Spatchcocking and smoking a turkey

I spatchcocked, dry brined, and seasoned the turkey, then smoked it until it reached my target. 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. Ingredients 1 fresh turkey 14 lbs shown here 3 tablespoons kosher salt. Traeger smoked spatchcock turkey is a delicious and easy way to cook a turkey that is as juicy as it is tender. Ok, so i plan on spatchcocking around a 20 lb turkey on my electric smoker. By following these tips for smoking a whole turkey your guests will be begging you for your secret recipe and if you want a detailed recipe, check out our smoked spatchcock turkey recipe.

The number one thing you are going to need is time. Note that its best to do one side all the way, then open. How to spatchcock a turkey bon appetit bon appetit. Butterballs chef tony seta and masterbuilt ceo john mclemore smoke a spatchcocked turkey. Nov 06, 2012 spatchcocking your birdthat is, cutting out the backbone and laying it flatsolves all of these problems, and then some. There are three things everyone wants in a thanksgiving turkeycrispy skin, juicy. Simply place the bird on its breast and locate the spine. Place the spatchcocked turkey directly on your grill grates underside down, and let it smoke for 2 hours. In this cook i am cooking a 16pound heritage breed turkey from fossil farms.

How to smoke a turkey spatchcock style meadow creek. Place the turkey in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 24 hours. Spatchcocking a turkey has many advantages and minimal disadvantages. Ensure you have plenty of propane, gas, pellets, etc.

A goal of smoking any large turkey or chicken, at least in my opinion, is. 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. To spatchcock a whole turkey first remove the tail. Rinse the whole chicken, inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.

Use a basting brush to drizzle the melted butter mixture over the skin as the turkey cooks. A pound turkey is three times bigger than an average chicken so spatchcocking the bigger bird requires a little more finesse. Turkey should be completely submerged in liquid place a plate on top of the bird if necessary to keep it covered with the liquid. Mark bittman demonstrates how to spatchcock a turkey. Nov 25, 2014 learn how to spatchcock a turkey aired november 25, 2014 to spatchcock a turkey, you need a pair of sharp kitchen shears, big knife, possibly a small paring knife and, of course, your turkey.

When ready to cook, set temperature to high and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes. Any tips on smoking turkey or other birds youd like to share. 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. Ive not tried the spatchcock turkey, but like gene said, it will cut your cook time considerably. I will dry brine for 3 days and spatchcock the turkeyseparating the legs and thighs from the breast. If you have never spatchcocked a chicken or turkey, i say it is a real must. Turkey and smoke are a natural pairing, as anyone whos looked at a deli case can tell you, but theres a difference between coldcut smoked turkey, with its hamlike cured texture and questionable smoke flavor, and. Flip the turkey upside down so the breast is on your cutting board with the opening to the larger cavity facing toward you using poultry or kitchen shears, start at the larger cavity end and cut along either side of the backbone so the bone can be removed. Nov 15, 2018 spatchcocking or removing the backbone is great for larger birds.

Chef tom cooks up a smoke roasted spatchcock turkey with homemade sausage stuffing. Spatchcocking a turkey gives you easier access to all of the meat on the bird, making it much easier to apply your brine. I prefer using pacific pellet gourmet bbq apple andor hickory wood pellets. By removing the turkey back from the turkey, you are able to get a jump start on making your turkey gravy. I am using my yoder ys640s pellet smoker fired with pecan pellets. Now youve got all the skills necessary to cook the best turkey. Once browned, add about 2 cups of chicken stock, 2 chopped carrots, 2 stalks of celery chopped, 1 onion chopped, and a few sprigs of thyme. There are many great ways to cook a turkey, but the best is smoking. To make a spatchcock turkey, begin by removing the big birds backbone. It allows the turkey to lay flat on the cooking grate and helps the meat cook more evenly. The only problem is that, given their size, it can sometimes be hard to cook a turkey evenly by smoking or even fit it into your smoker, certainly more difficult than cooking turkey breast there are plenty of ways to get around that problem, though, one method being spatchcocking.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet every 30 minutes. Place the spatchcock turkey on the rack skin side up and let it smoke cook for 4 hours. There is lots of flavor and collagen in the backbone of a turkey so save it to make amazing homemade turkey gravy. Heres a stepbystep guide, plus roasting tips, and advice on how to carve a spatchcocked bird. Most articles on smoking a turkey dont address this problem, but here are some tips and tricks to help you overcome it. Flip turkey over breastside up, and press down hard with two hands, cracking the breast bone so the turkey lays flat on a surface. Spatchcocked turkey with herbed butter smoking meat. Oct 23, 2017 butterballs chef tony seta and masterbuilt ceo john mclemore smoke a spatchcocked turkey. There is nothing more impressive than a beautiful whole roasted bird with crispy golden skin to elicit the oooooooohs and. Rub the turkey all over with olive oil and kosher salt.

