Tuck the wing tips under the turkey and place on the roasting rack. Pat skin dry and rub olive oil over the entire turkey. The taste of home test kitchen has discovered the secret to a perfectly cooked bird. I have a 16 lbs turkey that im planning on cooking on my akorn. I am using the spatchcock method of roasting a turkey breast. More recently people are venturing into direct heat cooking with a spatchcocked turkey. Grab all the ingredients for our barbecue smoked turkey and start. To give you a picture of how it looks, instead of having your poultry sit like a rock in a baking pan or on a grill rack, the meat lays flat like an open book or a pair of butterfly wings. Spatchcock chicken has become our favorite way to grill chicken. Dust liberally over the entire surface with the hardcore carnivore red seasoning. Jul 16, 2019 the act of removing a backbone to butterfly a chicken or turkey is called spatchcocking.
Its also great if youre limited on shelf space in your smoker. Take your spatchcocked turkey to the grill for extramoist. Injected with spicy cajun butter and seasoned liberally with pit boss sweet heat rub, this bird will cook evenly and relatively thanks to spatchcocking it before placing on the grill. This is accomplished by putting the turkey on the grill directly above the flame with the heat deflectors removed. I will be your guide and translator as we cover what is sure to be a revolution in turkey preparation. For the absolute best turkey, ive realized its not just a single technique, but a combination. You cant compare an oven baked turkey to a turkey smoked with fogo charcoal. If you are considering how to get that perfect thanksgiving turkey, we can help you out. The extra bonus of spatchcocking the turkey was getting the backbone to use in a rich stock, which is easily turned into a white wine and mustard gravy why grill. To spatchcock a chicken, turkey or really any bird, you are cutting it so that it will lay flat.
Mark bittman demonstrates how to spatchcock a turkey. This spicy cajun spatchcocked turkey recipe is perfect for tailgating or for your thanksgiving turkey recipe. Heres a stepbystep guide, plus roasting tips, and advice on how to carve a spatchcocked bird. When we decided to grill the turkey for our thanksgiving gathering this year, i was really excited about it its the perfect excuse to be outdoors yet still be getting the centerpiece of thanksgiving dinner cooked. Nov 21, 2014 the grill is wellsuited to roasted turkey perfection. Situating the darker meat closer to a twozone indirect fire lets the legs and thighs cook faster. But spatchcocking is the secret to making the best turkey youve ever hadin half the time.
For more on this simple trick and other thanksgiving tips, check out our. Time to cook spatchcocked turkey on your wood pellet grill. No matter how you cook your turkey the safest thing to do is monitor the temperature. Spatchcock comes from the phrase dispatch the cock, or split a bird open and grill it. The act of removing a backbone to butterfly a chicken or turkey is called spatchcocking.
The technique is easy, all you need is a good pair of kitchen shears and a knife. This opens up the turkey allowing it to cook a lot more evenly, makes it easier to carve and often helps the skin to get more crispy especially if you are able to cook it a little. Lightly oil the grill grates and when nice and heated up, grill the turkey on each side for 810 minutes or until nice char marks have begun to form. The process of spatchcocking isnt super difficult, but it can be a little rough without the right tools. The turkey is done when both the breast and thigh reads 165 f with an instant read thermometer or igrill bluetooth thermometer.
Spatchcock chicken is a method for preparing chicken, not a recipe. I cooked another turkey whole at the same time on a different grill and it took the same amount of time, but i havent. Learn how to spatchcock a turkey for an evenly cooked, crispy turkey, that takes less time to cook than traditional roasting. Everything grills even and juicy to its appropriate temperature. To make a spatchcock turkey, begin by removing the big birds backbone. While a spatchcock chicken can fit on any grill, a spatchcock turkey takes up a little more real estate.
If you are using the spatchcock method insert a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. I was more interested in exploring the distinct advantages of taking this flattened turkey to. How to spatchcock a turkey bon appetit bon appetit. Learn how to spatchcock a turkey aired november 25, 2014. How to spatchcock a turkey for thanksgiving martha stewart. Be sure to buy a prebrined turkey or brine it yourself with kosher salt and water the night before. This recipe will guide you on how to prep and smoke a crispy and juicy turkey and making a delicious gravy. When ready to cook, set temperature to high and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.
Feb 19, 2016 spatchcock chicken has become our favorite way to grill chicken. Ask a butcher to remove both the back and breast bones from your turkey. Simply follow these stepbystep instructions and youll be spatchcocking a turkey. In this smoked turkey recipe, i will show you how to speed up the process of smoking a turkey by butterflying it, commonly called spatchcocking the turkey. Follow these instructions with a fresh or thawed turkey and free up your oven space. Spatchcock butterfly turkey size on akorn chargriller. Have you tried everything you can think of to make your roasted turkey tender and juicy, only to get dry breast meat yet again. How to smoke a turkey spatchcock style meadow creek.
