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Noel's avatar
Noel
Explorer II
Nov 22, 2013

Want to (gasp) spatchcock your turkey?

This is a way to drastically reduce turkey cooking time. It roasts in the oven @ 450 degrees for approx. 1-1/2 hours or until your thermometer reads 150+ degrees.

Essentially you remove the backbone entirely, flatten the turkey and roast on a shallow pan on a grid.

Benefits are all the skin gets crisp, easy to carve and fast cooking.

I can't post a live link but it is on www.seriouseats.com and also on YouTube, both under "Spatchcock your Turkey"

10 Replies

  • papa_peter's avatar
    papa_peter
    Explorer
    Nov 29, 2013
    Wishbone51 wrote:
    This is harder than I thought.. The entire area seems made of bone.. Can't cut through it.


    Removing the backbone (spine) of a turkey or chicken can be hard because it is made of bones. I use a combination of a poultry sheer and/or a large butcher type knife.
  • Wishbone51's avatar
    Wishbone51
    Explorer
    Nov 27, 2013
    This is harder than I thought.. The entire area seems made of bone.. Can't cut through it.
  • RaenMark's avatar
    RaenMark
    Explorer
    Nov 24, 2013
    Thanks Noel. This looks great. Also the rest of you with your ideas. Can't wait to try it.
  • Wishbone51's avatar
    Wishbone51
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2013
    Thanks for this.. I'm so trying this on Thanksgiving. I'm going to use Alton Brown's brine recipe, then smoker for an hour, then the oven.
  • papa_peter's avatar
    papa_peter
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2013
    I've been know to spatchcock turkey and chickens now and then. It's not that hard and the results are wonderful. Cooks more evenly, quicker. Just remove the backbone, flatten it, season on/under the skin and go for it. I've never cooked one in the oven but have smoked/cooked many of them on my wood pellet bbq smoker-grill ... Make sure you take the breast to at least 165ºF (I prefer 170ºF) which will take the thigh/leg to 180ºF.







  • SWMO's avatar
    SWMO
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2013
    A bag and a nights sleep in a 225 oven will produce a falling off the bone moist turkey. Easy as putting it in the bag and in the oven.
  • Pepperoni's avatar
    Pepperoni
    Explorer
    Nov 22, 2013
    Your butcher can debone your bird.
    DEBONE TURKEY

    It is much easier to just use shears to cut the bird in half and then remove the bones.

    I taught a fellow soldier to bone fresh ham over 40 years ago. He had trouble grasping the fact that there are left AND right-handed hams.
  • erstanfo's avatar
    erstanfo
    Explorer
    Nov 22, 2013
    I've got a friend who does that and places the open bird over a pan of dressing to absorb the turkey drippings. MMM good
  • Fish__n___Grits's avatar
    Fish__n___Grits
    Explorer
    Nov 22, 2013
    I've never tried it with a turkey, but I don't cook whole chickens any other way since I saw it done. The best thing about it to me is that the thighs are completely done and the breast is still juicy and not overcooked. I intend to do a turkey one of these days.

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