As if this isnt reason enough, smoking a turkey will also free up your oven for side dishes. If youre smoking a whole turkey, use a dry rub in the cavity and a wet rub on the outside. Press down on the breastbone until the turkey lies flat. Smoked my first spatchcocked turkey smoking meat forums. The easiest way to cook a turkey with perfectly predictable results is to separate the two meats and cook them independently to the ideal target temperature. Learn how to spatchcock a turkey aired november 25, 2014 to spatchcock a turkey, you need a pair of sharp kitchen shears, big knife, possibly a small paring knife and, of course, your turkey. Freeze for other uses such as homemade chicken stock or chicken soup or discard. Dec 31, 2019 sagerubbed spatchcocked smoked turkey. Ill be doing a simple rub and buttersage mix under the skin. As the cooked turkey rests, use the pan drippings to make gravy by transferring them into a pan. Pat turkey dry with paper towels, then immerse turkey in cooled brine. Using your smoker to cook the turkey comes with a few hidden benefits besides delivering a beautiful end product. Cutting the bird in this way before you cook it ensures that the thighs and breasts cook evenly.

Nov 07, 2019 spatchcock smoke roasted turkey will be the star of your thanksgiving spread this year. Sweet heat cajun spatchcock turkey pit boss grills recipes. I have the original pages from the magazine of this and have used this process for over 10 years. For the wet rub, mix vegetable oil and seasonings into a thick paste. Nov 10, 2016 do you handle a chicken differently than a turkey. Smoke the spatchcock turkey until digital meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches about 158160 degrees. Use poultry shears or a good set of kitchen shears. For juicy, evenlycooked turkey with a crisp, golden brown skin, spatchcocking is the answer. Butterflying or spatchcocking the bird to help it cook more evenly and develop crisper skin.

Remove the heart and giblets from the turkey and reserve. 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. Pat skin dry and rub olive oil over the entire turkey. For more on this simple trick and other thanksgiving tips, check out our. I love making this turkey when the holidays come around, because its only takes 90 minutes in the oven before its done. A chicken is easier to deal with because its smaller and easy to manipulate. Increase temperature to 400 degrees f 200 degrees c and roast until skin. Kick traditional to the curb with this woodfired take on turkey.

How to spatchcock a turkey for thanksgiving martha stewart. To do this, take a large knife or meat shears and cut the turkey open along both sides of the backbone. This smoked spatchcock turkey is seasoned cajun style with sweet heat rub to reinvigorate the classic. By spatchcocking it before it goes on the smoker, youve made it exponentially easier and quicker to smoke evenly, leading to less waiting around and more scrumptious food at the dinner table. The technique is called spatchcocking, and it really works. It only takes a few short minutes to prepare, but your guests will be impressed because it looks like you spent hours preparing the bird. How to spatchcock and roast a turkey without smoking up.

Although spatchcock recipes typically instruct cooks to heat their ovens to 450f, we roasted our spatchcocked turkey at 325f. Cut out the spine with the turkey laying breast down. While yielding fantastic results on its own, i find smoking the bird at a lower temperature makes it even better. Dec 17, 2014 if you have never spatchcocked a chicken or turkey, i say it is a real must. Once the spine is removed, flip the bird over and turn the thighs and legs out. Spatchcocking a turkey results in a more even cook all of the parts of the bird come up to temp around the same time. Add in an overnight dry brine and you have the makings of a thanksgiving turkey never to be forgotten. Hold drumstick and slice meat off bone, if desired. Smoking is a slower cooking process than roasting so make sure to read through the whole process before starting and do the math to get the timing right. The food labs stepbystep guide to smoking a turkey. Spatchcock smoke roasted turkey will be the star of your thanksgiving spread this year. Smoked spatchcocked turkey grilling inspiration weber. By removing the backbone, the turkey is grilled flat, increasing the surface area of exposed meat thus speeding up the grilling time. All youve got to do is cut out the turkeys back with a pair of solid poultry shears.

Spatchcock turkey smoking meat forums the best barbecue. You want to snip through the ribs about 12 inch to an inch away from. Flip the turkey breast side down and turn the neck side towards you. Heres a stepbystep guide to spatchcocking a chicken or turkey. I definitely prefer apple, cherry, or hickory for smoked turkeys. Not only does it taste great, but it also is a very easy way to cook a whole chicken.

Cover the pot and refrigerate for 810 hours or up to. Simple spatchcocked smoked turkey date night doins bbq. If present, remove the bag of giblets, rinse the parts, then reserve the heart, gizzard, and neck cut with poultry shears into 2 or. How to smoke turkey in an electric smoker charbroil. Send the bird into the oven and roast for about 114 to 112 hours. This is the perfect recipe for all of your holiday.

Spatchcocking this means cutting out the backbone and flattening the legs so that parts of the carcass cook evenly. Spatchcock turkey is a quick and easy way to make a thanksgiving turkey. Just want to time it right for my thanksgiving dinner. But spatchcocking is the secret to making the best turkey youve ever hadin half the time. On either side of the backbone cut down the length of the spine. Heres a stepbystep guide, plus roasting tips, and advice on how to carve a spatchcocked.