Its really similar to butterflying, but they term spatchcock is used when it relates to poultry. Read the spatchcocked turkey breast on the grill discussion from the chowhound home cooking, turkey food community. Spatchcocking or removing the backbone is great for larger birds. Grilled spatchcock turkey with maple butter and apple cider brine. So bottom line, what is the roasting time per pound for a spatchcock turkey breast. The key is using indirect heat, so you want the heat to be at the sides and not directly under the turkey. All in all, spatchcocking a turkey saves time and uses less energy, plus you still have a whole turkey to serve to family and friends. By spatchcocking your thanksgiving turkey, youll cut down on cook time, but you wont sacrifice on flavor. If not, brine your turkey for at least 8 hours, up to overnight. To do this, take a large knife or meat shears and cut the turkey open along both sides of the backbone. Smother the turkey in the olive oil, coating all over.
Spatchcocked turkey is rubbed down generously with our citrus turkey rub, given an aromatic kick with a parsley, rosemary, thyme and herb paste and slow roasted for some beautiful, rich color. The basics for butterflying a turkey couldnt be simpler. Im lucky enough that i live in temperate california with weather thats suitable for grilling pretty much all year long, save for a few rainy days here and there. This method keeps the meat moist, and you can cook your whole bird in. Last year, i spent thanksgiving with my friend mary from barefeet in the kitchen and she makes the absolute best roast turkey with wine and herbs. Nov 17, 2018 traeger smoked spatchcock turkey is a delicious and easy way to cook a turkey that is as juicy as it is tender. To spatchcock, you remove the backbone of a whole bird and lay it flat to cook. This method keeps the meat moist, and you can cook your whole bird in less than an hour. By removing the backbone, the turkey is grilled flat, increasing the surface area of exposed meat thus speeding up.
Spatchcocking is a different way to prepare a whole bird. Spatchcocking, usually refers to cutting out the backbone of a. Kick traditional to the curb with this woodfired take on turkey. Give thanks for the ultimate spatchcock turkey recipe. If your turkey takes up a lot of space on the grill, consider using aluminum foil to shield parts of the bird too close to the coals. Nov 15, 2018 spatchcock, an old term of irish origin, is an abbreviation of dispatch cock, a phrase used to describe preparing a bird by splitting it down the back, removing the backbone, spreading it open like a book and pressing it flat for easier, faster roasting or grilling. Our spatchcocked grilled turkey cooked up quickly and deliciously using our gas grill as an oven. Oct 03, 2017 find out how to spatchcock, dry brine, and grill a turkey under a brick for the juiciest bird with the crispiest skin imaginable. Turkey 101 kamado cooking and discussion kamado guru. Grilled spatchcock turkey recipe thanksgiving turkey on. How to make spatchcock citrus turkey grilla grills. Rebecca brand shows how to make a spatchcock turkey recipe, step by step to get it flat for grilling fast.
Eager to get down and dirty with your grilla smoker and make this years turkey the talk of the town. While yielding fantastic results on its own, i find smoking the bird at a lower temperature makes it even better. Grilled and smoked spatchcocked thanksgiving turkey recipe. This is why i hate spatchcocking chicken epicurious. Oct 01, 2012 read the spatchcocked turkey breast on the grill discussion from the chowhound home cooking, turkey food community. Everything grills even and juicy to its appropriate. By removing the backbone, the turkey is grilled flat, increasing the surface area of exposed meat thus speeding up the grilling time. Injected with spicy cajun butter and seasoned liberally with pit boss sweet heat rub, this bird will cook evenly and relatively thanks to spatchcocking it before placing on. Most traditional turkey cooks are done over indirect heat with a heat deflector in place.
If your turkey is enhanced as explained in recipe notes above continue to step 2. Not only will spatchcocking turkey ensure plenty of crisp skin since virtually all of it is out in the open, it makes it much easier to cook the white and dark meat evenlymeaning the breast will stay juicy. The turkey is done when both the breast and thigh reads 165 f with an instant read. Spatchcocked grilled turkey recipe food network kitchen food. Spatchcocking involves grilling the whole bird after cutting out the backbone and removing the breastplate. Grilling a turkey frees up your indoor oven to bake other dishes for your thanksgiving dinner, and cleanup is super easy too. I thought roasting a turkey breast was less time per pound vs. Spatchcocking is the process of butterflying a whole chicken or turkey, bones and all. Spatchcock smoke roasted turkey will be the star of your thanksgiving spread this year.
Cutting the bird in this way before you cook it ensures that the thighs and breasts cook evenly. By spatchcocking the turkey first, you flatten the cooking surface, allowing for faster cook time and lots of smoke flavor. The thighs and wings are just as juicy as the breast meat. Smoked spatchcocked turkey grilling inspiration weber. The technique is called spatchcocking, and it really works. In a little more than an hour, you can have a perfectly roasted 12pound turkey. Spatchcocking can drastically reduce the amount of time you spend roasting your bird. Nov 15, 2016 spatchcocking your birdthat is, cutting out the backbone and laying it flatsolve all of these problems, and some. Situating the darker meat closer to a twozone indirect fire lets the legs and thighs cook faster than the.
