Instead of roasting a whole turkey this year, consider making a deconstructed turkey. It cooks up faster, and every piece turns out juicy and moist.
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Cooking a turkey is a bit tricky. Most of us only cook a whole turkey once a year, and it takes so much longer than the chickens we’re used to roasting. Not to mention the pressure of serving a perfectly cooked bird to your entire family! Traditional turkey recipes usually result in overcooked, dry breast meat while you wait for the legs and thighs to come to 170°F. Brining helps, and spatchcocking will crisp up all the skin evenly, but you’ll still run the risk of over- or undercooking some of the parts.
The solution: deconstructed turkey. This turkey tip was made popular by Julia Child and can be found in Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home. It’s a great way to ensure all parts of the turkey stay juicy and moist. Not only that, but it cuts the roasting time in about half!
Cooking the perfect Thanksgiving turkey can be intimidating. Getting the white and dark meat to cook evenly without drying out is tricky with a whole turkey. That’s why more and more home cooks are turning to deconstructed turkeys for foolproof holiday feasts. Breaking down the turkey into parts allows you to cook each section just right, ensuring incredibly moist, flavorful meat.
I learned about deconstructed turkeys from the legendary Julia Child. In her show “Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home”, she walked through how to break down and roast a turkey in parts. Her method revolutionized my Thanksgiving cooking giving me juicy breast meat and succulent dark meat every time.
In this article, I’ll explain what a deconstructed turkey is, why it’s so useful and how to cook one for your best Thanksgiving yet. You’ll learn how to break down a raw turkey, cook times for each piece and tips for crispy skin. Let’s get started with the basics.
What Is a Deconstructed Turkey?
A deconstructed turkey is one that’s been broken down into its main sections – breast, thighs, drumsticks and wings Taking the bird apart lets you cook each part separately at the ideal temperature. The breast meat can roast until perfectly done without overcooking the legs and thighs
Benefits of a Deconstructed Turkey
There are two major advantages to cooking a turkey in parts
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Shorter cooking time – With the turkey broken down, it cooks much faster. Air circulates freely, reducing cooking time by about half compared to roasting a whole bird.
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Evenly cooked meat – Removing pieces as they finish results in evenly cooked turkey. No more struggling to balance temperatures between the breast and thighs.
Tools You’ll Need
Deconstructing a raw turkey is easier with the right gear:
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Sharp knife – A chef’s knife or boning knife works well for cutting through joints.
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Kitchen shears – Heavy-duty poultry shears easily snip through bones.
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Meat thermometer – Monitor temperatures to prevent over- or undercooking. A probe thermometer with an alarm works great.
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Roasting pan – Allow airflow around the turkey with a pan fitted with a rack.
How to Break Down a Turkey
With the proper tools, here’s how to deconstruct a turkey:
Remove the Wings
Bend the wing back and slice through the joint attaching it to the breast. Cut off the wingtips to save for stock. Repeat for the other wing.
Remove the Legs
Pull the leg away from the body, then cut through the skin separating the thigh. Cut through the hip joint and twist to detach the leg. Slice through any remaining tissue. Remove the other leg the same way.
Remove the Backbone
Use shears to cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Add the backbone to your turkey stock ingredients.
Remove the Breastbone
Press down to flatten the breastbone, then pull it out of the turkey cavity.
Trim Excess Skin and Fat
Clean up the pieces by trimming off excess skin and fat.
Once deconstructed, season or brine the turkey sections before roasting.
How Long to Cook Each Piece
The secret to perfect deconstructed turkey is removing sections when they reach the ideal internal temperature:
- Turkey breast – 1-2 hours at 325°F until 165°F
- Turkey thighs – 1.5-2.5 hours at 325°F until 175°F
- Turkey wings – 1.5-2 hours at 325°F until 165°F
Use a meat thermometer to monitor doneness. Elevate the pieces on a rack over a roasting pan for even cooking.
Adding Crispy Skin
For crispy skin, place the cooked turkey parts in a 500°F oven for 5-10 minutes once the whole bird is finished. The high heat crisps up the skin beautifully.
Serving Your Deconstructed Turkey
A deconstructed turkey offers plenty of versatility. Slice the breast and serve it alongside your favorite sides and gravy. Shred thigh meat for sandwiches, casseroles and soups. Get creative with leftovers!
Turkey Roasting Pan Recommendations
A heavy roasting pan is ideal for cooking a deconstructed turkey. Look for sturdy stainless steel or enameled cast iron. An oven-safe rack elevates the turkey for even cooking. My favorite pick is the Cuisinart 16″ Roasting Pan with Rack.
