Spatchcock Turkey Recipe – Perfect Roast Turkey in Record Time!
, Published Nov 21, 2024
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Try my easy spatchcock turkey recipe for perfectly roasted turkey that’s on the table in double quick time with juicy tender dark and white meat. Time to break with tradition and raise your turkey roasting game!
Prefer white meat only? Make my Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe!
Do you want to cook your roast turkey in half the time, with twice the flavor and an unbelievably crispy skin? Have I got a trick for you! This is going to transform your Thanksgiving or Christmas – and it’s a lot easier than you might think…
You might have heard of spatchcocking, or butterflying, and thought ‘that sounds complicated’. I know, I had the exactly the same thought – but it turns out to be super-easy! A few minutes of work will save you loads of valuable time this Thanksgiving or Christmas.
But what I really love about it is the incredible results you get! A spatchcock turkey cooks more evenly, so it’s goodbye to dry breast meat and hello to perfectly cooked thighs and drumsticks bursting with flavor and the tastiest, crispiest skin you’ve ever eaten.
And nothing’s wasted – you’ll get the most incredible gravy if you use the backbone to make it while the turkey is roasting. Best of all, this technique will save you a lot of Christmas stress – you’ll be amazed how much time roasting your turkey this way will save you!
What is spatchcocking?
‘Butterflying’ meat is exactly as it sounds – simply opening it out like a butterfly and flattening it before cooking. ‘Spatchcocking’ is the same thing, but involves removing the backbone.
It’s a technique that’s been used for hundreds of years – that word ‘spatchcock’ dates back to Ireland in the 18th century. It’s never gone out of fashion because the results are just incredible.
And don’t be daunted – honestly, you’ll be amazed how easy it is! You don’t even need any special equipment. Poultry shears are great if you have them, but heavy-duty kitchen scissors will work just as well.
Roast Spatchcock Turkey Ingredients
- Turkey – you can use a fresh or frozen turkey for this recipe. If using a frozen turkey, you’ll need to allow yourself plenty time for it to thaw so factor that in. See tips below on thawing a turkey.
- Kosher salt (coarse sea salt) – rubbing the turkey with salt prior to roasting is also known as dry brining. Make sure the turkey doesn’t contain salt / hasn’t been brined already to avoid over-salting.
- Compound butter – for this flavored butter rub you will need unsalted softened butter, sage, thyme, garlic powder, smoked sweet paprika and a little five spice seasoning. I sometimes add little Dijon mustard as well.
- Vegetables – Onions, carrots and celery – used to create a bed for the turkey to roast on. These are not essential.
How to spatchcock a turkey step-by-step
- Place the turkey on a cutting board and pat it dry all over with kitchen paper. Turn it breast side down, with the legs facing you and find the backbone – it’s the ridge right down the middle. Take your shears cut all the way through to the other side, starting at the end nearest you.
- When you’ve done one side, turn the turkey around and repeat this step on the other side to remove the backbone – but be sure to keep it, it’ll make the most fantastic stock or gravy!
- Turn the turkey over so the breast side is facing up, and spread the thighs and legs out. Place the palms of your hands at the base of the breast and press down hard – you’ll hear a ‘snap’ as the breastbone breaks – this is what you’re after! – and the turkey will flatten out a bit more.
- Turn the legs over so that they are facing outwards and tuck the wingtips underneath. You are now ready to prep the turkey for the oven!
Lucy’s Pro Tip
How much turkey per person?
To calculate allow 1 1/4 pounds (approx. 500g) per guest. So for 10 guests you will need a turkey that weighs 13 pounds / 5.8 kg. This allows for enough meat plus some leftovers.
| SERVES | WEIGHT IN POUNDS | WEIGHT IN KILOS |
|---|---|---|
| Serves 4 | 5 pounds | 2.25 kg |
| Serves 6 | 8 pounds | 2.7 kg |
| Serves 8 | 10 pounds | 4.5 kg |
| Serves 10 | 13 pounds | 5.8 kg |
| Serves 12 | 15 pounds | 6.8 kg |
Prefer white meat only? You might want to cook a turkey crown instead!
How to make Spatchcock Roast Turkey
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
Dry Brine
- Make sure the turkey is dry – if not, pat it with kitchen paper. Sprinkle with the salt on both sides and place in the fridge, uncovered, for six hours or overnight – this helps the skin to crisp up while roasting. (Only do this step if the turkey has no added salt or has been brined already).
Prep the turkey
- Take the turkey out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for an hour. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C and position the rack in the middle.
- Spread the onions, celery and carrots (if using) on a large roasting tray and place a wire rack on top or position the turkey directly over the vegetables using large onions sliced in half as a sort of trivet.
- Make the compound butter. Place the softened butter, chopped sage, fresh thyme, paprika, five spice, garlic powder and Dijon mustard in a bowl and mix well until thoroughly combined.
- Loosen the turkey skin over the breast and push flavored butter underneath. Spread the remaining butter over the whole turkey.
Roast the turkey
- Calculate how much time your turkey needs by multiplying the number of pounds (450g) by 8 (eg. a 10 pound turkey needs 80 minutes). Place in the oven and cook until an instant meat thermometer (or temperature probe) registers 150°F / 65°C in the thickest part of the breast (this your pull temperature).
