The turkey is the star of the show on Thanksgiving Day, golden and juicy. But it can also be problematic. It takes up space in the oven, for one thing. That bird is often overcooked, and half of the skin—which we want to be very crisp—is wet and squidgy at the bottom of the bird. Doesn’t it know you have green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, and rolls ready to go? But the little trick of laying the bird out flat while roasting saves a lot of time and changes everything. If you like to think outside the box and are interested in the unusual, keep reading. This fast-roasting turkey method is for you.
There are different ideas about where the word “spatchcock” comes from, but most people agree that it comes from Scottish or Irish usage. No matter its origin, when the term is applied to whole fowl, it is equivalent to “butterflying. In short, we flatten the bird by cutting out the backbone and arranging the legs and wings around the breast like rays from a white-meat sun. We’ll go into more detail about the exact steps below. This vastly increases the surface area, much improving it over the semi-spherical shape it originally inhabits.
“But what about Grandfather bringing the perfect turkey to the table to be carved?!?” That’s a good question, but we’d also like to remind people that Norman Rockwell was famous for painting, not cooking. We don’t think it’s the best way to cook something just because it looks nice. Other people agree with us.
Cooking a whole turkey can be intimidating. Not only is it a large piece of meat to maneuver in and out of the oven, but getting it cooked through without drying out the breast meat can be tricky. Spatchcocking, or butterflying, a turkey breast helps solve both of these issues.
Spatchcocking removes the backbone and flattens the breast so it cooks more evenly. With a spatchcock turkey breast, you get juicy meat with every bite because there are no thick sections. Understanding approximately how long to cook a spatchcock turkey breast ensures you turn out perfect turkey every time.
What Is a Spatchcock Turkey Breast?
Spatchcocking poultry originated centuries ago as a technique to cook game birds quickly over an open fire. It has exploded in popularity recently as a way to roast chicken and turkey more evenly.
To spatchcock a turkey breast, use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut out the breastbone and flatten the meat. Leave the skin on one side intact so the breast stays together.
The process removes the thick bone that runs through the middle of the breast. This allows the meat to lie flat and cook more quickly than an intact breast. With the bone removed, heat can reach all parts of the turkey at the same rate.
Spatchcocking results in a few advantages over roasting a whole breast:
- The meat cooks more evenly, so every bite is juicy and tender. Without the bone, there are no undercooked thick spots.
- Faster cook time – When the breast is pressed flat, more surface area is exposed to the heat, and there is less thickness to cook through.
- Easy to carve – No bone makes it simple to slice perfect portions.
- Easier handling – A spatchcocked breast is easier to maneuver in the oven since it lays flat.
How Long Does it Take to Cook a Spatchcock Turkey Breast?
Cooking time depends primarily on the size and shape of the breast. In general, a spatchcock turkey breast needs significantly less time than an intact turkey. Here are cooking times based on weight:
- 1 to 2 pounds: 30 to 40 minutes
- 3 to 4 pounds: 45 minutes to 1 hour
- 5 to 7 pounds: 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours
As a guideline, spatchcock turkey breasts take about 8-10 minutes per pound at 350°F Whole turkeys cook for around 20 minutes per pound. Removing the bone cuts the cook time almost in half
These times are for breast meat only If cooking a whole spatchcocked turkey, add about 15 minutes to the cook time.
Always rely on a meat thermometer rather than time to determine doneness. Cook a spatchcock turkey breast to an internal temperature of 165°F. The meat will become firmer when fully cooked.
Factors That Affect Cook Time
Several factors impact exactly how long a spatchcock turkey breast needs in the oven:
1. Turkey size – Heavier breasts take longer. Calculate time based on weight.
2. Added ingredients – Stuffing inside the breast or under the skin leads to a longer cook time.
3. Oven temperature – Higher heat decreases cook time. lower heat increases it. 350°F is ideal, but adjust as needed.
4. Browning – Letting the skin brown adds time. Cook covered with foil at first for fastest cooking if browning isn’t a priority.
