How to Spatchcock a Turkey

Article by Heath Goldman

There are about a million ways to dress and cook a holiday turkey, and they all have the same goal: juicy, flavorful turkey meat with golden, crispy skin.

Spatchcocking is a non-gimmicky way to get you to perfectly cooked turkey—fast. Also known as butterflying, the technique involves removing the backbone and flattening the bird for cooking. This method is common for cooking chicken, too, because it helps all birds cook evenly. Here’s a step-by-step guide to spatchcocking a turkey.

Is Spatchcocking a Turkey Better?

Spatchcocking requires a bit of extra work before you get into cooking, but that extra effort pays off, and here’s how.

Shorter cook time: We’ve all been there: a full table of hungry Thanksgiving guests, waiting hours and hours for the turkey to finally finish cooking. Spatchcocking removes all that pressure, cooking a turkey in almost half the time as the conventional turkey-cooking methods.

Flavor and texture benefits: The most difficult part of cooking a turkey is ensuring even cooking. It is an all-too-familiar mistake to cut into your turkey, only to realize that the breast meat (which cooks under the direct heat of the oven) dried out before the leg and thigh meat on the underside of the bird had a chance to finish cooking. Spatchcocking ensures even cooking and browning since the entirety of the skin and meat are exposed to even heat. Plus, with that shorter cooking time, you are especially guaranteed to have juicy, perfectly cooked turkey meat.

Easier carving: A whole turkey makes for a show-stopping presentation at the table, but carving is another story. It can get messy and confusing quickly, and many people end up with more meat left on the bones than on the serving platter. Starting with a flat turkey is so much simpler: your knife will be able to easily move around the bird to get as much meat off the bones as possible.

How to Spatchcock a Turkey Like a Pro

Dry off the turkey: As is true with all meat, the drier you can get the surface of the turkey skin, the crispier the skin will get as it cooks. Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels, letting the juices from the bird briefly absorb into the paper towel.

Cut Along One Side of the Backbone: Lay the turkey on your cutting board with the breast facedown and the backbone facing up. Locate the backbone, then cut along one side of it using kitchen shears or a very sharp boning knife, starting at the tail end. If you have a sharp boning knife, it is helpful to run the knife along the spine, puncturing the skin down to the bone before cutting through with the kitchen shears. You will be cutting through cartilage and bones: don’t be afraid to put a little muscle into it.

Cut Along the Other Side of the Backbone and Remove It: Cut along the other side of the spine and remove the backbone. Save the backbone to help flavor your gravy.

Flatten the Bird: Turn the turkey over on the cutting board so the cut side is on the board and the breast side is facing up. Using both of your hands, press down on the bird forcefully until you hear the crack of the wishbone and the turkey rests flat on the cutting board.

Season the Turkey: Season the turkey all over with salt (about 1/4 cup should do the trick) and pepper. Or make the dry brine outlined in this recipe which adds extra flavor. Feel fere to substitute spices to change the flavor profile. Apply it to the turkey by loosening the skin from the breast and thighs and sliding it underneath.

How to Add Extra Flavor to a Spatchcocked Turkey

Dry brine the turkey uncovered: Dry brining and refrigerating the turkey uncovered allows for air drying the skin. This helps maximize the skin's crispness, and also allows the seasoning to penetrate the turkey. The salt in the dry brine helps tenderize the meat.

Use compound butter: Compound butter not only adds another layer of flavor, but also it allows self-basting keeping the turkey moist. The seasoning in the butter can also be personalized to fit different flavor profiles.

Place the turkey on a roasting rack over vegetables: Placing the turkey on a rack to roast over vegetables allows the fat in the turkey skin to drain off and onto the veggies, resulting in extra crispy skin. The vegete bales steam as they cook, releasing moisture in the meat. And at the end you can use them to make gravy.

What's the Best Turkey for Spatchcocking?

A heritage turkey or an organic bird provides the best flavor. Avoid injected, or self -basting turkeys, which are often injected with salted solution or added fat. A 12- to 14-pound turkey fits on a half sheet pan making it easier to store when refrigerating. If the bird is frozen, give enough time for the bird to defrost. Turkey should be fully thawed before spatchcocking.

How to Carve a Spatchcocked Turkey

After it has rested, transfer the turkey to a clean cutting board. Start by carving out the thighs and drumsticks, then separate the two. Carve off the meat and transfer to a serving platter. Next, cut the breast meat off the bone, and cut into slices for easy serving. After that, remove the wings and add to the serving platter. (Or, take a taste from these small pieces—we won’t tell anyone!) Save the carcass for stocks and soups, perfect for repurposing all those leftovers.