Juicy Spatchcock Turkey Recipe

Published 10/9/2023 • Updated 8/19/2024

What You Need to Make a Spatchcock Turkey

The ingredients for this spatchcock turkey recipe are broken down into 3 components — the dry brine, the turkey itself and the basting liquid. You need: This year we wanted to come up with a turkey recipe that had all of the amazing flavors of a classic roasted turkey, but that cooked quicker in the oven. Insert –> spatchcock turkey, a close relative to one of your favorite FFF recipes, spatchcock chicken. A quick rundown: This turkey is first dry-brained overnight and then seasoned with our famous turkey seasoning the morning of. Spatchcock the turkey and then stuff onion, garlic, and herbs under the skin. Roast it on top of a wire rack (very important!), basting it every 20 minutes for 1.5 – 2 hours.

Dry brine

A dry brine is such a fantastic way to add a ton of flavor. Ours is made with kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. We also love that a dry brine helps crisp up the skin 😍

Can I use a wet brine instead?

Feel free to use our wet brine recipe instead of our dry brine. They both do similar things to lock in moisture and flavor, we just find that the dry brine gives you crispier skin!

Turkey

12-14 lb. untreated turkey: we recommend using nothing bigger than a 14-pound turkey so that it doesn’t dry out. White onion and garlic cloves: just because you’re spatchcocking, doesn’t mean you can’t stuff your turkey! Fresh herbs: we used thyme and oregano, but any fresh herbs work. You’ll be making them into a bundle and sticking them under the skin. Turkey seasoning: our turkey seasoning is truly the best (ask anyone on the internet). We highly recommend making and using this recipe. Olive oil

Basting liquid

Basting your turkey is important for keeping it. nice and moist. And, it can (and should be) used as the base of your turkey gravy! We used white wine, broth, unsalted butter, fresh thyme, and a little more turkey seasoning.

How long should I roast a spatchcock turkey?

We recommend roasting a 12-14 lb. spatchcock turkey on a wire rack for around 80-90 minutes, basting every so often. You know your turkey is done when the skin is crispy and the internal temperature of the thickest parts are at least 165ºF. Kitchen Shears

Make Turkey Gravy with Your Drippings

One of our favorite things to do with leftover turkey drippings is turn it into gravy to serve on Thanksgiving day. We have a turkey gravy post, but we’ll give you a quick rundown below. Our rule of thumb is to stick the probe of your meat thermometer in the thickest part of the bird to make sure all the meat reaches a safe temperature. Thermoworks Thermapen You need: 1 cup turkey drippings, 3 cups broth, 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch. Directions: Add the drippings and broth into a sauce pan and ring to a low boil. Remove 1 cup and sprinkle in the cornstarch. Whisk until it’s completely dissolved. Pour the liquid back in and cook on how heat until it thickens. Do a taste test and add salt and pepper as desired. Or, add more cornstarch, if needed.

How long does leftover turkey meat last in the fridge?

Store your turkey leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. We love using this meat for leftover turkey salad or leftover turkey pot pie!

How to Freeze Turkey Meat

You can easily freeze leftover turkey for sandwiches, salads, or any other recipes. Let the turkey cool completely and then place it in a freezer-safe bag and remove as much air as possible. Freeze it for up to 3 months.

Complete Your Thanksgiving Meal

We recommend serving this turkey with our homemade turkey gravy, sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green beans almondine.

Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey Ultimate Smoked Turkey Thanksgiving Turkey Roulade Baked Turkey Tenderloin Spatchcock Turkey Smoked Turkey Breast Sous Vide Turkey Smoked Turkey Legs Ranch Roasted Turkey Breast

For dessert, try our pumpkin cheesecake bars or an apple tart.