The turkey is the star of the show on Thanksgiving Day, golden and juicy. But it can also be problematic. It takes up space in the oven, for one thing. That bird is often overcooked, and half of the skin—which we want to be very crisp—is wet and squidgy at the bottom of the bird. Doesn’t it know you have green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, and rolls ready to go? But the little trick of laying the bird out flat while roasting saves a lot of time and changes everything. If you like to think outside the box and are interested in the unusual, keep reading. This fast-roasting turkey method is for you.
There are different ideas about where the word “spatchcock” comes from, but most people agree that it comes from Scottish or Irish usage. No matter its origin, when the term is applied to whole fowl, it is equivalent to “butterflying. In short, we flatten the bird by cutting out the backbone and arranging the legs and wings around the breast like rays from a white-meat sun. We’ll go into more detail about the exact steps below. This vastly increases the surface area, much improving it over the semi-spherical shape it originally inhabits.
“But what about Grandfather bringing the perfect turkey to the table to be carved?!?” That’s a good question, but we’d also like to remind people that Norman Rockwell was famous for painting, not cooking. We don’t think it’s the best way to cook something just because it looks nice. Other people agree with us.
Spatchcocking, also known as butterflying, a turkey breast is a great way to cook a turkey breast quickly and evenly By removing the backbone and flattening the breast, you decrease the thickness and increase the surface area exposed to heat This results in a faster, more even cook time. But exactly how long does it take to cook a spatchcock turkey breast?
What is Spatchcocking?
Spatchcocking involves removing the backbone from a turkey breast and flattening it out This can be done easily at home with just a pair of kitchen shears. Simply cut along both sides of the backbone from the neck down to the bottom, removing it completely Flip the breast over and press firmly with your hands on the top to flatten it out. You should hear the rib bones crack as it flattens.
The result is a turkey breast that lays flat, rather than rounded This exposes more surface area to the heat of the oven, allowing it to cook faster It also evens out the thickness, so there are no extremely thick and thin parts.
Benefits of Spatchcocking a Turkey Breast
There are a few key benefits to spatchcocking a turkey breast:
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Cooks faster – With more surface area exposed to heat, and a more even thickness, spatchcocking dramatically decreases cooking time.
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Cooks evenly – The meat cooks more evenly since there are no extremely thick and thin parts. No dry breasts or undercooked areas.
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Better flavor – With the shortened cooking time, the breast stays juicier and doesn’t dry out. This leads to better moisture and flavor.
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Easier to season – With the breast laid flat, it’s easier to access the meat and evenly coat it with seasoning or rubs.
How Long to Cook a Spatchcock Turkey Breast
So how long should you cook a spatchcock turkey breast? Here are some general guidelines:
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8-10 minutes per pound – The flattened shape means you can estimate about 8-10 minutes per pound at 375°F.
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For a 5 lb breast, cook 40-50 minutes
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For a 10 lb breast, cook 80-100 minutes
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Use a meat thermometer – Always rely on an instant read thermometer, not just time. Cook until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F.
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Let rest 15 minutes – Once it reaches the target temp, remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes before carving.
Tips for Perfectly Cooked Spatchcock Turkey Breast
Follow these tips for the best results when cooking a spatchcock turkey breast:
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Dry brine the breast – Salt the breast 1-2 days before cooking to season and help retain moisture.
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** Preheat the oven well** – Use a high temp (375-425°F) and make sure oven is fully preheated before cooking.
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Use a meat thermometer – Don’t rely on time alone. Cook to 165°F in the thickest part.
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Cook on a rack – Place breast on a rack over a sheet pan to allow air flow underneath.
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Let rest before carving – Rest 15 minutes wrapped in foil before slicing for juicier meat.
Perfectly Cooked and Flavorful
Spatchcocking a turkey breast prior to roasting allows you to cook the meat faster and more evenly for better flavor and juiciness. By flattening the breast, you decrease cooking time to only 8-10 minutes per pound while still reaching the safe internal temperature of 165°F. Follow these simple guidelines for perfectly cooked spatchcock turkey breast every time.
Preferred by people who know
Mark Bittman of the NY Times, and the author of How to Cook Everything, once put together a minimalist Thanksgiving dinner to cut down on prep, cook time, and ingredients so he could have time and energy to actually enjoy the meal with family and friends. This method was part of it. Bittman’s first spatchcocking video made its appearance in 2008. Since then a number of celebrity chefs have also applied the same method, with spatchcocking becoming an official foodie trend by 2012.
