This Spatchcock Turkey Recipe cooks evenly and produces delicious crispy skin and juicy meat in a fraction of the time as the traditional roasted turkey.
Pat dry the turkey with paper towels. Using poultry shears, cut along both sides of the backbone.
Flip the turkey with the breast side up. Press firmly on the center between the two breasts with the palm of your hand until the bones in that area snap. Flatten the bird and pull the thighs out to splay the bird flat. If time permits, allow to rest for 30 minute to completely dry and come to room temperature.
Compound Butter
In a small dish, combine softened butter with parsley, thyme, garlic powder, and sea salt. Mix well.
Roasting Turkey
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Gently run your fingers under the skin of the the turkey, spreading it from the meat. Spoon a few tablespoons of the herb butter under the skin and massage the butter with your hands over the turkey skin, pushing the butter mixture through to the legs and all throughout the turkey.
Spread the remaining butter mixture over the top of the skin and the underside, completely covering it with butter.
Coarsely chop onions into large chunks and spread them evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer the buttered turkey over the onions.
Roast spatchcock turkey for 60-90 minutes or until internal temperature registers at 160 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. Carve by removing the thighs first, followed by separating the drumsticks from the thighs. Remove the wings from the breasts and cut the breast meat, staying as close to the carcass as possible. Slice the breast meat into ½ inch wide pieces.
Arrange the carved turkey meat on platter and garnish with fresh lemon wedges, fresh rosemary sprigs and cranberries. Serve warm.
Notes
A serving size is approximately 8 ounces of boneless turkey meat. The serving suggestion in Nutrition Facts accounts for 1 ½ pounds of turkey with bones.
The onions will allow proper heat circulation under the turkey. You can also use a baking wire rack.
For crispy skin: After patting the turkey dry and spatchcocking it, let it sit for additional 30 minutes to dry out thoroughly. This will also help it come to room temperature and make spreading butter easier.
Juicy meat: As with all roasted meats, let the turkey, rest for 15-25 minutes after roasting in order for juices to settle back into the meat before serving.
Don't let it burn: Ovens vary, even at same oven temperature so if you see your turkey skin getting a little too crispy, tent it with aluminum foil with parchment paper between (so turkey doesn't touch foil).
Make-ahead tip: You can season and butter the turkey up to 24 hours in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. Set on counter for 30 minutes before roasting it.
Use pan drippings to make delicious gravy. You'll notice a pastured turkey doesn't yield a ton of dripping yet enough along with the melted butter to make amazing gravy.
Substitute fresh herbs with dried herbs using 3:1 ratio. For 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, you can use 1 tablespoon dried parsley.
Leftover roast turkey can be stored in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The information shown above is an estimate provided for your convenience by an online calculator. It should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. Please see our complete Nutritional Information Disclaimer.