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Probably your first thought when you picture Thanksgiving dinner is a massive, rotisserie-roasted turkey, trussed up and positioned in the middle of your dining room table. Its beautiful, sure, but is it really the best way to prepare the iconic holiday bird?.
No, definitely not. We cooked turkey three ways, and found that spatchcocking is a superior method in almost every way.
What is spatchcocking, you ask? It’s the term used in cooking when you butterfly your bird and then roast, grill, or smoke it while it’s lying flat. This technique will yield the best turkey you’ve ever tasted, but it does require a little bit of elbow grease, a good pair of poultry shears, and a lack of squeamishness.
Forget the traditional whole-roasted turkey; this Thanksgiving, embrace the art of spatchcocking for a culinary experience that will redefine your holiday feast. This guide delves into the world of spatchcocking, exploring its benefits and providing step-by-step instructions to help you master this technique.
What is Spatchcocking?
Spatchcocking, also known as butterflying, involves removing the backbone of a poultry and flattening it out. This method allows for faster cooking, even browning, and a delectable combination of crispy skin and juicy meat.
Why Spatchcock Your Turkey?
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Faster Cooking: Spatchcocking significantly reduces cooking time, allowing you to enjoy your Thanksgiving feast sooner. This method exposes more surface area to the heat, leading to a quicker and more efficient cooking process.
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Crispy Skin and Juicy Meat: The flat surface of a spatchcocked turkey ensures even browning and crisping of the skin. At the same time, the exposed meat cooks in its own juices resulting in a succulent and flavorful bird.
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Easier Carving: Carving a spatchcocked turkey is a breeze. The flat presentation allows for easy access to all parts of the bird, making it a stress-free experience for both the cook and the guests.
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More Flavorful Drippings: Spatchcocking allows you to roast the turkey on a bed of vegetables, creating flavorful drippings that can be used for making gravy or basting the bird.
How to Spatchcock a Turkey:
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Gather Your Tools: You’ll need a sharp pair of kitchen shears a cutting board, and a large roasting pan.
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Remove the Backbone: Place the turkey breast-side down on the cutting board. Using your kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone, starting from the tail end and working your way towards the neck. Remove the backbone and discard it.
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Flatten the Turkey: Flip the turkey over and press down on the breastbone to flatten it out. You can use the palm of your hand or a heavy object to apply pressure.
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Season and Roast: Season the turkey generously with your favorite herbs and spices. Place it on the roasting pan, skin-side up, and roast according to your recipe’s instructions.
Tips for Spatchcocking:
- Use a sharp pair of shears: This will make the process easier and prevent tearing the skin.
- Cut close to the backbone: This will ensure that you remove the entire backbone and leave as much meat as possible.
- Don’t be afraid to press down: The turkey should be flattened as much as possible for even cooking.
- Season generously: The exposed surface area of a spatchcocked turkey allows for more flavor absorption.
Spatchcocking your Thanksgiving turkey is a game changer. This method offers a faster, easier, and more flavorful way to prepare your holiday bird. Embrace the art of spatchcocking and impress your guests with a perfectly cooked turkey that will leave them wanting more.
Your turkey will be ready faster
Spatchcocking can drastically reduce the amount of time you spend roasting your bird.
Opinions differ on how quickly you can cook a spatchcocked turkey. Serious Eats J. Kenji Lopez-Alt—perhaps the internets foremost spatchcocking evangelist—says you can cut the cooking time in half, to about 80 minutes. Mark Bittman of The New York Times, meanwhile, claims your turkey will be done in just 35 minutes.
Either way, your bird will cook a heck of a lot faster than the two to five hours Butterball says itll take to roast a whole bird.
Why is it so much faster? Because a flat turkey cooks more evenly, it can handle higher heat. A whole turkey must be kept at a low temperature (about 325°F) to prevent drying out the outermost layer and overcooking.
When the bird is butterflied, you can crank up the heat (up to 450°F) without worry. As youd imagine, the cooking time drops precipitously.
Your gravy and stuffing will be tastier, too
Roasting your turkey on a bed of veggies means extra flavorful juices to make gravy afterwards.
We hear you: “But how can that be? You cant stuff a flat turkey!”
True. Technically, it wont be real “stuffing.” (Well save the stuffing vs. dressing debate for another day.) But whatever you choose to call it, your starchy stuff will be more flavorful (and more plentiful) if you use this method.
When you roast a spatchcocked turkey over a bed of chopped onions, carrots, and celery with sprigs of thyme, the oven will stay moist longer and the drippings will be more flavorful for gravy later.
If you’re in a pinch and want something that tastes even better—like stuffing enhanced by rich turkey drippings—we suggest preparing your stuffing in a big casserole dish and topping it with browned turkey wings (available separately). Youll get all the flavor of the drippings without the hassle of scooping it out of the bird. Additionally, you can make more stuffing with this method than you could possibly fit inside a whole turkey’s cavity (which isn’t really food-safe anyway).
Spatchcocked Turkey | Better. Faster. Juicier.
FAQ
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