Spatchcock Turkey (Done in Half the Time)- The Feathered Nester

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Spatchcock Turkey became popular in the early 2000s-but I think I was late to the game! We spatchcocked our first turkey about 6 years ago and have done it that way ever since! I was so impressed with how the turkey came out, it cut our cooking time almost in half! Spatchcocking also increases the surface area of seasoned meat and makes for an evenly cooked turkey. I remember being intimidated about using this method the first time and I decided to create this guide on how to spatchcock a turkey to show you just how easy it can be- keep reading for tips, cooking guides and photos!

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Why We Love Spatchcocking

Even cooking: When you are cooking a large turkey it is easy to overcook the legs and wings just to get the internal temperature to 165°F. Spatchcocking lays the poultry out flatter, so the meat cooks evenly.
Record cooking time: Gone are the days of all day cooks, depending on your turkey size, dinner can be done in just a couple hours. Keep reading to see our cooking guides.
Seasoning: Because the turkey is laid out flat you get more surface area to brine and season the turkey with your favorite rub.

See our Complete Thanksgiving Day Menu to help plan your Thanksgiving.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Dry Turkey Brine: we have created a dry turkey brine recipe for help with instructions and ingredients. Otherwise, you can use your preferred brine or poultry rub.
Turkey size: 12 to 14 lb, fully thawed (won’t fit a half sheet pan if any bigger)

Roasting Ingredients

These are our preferred roasting ingredients, you can swap or omit as needed:

onion
carrots
celery stalks
chicken broth (this is a necessary ingredient, otherwise the veggies will burn, can swap with vegetable broth or water)
butter

Use leftover turkey in stuffed pull apart dinner rolls or see our collection of Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Recipes.

Equipment

Heavy duty poultry shears (you’ll want one with a spring load that is specifically made for cutting though bone)
Rimmed baking sheet
Roasting Rack
Large Roaster

How to Spatchcock a Turkey

Pat the fully thawed turkey completely dry, inside and out. Remove giblets and neck. Place the turkey breast side down with the legs toward you. Use heavy duty poultry shears to cut along both sides of the backbone. Save the backbone for stock, if you’d like.
Flip the turkey breast side up. Press firmly on the center of the breast until it cracks flat.
Season the turkey all over, including underneath, with the dry brine. Set the turkey breast side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours.

Remove turkey from the refrigerator. Heat oven to 425°F. Add onion, carrots, celery stalks, and chicken broth to a large roast pan. Don’t skip the liquid, dry vegetables will scorch at this temp.
Set a roasting rack in the pan and place the turkey on top, breast side up. Tuck the wings behind the shoulders. Rub 4 tbsp softened butter over the skin. No more salt is needed with a dry brine. Place the oven rack in the lower third of your oven.
Roast about 6 to 7½ minutes per pound (90 to 105 minutes for 14 lb). Check at 60 minutes, if the skin is browning too fast, lower the oven to 375°F. Check with an instant-read thermometer. Pull the turkey when the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F and the thigh reaches 170 to 175°F. Keep the probe away from the bone. Let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.

Spatchcock Turkey Recipe Timeline

1-6 days before your event, thaw your turkey according to weight. USDA recommends:
- 4–12 lbs: 1 to 3 days
- 12–16 lbs: 3 to 4 days
- 16–20 lbs: 4 to 5 days
- 20–24 lbs: 5 to 6 day
Work backwards to find your start time: Pick the time you want to eat. Subtract the rest time (20 to 30 minutes) and the roast time. Then subtract 24 hours. That is when to start the brine.
Roast time guide: Plan on 6½ to 7½ minutes per pound for a spatchcocked turkey. A 14 lb turkey takes about 90 to 105 minutes.

🎯 TFN Pro Tip

Do not skip the rack. The turkey needs air underneath or the bottom steams.

Serving Suggestions

For a complete holiday or Sunday meal pair your turkey with baked mashed potatoes, old fashioned rolls, and roasted carrots and asparagus. For a holiday dessert we recommend pumpkin custard pie, bisquick apple cobbler, or pumpkin custard. For Sunday dinner desserts we pair with grandma’s chocolate chip brownies, carrot cake loaf, or lemon poke cake.

Recipe FAQs

How long does a spatchcocked turkey take to cook?

Cooking time depends on the size of your turkey. Generally speaking, a turkey takes between 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 minutes per pound. Account for a 20-30 minute rest time before carving your turkey.

What are the downsides of spatchcocking a turkey?

Some might prefer the display of a whole, cooked turkey but we have found nice ways to display our spatchcock turkeys. The turkey also needs a longer surface are to be cooked on, even though it isn’t as tall- it is longer when cut. There is a slight physical exertion required to cut a turkey backbone when spatchcocking- make sure to buy good, heavy duty shears.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when cooking a spatchcock turkey?

Be careful not to overcook your spatchcock turkey. The turkey’s size is literally cut in half which reduces the cooking time significantly. We recommend using a probe thermometer to monitor the temperature.

Is it better to cook a spatchcock turkey on high or low?

We recommend a dual temperature approach. We start with a high temperature (425°F) to crisp the skin and then a lower temperature (375°F) to allow the poultry to cook through uniformly.

Other Recipes to Consider…

If you tried our Spatchcock Turkey recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!