Kenji Lopez-Alt is another chef who swears by a flat bird! His discussion about and recipe for a spatchcocked turkey and many others can be found in his book, The Food Lab.
Cook after cook, professional after professional—people who know prefer the spatchcock method.
- Cutting down on time: Mark splits and flattens the turkey to speed up the roasting process. Spreading the turkey out flat increases the surface area that can be seen, and the bird’s thickness is almost even all the way through. This way, you can cook the turkey faster by putting it in the oven at a higher temperature for longer periods of time. If the bird is small, it might only take 45 minutes to cook all the way through. Not only does splashcocking save time, it also saves oven space. The turkey will take up less space in the oven, so you can still bake pies, rolls, or anything else you want.
- Even Cooking: Since a turkey is pretty much round, it’s no surprise that it has trouble cooking evenly. If you spatchcock it, the legs will be much more visible than if it were cut in half. Okay, this is great because the dark meat in the breast needs to get hotter than the light meat.
- Flaky skin and juicy meat: When a bird is spatchcocked, all of its skin is facing up and out. In the end, the turkey will have skin that crackles and is evenly brown all over. The skin juices help keep the meat nice and moist as they drain.
- Better Gravy: By taking out the backbone, you have added something else that will make your gravy taste better. You can make a quick stock with the neck, giblets, and backbone, and then use that along with the turkey fat to make gravy. You don’t have to use store-bought chicken stock to make the gravy. (Not that your bird will need gravy; it won’t.) But you will need some for your potatoes. ).
- The Drippings: Oh, the drippings! Put garlic, onion, parsnip, turnip, green apple, herbs, and lemon at the bottom of your sheet tray. As you cook your bird, the juices and butter (don’t forget the butter) run down, but not into the bird itself. Instead, they fill a hot pan with delicious smells. The vegetables cook in the juices and braise, making the BEST pan sauce ever. No need for thickener, no need for gravy. Now you’ll never want to cook a bird any other way. Just dip the meat in this and use it to scoop up the vegetables.
Disadvantages:
We’ve talked about the good things about this method. What are the bad things? People usually say that spatchcocking “just doesn’t look right.” Well, we’ve already established that we don’t need to hold onto that piece of ill-gotten nostalgia. The only real drawback is the anatomical aspect of the process. It could be deemed … unpleasant. For the squeamish. But really, it’s quite satisfying once you give it a try.
Enough talk about why spatchcocking is so great. You only need a cutting board, poultry shears, and a chef’s knife to do it. As long as you’re not squeamish to the sound of bones breaking, it’s a cinch.
Follow These Easy Steps:
- Dry the turkey off and set it on a cutting board with the backbone facing up.
- Start at the bottom and cut up toward the neck with poultry shears on both sides of the backbone. If the shears can’t get through an area, use a knife to cut through it. You have now removed the backbone. Set aside to use when making your gravy.
- Either cut down the middle of the breastbone or on both sides of it. Turn the turkey breast side up.
- Press down on the breastbone with your palms to flatten the bird out and break it. The ribs will also break. For more help, you might need to stand on a stool.
- Move the legs out to the side and tuck the wings under. Trim the excess neck skin. Your bird is now spatchcocked and ready to go.
Spatchcocked turkey roasting temp
Once your bird is well flattened, it’s time to roast. Cook your bird at 425°F (218°C) until it reaches an internal temperature on your ChefAlarm® of 155°F (68°C). (If you think that’s too low, read our article on chicken internal temps. The ideas there also apply to turkey.) Don’t believe us? A turkey cooked at that temperature will be WAY more juicy than one cooked at a higher temperature. ) Verify that temperature with your Thermapen® ONE to make sure you don’t find any lower temperatures. If you don’t, you’re done! Chances are you’ll have cooked a 16-pound turkey in about 90 minutes. Wow!.
We hope you give this unorthodox turkey a try. It’s better in every way, and the turkey will be something people will actually want to eat, not just act like they do. Stick to our recommended temps, don’t forget the aromatics, and you’ll be crowned Thanksgiving royalty, for sure.
Spatchcocked Turkey | Better. Faster. Juicier.
FAQ
How long does it take to cook a butterflied turkey breast?
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