Spatchcock Turkey for the juiciest, simplest turkey you’ve ever roasted. The easiest, most reliable recipe for moist, juicy turkey with incredibly crisp skin.
Are you ready to elevate your Thanksgiving game with a buttermilk brined spatchcock turkey? This method is a game-changer, resulting in the juiciest, most flavorful turkey you’ve ever tasted, with crispy, golden-brown skin.
What is Spatchcocking?
Spatchcocking, also known as butterflying, is a technique where you remove the backbone of the turkey, allowing it to lay flat. This reduces cooking time significantly and ensures even cooking, eliminating the dreaded dry breast and undercooked thigh scenario.
Why Buttermilk Brine?
Buttermilk is a magical ingredient for turkey. Its acidity breaks down the muscle fibers resulting in incredibly tender meat. The salt in the brine seasons the turkey throughout ensuring every bite is bursting with flavor.
The Best of Both Worlds: Combining Two Amazing Recipes
This guide combines the best of two popular recipes:
- Foodtasia’s Buttermilk Brined Spatchcock Turkey with Gravy Recipe: This recipe provides a detailed guide on spatchcocking and brining, along with instructions for making delicious gravy.
- NYT Cooking’s Buttermilk-Brined Roast Turkey Recipe: This recipe focuses on the brining process, offering tips and variations.
Here’s what you’ll find in this comprehensive guide:
- Benefits of spatchcocking and buttermilk brining: Learn why this method is superior to traditional roasting.
- Step-by-step instructions: Follow along with clear, easy-to-understand instructions for spatchcocking, brining, and roasting your turkey.
- Tips and tricks: Discover helpful hints for achieving the perfect turkey, including temperature guidelines and troubleshooting advice.
- Gravy recipe: Learn how to make delicious gravy using the drippings from your spatchcock turkey.
- Additional resources: Access links to helpful articles and videos for further guidance.
Get ready to impress your guests with a show-stopping turkey that’s as delicious as it is beautiful. Let’s dive into the world of buttermilk brined spatchcock turkey!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What size turkey should I use?
A: This recipe works best for a 10-15 pound turkey. If you have a larger bird, you may need to adjust the cooking time.
Q: How long do I need to brine the turkey?
A: For optimal results, brine the turkey for 48 hours. However, if you’re short on time, you can brine it for as little as 24 hours.
Q: Can I use a different type of salt?
A: Yes, you can use kosher salt or sea salt. Just make sure to adjust the amount accordingly.
Q: What should I do with the leftover brine?
A: Do not reuse the brine. Discard it after brining the turkey.
Q: Can I make gravy with the drippings?
A: Absolutely! This recipe includes instructions for making delicious gravy using the drippings from your spatchcock turkey.
Q: Can I spatchcock a frozen turkey?
A: It’s not recommended to spatchcock a frozen turkey. Thaw the turkey completely before spatchcocking and brining.
Q: What should I serve with my spatchcock turkey?
A: The possibilities are endless! Consider classic Thanksgiving sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole.
Q: Can I use this recipe for other poultry?
A: Yes, this method can be used for other poultry, such as chicken or duck. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Additional Resources
- Foodtasia’s Buttermilk Brined Spatchcock Turkey with Gravy Recipe: https://foodtasia.com/spatchcock-turkey/
- NYT Cooking’s Buttermilk-Brined Roast Turkey Recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021523-buttermilk-brined-roast-turkey
- How to Spatchcock a Turkey: https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-spatchcock-a-turkey
- The Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes: https://www.bonappetit.com/holidays-recipes/thanksgiving/best-turkey-recipes
With this guide and a little bit of love, you’ll be the hero of Thanksgiving dinner!
How to spatchcock a turkey
See if you can get your butcher to spatchcock or butterfly your turkey. If you’re thawing a whole turkey at home, here’s how to butterfly it yourself:
- Put the turkey on a cutting board, breast-side down. Cut along both sides of the backbone with heavy-duty kitchen shears or poultry shears.
- Cut halfway down the spine, as close to the spine as possible, beginning at the tail or neck end, and then cut down the opposite side. Turn the turkey around and cut down the other sides.
- The turkey should be flattened by spreading its two sides apart and pressing down. You’ll notice some popping and cracking of the breast bone’s cartilage. Turn the turkey breast side up and press again.
- Before roasting, you can either tuck the wing tips under the bird or cut off the wing tips along with the first joint. When making gravy, the wing tips and first joint are a good addition to the stock. I decided to leave the wings on because I think they add to the bird’s beauty and some diners might enjoy eating them.
Why Spatchcock Turkey is my favorite
I’ve made a lot of turkeys over the past years and here’s why Spatchcock Turkey is my favorite:
Faster cooking – Butterflying the turkey makes it cook faster. That implies that I don’t have to get up early to put it in the oven and that it doesn’t take up the entire day. A 12 pound spatchcock turkey takes about 90 minutes to roast, approximately 6 minutes per pound.
An evenly cooked bird – By flattening out the turkey, it cooks evenly. That means the breasts don’t dry out long before the thighs are done.
An abundance of incredibly crispy skin – As the skin is entirely upward-facing, it becomes brown and crispy.
Gravy can be made with the backbone of the turkey, as well as the tips of the wings or the first joint. The turkey’s backbone makes a great stock. You have plenty of time to prepare a rich, fully-flavored stock and even prepare the gravy ahead of time because you cut it out beforehand.
Not too big in the oven – A whole turkey requires a lot of vertical room in the oven. Butterflying it means it bakes flat, freeing up space for baking side dishes. A 10-15 pound turkey fits on a standard 13 by 18-inch half sheet pan.
Easy carving – Spatchcock Turkey is much easier to carve because it’s flattened out.