5. Bone structure – Breasts with more cartilage or thicker areas due to the bone structure may need extra time. Look for uneven thickness and add time as needed.
6. Brining – Soaking the meat in saltwater before cooking retains moisture but causes it to cook slightly more slowly.
7. Altitude – At higher elevations, food cooks more slowly. Add 5% of the cook time for every 1000 feet above sea level.
8. Oven accuracy – Old or inaccurate ovens may run hot or cold, changing cook times. Always check internal temp.
Monitor the turkey closely as it cooks and use meat thermometer readings to determine when it is finished. Cook times are only guidelines since so many factors impact the exact timing.
Step-By-Step Guide to Cooking a Spatchcock Turkey Breast
Follow these simple steps for perfect spatchcock turkey every time:
1. Spatchcock the Breast
Place the turkey breast skin-side down on a cutting board. Using sturdy kitchen shears or a sharp chef’s knife, cut along one side of the breastbone from the cavity opening down to the bottom of the breast.
Make an identical cut along the other side of the bone to remove it completely. Open the breast like a book and press down to flatten.
2. Season the Meat
Coat both sides with olive oil or melted butter. This helps the skin crisp and brown. Season generously with salt, pepper, and any other spices desired.
Herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme complement turkey well. Get creative with spice rubs or onion and garlic powder.
3. Preheat the Oven
Heat the oven to 350°F. Be sure to give it plenty of time to fully preheat before cooking.
4. Roast the Turkey Breast
Place the spatchcocked breast skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Tuck the wings underneath to hold it flat.
Roast for 30-40 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature in the thickest part reaches 165°F.
Tent foil over the breast if the skin browns before the center is cooked through. Monitoring temperature ensures you don’t over or undercook.
5. Let Rest and Carve
Once it reaches 165°F, remove the pan from the oven and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 10-15 minutes. The temperature will rise 5-10 degrees.
To serve, simply slice across the breast. Cut against the grain of the meat for tenderest slices. Enjoy your perfectly cooked spatchcock turkey breast!
Cooking Methods Beyond Roasted
While roasting is most common, spatchcock turkey breasts can be cooked using several different methods:
- Grill – Gets great char. Use medium heat, stick to 8-10 minutes per pound.
- Smoke – Imparts delicious flavor. Cook to 165°F over indirect heat.
- Sous vide – Cooks gently in water bath. 145°F for 2-4 hours tenderizes meat.
- Air Fry – Crispy skin and tender meat. Cook at 400°F for 8-10 minutes per pound.
Monitor temperature and adjust time for doneness with any cooking method. A spatchcock breast lends itself well to experimentation.
Juicy Turkey Breast Every Time
Butterflying a whole turkey or just the breast makes roasting foolproof. With the bone removed, thick and thin sections cook at the same rate. The meat stays uniformly tender and moist.
Follow the guidelines provided to determine the timing needed for the weight of your spatchcock turkey breast. Adjust as needed based on added ingredients, oven variance, and browning. Rely on an instant-read thermometer to ensure the breast reaches 165°F and is cooked through.
Spatchcocking helps you avoid dry, overcooked turkey breast by promoting even cooking. The simple process cuts down considerably on roasting time as well. For your next holiday meal or family dinner, try this method for easy carving and guaranteed juicy meat.
Preferred by people who know
Mark Bittman of the NY Times, and the author of How to Cook Everything, once put together a minimalist Thanksgiving dinner to cut down on prep, cook time, and ingredients so he could have time and energy to actually enjoy the meal with family and friends. This method was part of it. Bittman’s first spatchcocking video made its appearance in 2008. Since then a number of celebrity chefs have also applied the same method, with spatchcocking becoming an official foodie trend by 2012.
Kenji Lopez-Alt is another chef who swears by a flat bird! His discussion about and recipe for a spatchcocked turkey and many others can be found in his book, The Food Lab.
Cook after cook, professional after professional—people who know prefer the spatchcock method.