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 30 minutes. The temperature will continue to rise as the turkey rests to the recommended safe temperature of 165°F / 74°C. Check the temperature at the thickest part of the thigh – dark meat can be cooked until it reaches 175°C / 80°C.
Carve the turkey and serve
- After the turkey has rested for half an hour or so, it’s time to carve. First remove the legs and thighs – cut the skin between leg and breast, and the leg should pull away fairly easily. Next, the wings – same trick, but you may need to twist and cut them away.
- Slice along one side of the breastbone with your knife, pulling and cutting the breast away as you go, then repeat on the other side. Now place the breasts flat on the cutting board and carve them into thick slices, crosswise, at a slight angle – you’ll see how amazingly juicy and tender it is!
Recipe Notes
How to calculate the cooking time
The cooking time is way less than you would expect for a turkey – my small turkey took just an hour! It all depends on the size of your turkey of course, but as a rough rule of thumb, it’ll take around 8 minutes per 1 pound / 450g. Always test it before deciding if it’s ready – make sure the juices run clear when you insert a skewer or knife and for best results use a meat thermometer.
How to thaw a frozen turkey
Obviously a turkey is a big bird, so if yours is frozen, allow plenty of time for it to thaw. We’ve all been there, and finding out too late that it’s not fully defrosted is no fun! It all depends on how much space you have. If you’re defrosting your turkey in the fridge, you’ll need around 5-6 hours per pound (10-12 hours per kilo), so for a big bird you’re looking at 3 days. Cook the turkey within 2 days once it has thawed.
That is lot of refrigerator real estate to give up just before a big event! To cut this down, you can defrost it at room temperature, which is a lot quicker. To be safe the room must be below 60°F / 15°C and you should only use this method if you’re cooking your turkey straight away. This will take around 2 hours per pound (approximately 4 hours per kilogram). One good option is to mix the two methods, stand it in the kitchen for 12-14 hours then let it finish defrosting in the fridge.
Serving suggestions
Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Recipes
Braised Red Cabbage
Side dishes
Brussels Sprouts – Creamy Sprouts With Bacon
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Spatchcock Turkey Recipe – For Perfect Roast Turkey in Record Time!
Video
Ingredients
For the turkey
- 8 pounds (3.6 kg) whole turkey (thawed if frozen) * see notes
- 3 tbsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Compound butter
- 8 tbsp (150g ) unsalted butter , softened
- ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp five spice seasoning (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- small bunch sage , finely chopped
For the roasting tray (optional)
- 2 large onions , halved or roughly chopped
- 3 carrots , chopped
- 2 celery sticks , chopped
Instructions
Spatchcock the turkey
- Place the turkey on a cutting board and pat it dry all over with kitchen paper. Turn it breast side down, with the legs facing you and find the backbone – it’s the ridge right down the middle. Take your shears cut all the way through to the other side, starting at the end nearest you.8 pounds (3.6 kg) whole turkey
- Turn the turkey around and repeat this step on the other side to remove the backbone – but be sure to keep it, it’ll make the most fantastic stock or gravy!
- Turn the turkey over so the breast side is facing up, and spread the thighs and legs out. Place the palms of your hands at the base of the breast and press down hard – imagine you’re giving the turkey CPR!
- You’ll feel a ‘snap’ as the breastbone breaks – this is what you’re after! – and the turkey will flatten out a bit more. Turn the legs over so that they are facing outwards and tuck the wingtips underneath.
Dry Brine
- Make sure the turkey is dry – if not, pat it with kitchen paper. Sprinkle with the salt on both sides and place in the fridge, uncovered, for six hours or overnight – this helps the skin to crisp up while roasting.3 tbsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Prep the turkey
- Take the turkey out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for an hour. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C Fan Forced and position the rack in the middle.
- Spread the onions, celery and carrots (if using) on a large roasting tray and place a wire rack on top or position the turkey directly over the vegetables using large onions sliced in half as a sort of trivet.2 large onions, 3 carrots, 2 celery sticks
- Make the compound butter. Place the softened butter, chopped sage, fresh thyme, paprika, five spice, garlic powder and Dijon mustard in a bowl and mix well until thoroughly combined and you have a spreadable paste.8 tbsp (150g ) unsalted butter, ½ tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp five spice seasoning, 1 tbsp fresh thyme, small bunch sage
- Loosen the turkey skin over the breast and push flavored butter underneath. Spread the remaining butter over the whole turkey.
Roast the turkey
- Place in the oven and cook until an instant meat thermometer (or temperature probe) registers 150°F / 65°C in the thickest part of the breast (this your pull temperature).
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 30 minutes. The temperature will continue to rise as the turkey rests to the recommended safe temperature of 165°F / 74°C. Check the temperature at the thickest part of the thigh – dark meat can be cooked until it reaches 175°C / 80°C.
Carve the turkey and serve
- Remove the legs and thighs – cut the skin between leg and breast, and the leg should pull away fairly easily. Next, the wings – same trick, but you may need to twist and cut them away.
- Slice along one side of the breastbone with your knife, pulling and cutting the breast away as you go, then repeat on the other side. Separate the thighs from the drumsticks, remove the thickest part of the thigh and carve it into slices. Now place the breasts on a cutting board and carve them into thick slices, crosswise, at a slight angle.
- Place the carved turkey on a platter – I like to add sliced oranges, bay leaves and cranberries for a pretty presentation – and serve with your favorite sides.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
