank oven heat to 450°F. The high temp dries skin out for crisping.
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Elevate turkey on a rack on a rimmed baking sheet so air circulates under.
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Roast skin-side up the entire time until gorgeously browned and crisped.
Carving Made Simple
With no awkward whole bird or bones to navigate, carving a spatchcock turkey is super easy:
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Let turkey rest at least 15 minutes before carving. This allows juices to redistribute.
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Place turkey breast-side up on a cutting board.
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Using an electric knife or very sharp chef’s knife, slice straight down through the breast meat. Make slices as thick or thin as desired.
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Cut down along one side of the breastbone to remove the breast meat in one big piece if preferred.
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Slice along either side of the backbone to remove leg quarters.
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Arrange slices on a platter and pour over pan juices for serving.
With this easy spatchcocking method, you’ll never wrestle with carving a stubborn whole turkey again!
The New York Times hit the nail on the head with their famous spatchcock turkey recipe. Removing the backbone and roasting flat results in the juiciest, most flavorful holiday bird with gorgeously burnished skin. I hope these tips help you recreate their spatchcock success this season!
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I usually carve the turkey after it cools, then put it into the refrigerator. A few hours before I want to eat, I put around an inch of turkey stock into my crockpot and heat it on high. After its warm I add the carved turkey pieces and reset the temperature to low/keep warm. It will stay warm and moist in the crockpot for hours. And it frees up space in your oven.
To answer some questions, An 11 to 13 pound spatchcocked turkey will fit on a half sheetpan just fine. Going any larger, I’d probably remove the legs and thighs and set those on either side of the butterflied breast. Get a pair of good poultry shears. OXO makes a good one. Remove the wish bone before using the shears to cut on both sides of the spine. It will make it easier. Add the spine (broken into pieces) with the giblets to make a stock for the gravy.
Help, I’ve never done this before. I need help with a small detail re the process. Do you put the spatchcocked cooked turkey in the fridge and later for the second roast on its original roasting pan? Or do you repack it for the refrigeration and rearrange it for the second baking??
This may be the best way to do reheat a whole bird, but I am not going to use this recipe again. The bird came out too dry and overdone on reheat. If I was going to try making ahead again I would follow the suggestions in the comments to carve the bird and reheat the carvings instead of trying to reheat the whole bird. We don’t present the bird at the table anyway, so there isn’t a win.
I did this recipe this year. I am the only one that can cook in our Friendsgiving group. But my apartment is to small to host. This recipe saved me! Thanks Melissa!
I prepared a turkey in a tiny kitchen with a small, unreliable oven. I bought a fresh organic turkey and had the butcher spatchcock it (FYI, the removed backbone and neck made a wonderful stock). I salted it and let it sit in the refrigerator uncovered for 3 days. I roasted it as directed and made sure my Thermopen measured 165 in many places. I cooled the turkey for several hours, refrigerated overnight, and reheated it before carving. The skin was crispy, the breast moist. SUCCESS!Private notes are only visible to you.
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Samin Nosrat’s Best Thanksgiving Turkey | NYT Cooking
FAQ
How long will a spatchcock turkey take to cook?
A spatchcocked whole turkey will cook more quickly than a standard turkey. While the spatchcock turkey cooking time will depend on the size and oven temperature, 6 minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb. Depending on the size of the turkey, cook times are estimated between 60-90 minutes.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
We recommend roasting turkey at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey.Nov 6, 2024
How long to smoke 16 lb spatchcock turkey at 225 degrees?
If you want to smoke the bird using lower temperatures, you can smoke the turkey at 225°F for about 6 hours.Jun 28, 2024
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 long does a Spatchcock Turkey take to cook?
Moreover, because heat penetrates a spatchcock turkey faster than a whole turkey, it can be roasted at a higher temperature for a shorter amount of time. A 10- to 12-pound bird takes only 80 to 90 minutes to roast in a hot oven, freeing up that valuable oven real estate for your Thanksgiving side dishes.
Why is Spatchcock Turkey better than a non-butterflied Turkey?
Spatchcocking turkey cooks more evenly and more quickly than non-butterflied versions, for stunningly crisp skin and perfectly cooked white and dark meat. What Is Spatchcocking? Why Spatchcock a Turkey?
Does a spatchcocked Turkey have a backbone?
Since the skin of a spatchcocked bird is all on top, it all crisps up beautifully, giving you more crispy skin than a conventionally cooked bird. The removed backbone can be used to give your gravy an extra dimension of turkey flavor.
Does a Spatchcock Turkey cook more than a cuboid?
Because it’s resting on top of a roasting pan or baking sheet, one side of that sphere will always cook more than the other. A spatchcocked turkey, on the other hand, resembles a cuboid, in which the top surface is skin and the volume is meat. This leads to three end results.
Are dry brining & Spatchcocking still important in 2022?
As it happens, the thermodynamics of roasting and the physiology of turkeys remain pretty consistent year to year, which means that, in 2022, dry-brining and spatchcocking are still invaluable.
How do you reheat a spatchcocked Turkey?
The best way to reheat a spatchcocked turkey happens to be the easiest — whole and on the bone, without any added liquid in the pan. The skin and fat protect the breast and preserve juiciness, while the skin also re-crisps nicely. And the legs end up just as tender and succulent as when they were freshly roasted.