- Cutting down on time: Mark splits and flattens the turkey to speed up the roasting process. Spreading the turkey out flat increases the surface area that can be seen, and the bird’s thickness is almost even all the way through. This way, you can cook the turkey faster by putting it in the oven at a higher temperature for longer periods of time. If the bird is small, it might only take 45 minutes to cook all the way through. Not only does splashcocking save time, it also saves oven space. The turkey will take up less space in the oven, so you can still bake pies, rolls, or anything else you want.
- Even Cooking: Since a turkey is pretty much round, it’s no surprise that it has trouble cooking evenly. If you spatchcock it, the legs will be much more visible than if it were cut in half. Okay, this is great because the dark meat in the breast needs to get hotter than the light meat.
- Flaky skin and juicy meat: When a bird is spatchcocked, all of its skin is facing up and out. In the end, the turkey will have skin that crackles and is evenly brown all over. The skin juices help keep the meat nice and moist as they drain.
- Better Gravy: By taking out the backbone, you have added something else that will make your gravy taste better. You can make a quick stock with the neck, giblets, and backbone, and then use that along with the turkey fat to make gravy. You don’t have to use store-bought chicken stock to make the gravy. (Not that your bird will need gravy; it won’t.) But you will need some for your potatoes. ).
- The Drippings: Oh, the drippings! Put garlic, onion, parsnip, turnip, green apple, herbs, and lemon at the bottom of your sheet tray. As you cook your bird, the juices and butter (don’t forget the butter) run down, but not into the bird itself. Instead, they fill a hot pan with delicious smells. The vegetables cook in the juices and braise, making the BEST pan sauce ever. No need for thickener, no need for gravy. Now you’ll never want to cook a bird any other way. Just dip the meat in this and use it to scoop up the vegetables.
Disadvantages:
We’ve talked about the good things about this method. What are the bad things? People usually say that spatchcocking “just doesn’t look right.” Well, we’ve already established that we don’t need to hold onto that piece of ill-gotten nostalgia. The only real drawback is the anatomical aspect of the process. It could be deemed … unpleasant. For the squeamish. But really, it’s quite satisfying once you give it a try.
Enough talk about why spatchcocking is so great. You only need a cutting board, poultry shears, and a chef’s knife to do it. As long as you’re not squeamish to the sound of bones breaking, it’s a cinch.
Follow These Easy Steps:
- Dry the turkey off and set it on a cutting board with the backbone facing up.
- Start at the bottom and cut up toward the neck with poultry shears on both sides of the backbone. If the shears can’t get through an area, use a knife to cut through it. You have now removed the backbone. Set aside to use when making your gravy.
- Either cut down the middle of the breastbone or on both sides of it. Turn the turkey breast side up.
- Press down on the breastbone with your palms to flatten the bird out and break it. The ribs will also break. For more help, you might need to stand on a stool.
- Move the legs out to the side and tuck the wings under. Trim the excess neck skin. Your bird is now spatchcocked and ready to go.
Spatchcocked turkey roasting temp
Once your bird is well flattened, it’s time to roast. Cook your bird at 425°F (218°C) until it reaches an internal temperature on your ChefAlarm® of 155°F (68°C). (If you think that’s too low, read our article on chicken internal temps. The ideas there also apply to turkey.) Don’t believe us? A turkey cooked at that temperature will be WAY more juicy than one cooked at a higher temperature. ) Verify that temperature with your Thermapen® ONE to make sure you don’t find any lower temperatures. If you don’t, you’re done! Chances are you’ll have cooked a 16-pound turkey in about 90 minutes. Wow!.
We hope you give this unorthodox turkey a try. It’s better in every way, and the turkey will be something people will actually want to eat, not just act like they do. Stick to our recommended temps, don’t forget the aromatics, and you’ll be crowned Thanksgiving royalty, for sure.
Spatchcocked Turkey | Better. Faster. Juicier.
FAQ
How long does it take to cook a butterflied turkey breast?
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