Description
A spatchcock turkey recipe that offers a faster cooking time, crispy skin, and juicy meat by removing the backbone and roasting the bird flat. Seasoned with a flavorful blend of kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, and enriched with butter and olive oil for moist and delicious results.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey
- 1 (12 to 14 pound) turkey
Seasoning Blend
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
Butter Mixture
- 3/4 cup salted butter (softened)
Additional Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire cooling rack on top.
- Spatchcock the Turkey: Place the turkey breast side down on a clean surface. Locate the spine and use kitchen shears or a large serrated knife to cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Discard or save the backbone for stock. Exercise caution and use sturdy kitchen shears, especially with larger birds.
- Flatten the Turkey: Run a knife along the underside of the breastbone to help it crack more easily. Flip the turkey breast side up and rotate the leg quarters outward. Firmly press down on the center of the breastbone until the bird lays flat.
- Prepare the Turkey for Roasting: Place the turkey breast side up on the rack of the prepared baking sheet. Tuck the wing tips under the body to prevent them from burning.
- Make the Seasoning Blend: In a small bowl, stir together kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Mix Butter and Seasoning: Mix half of the seasoning blend with the softened butter. Carefully lift the skin of the turkey and rub the butter mixture evenly underneath.
- Oil and Season the Skin: Drizzle olive oil over the turkey's skin and rub it in. Sprinkle the remaining dry seasoning evenly over the entire exterior.
- Roast the Turkey: Place the turkey in the preheated oven. Roast for 3 hours or until the breast meat reaches an internal temperature of 155°F (68°C) and the thigh meat reaches 175°F (79°C). Use a meat thermometer for accuracy.
- Rest the Turkey: Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute for a moist and flavorful result.
Notes
- Spatchcock your turkey for a faster cook time with crispy skin and juicy meat.
- Use sturdy kitchen shears for safely removing the backbone.
- Let the turkey rest after roasting to retain juiciness.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey is perfectly cooked.
- Save the backbone for making flavorful turkey stock.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 106 kcal
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
