Roast Spatchcock Turkey Recipe

When you spatchcock a turkey you get the juiciest, crispiest roast turkey cooked in a fraction of the time it usually takes to cook a whole turkey. If you’ve never tried it, spatchcocking is easier than you might think! By removing the backbone and flattening out the bird, you’ll reduce cooking time and make carving a whole lot easier, too! Once you try it, you might never go back.

Roast Spatchcock Turkey Recipe

Krysta

When you spatchcock a turkey you get the juiciest, crispiest roast turkey cooked in a fraction of the time it usually takes to cook a whole turkey. If you've never tried it, spatchcocking is easier than you might think! By removing the backbone and flattening out the bird, you'll reduce cooking time and make carving a whole lot easier, too! Once you try it, you might never go back.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Additional Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Holidays and Events

Cuisine Turkey

Servings 10

Calories 777 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 10 pound whole turkey
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper

Instructions

 

• Gather ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a roasting rack on a baking sheet.
• Place turkey, breast-side down, on a cutting board. Using a pair of sharp heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone.
• Repeat on the other side of the backbone. Remove backbone and reserve for making turkey stock for gravy.
• Press firmly down onto both sides of turkey to flatten.
• Flip turkey breast-side up and put on the roasting rack. Tuck wing tips under turkey (behind breast). Pat skin dry and rub olive oil over entire turkey. Season with sage, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet every 30 minutes.
• Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and continue to roast until skin is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Remove turkey from the oven, cover loosely with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
• Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe Tips

If you’d like to brine your turkey, do it after you’ve removed the backbone in Step 2.

Melted butter can be used in place of the olive oil if desired. You can baste the turkey with melted butter every 30 minutes while roasting.

Editor’s Note

Please note the differences in ingredient amounts, the omission of olive oil, the use of dried herbs instead of fresh, and the length of time for dry-brining when using the magazine version of this recipe.