Probe Thermometer Recommendations
A reliable probe thermometer takes the guesswork out of roasting turkey. The Thermoworks ChefAlarm is my top choice with its accuracy, programmable alarms and range. I also like the affordability of the Polder Dual Sensor Meat Thermometer.
Turkey Shears Recommendations
Heavy-duty poultry shears are a must for deconstructing a turkey. They cut smoothly through joints, ribs and other bones. My favorites are the durable OXO Good Grips Poultry Shears and the ergonomic KitchenAid Poultry Shears.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature should I cook a deconstructed turkey?
Cook the turkey pieces at 325°F, removing them when they reach the target internal temperature. The breast should reach 165°F and the thighs 175°F. Elevating them on a rack promotes even cooking.
Can I still stuff a deconstructed turkey?
Absolutely! Place your favorite stuffing or aromatics like onions and herbs in the turkey cavity while it roasts for extra flavor. Just be sure to let the stuffing reach 165°F for food safety.
How long does it take to roast a deconstructed turkey?
Plan for the breast to take 1-2 hours and the legs 1.5-2.5 hours at 325°F. Cooking times vary based on the size of your turkey. Monitor temperature instead of time for accuracy.
What’s the best way to reheat turkey parts?
Place cooked turkey pieces in a 500°F oven for 5-10 minutes to recrisp the skin. Slice breast meat and serve warm. Shred and reheat thigh and leg meat in gravy or broth for extra moisture.
Can I still brine a deconstructed turkey?
Yes, brining helps keep the turkey moist and flavorful. Submerge the breast and legs in brine for 12-24 hours before roasting. Rinse well and pat dry before seasoning and cooking.
The Takeaway
What Is a Deconstructed Turkey?
A deconstructed turkey has been broken down into its individual pieces: breast, legs and wings. You can cook them all together in a roasting pan as we describe below or use different cooking methods for each part. Roast the legs while you slow cook the breast, or braise the thighs on the stovetop to free up the oven for side dishes. A deconstructed turkey can still be brined, too, but it takes up significantly less space in the refrigerator.
How to Deconstruct a Raw Turkey
sydney watson/taste of home
If you have a great local butcher near you, they can probably take care of this step for you, selling you a ready-to-roast deconstructed turkey. But it’s not too hard to do it at home, so don’t be afraid to tackle it!
Start with a defrosted turkey. (It would be extremely difficult to do this process on a half-frozen turkey!) Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity, saving them for making stock and gravy.
Place the bird breast-side down on the cutting board. Pull the wing away from the body and make small cuts until you can cut see the joint that connects the wing to the back. Flex the wing to pop the joint out of the socket before slicing through the joint to disconnect the wing from the body. If you hit a hard bone, you’ve missed the joint, so reposition your knife and try again.
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Use your fingers to identify the knuckle joint that connects the wingtip to the wing. Slice through the joint and add the tips to the bag for stock. Repeat the process for the second wing.
Editor’s Tip: If you’re running short on time, feel free to skip this step. Simply remove the wingtips, twist the wings to tuck them behind the back and roast them on the breast. They’ll be a little overcooked, but they have enough fat that they’ll turn out just fine!
Flip the turkey onto its side and pull the leg away from the body. If the turkey is very stiff, wiggle the legs around to loosen things up. Using your sharpest knife, slice through the skin until you reach the point where the leg meets the body. Cut a semi-circle shape around the oyster (a small, oval-shaped piece of meat on the spine). Don’t stress this part too much; if most of the oyster meat remains connected to the spine, it will still add flavor to your stock.
When your knife meets the thigh bone, pull the turkey leg up until it’s parallel to the spine. Hold the leg at the knee (where the drumstick meets the thigh) and pull the leg down away from the wing to break the joint. You’ll hear a satisfying “crack” when it’s finished. If you’re having trouble, the leg is probably too far extended. Pull it up towards the body and try again. Cut through the sinew in the now-exposed leg joint and continue to cut downwards along the backbone to remove the leg.
Repeat the process for the second leg.
Place the turkey breast-side down on the cutting board. Using a pair of kitchen shears, remove the backbone by cutting it on either side. Add the backbone to the bag for stock.
Turn the turkey over and remove the excess skin from the neck. Feel around in the neck area for the wishbone, a thin bone that runs along the top of each breast. Make a small slit on either side of the wishbone to expose the bone. Grab ahold of it with your hands and pull it towards you to remove it from the turkey. It’s sometimes helpful to grab this slippery bone with a paper towel to help with grip.
Using your palms, press down on the breastbone to flatten it.
From here, you can season and roast the turkey straight away, or you can brine the turkey pieces using one of our turkey brine recipes. Use the bones to make turkey stock, an essential component of a great giblet gravy.