Spatchcock Turkey (Grilled or Smoked)

Name: Spatchcock Turkey (Grilled or Smoked)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 27 h
Yield: 10-14 servings
Cuisine: American barbecue
Ingredients: 1 whole turkey, 12–14 lb, fully thawed, giblets removed; 3 tbsp kosher salt (for the dry brine; skip it for kosher turkey); ¼ cup olive oil (or melted butter if not cooking kosher); ¼ cup poultry rub (Cajun or Lemon Herb)

Spatchcocking a turkey cuts the cook time roughly in half, cooks the breast and thighs evenly, and gives you crispy skin over the whole bird. A 12–14 lb turkey is done in about 2–2½ hours on the grill or smoker instead of 4–6. It's the easiest way to cook a juicy holiday turkey.

Prep30 min

Dry brine1–3 days

Cook2–2½ hrs

Heat325–350°F

Serves10–14

Dietary notes

KetoGluten-freeSugar-freeHalal-friendly*Kosher-friendly*

Keto, gluten-free and sugar-free: As written with a no-sugar, gluten-free rub. Avoid pre-injected or 'self-basting' turkeys, whose solutions can contain sugar and other additives.
Halal: Use a certified halal turkey.
Kosher: Use a certified kosher turkey and oil instead of butter (no meat and dairy together). Kosher turkeys are already salted, so skip the dry-brine salt.

* Depends on certified ingredients or a simple swap. See the notes above.

Ingredients

1 whole turkey, 12–14 lb, fully thawed, giblets removed
3 tbsp kosher salt (for the dry brine; skip it for kosher turkey)
¼ cup olive oil (or melted butter if not cooking kosher)
¼ cup poultry rub (Cajun or Lemon Herb)

Equipment: heavy-duty poultry shears (turkey bones are much tougher than chicken's), and a sheet pan for brining. Check the fit: a flattened 12–14 lb turkey is about 16–18 inches across. It fits a 22-inch kettle and most gas grills, but it's tight on a Large Big Green Egg, so choose a 10–12 lb bird or use an XL Egg.

Instructions

Thaw safely. Thaw in the refrigerator, allowing about 1 day per 4–5 lb. Never at room temperature.
Cut out the backbone. Set the turkey breast side down on a sheet pan. With heavy-duty shears, cut along both sides of the backbone. Take your time, since it's tough going. Save the backbone for gravy or stock.
Flatten. Flip it breast side up and press down hard on the breastbone with both hands until it cracks and the turkey lies flat. Tuck the wing tips behind.
Dry brine. Pat dry and season all over (and under the breast skin) with the salt. Refrigerate uncovered on a rack set in the sheet pan for 1–3 days.
Season. Rub with oil and season all over.
Set up indirect heat. Kettle: split the coals to both sides, with a drip pan in the middle. Big Green Egg: convEGGtor in, legs up. Gas grill: outer burners on, center off. Smoker: set to 325°F. Aim for 325–350°F.
Cook. Lay the turkey skin side up with the thighs toward the hottest side. Close the lid and cook about 2–2½ hours (roughly 10–12 minutes per pound), rotating the bird halfway through if one side browns faster.
Check doneness. It's done at 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and 175–180°F in the thighs. If the breast gets ahead, tent it loosely with foil.
Rest and carve. Rest 20–30 minutes. Carve by cutting the bird in half down the breastbone, removing the leg quarters, then slicing the breast across the grain.

Food safety: poultry is safe at 165°F. Check the breast and thigh without touching bone. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, and use them within 3–4 days or freeze them.

Gear I use

Thermapen ONE by ThermoWorks

A big bird needs readings in several spots, breast and both thighs. A fast instant-read gets them all in seconds with the lid open as little as possible.

See it at ThermoWorks

Want a whole, unflattened bird? See Smoked Turkey. Smaller crowd? Try Spatchcock Chicken.