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whole roasted turkey

The Spatchcock Turkey Guide

This method of cooking a turkey will make your life easier, save you time, and give you amazing results. I'll show you how to spatchcock a turkey using my step-by-step guide. You'll never go back to roasting another turkey any other way!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Calories: 7482kcal
Author: Meiko Temple

Ingredients

Turkey

  • 12-15 lbs Turkey
  • 3 onions roughly chopped
  • 1 lb carrots roughly chopped
  • 4 stalks celery roughly chopped
  • 1 pack fresh herb poultry thyme, rosemary, sage

Turkey Butter Compote

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt omit salt if using a salt brined turkey

Instructions

  • In your oven, adjust the racks down. This way, when you place the turkey inside, it will sit right in the middle. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  • In a medium bowl, add butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, curry powder, Cajun seasoning, and salt (if needed). Use a spoon to stir all the components together until you reach a smooth consistency.
  • Spatchcock your turkey by placing it chest-down. Using heavy-duty scissors or a sharp knife, remove the backbone (you can preserve the excess bone to make a broth for the gravy).
  • Flip the bird over, so it is lying chest up, and the cavity is flat to the surface. Use both hands to press down on the upper chest plate until you hear the bone fracture. It helps the turkey lay flat.
  • Use your hands to separate the turkey’s skin from the meat over the two breasts and two thighs. After creating a pocket of space, add in some of your butter compote inside those four pockets. Reserve enough of the butter mixture to cover the outside of the bird as well.
  • On a rimmed baking sheet, with a wire rack, add your fresh herbs and vegetables. Then place the turkey on top of the wire rack with the chest up.
  • Place turkey in the oven to roast. Make sure to rotate the pan every 20 minutes. The turkey will cook for approximately 80 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the breast registers 150°F and at the thighs registers at least 165°F.
  • When the Thanksgiving spatchcock turkey is ready, pull it from the oven and let it cool or 20 minutes undisturbed.
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Nutrition

Calories: 7482kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 850g | Fat: 404g | Saturated Fat: 173g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 65g | Monounsaturated Fat: 119g | Trans Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 3268mg | Sodium: 7145mg | Potassium: 11418mg | Fiber: 27g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 87905IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 901mg | Iron: 41mg

Equipment

Bowl Set
Heavy Duty Aviation Scissors
Sheet Pan
Wired Baking Rack
Meat Thermometer

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

**The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.