Perfect Spatchcock Turkey

If you want a juicy turkey that’s evenly cooked with the crispiest skin ever, this Spatchcock Turkey is the recipe for you! It comes out perfect every time and cooks up in under an hour and a half!  

Thanksgiving is hands down my favorite holiday, and I’ve hosted the holiday for over 15 years. It’s a lot of work, but I truly wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’ve cooked my fair share of turkeys, including my bone-in turkey breast, boneless turkey breast, and dry brine turkey recipes, but this Spatchcock Turkey recipe is my favorite way to prepare it.

The term spatchcock means to butterfly, or remove the backbone of a chicken, turkey or game bird, and lay it flat during cooking. See my post on How to Spatchcock Chicken for more information, and be sure to try my Roasted Spatchcock Chicken.

Cooking a turkey using this method is completely life changing. Once you try it, there’s no going back!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

1. Spatchcock turkey is juicy and flavorful with the crispiest skin ever.
2. A 12-14 lb. turkey cooks in a 450 degree oven and in just 1 – 1.5 hours, which is about half the time as the traditional method.
3. Spatchcock turkey cooks more evenly because it’s on a level surface.  The breast meat and dark meat reach doneness at the same time, which means you’ll have a nice, juicy turkey.  
4. More skin is exposed during roasting, which results in maximum golden brown crispy skin.
5. If you’re making stock for your turkey gravy, you can toss the backbone into the pot for even more flavor.

Recipe ingredients

I kept this spatchcock turkey recipe very simple — it only includes three ingredients aside from salt and pepper.

Ingredient notes

• Turkey. This recipe is based on a 12-14 lb. turkey, but any size may be used. Cooking times will vary. Ask your butcher to spatchcock the turkey for you to save a step!
• Oil. Using olive oil results in a turkey with beautifully golden brown, crispy skin. The oil may be substituted with melted butter.
• Smoked paprika. I love using smoked paprika for its warm, smoky flavor, and it also lends a deep color to the turkey skin. Regular paprika may be substituted, or use your favorite herbs and spices.
• Kosher salt. Kosher salt is actually larger grains of salt, which means one tablespoon is less salt than a tablespoon of regular table salt. Substitute about 3/4 tablespoon of table salt for 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.

How to make this recipe

This spatchcock turkey recipe is extremely easy to make, and you may not want to prepare a turkey any other way again.

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

How to spatchcock a turkey

Spatchcocking a turkey might seem intimidating, but it’s very easy using a sharp pair of kitchen sheers and a paring knife.

Pro tip: Avoid the hassle of spatchcocking the turkey yourself and ask your butcher to do it. Be sure to ask for the backbone and giblets so that you can use them for gravy and stock.

• To start, remove the giblets and pat the turkey dry with paper towels, then place the turkey breast side down with the legs toward you.  Using sharp kitchen shears, cut alongside the backbone on both sides to remove. 
• Use a sharp paring knife to cut along the tip of the breastbone (it looks like the tip of triangle) to make it easier to flatten. Turn the turkey over breast side up, press your hands over the turkey breast and apply pressure to flatten.

How to dry brine the turkey

A dry brine is the easiest way to brine a turkey. There’s no messy liquid to deal with — all you need is salt!

So how does a dry brine work? Moisture from the air and the meat will cause water molecules to form over the turkey, which are absorbed into the turkey meat. The salt breaks down the proteins in the meat, which results in a tender, juicy turkey.

The turkey skin also dries out, which means it will get even crispier in the oven as it cooks.

• Pat the turkey dry and salt it generously on both sides, and directly over the breasts beneath the skin.
• From there, refrigerate the turkey uncovered on a baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1-3 days. 

Prep the turkey

Once the turkey has dry brined for 1-3 days, it’s time to prep it with a simple olive oil rub before cooking.

• Combine olive oil, smoked paprika and black pepper in a small bowl.
• Rub the turkey with the mixture and allow it to come to room temperature for an hour or two, then cook at 450 degrees for 1 – 1 1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thighs registers 175 degrees or the breasts register at 160 degrees. Remove from heat, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 20-30 minutes before carving.

How to check the temperature of a turkey

• Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thighs without touching bone. The turkey is done when the thighs register at 175 degrees. The turkey will continue to cook as it rests.
• Insert the thermometer into the deepest part of the breast, parallel to the turkey and toward the neck, without touching bone. The turkey is done when the breasts register at 160 degrees. The turkey will continue to cook as it rests.

FAQs

Recipe notes

• Nutrition information is based on a 12 lb. turkey.
• Pro tip:  Ask your butcher to spatchcock your turkey for you and reserve the backbone and giblets for you for turkey stock and gravy.
• Cooking time will vary based on the size of your turkey.  If your turkey is 12 lbs. or smaller, it may take only 1 hour to cook.  If it’s 14 lbs. or larger it could take anywhere between an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half.  I suggest checking the turkey for doneness after one hour and going from there, as oven temperatures do vary.
• Due to the high temperature, the turkey will be nice and brown after 20-30 minutes or so, and should be loosely covered with foil during the remainder of the roasting time.
• Customize your turkey with your favorite seasonings, fresh herbs or citrus.

See all of my Thanksgiving recipes.

What to serve with spatchcock turkey:

• Cranberry orange sauce
• Homemade dinner rolls by Mom on Timeout
• Green bean casserole
• Slow cooker stuffing
• Yukon gold mashed potatoes

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

**This recipe was originally published in November 2015. The text, recipe and photos have been updated.

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