However, the recipe is using a 12 pound turkey, does not spatchcock and uses the high heat at the end. Remove from oven and allow turkey to sit about 20 minutes before carving. We smoke poultry at 300325, at that temp your spatchcocked turkey will take about 6 or 7 hours to get to 165 breast, 175 thigh. Spatchcocked smoked turkey simple and delicious recipe.

Questions regarding spatchcocking and smoking a turkey. Season the brined turkey with a mix of spices and herbs. Nov 20, 2015 oftentimes a food lab recipe will take dozens of tests and weeks of experiments to really nail, but this one turned out to be pretty straightforward, requiring only two solid days of smoking. Part of that is just that im also a perfectionist, and to me being an.

Spatchcocking a turkey is my favorite way of smoking a turkey on my mak 2 star wood pellet smokergrill. Smoke the turkey over low heat 225 275 f for approximately 11 minutes a pound. By spatchcocking the turkey first, you flatten the cooking surface, allowing for faster cook time and lots of smoke flavor. Before you begin the spatchcocking process, you need to prep the chicken. A goal of smoking any large turkey or chicken, at least in my opinion, is to do a quick brine. Cover the pot and refrigerate for 810 hours or up to 24 hours. You really should take a look at this recipe that incorporates various techniques to lock in flavors and. Smoked at 250 for 3 hrs then uped the temp to 350 until internal temp of 165. How to prepare and cook a spatchcock turkey this mama cooks. This method keeps the meat moist, and you can cook your whole bird in less than an hour. The turkey is the most flavorful, moist and cooks perfectly at a fast rate.

Spatchcocking or removing the backbone is great for larger birds. 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. Chop up the backbone into about 1 inch pieces and put in a pot with some oil, salt, and pepper to brown them. One the biggest benefits of spatchcocking your turkey is that it keeps the meat moist while providing you with crispy skin.

Rather than make my traditional spatchcocked roast turkey, this year were going to deepfry at least one and slow smoke another. The great thing about spatchcocking removing the backbone is a much quicker cooking time that always yields tender and juicy meat. With both hands, press down on the breast to snap the breast bone allowing the turkey to lie flat. Spatchcocking, or butterflying, a whole turkey is the best way to get the juiciest meat and the crispiest skin in half the time of traditional turkey roasting methods. Oftentimes a food lab recipe will take dozens of tests and weeks of experiments to really nail, but this one turned out to be pretty straightforward, requiring only two solid days of smoking. I spatchcocked, dry brined, and seasoned the turkey, then smoked it until it reached my target temperature. Anyone have any idea how long itll take to smoke a turkey of that size using the spatchcock method. The wet rub will stick to the meat better and it will help moisture retention. Its also great if youre limited on shelf space in your smoker. If you are considering spatchcocking a turkey, follow this stepbystep guide for the perfectly roasted bird.

The basics for butterflying a turkey couldnt be simpler. 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. Smoked spatchcocked turkey grilling inspiration weber grills. How to spatchcock and roast a turkey without smoking up your. A 10 lb turkey will cook in about 45 minutes on a 450 degree grill. It comes out of the smoker moist and juicy with a wonderful smokey flavour infused in the meat. Nov 18, 2012 i am trying to figure out how long it will take to cook my first turkey, ever. Heat the butter with the herbs and garlic in a small pot until melted. Because the bird is laid out flat, the dark meat of the thighs and legs are exposed to more of the heat of the oven and are. I have detailed instructions for smoking a whole chicken at this link here how to smoke a whole chicken. Let your turkey come to room temperature while the oven gets toasty.

How to spatchcock a turkey and smoke it when low on time. 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. Place the chicken, breastside down, on a cutting board. 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. Start by patting the turkey dry with paper towels, then place it breast. Spatchcocking your birdthat is, cutting out the backbone and laying it flatsolves all of these problems, and then some. Simple spatchcocked smoked turkey with a nice kiss of smoke was with just three simple ingredients. According to kenji from serious eats, this has to do with how the flattened turkey sits in the panall of the skin faces upward in open air, while the exposed meat is on the.

I agree that this could have been a fluke or i think maybe a 5. Because smoking applies low heat over a long period of time, this is a great way to ensure that the meat of your turkey will be moist and infused with delicious flavor. Spatchcocking a turkey seems a little intimidating, but it is surprisingly easy and worth the effort. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey and place on the roasting rack. Smoke roasted spatchcock turkey with homemade sausage stuffing. Make sure it is fully defrosted and around 15 pounds or less for food safety reasons. In a little more than an hour, you can have a perfectly roasted 12pound turkey. While a higherheat 450f oven cooks a bird quite quickly, the flattened profile of a spatchcocked bird ensures that your turkey will roast more quickly and evenly than an intact turkey. Applied under skin, and over skin, to a spatchcocked bird. A spatchcocked turkey is fantastic for even and fast cooking. How to spatchcock a turkey to roast turkey faster savoring. You can use this method both when smoking your poultry or when roasting in the. I am trying to figure out how long it will take to cook my first turkey, ever. Spatchcocking allows the turkey to better absorb the smoke and cooks them more evenly and quicker than traditional methods.