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A spatchcock turkey flat on a baking tray, ready to be cooked.
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4.91 from 10 votes

How To Spatchcock A Turkey

Learn how to spatchcocked a turkey! It's an easy technique that'll cook your turkey fast, with tender meat, and crispy skin every time.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to spatchcock a turkey, spatchcock turkey
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Ingredients

  • 10-12 pound turkey
  • good quality kitchen shears
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Remove the neck and giblets from your turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Then place it breast side down on your cutting board. Using poultry shears, cut alongside one side of the backbone from the tail to the neck, repeat on the other side, and remove the backbone.
    Cutting the backbone on a spatchcock turkey
  • Spread the turkey open and use the tip of a knife to lightly slice alongside the keel bone (the dark oblong bone in the middle of the breast). This will help to flatten the bird. 
  • Flip the turkey over so the breast side is up. Then flatten it by pressing down with your hands. You'll hear a crack, and it should flatten completely. Your turkey is now spatchcocked and ready to roast, just remember to tuck the wing tips before roasting.
    Using hands to flatten a turkey for spatchcocking

Nutrition

Calories: 771kcal | Protein: 133g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 345mg | Sodium: 318mg | Iron: 8mg