Stir together oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. You can fit it on the grill better and its easier to grill on a regular old weekend without too many leftovers. To spatchcock a turkey, you need a pair of sharp kitchen shears, big knife, possibly a small paring knife and, of course, your turkey. A tried and true old school technique for grilling chicken that will always give you a moist and tender bird. Smoked spatchcocked turkey grilling inspiration weber grills. I was more interested in exploring the distinct advantages of taking this flattened turkey to the grill, and those kept popping up one after another. Nov 15, 2018 spatchcocking or removing the backbone is great for larger birds. Spatchcock is a funny word, but its a seriously smart way to cook a large bird. There is nothing more impressive than a beautiful whole roasted bird with crispy golden skin to elicit the oooooooohs and. Spatchcocked turkey breast on the grill home cooking.
Find out how to spatchcock, dry brine, and grill a turkey under a brick for the juiciest bird with the crispiest skin imaginable. Butterfly turkey is simple to make and this dry brine turkey is great with cider gravy. Part of that is just that im also a perfectionist, and to me being an. There are three things everyone wants in a thanksgiving turkeycrispy skin, juicy.
I have found cooking time per pound for a whole turkey. Grilling turkey on a gas grill is becoming a popular alternative for this holiday staple. Cut down on your cook time with this simple, spatchcocked version of a thanksgiving classic. A 10 lb turkey will cook in about 45 minutes on a 450 degree grill. Situating the darker meat closer to a twozone indirect fire lets the legs and thighs cook faster than the more delicate breast meat, leaving both sections of the bird to reach their respective ideal temperatures at the same time. I cooked another turkey whole at the same time on a different grill and it took the same amount of time, but i havent done enough testing to know for sure. This spatchcock butterflied turkey gets a boost of flavor from sage butter and citrusherb salt before hitting the smoker or grill for the perfect dose of smoke and flame. What is the roasting time per pound for a spatchcock turkey. After spatchcocking, you can roast or grill your poultry. For the best spatchcock grilled turkey, use my easy turkey rub. A flattened chicken will cook evenly and faster than a whole chicken due to a similar thickness throughout. Plus theres the bonus of adding wood chunks for lightly smoky, more flavorful meat.
Increase temperature to 400 degrees f 200 degrees c and roast until skin. It allows the turkey to lay flat on the cooking grate and helps the meat cook more evenly. Heres how to make a thanksgiving turkey that boasts the crispiest skin and juiciest meat, and cooks in a fraction of the time it normally takes to roast a conventional bird. What is the roasting time per pound for a spatchcock. My mom has been making spatchcock turkey for years in fact, i started this post for you guys 4 years ago. This method is supposed to cut down on the cooking time, making the meat more juicy. Looking to cook a turkey thats tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. I am not quite sure what i think about that claim myself. Sweet heat cajun spatchcock turkey pit boss grills recipes. Spatchcocked grilled turkey recipe food network kitchen. On top of that, cooking a spatchcocked turkey on your traeger grill gives you nextlevel woodfired flavor because it lets the smoke hit even more of the meat. The most important thing to remember is that grilling turkey is easy. A spatchcocked turkey is fantastic for even and fast cooking.
Spatchcocking your birdthat is, cutting out the backbone and laying it flatsolve all of these problems, and some. Put a pan filled with water underneath where the turkey will sit, then a layer of unlit charcoal next to it. Below is a photo of how we grilled the spatchcocked turkey. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil, extending foil 3 inches past pan on both long sides. Based on how i have cooked chicken i looked into doing vertical cooking ie beer can style but it appears the turkey is too tall. Read the spatchcocked turkey breast on the grill discussion from the chowhound home cooking, turkey food. To spatchcock a turkey, you have to run your kitchen knife down the spine of your bird and remove the backbone, then crack the breast bone so the. Ive prepared a turkey on the grill in about every way possible. Nov 05, 2017 spatchcock is a funny word, but its a seriously smart way to cook a large bird. For juicy, evenlycooked turkey with a crisp, golden brown skin, spatchcocking is the answer.
Set up a charcoal grill for low and slow cooking as per the image above. Let the spatchcocked turkey sit at room temperature on the counter while you prepare the grill to take the chill off from refrigerating. You cut out the backbone before cooking, typically using kitchen shears. To spatchcock a whole turkey first remove the tail. But spatchcocking is the secret to making the best turkey youve ever hadin. So grab that small turkey and follow this easy grilled. Take away your worries and frustrations by spatchcocking your turkey before putting it on your wood pellet grill. We first spatchcock the turkey into two manageable pieces. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet every 30 minutes. Eager to get down and dirty with your grilla smoker and make this years turkey the talk of the. If you have 3 burners on your gas grill, light the side burners to medium and keep the middle burner off. When coals are covered with ash, about 20 minutes, divide into banks on opposite sides of.