As Thanksgiving approaches, many home cooks start to fret about roasting the star of the holiday meal – the turkey. Traditional methods can lead to uneven cooking, a dried-out breast, and undercooked thighs. There is a better way – spatchcocking your turkey before grilling or smoking it on a Camp Chef pellet grill. I’ve spatchcocked many turkeys on my Camp Chef over the years, and I’m here to walk you through the process and benefits step-by-step.
What Is Spatchcocking?
Spatchcocking is a technique where the backbone is removed from a whole turkey, allowing it to lay flat. This not only reduces the overall height, but also enables even cooking.
When placed breast-side up on a Camp Chef grill, the thighs and legs are closer to the heat source At the same time, the breast sits further away This allows the dark meat to cook faster, preventing it from drying out.
Removing the backbone also permits better air circulation and smoke penetration Your Camp Chef will infuse remarkable flavor into every inch of the turkey
Benefits of Spatchcocking on a Camp Chef
Cooking a spatchcock turkey on a Camp Chef wood pellet grill provides many benefits:
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Faster Cooking Time – With the backbone removed and the turkey laid flat, it will cook in almost half the time of a traditional whole turkey. This allows you to increase the number of turkeys for a large gathering.
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Even Doneness – Dark and white meat will finish cooking at the same time. No more having to pull the entire turkey off early to prevent the breast from drying out while the thighs remain underdone.
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Incredible Smoke Flavor – With maximum airflow and smoke circulation, your Camp Chef will infuse pronounced wood-fired flavor into the turkey.
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Crispy Skin – The flattened turkey has exponentially more skin surface area directly exposed to the heat and smoke. This leads to ultra crispy skin across the entire bird.
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Lower Grill Temperature – You can roast the spatchcocked turkey at a lower temperature, reducing the chance of overcooking. Aim for 300°F – 325°F.
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Food Safety – Spatchcocking enables the turkey to cook more rapidly, limiting the time it remains in the bacteria growth zone between 40°F – 140°F.
Step-by-Step Guide to Spatchcocking a Turkey
Spatchcocking is an easy process than can be completed in five minutes or less:
Supplies Needed
- Sharp kitchen shears or sturdy kitchen scissors
- Cutting board
- Paper towels
Instructions
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Remove the turkey from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Place breast side down on a cutting board.
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Using kitchen shears, cut down one side of the backbone.
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Repeat on the other side to completely remove the backbone. Reserve it to make turkey stock.
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Flip the turkey over so the breast side is facing up. Press firmly on the breastplate to flatten the bird. The breastbone will snap so the turkey lays completely flat.
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Tuck the wing tips under the turkey if desired. Apply a light coat of olive oil and your favorite dry rub seasoning.
You now have a spatchcock turkey ready for the grill!
Cooking a Spatchcock Turkey on a Camp Chef Grill
A Camp Chef wood pellet grill is perfect for cooking spatchcock turkey. The digital temperature control provides ease of use, while the wood pellets infuse flavor that’s far superior to an oven.
For best results, I recommend maintaining a temperature between 300°F – 325°F using a fruitwood pellet blend like apple, cherry, or pecan. This allows the dark meat to cook through without drying out as theSmoke should be visble but thin and blue in color.
Place the spatchcocked turkey on the grill breast side up. Tent loosely with foil after the first 30 minutes to prevent over-browning if needed.
Cook until the breast registers 160°F and the thighs reach 175°F using a good digital meat thermometer. The turkey will continue to rise in temp during resting.
Rest at least 15 minutes before carving. Be sure to pour the juices collected in the foil over the sliced meat.
Get the Most out of Your Spatchcock Turkey
Besides cooking an incredibly moist, tender, and flavorful turkey, spatchcocking provides a couple of other advantages.
First, you can place stuffing underneath the grilling turkey, instead of inside the cavity. The stuffing absorbs the rendering juices and fat for amazing taste.
Second, the reserved backbone can be used to prepare turkey stock during the cook. Simmer it with veggies, herbs, and seasoning to make a rich broth for gravy, soups, or sauces. Don’t let any part of the turkey go to waste!
Spatchcocking FAQs
If you’re new to spatchcocking turkey, here are answers to some common questions:
What size turkey is best to spatchcock?
I recommend 12-16 pounds. Larger turkeys become unwieldy. Smaller birds won’t have enough dark meat and skin to benefit.
Can I spatchcock on a gas grill?
Absolutely! Just be sure to place cool side down to prevent flare ups. Add a smoking box or wood chips for extra flavor.
Should I brine or inject a spatchcock turkey?
Brining is generally not needed since the turkey cooks quickly. But an overnight brine can add some flavor if you want. Injecting is unnecessary.
Can I grill stuffing under the spatchcocked turkey?
Yes, place stuffing in a foil pan under the turkey on the grill. Combine it with the drippings after cooking.
Get the Perfect Turkey with Camp Chef
This Thanksgiving, skip the traditional headache and oven roast. For the moistest, most flavorful holiday turkey, spatchcocking is the way to go. Cook it on a Camp Chef pellet grill for unbeatable wood-fired taste. Your family will gobble up the juicy, smoke-kissed meat – and go back for seconds!
