Spatchcock Turkey
Everything I said about spatchcock chicken applies here — just scaled up. Same technique, bigger bird, bigger payoff. A 14-pound turkey that would take 3-4 hours in the oven traditional roasts in about 90 minutes flat. That alone should sell you. The backbone comes out the same way — kitchen shears along both sides. On a turkey it takes more force, so make sure your shears are sharp or use a cleaver. You'll hear a satisfying crack when you press the breastbone flat. That's normal. Dry brine the night before with kosher salt — a turkey this size needs at least 12 hours for the salt to penetrate and the skin to dry out. That dry skin is everything. It's the difference between golden and crispy versus pale and rubbery. You'll need your biggest sheet pan for this, and a wire rack is almost mandatory at this size. The bird lays flat and takes up the whole pan, which means every inch of skin is exposed to direct heat. No more rotating, no more tenting with foil, no more basting every 30 minutes. Set it and walk away. This is the method that frees up your oven for sides on Thanksgiving instead of monopolizing it for four hours with a bird you're terrified of drying out.
Equipment
- Kitchen Shears
- Cutting Board
- Roasting pan
- Wire Rack
- Sheet Pan
- Small bowl
- Paper Towels
- Probe thermometer
Ingredients
Dry Brine
- 2 tablespoon Kosher Salt Morton brand
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar dark
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper coarse ground
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Turkey
- 1 whole Turkey 12-16 lb, fresh or thawed
Aromatics
- 1 Onion quartered
- 1 Apple quartered
- 4 sprigs Rosemary fresh
- 4 sprigs Thyme fresh
- 4 sprigs Sage fresh
Instructions
Spatchcock the Turkey
- Place the turkey breast-side down on a cutting board.
- Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone from tail to neck.
- Remove the backbone completely and save it for stock.
- Flip the turkey breast-side up.
- Press down firmly on the breastbone with both hands until you hear it crack and the turkey lays flat.
- Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders.
Dry Brine
- Pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels.
- Combine kosher salt, brown sugar, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.
- Carefully lift the skin over the breasts and thighs.
- Apply about 60% of the dry brine directly on the meat under the skin.
- Apply the remaining 40% over the skin.
- Place the spatchcocked turkey skin-side up on a wire rack over a sheet pan.
- Refrigerate uncovered for 24-48 hours.
Prep for Roasting
- About 1 hour before cooking, remove the turkey from the refrigerator.
- Scatter the quartered onion, apple, and fresh herbs on a sheet pan.
- Place a wire rack over the aromatics and lay the turkey skin-side up on the rack.
Roast
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Roast for approximately 80-90 minutes for a 12-14 lb bird, or until the thickest part of the breast reaches 160°F and the thighs reach 175°F.
- Check temperature starting at 70 minutes.
Rest and Serve
- Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Carve directly on the sheet pan.
- Save all drippings for turkey gravy.
Notes
A whole turkey spatchcocked and roasted flat for even cooking, crispier skin, and half the roasting time. The method that takes the stress out of Thanksgiving.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
