A spatchcock turkey roasts more quickly and evenly than a traditional bird, and by rubbing it with a dry brine first we’re able to really crisp up the skin. This is hands-down the best way to roast a turkey (and I’ve roasted several in my day!).
This Is As Foolproof a Turkey Recipe As I’ve Ever Made
Stuffed or unstuffed, whole, rotisseried on the grill, basted in buffalo sauce, and sometimes just the breast, I’m happy to eat my Thanksgiving turkey in pretty much any form imaginable.
The only boxes my bird needs to tick are: 1) Is it flavorful?, 2) Is the skin super crispy?, and 3) is the meat moist and tender? If the answer is “yes” to all three things, then I consider our Thanksgiving dinner a success.
This year, I finally played around with spatchcocking my turkey, and I can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner! “Spatchcocking” simply means removing the neck with a pair of kitchen shears, then pressing down on the breastbone until the bird lays flat. This cuts the cook time darn near in half, which means less time in the kitchen for yours truly and more time spent devouring said spatchcock turkey.
This is an easy-to-follow recipe that even turkey novices can master. When comparing the prep involved in cooking a spatchcock turkey vs a traditional bird, this technique is MUCH simpler to master.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Flattening the bird dramatically reduces the cook time. This is part of the spatchcocking process. After removing the spine, flip over your turkey and press down on the breastbone until you hear it crack. You want your bird to lay flat on the baking sheet.
Olive oil on the skin produces a crisp skin, while the flavored butter under the skin infuses the meat with flavor. I work the handle of a wooden spoon or a long chopstick under the skin to pull it away from the meat, and then rub the flavored butter into crevices my fingers won’t fit.
Watch the skin as it cooks! Cover it loosely with foil if the high points begin to look too dark instead of golden.
Ingredient Notes
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- 12 – 14 lb turkey — Remember to thaw your turkey completely before brining. Plan on 1 full day of defrosting per 4 pounds of meat.
- Dry brine — A dry brine is essentially a seasoned salt mixture that gets rubbed all over the bird and left to works its magic for 24 hours. I have a turkey brining guide that walks you through the differences between a wet vs dry brine and answers FAQs about brining. This particular brine is made with a simple blend of kosher salt, brown sugar, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Garlic herb butter — Making your own compound butter for your Thanksgiving turkey is so fast and easy, and it adds tons of flavor. It’s just softened butter mixed with fresh herbs (I used sage, rosemary, and thyme), minced garlic, and a little lemon zest.
- Aromatics — To give the turkey more flavor, I roasted it on a bed of onion, carrots, celery, and fresh herbs.
- Olive oil — I rub the oil into the skin to help it really crisp up.
- Turkey stock — Chicken stock works, too. Pour a little into the bottom of the roasting pan to create some steam so the meat doesn’t dry out.
How to Roast a Spatchcock Turkey
- Spatchcock the turkey. Place the bird breast side-down on a cutting board and use sturdy kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Then, flip the turkey over so the breast is facing up. Place your hands in the center of the breast and press down until you hear a crack — the bird should lie nice and flat after doing this.
- Dry brine for 12 – 24 hours. After rubbing the turkey all over with the seasoned salt (get under the skin, too!), place it in the fridge so the salt has time to draw out moisture and then resettle it into the meat. After brining, there’s no need to rinse the salt off of the turkey.
Heidi’s Tip: Do not cover your turkey while it’s dry brining! Leaving it uncovered helps the skin dry out, which is one of the tricks to a super crispy roast turkey.
- Lather your bird with the butter blend. The butter with herbs add loads of flavor as it seeps into the meat while giving the skin a golden glow. Gently pull the skin away from the meat (be careful not to tear!) and use your fingers to spread the butter under and over the skin of the entire bird.
- Prep the turkey for roasting. Scatter the fresh aromatics in the bottom of a sided baking sheet and place a roasting rack on top. Place the turkey on the roasting rack (skin side up!) and then rub it liberally with olive oil. Pour the stock into the bottom of the baking sheet as a last step (I often do this after placing the turkey in the preheated oven to avoid accidental spills).
- Blast your turkey initially at a high temp to establish crisp, browned skin, then lower the temperature to finish evenly. I start my bird at 450ºF and cook it for 25 minutes, then I lower the oven temp to 400ºF for the final 40 – 60 minutes.
- Rest for 30 minutes before carving. Do NOT skip this step! For large proteins like a spatchcock roast turkey, the juices within the meat need time to redistribute. This is what makes each bite juicy and tender.
Heidi’s Tip: While your turkey is resting, go ahead and make a batch of turkey gravy from the drippings.
Cook Times and Internal Temps to Know
Cook time: For a 12-pound bird, I’d begin checking around 60 minutes total cooking time. A 14-pound turkey may take closer to 75–90 minutes.
Internal temp: Roast until until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 155°F (it will continue to cook as it rests) and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165–170°F.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Spatchcock Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
For the Turkey and Dry Brine
- 1 whole turkey , 12–14 pounds, completely thawed, neck and giblets removed
- 3 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 tablespoons Morton kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Herb Butter
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 6 garlic cloves , finely grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Roasting
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion , cut into wedges
- 3 carrots , halved and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 celery ribs , halved and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 1 cup chicken or turkey stock
Instructions
- Spatchcock the turkey. Place the 1 whole turkey breast-side down on a cutting board. Using poultry shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Flip the turkey breast-side up and press firmly on the center of the breast until the breastbone cracks and the turkey lies flat. Tuck the wing tips behind the breasts.
- Dry brine the turkey. Combine 3 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 tablespoons Morton kosher salt, 2 teaspoons light brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Pat the turkey dry and loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs. Season some of the mixture under the skin and the rest all over the turkey. Refrigerate uncovered on a rack set over a baking sheet for 12-24 hours.
- Make the herb butter. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Mix 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage, 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, 6 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Rub the herb butter under the skin over the breasts and thighs, then brush the skin with 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- Prep the turkey for roasting. Place the oven rack on the lowest rack of the oven. Scatter 1 large yellow onion, 3 carrots, 3 celery ribs, 6 sprigs fresh thyme, and 4 fresh sage leaves over a large rimmed baking sheet. Set a wire rack over the vegetables. Place the turkey skin-side up on the rack.
- Roast the turkey. Place the baking sheet in the oven, then add 1 cup chicken or turkey stock to the pan, and roast at 450°F for 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and roast for another 40-60 minutes, or until the thickest part of the breast reaches 155°F and the thigh reaches 165-170°F. Add water if needed. Begin checking the temperature after about 90 minutes of total cooking time.
- Rest and carve. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and rest for 30 minutes before carving. Save the backbone, neck, vegetables, and pan drippings for gravy.
Nutrition
My Favorite Holiday Sides to Serve with Turkey
What to Make If You Wind Up with Leftovers
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