Roast Spatchcock Turkey

A much better way to roast Thanksgiving turkey. White and dark meat came out juicy and correctly cooked at the same time (90 mins at 425-450). Dry brined for 2 days after butterflying. Put apple, onion, sage, thyme & parsley under and smeared compound butter under skin and over legs. Spatchcocked turkeys are wider than whole ones (duh...). Our 18 pounder measured 18" by 14" -- bigger than most roasting pans. Cut panels from foil pans to build out the sides -- worked fine!

You can put your dressing in a roasting pan -- place split bird on rack and rest on roasting pan -- turkey drippings go into the dressing - YUM! Remove turkey and rack to rest while top of dressing crisps up a bit -- everything done, oven space saver and dressing has that stuffing taste from turkey drippings --

Yes, I have been using this recipe for years and I love it. The largest I have ever done was a 22 lb turkey 2 years ago. Use a meat thermometer and allow for extra time and you will be fine.

First, dry brined (just kosher salt) and covered with plastic wrap for about 12 hours; uncovered overnight to dry skin. Put softened butter and thyme sprigs under breast skin and rubbed entire surface with more softened butter. Apple, onion, carrot, celery, thyme, sage and lemon as base, 12 lb bird needed 1 hour 10 minutes. Tender and moist! Best ever!

Morning..I gave up wet brining years ago. To messy and IMO impacts texture of meat. A dry brine works wonders for all poultry. I've got a 22 lb butterflied turkey dry brining for last 3 days in the fridge. The recipe is in the NYT as 'Dry-Brined Turkey'..The Zuni Cafe recipe. An on-line search will give you some ideas and variations for a dry brined butterflied turkey. Mangia!

Google "The Butcher Carves A Turkey" for a way to get around that problem. Ray Venezia's advice on presentation makes for a real "WOW!" moment with your bird. Looks amazing, easy to serve.

Hosted Thanksgiving for the first time this year and needless to say I was nervous. I used this method with a wet brined turkey and it was fabulous!

I roasted it on a flat rack (technically a bakers cooling tray) on a large sheet pan. I omitted all the vegetables since I already had plenty of side dishes, and I was concerned about too much liquid since my pan was shallow.

It was beautiful brown and crispy, and extremely moist. Adding this to my growing repertoire.

Revolutionary? In 2002? I believe Julia Child published a butterflied turkey in The Way to Cook in 1989. And I highly doubt that she was the first.

A good recipe requires no additional hyperbole, darlings.

I guess I should have read through these comments before I tried out this approach.

Great in concept, but really rolled the dice to think turkey would be ready in 45 minutes (or 60 minutes even),

When the turkey was finally done, it was pretty tasty. luckily, I also grilled a breast on the BBQ which was done in about 60 minutes-so thanksgiving disaster was averted...

when in doubt, give yourself more time than you think is needed......

Made this today - best turkey ever. I did the mix of vegetables - potatoes, carrots, parsnips, garlic, celery, chopped into small pieces. Olive oil, salt, pepper and a cup of white wine. The breast was so moist and the flavors permeated through the meat. I will never cook turkey any other way! And the 14.5lb bird took an hour and a half. So easy.......I had the butcher cut out the backbone for me so no struggles there.

I have spatchcocked our turkey for 3 years. I like to make 2 turkeys as my oven is small, 27". Last year, I roasted the turkeys on a bed of tri-color carrots. The turkey turned out great and the carrots were delicious!!!

Since I learned about spatchcocking, I haven't roasted a turkey or a chicken any other way. I look forward to trying the higher temperature to shorten the process even more. The only disadvantage is a less photogenic finished bird. I carve it in the kitchen and present it at the table ready to eat.

I spatchcock the night before and rub garlic and onion powder, salt, pepper & paprika w/ melted butter under the skin leaving it to dry brine in the fridge until 2 hours before dinner. Give it an hour to reach room temp, then cook as instructed. Check all over with an instant-read therm and this is the easiest, bestest way to cook a turkey! I roast the backbone ahead for the gravy. Also, spatchcocking a turkey is not easy. You need a cleaver to get some of the bones to cooperate.

Made this w/ 13 lb organic turkey. Roasted 1 1/2 hours (20 min @ 450 & then 400) The meat was SO tender & moist - the skin ended up being a mahogany brown & super crisp! I added some onions, carrots & celery under the whole bird, & also added 2 cups of Duck broth to the bottom of the pan at around 45 min (as at this temp, most of the liquid was evaporating) Very EASY to cut the backbone out by the way!! Will do this every time now (unless I go all the way and debone it!)

I had a 30 pound turkey. Surprise delivery from my neighbor who raises turkeys. Freshly butchered yesterday. So I halved the turkey by removing the backbone altogether with kitchen shears. I roasted both sides according to the recipe. Best turkey I have ever had. Bones will now be roasted for bone broth. Thank you for this amazing recipe.