This Traeger smoked spatchcock turkey recipe will be the hit at your holiday gathering! With a warm smoky flavor and a heavenly garlic & herb dry brine, this juicy turkey is both elegant and flavorful.
When it comes to a special holiday meal, a whole turkey is not only expected but also requires some skill and technique to get it right. How many of us remember bland, dry turkey from childhood Thanksgiving memories? I know I do. Whether you like the breast meat or the dark meat, you are sure to love this recipe.
Several years ago, my husband and I decided it should not be that way! We invested so much time and money into trying different techniques and recipes, and it was all worth it. Every year, we get compliment after compliment on our turkey. So many people did not even know they liked turkey until they tried ours!
Here we will teach you the best way to smoke an entire turkey low and slow but with a method that won’t take all day.
While I love cooking turkey the regular way, it’s good for every host to understand the spatchcock method. The spatchcock technique involves using poultry shears to cut down the sides of the backbone on the turkey to completely remove it, then flip it over to compress the breast bone to crack it to get the turkey to lay flat. A spatchcocked turkey cooks more evenly than a typical whole turkey and reduces the cooking time. This allows you to cook the turkey at a much faster rate which gives you more control over the timing of your holiday meal.
The equipment you will need for this Traeger smoked spatchcock turkey recipe is a pair of meat shears and a wood pellet grill from Traeger grills (but you can use whatever smoker you have).
Spatchcocking, also known as butterflying, a turkey is a game-changing technique for getting perfect results when smoking a turkey on your Traeger pellet grill. By removing the backbone and flattening the bird, a spatchcock turkey cooks faster and more evenly than a traditional whole turkey. But exactly how long does it take to smoke a spatchcocked turkey on a Traeger? Read on for everything you need to know.
Why Spatchcock Your Turkey?
There are several major benefits to spatchcocking your Thanksgiving turkey before smoking it on the Traeger:
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Cooks Faster: With the backbone removed and the bird flattened out, a spatchcock turkey can cook in about half the time of a whole turkey. You’ll shave hours off your cook time.
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Cooks Evenly Flattening out the turkey allows both the white and dark meat to cook at the same rate. No more dried out breast meat!
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Maximum Smoke Flavor More surface area exposed to the Traeger’s wood-fired smoke means greater flavor penetration
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Easier to Season A spatchcocked bird is easier to access from all sides when seasoning and basting
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Simpler Carving: Carving a smoked spatchcock turkey is much simpler than dealing with a whole bird.
How to Spatchcock a Turkey
Spatchcocking is an easy process when you follow these simple steps:
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Place turkey breast side down on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it.
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Open the turkey like a book. Remove any giblets if needed. Press firmly to flatten the breastbone so the bird lays flat.
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Tuck the wing tips under the bird and truss if desired. Season the turkey inside and out as you prefer.
And that’s it – your turkey is spatchcocked and ready to smoke! Having a good pair of poultry shears makes removing the backbone quick and easy.
Smoking Times for Spatchcock Turkey
So how long should you plan to smoke a spatchcocked turkey on your Traeger pellet grill? Here are general guidelines:
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10 to 14 pound turkey: Smoke for about 2 hours at 225°F, until internal temp reaches 165°F.
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14 to 18 pound turkey: Smoke for 2.5 to 3 hours at 225°F, until internal temp reaches 165°F.
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18 to 22 pound turkey: Smoke for about 3.5 to 4 hours at 225°F, until internal temp reaches 165°F.
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22+ pound turkey: Smoke for approximately 4 to 5 hours at 225°F, until internal temp reaches 165°F.
Keep in mind that smoking times can vary a bit depending on the specific size and shape of your turkey. Using a good digital meat thermometer with a probe to monitor internal temp is key.
Traeger Pellet Grill Smoking Tips
Follow these pro tips when smoking a spatchcock turkey on your Traeger wood pellet grill:
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Use a meat thermometer: Investing in a wireless digital meat thermometer ensures you nail the perfect internal temp. The MEATER+ is a great option.
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Try a brine: Soaking the turkey in a saltwater brine improves moisture and makes it more flavorful. Traeger’s turkey brine kits make it easy.
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Lower and slower: Smoke the turkey around 225°F for best flavor. Crank up the heat at the end if you want crisper skin.
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Flavorful pellets: For maximum wood-fired flavor, use a smoking pellet variety like Traeger’s Turkey Blend.
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Rest before carving: Let the smoked turkey rest 20 minutes before slicing so juices redistribute.
