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    Home » Recipes » Spatchcock Smoked Turkey

    Spatchcock Smoked Turkey

    Published Nov 10, 2020 · Modified Nov 11, 2022 by Renee · Leave a Comment · This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe

    Butterflying the Turkey allows it to lay flat on the grill and cook evenly for a tender turkey on the outside and crispy herbed butter skin.

    Side view of Smoked Turkey with garnishes of rosemary and decorative pumpkins in the back.

    Last year was the first time we made a spatchcock turkey for Thanksgiving, and now it's our preferred method of cooking.

    The spatchcock method works on both large and small turkeys. Since the turkey is flattened, the cooking surface is more even and help prevent overcooking.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients Needed
    • How to SpatchCock a Turkey
    • How to Smoke a Turkey
    • Spatchcock Smoked Turkey Recipe

    Ingredients Needed

    Whole Turkey, Salt, Butter, Herbs, and a Meat thermometer.

    Frozen Turkey- Remove it from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator. This can take anywhere from 1-4 days depending on how many pounds it is. Then an extra day for the dry brine.

    Fresh or Thawed Turkey- Remove from the packaging and pat it dry with paper towels.

    Whole raw turkey on a wood cutting board.

    Sprinkle salt all over the Turkey and add Salt under the skin to reach the meat directly. Then cover with plastic wrap in and leave in the fridge overnight.

    How to SpatchCock a Turkey

    Use either sharp kitchen shears or a sharp knife. My shears are not sharp enough, so I went with a knife.

    Place the whole turkey breast side down and the backbone facing up. The wings tips should be pointing down like the picture above.

    Go in with a knife or kitchen shears and cut along each side of the back bone to remove it. You can watch the YouTube Video at the end of this post.

    Spatchcocked raw turkey on a wood cutting board.

    Place your hands on top of the breast bone and press down to flatten the turkey. Tuck the wings underneath so the turkey breast gets a nice golden skin.

    Before cooking the turkey, we're going to cover it in an Herb Butter for more flavor.

    Overhead view of raw turkey covered in herb butter on a wood cutting board.

    It helps to have the turkey dry before applying the butter rub. If the turkey skin or meat is still wet, then pat the excess moisture with a paper towel.

    Herb Butter- 1 stick of softened unsalted butter, fresh chopped rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and salt.

    Rub it all over the turkey, including underneath the skin. This will help flavor the inside of the meat.

    How to Smoke a Turkey

    In order to avoid over/under cooking the turkey, use a probe meat thermometer which tracks the progress of the cooking.

    We are using a Ceramic Kamado Grill with a drip pan on the bottom rack and cooking the turkey on the top rack.

    Overhead view of Spactchcocked Turkey on a wood cutting board.

    The grill temperature is 350-375 degrees, and this 9 lb turkey took about an hour and a half to cook.

    If you need to plan the cooking time, an estimate for spatchcock turkey cooked at 350 - 375 degrees, is approximately 10 minutes per a pound.

    Once the turkey reaches 165 degrees, you can remove it from the grill. Allow the turkey to rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into it.

    Up close view of golden turkey skin.

    My favorite part of the turkey...The golden crispy skin. Just take a look at this beauty!

    I normally enjoy eating the dark meat, but the white meat turned out so flavorful and juicy too!

    Turkey Breast sliced on one side and garnished with rosemary.

    This smoked spatchcock turkey is best served 30 minutes from cooking.

    The turkey can be reheated, just keep in mind the skin won't be crispy. To prevent the meat from drying out after reheating, add some cooking juices to the turkey before warming it up.

    To complete your Thanksgiving dinner here are some of my favorite recipes:

    Side Dishes: Stuffing, Maple Brussels Sprouts, Mashed Potatoes, Cauliflower Mash, Roasted Delicata Squash.

    Desserts: Chocolate Pecan Pie, Apple Empanadas, Cranberry Ricotta Cake

    Up close view of cooked turkey on a cutting board with sprigs of rosemary.

    Spatchcock Smoked Turkey Recipe

    Renee
    Butterflying the Turkey allows it to lay flat on the grill and cook evenly for a tender turkey with crispy skin.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 d
    Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Total Time 1 d 1 hr 30 mins
    Servings 8

    Equipment

    • Smoker or Ceramic Grill

    Ingredients
      

    • 10 pound Turkey Fresh or Thawed
    • 1-2 Tbsp Salt To Dry Brine Turkey Overnight
    • 1 Stick Butter Softened Unslated
    • 1 tablespoon Chopped Rosemary
    • 1 teaspoon Thyme
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder or fresh minced garlic
    • 1 teaspoon Salt If butter is unsalted

    Instructions
     

    • Remove Fresh or Thawed Turkey from the packaging and pat it dry with paper towels.
    • Sprinkle salt all over the Turkey and add Salt under the skin to reach the meat directly. Then cover with plastic wrap in and leave in the fridge overnight.
    • Preheat smoker or grill to 350 degrees.
      Place the whole turkey breast side down and the backbone facing up. The wings tips should be pointing down.
    • Go in with a knife or kitchen shears and cut along each side of the back bone to remove it.
      Place your hands on top of the breast bone and press down to flatten the turkey. Tuck the wings underneath so the turkey breast gets a nice golden skin.
    • Mix softened butter with rosemary, thyme, garlic powder and salt.
    • If the turkey skin or meat is still wet, then pat the excess moisture with a paper towel. Rub herb butter all over under the skin of the turkey and on the outside.
    • Place turkey on indirect heat of grill or smoker. I highly recommend using a temperature probe for accurate cooking. Remove once temperature reaches 165 degrees and allow to rest at least 15 minutes before carving.

    Video

    Notes

    If you prepared your turkey in advanced, keep it wrapped in foil in the oven or a ice chest up to an hour.  
    For leftovers, remove meat from bone and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days.  Leftover turkey can be used for Soup, Enchiladas, or Tostadas.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 671kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 87gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 320mgSodium: 1715mgPotassium: 913mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 598IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 4mg

    Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

    Keyword Smoked Turkey
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