Spatchcock Turkey Recipe

Overhead view of a platter of spatchcock turkey with cut lemons and fresh herbs. Flowers and a stack of plates on the side.

Ensure crispy skin and juicy meat every time with this Spatchcock Turkey recipe! It’s quite simple to prepare and cooks in about half the time of a whole turkey. Serve it at Thanksgiving with your favorite sides for a memorable feast!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 10

Cook Time 1 25

Rest Time 20

Total Time 2 55

Servings servings

Calories 694kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Large rimmed baking sheet
Wire rack

Ingredients

1 (12 to 13-pound) turkey
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
½ cup unsalted butter softened, divided
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme

Instructions

Place a wire rack inside a large, rimmed baking sheet.
Place the turkey on a large cutting board and pat it dry with paper towels, inside and out. Trim any neck fat that is overhanging, so that it is flush with the flesh. Remove the wishbone, if desired.
Arrange the turkey so that it is breast-side down. Using sharp kitchen or poultry shears, cut through the small bones on one side of the backbone, staying as close to the bone as possible. Repeat on the other side of the backbone so that it can be completely removed from the turkey. (Reserve the backbone for another use, such as turkey stock.)
With your hands holding the two cut sides, pull them away from each other to open up the turkey. Flip the bird over so it is breast-side up. Place your hands between the two breasts and firmly push down to break the breastbone. (You should hear a small crack).
In a small bowl, stir together the salt and pepper.
Place the turkey breast side up on the prepared rack. Tuck the wings behind the breasts and turn the thighs inward towards the center of the turkey. Season the turkey on both sides with the mixture. Let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
After resting for 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 450°F.
While the oven preheats, in a small bowl combine ¼ cup of the softened butter with the garlic, rosemary and thyme. Mash the mixture with a fork until well combined.
Using your hands, carefully separate the skin from the flesh on both breasts and the thighs, being careful not to tear the skin. Massage the seasoned butter into the flesh, underneath the skin, on each of these parts of the turkey.
If there is excess moisture on the skin of the turkey, gently pat it dry with paper towels. Rub the remaining 4 tablespoons of plain, softened butter all over the skin of the turkey.
Roast for 25 minutes. Turn the sheet pan 180°. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue to roast for another 60 to 80 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature of the breasts are at least 155°F, and the thighs, at least 165°F.
Tent the turkey loosely with foil and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving and serving.

Notes

Reserve the backbone for another use. Bones have a lot of flavor and are great for making turkey stock. Reserve the backbone and cooked bones after carving if you plan on making it.
Pat the turkey dry. Moisture makes the skin soft, and dry skin gets the crispiest when roasted. Don’t skip patting the skin dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
Make for easy clean-up. Line the rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil and spray the wire rack with non-stick cooking spray to make clean-up a breeze.
Make turkey gravy. If you’d like to use any of the pan drippings for homemade gravy, add 1 cup of water to the pan before placing the wire rack and the turkey on top. This prevents the pan drippings from burning while the turkey roasts. For extra flavor, you can add chopped vegetables to the sheet tray as well. Dice 1 onion, 2 carrots, and 3 celery stalks and spread them on the tray, then set the wire rack on top. Strain the drippings before making the gravy.
Rest the turkey after roasting. The turkey breast will cook another 10 to 12°F during the 20 to 30 minute rest period. It needs this rest time to reach a safe internal temperature, which should be 165°F. For the most accuracy, place an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast while resting to monitor the temperature.

Nutrition

Thank You! https://financepost.live/spatchcock-turkey/%3C/p%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cscript%3Ewindow.wprm_recipes = {"recipe-70511":{"type":"food","name":"Spatchcock Turkey Recipe","slug":"wprm-spatchcock-turkey-recipe","image_url":"https:\/\/preppykitchen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Spatchcock-Turkey-Recipe-Card.jpg","rating":{"count":1,"total":5,"average":5,"type":{"comment":1,"no_comment":0,"user":0},"user":0},"ingredients":[{"uid":0,"amount":"1","unit":"(12 to 13-pound)","name":"turkey","notes":"","unit_id":16042,"id":16039,"type":"ingredient","unit_systems":{"unit-system-1":{"amount":"1","unit":"(12 to 13-pound)","unitParsed":"(12 to 13-pound)"}}},{"uid":1,"amount":"2","unit":"tablespoons","name":"salt","notes":"","unit_id":12100,"id":42,"type":"ingredient","unit_systems":{"unit-system-1":{"amount":"2","unit":"tablespoons","unitParsed":"tablespoons"}}},{"uid":2,"amount":"2","unit":"teaspoons","name":"ground black pepper","notes":"","unit_id":12076,"id":62,"type":"ingredient","unit_systems":{"unit-system-1":{"amount":"2","unit":"teaspoons","unitParsed":"teaspoons"}}},{"uid":3,"amount":"\u00bd","unit":"cup","name":"unsalted butter","notes":"softened, divided","unit_id":12050,"id":34,"type":"ingredient","unit_systems":{"unit-system-1":{"amount":"\u00bd","unit":"cup","unitParsed":"cup"}}},{"uid":4,"amount":"3","unit":"cloves","name":"garlic","notes":"finely chopped","unit_id":12280,"id":61,"type":"ingredient","unit_systems":{"unit-system-1":{"amount":"3","unit":"cloves","unitParsed":"cloves"}}},{"uid":5,"amount":"2","unit":"teaspoons","name":"finely chopped rosemary","notes":"","unit_id":12076,"id":16040,"type":"ingredient","unit_systems":{"unit-system-1":{"amount":"2","unit":"teaspoons","unitParsed":"teaspoons"}}},{"uid":6,"amount":"1","unit":"teaspoon","name":"finely chopped thyme","notes":"","unit_id":12051,"id":16041,"type":"ingredient","unit_systems":{"unit-system-1":{"amount":"1","unit":"teaspoon","unitParsed":"teaspoon"}}}],"originalServings":"10","originalServingsParsed":10,"currentServings":"10","currentServingsParsed":10,"currentServingsFormatted":"10","currentServingsMultiplier":1,"originalSystem":1,"currentSystem":1,"favorite":false,"unitSystems":[1],"originalAdvancedServings":{"shape":"round","unit":"inch","diameter":0,"width":0,"length":0,"height":0},"currentAdvancedServings":{"shape":"round","unit":"inch","diameter":0,"width":0,"length":0,"height":0},"collection":{"servingsUnit":"servings","servingsUnitRaw":"servings","originalServings":"10","originalServingsParsed":10,"type":"recipe","recipeId":70511,"name":"Spatchcock Turkey Recipe","image":"https:\/\/preppykitchen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Spatchcock-Turkey-Recipe-Card-330x330.jpg","servings":10,"parent_id":"70509","parent_url":"https:\/\/preppykitchen.com\/spatchcock-turkey\/","cachedAt":1776445672,"modifiedAt":1730974242}}}