Grilled Spatchcock Turkey
Thanksgiving is my favorite food holiday with all its traditions and family fun but it can also be a very stressful time, right? Finding oven space, timing everything perfectly, not overcooking anything…the list goes on and on of things that can go wrong.
But, if you want a way to free up oven space and make the star attraction without much fuss or time, try this Grilled Spatchcock Turkey! For those of you unfamiliar with the term, spatchcock is a method of butterflying the turkey open (you actually remove the backbone or have the butcher do it for you) so that the bird cooks more evenly and quickly. No worrying about the breast being overcooked while the thighs are still raw (boo!).
And, the best part is that we’re grilling it so that the oven is freed up for the important sides like stuffing and roasted sweet potatoes. This method rocks it!
I know that a spatchcock turkey has a weird name and a weird look to it (it’s okay to laugh and joke about the poor guy) but it’s really a surprisingly easy way to make sure that the turkey comes out perfectly.
After you or the butcher have spatchcocked the turkey, make a mixture of melted butter and herbs and rub it all over the bird, including under the skin. Refrigerate it uncovered for at least 12 hours or up to 48 hours. Drying it like this will ensure that the skin is crispy when cooked.
Preheat the outer burners of a gas grill or push hot coals to one side of a charcoal grill. Place the turkey, breast side up, over the unlit side of the grill. Cover and grill for about 2 hours, flipping once during the cooking process.
During the final 5 minutes, turn the turkey breast side up and move it to the lit side of the grill and grill uncovered until the skin is deep golden brown.
Remove the turkey from the grill and place, breast side up, on a cutting board. Let it rest for 20 minutes and then carve.
Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Brush with any additional melted butter and sprinkle with fresh herbs.
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Grilled Spatchcock Turkey
Makes: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Grill Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours plus chill time 12 hours
Ingredients
- 1 (14- to 16-pound) fresh or thawed frozen whole turkey, patted dry using paper towels, giblets and neck removed
- 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tsp finely chopped chives
- Flaky sea salt
- Fresh sage leaves, fresh rosemary sprigs, fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
Place turkey on a cutting board, breast side down. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along 1 side of backbone; cut along opposite side. Remove and discard backbone. Flip turkey, breast side up; firmly press down on breast bone until turkey flattens. Place turkey, breast side down, on a wire rack placed inside a large rimmed baking sheet.
Stir together melted butter, kosher salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme, and chives in a small bowl until combined. Rub about 2 tablespoons butter mixture over inside of turkey; flip and gently loosen skin on turkey. Rub remaining butter mixture gently under and on top of skin. Refrigerate turkey, breast side up, uncovered, at least 12 hours or up to 48 hours.
Let turkey stand, uncovered, at room temperature, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat a gas grill to medium (350°F to 400°F); light outer burners, and leave center burners unlit. Or, push hot coals to 1 side of a charcoal grill.
Place turkey, breast side up, on oiled grates over unlit side of grill. Grill, covered, until a thermometer inserted into breast registers 160°F and thigh registers 175°F, about 2 hours, turning and flipping turkey, breast side down, once halfway through grilling time. During final 3 to 5 minutes of cooking, uncover grill, and move turkey over lit side of grill; grill, uncovered, until skin is deep golden brown and charred. (If using a charcoal grill, you may need to replenish coals after about 1 hour.)
Remove turkey from grill; place, breast side up, on cutting board. Let rest for 20 minutes before carving. Transfer carved turkey to a platter, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Brush with additional melted butter; garnish with fresh herbs.
Recipe from Food & Wine
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