Delicious Traeger Spatchcock Turkey Recipes
Once you’ve mastered the basic spatchcock smoking method, try one of these amazing recipes:
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Traeger Smoked Spatchcock Turkey – Simple salt and pepper rub lets the wood smoke shine.
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Maple Brined Spatchcock Turkey – Sweet and savory maple brine gives great flavor.
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Bacon-Wrapped Spatchcock Turkey – Crispy bacon topping kicks it up a notch.
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Herb-Rubbed Spatchcock Turkey – An herbed rub adds lots of flavor.
Get Perfectly Smoked Turkey Every Time
By spatchcocking your Thanksgiving turkey before smoking, you’ll get juicier meat, crispier skin, and incredible wood-fired flavor in a fraction of the traditional cook time. Use a good meat thermometer and allow about 2 to 5 hours of smoking time depending on turkey size. And don’t be afraid to experiment with brines, rubs and smoking pellet flavors. Your next Traeger smoked turkey will be the star of the holiday table!
How to Spatchcock a Turkey
Compress Breast Bone
Flip the turkey so it is now breast-side up. With your hands, compress the breastplate so the turkey lays flat on the baking sheet.
Dry the outside of your turkey and the sheet pan it is sitting on with paper towels. Now it is ready for your dry brine or rub!
That’s it! It’s not a tricky technique to understand, but it can be tricky to implement on larger birds. It is handy to have someone help you with it. It is much easier to do with proper meat shears, but if you do not have a pair, you can work your way through with a sharp knife and regular sharp kitchen shears. If your turkey is larger than 12 lbs, I highly recommend spending a few bucks on proper shears.
How to Smoke a Spatchcock Turkey on a Pellet Grill | Heath Riles BBQ
FAQ
How long to smoke a spatchcock turkey at 225 on a pellet grill?
Set the Traeger to 225°F and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes. Set the wire rack over a 4-inch-deep roasting dish and set the turkey on top, breast side-up. Close the lid and smoke the turkey until the thickest part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of 100°F to 110°F, about 2 to 2.5 hours.
How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a Traeger at 225?
Start by smoking the turkey at 225°F for 3 hours and then turn up the heat to 350°F to finish cooking in order to crisp up the skin.Jun 30, 2023
How many minutes per pound for spatchcock turkey?
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 smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?
325-350. It’s not a low and slow like a brisket or pork shoulder. Poultry soaks up the smoke flavor so you run the risk of having way too much smoke flavor if you go 225. Also 225 will never give you crispy skin.
How do you cook a Traeger Spatchcock Turkey?
This Traeger spatchcock turkey is given a double dose of flavor with a Traeger rub and an aromatic herb paste, then slow-roasted on your pellet grill for a turkey that’s gorgeously golden, tender, and juicy. When ready to cook, set the Traeger temperature to 400°F and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
How long does it take to smoke a Traeger Turkey?
With a crispy outside and a juicy inside, the Traeger smoked turkey calls for simple spices and primal wood-fired flavor. Garlic, butter, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper combine to create an herbal rub to maximize flavor while you smoke the meat for 3-4 hours. Make sure to get an early start to begin smoking your Thanksgiving Turkey.
How long does a Spatchcock Turkey take to smoke?
Cook time depends on several factors including how cold your turkey is at the start of the smoke (room temperature or fridge temperature), the size of the turkey, how many times you open your smoker, and how consistent the heat on your pellet grill is. A spatchcocked turkey will take around 13 minutes per pound to smoke at 275°F.
What is a Traeger Spatchcock Turkey?
This Traeger spatchcock turkey is given a double dose of flavor with a Traeger rub and an aromatic herb paste, then slow-roasted on your pellet grill for a turkey that’s gorgeously golden, tender, and juicy. Get ready for turkey day with this epic Traeger smoked turkey breast.
Can you smoke a Spatchcock Turkey on a pellet grill?
I favor my pellet grill when smoking spatchcocked turkey because it is very hands off, predictable, and keeps a consistent temperature! Fill the hopper and walk away for up to an hour at a time. Smoke this spatchcock turkey low and slow (275°F) for the first 3 hours.
Should you smoke a Spatchcock Turkey?
There are several advantages to smoking a spatchcock turkey rather than a whole turkey: Cooks faster Spatchcocking reduces the cook time substantially since it allows for more even heat distribution A 12-15 lb turkey may take only 25-3 hours to fully cook when spatchcocked rather than nearly 5 hours for a whole turkey.