Cooking Lesson #1108: How to Spatchcock a Thanksgiving Turkey

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

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ow you doin’? There are many ways to dress and cook a Thanksgiving turkey. I have blogged about many of the most popular ways. They all have the same goal—a juicy, flavorful turkey with golden, crispy skin.

First of all, make friends with your local butcher. My guy is Santiago at my local Vons. He knows that spatchcocking is a non-gimmicky way to cook a  perfectly cooked turkey… fast.

Spatchcocking is also known as butterflying. The technique involves removing the backbone and sometimes the ribs and flattening the bird for cooking. This method is commonly used for cooking chicken, because it helps all birds cook evenly. Here’s a step-by-step guide to spatchcocking a turkey adapted from the Food Network.

Spatchcocking requires a bit of extra work before you get into cooking, but that extra effort pays off, and here’s how. A spatchcocked turkey requires a shorter cook time. Spatchcocking removes all that holiday pressure by cooking the turkey in almost half the time as the conventional turkey-cooking methods.
 
There are flavor and texture benefits as well. The most difficult part of cooking a turkey is ensuring an even cook. It is an all-too-familiar mistake to cut into your turkey, only to realize that the breast meat (which cooks under the direct heat of the oven) dried out before the leg and thigh meat on the underside of the bird had a chance to finish cooking. Spatchcocking ensures even seasoning, cooking and browning since the entirety of the skin and meat are exposed to even heat. Plus, with that shorter cooking time, you are especially guaranteed to have juicy, perfectly cooked turkey meat.
 
A spatchcocked turkey is also so much easier to carve. A whole turkey makes for a show-stopping presentation at the table, but carving is another story. It can get messy and confusing and many people end up with more meat left on the bones than on the serving platter. Starting with a flat turkey is so much simpler: your knife will be able to easily move around the bird to get as much meat off the bones as possible.
                                        How to Spatchcock a Turkey Like a Pro

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​Dry off the turkey. As is true with all meat, the drier you can get the surface of the turkey skin, the crispier the skin will get as it cooks. Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels, letting the juices from the bird briefly absorb into the paper towel.
 
Cut Along One Side of the Backbone. Lay the turkey on your cutting board with the breast facedown and the backbone facing up. Locate the backbone, then cut along one side of it using kitchen shears or a very sharp boning knife, starting at the tail end. If you have a sharp boning knife, it is helpful to run the knife along the spine, puncturing the skin down to the bone before cutting through with the kitchen shears. You will be cutting through cartilage and bones: don’t be afraid to put a little muscle into it.

Remove the backbone: Cut along the other side of the spine and remove the backbone. Save the backbone to help flavor your gravy.
 
Flatten the Bird. Turn the turkey over on the cutting board so the cut side is on the board, and the breast side is facing up. Using both of your hands, press down on the bird forcefully until you hear the crack of the wishbone and the turkey rests flat on the cutting board.
 
Season the Turkey. Season the turkey all over with salt (about 1/4 cup should do the trick) and pepper. Or make the dry brine outlined in this recipe which adds extra flavor. Feel free to substitute spices to change the flavor profile. Apply it to the turkey by loosening the skin from the breast and thighs and sliding it underneath.

                           How to Add Extra Flavor to a Spatchcocked Turkey
Dry brine the turkey overnight uncovered. Dry brining and refrigerating the turkey uncovered allows for air drying the skin. This helps maximize the skin's crispness and also allows the seasoning to penetrate the turkey. The salt in the dry brine helps tenderize the meat.
 
Use a compound butter. Compound butter not only adds another layer of flavor but also allows self-basting keeping the turkey moist. The seasoning in the butter can also be personalized to fit different flavor profiles.
 
Place the turkey on a roasting rack over vegetables. Placing the turkey on a rack to roast over vegetables allows the fat in the turkey skin to drain off and onto the veggies, resulting in extra crispy skin. The vegetables steam as they cook, releasing moisture in the meat. And at the end you can use them to make gravy.
 
What's the Best Turkey for Spatchcocking? A heritage turkey or an organic bird provides the best flavor. Avoid injected, or self-basting turkeys, which are often injected with salted solution or added fat. A 12- to 14-pound turkey fits on a half sheet pan making it easier to store when refrigerating. If the bird is frozen, give it enough time for the bird to defrost. Turkey should be fully thawed before spatchcocking.
 
                            How to Carve a Cooked Spatchcocked Turkey
After it has rested, transfer the turkey to a clean cutting board. Start by carving out the thighs and drumsticks, then separate the two. Carve off the meat and transfer it to a serving platter. Next, cut the breast meat off the bone, and cut it into slices for easy serving. After that, remove the wings and add to the serving platter. Save the carcass for stocks and soups, perfect for repurposing all those leftovers.
 
Serve with the side dishes of your choice like mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, baked sweet potatoes, baked squash casserole and don’t forget the cranberry sauce. Pumpkin, apple and pecan pies are all perfect for dessert.
 
ChefSecret:  Roast the turkey at 325° F. to 350° F. Remember to check the turkey with an instant read thermometer and pull the turkey out of the oven when the internal temperature reaches 170° F (It will go up another 10 degrees as it rests). The turkey will continue to cook as it rests when out of the oven.
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Quip of the Day:  Q. What’s a turkey’s favorite movie? A. “Feast and Furious”!
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

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