{"id":21300,"date":"2025-12-21T00:05:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-21T08:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/?p=21300"},"modified":"2025-12-21T00:06:42","modified_gmt":"2025-12-21T08:06:42","slug":"spatchcock-roast-turkey-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/spatchcock-roast-turkey-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Perfect Spatchcock Turkey"},"content":{"rendered":"

A spatchcock turkey will be the easiest, fastest, prettiest turkey you will ever make.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Turkey is one of those meats that I love, kind of like a very intense chicken. They’re big and you will end up with a lot of leftovers, but I think it’s worth it. You can do Christmas with a honey baked ham<\/a>, prime rib<\/a> (or any other)<\/a> roast, or anything you want<\/a>, but how often can you get a big fresh turkey, perfectly cooked?<\/p>\n

As a gentle reminder: Be sure to defrost your turkey in the fridge a few days in advance!<\/p>\n

What is spatchcock turkey?<\/h2>\n

Spatchcocking is a fancy way of saying removing the backbone and flattening the bird before you roast it. It’s superior to roasting a bird whole because it makes for even cooking, since the thighs aren’t covered by the legs and the delicate white meat isn’t exposed right up top. It also makes for crispier skin, better presentation, and lets you use the backbone and other bits to make gravy and stock right away.<\/p>\n

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How to spatchcock a turkey<\/h2>\n
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  1. Prep.<\/strong> Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. It might be best to work in a large clean deep sink or in a large roasting pan. Flip the turkey so that it’s breast side down. <\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Remove the backbone.<\/strong>\u00a0Hold the turkey firmly and use a pair of kitchen shears (you definitely need kitchen shears) to cut alongside the backbone, starting where the tail meets the thigh. Cut all the way up until the turkey is split up to the neck. Push the turkey open slightly and then repeat on the other side, carefully cutting alongside the other side of the backbone. This side may be a bit trickier, so go slow.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Trim.<\/strong> Trim off any excess fat or skin you might see. I took off the tail and the hood of fat near the neck. You can use the trimmings to make the best turkey gravy ever.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Flip and flatten.<\/strong> Flip the turkey over so that the breast is facing up and push down on the ridge breast bone, hard<\/strong>. You should hear a couple of cracks and the turkey should be flatter. Tuck the wing tips behind the breast so they don’t burn. <\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Season.<\/strong> Place the turkey on your prepared rack and baking sheet and rub with 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    How long to cook a spatchcock turkey<\/h2>\n