This Spatchcock Smoked Turkey is sure to be the crowning glory of your Thanksgiving dinner. Spatchcocked for more even cooking, and smoked for incredible flavor, you’ve never had a bird quite as good as this!
When preparing to cook an entire turkey, it can be daunting to plan for such a long defrost AND cook time. This recipe speeds up the process by spatchcocking the turkey first, making the bird more even and aerodynamic. Your turkey will cook quickly and with more even temperatures across the breast and thighs. It’s a win-win!
New to spatchcocking? It’s not too hard. All you need to do is remove the backbone of the turkey! For a full, detailed step-by-step post with accompanying video, check out my post for How to Spatchcock a Turkey.
Smoking a whole turkey can be intimidating. The irregular shape makes it difficult to achieve even cooking. Long smoke times at low temperatures increase food safety risks. Spatchcocking your turkey before smoking can solve these problems for a foolproof holiday meal.
What Is Spatchcocking?
Spatchcocking is a simple process of removing the backbone and flattening a bird to create a uniform thickness. With the backbone removed, the turkey cooks faster. Flattening allows for even heat distribution, preventing dried out breast meat or undercooked thighs.
Benefits of a Spatchcock Turkey
Spatchcocking provides several advantages over smoking a standard whole turkey:
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Faster cooking: With the backbone removed and bird flattened, the turkey has a more aerodynamic shape, increasing airflow for faster cooking. Expect reduce cook times of 30-50%.
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More even doneness Flattening the bird helps the white and dark meat cook at similar rates No more overcooked breast or bloody thighs
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Better smoke absorption With a spatchcock turkey smoke can penetrate all areas of the meat evenly. This equals better flavor distribution.
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Easier to carve: With the backbone removed and breastbone cracked, carving is much simpler. Slices can be neatly cut without fighting around bones.
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Crispier skin: The flattened shape increases surface area exposure to heat and smoke, improving skin texture.
How to Spatchcock a Turkey
Spatchcocking a turkey is simple with just a few easy steps:
Supplies Needed
- Sharp kitchen shears or heavy-duty scissors
- Cutting board
- Paper towels
Step-by-Step Process
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Remove giblets from turkey cavities. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels.
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Place turkey breast side down on cutting board. Using shears, cut along both sides of backbone from tail to neck.
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Remove and discard backbone or save for stock. Open up turkey like a book.
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Turn turkey over and press firmly on breastbone to flatten. Hear it crack and flatten.
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Tuck wing tips under shoulders. Turkey is ready for smoking!
Smoking a Spatchcock Turkey
A spatchcock turkey only needs a few hours smoking to finish cooking evenly. Follow these tips:
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Brine the bird: Brining keeps the turkey moist and adds flavor. Use a saltwater brine or something flavored, like apple juice or herbs.
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Season generously: Rub the turkey inside and out with spices, herbs, oil, etc. Get flavor into every nook.
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Maintain even heat: Keep smoker temp between 250-275°F. Use a thermometer to monitor.
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Rotate as needed: If any areas seem to cook faster, rotate the grill grates or turkey.
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Check doneness: Smoke until breast meat reaches 165°F and thighs 175°F. Use an instant read thermometer.
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Let rest before cutting: Allow the turkey to rest 15-20 minutes before slicing to retain juices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does spatchcocking work for any size turkey?
Yes, spatchcocking can be done on turkeys of any size. For larger birds over 18 lbs, it may be easier to use a strong kitchen shears instead of a chef’s knife. Remove the backbone in sections if needed.
Can I still make gravy with a spatchcock turkey?
Absolutely! Be sure to put a rimmed baking sheet under the grill grates to catch the drippings. While the flat shape causes more drippings to collect in the pan instead of the bird cavity, there’s still plenty for gravy.
What if I don’t have shears to spatchcock my turkey?
In a pinch, a very sharp chef’s knife or carving knife can be used to slice along either side of the backbone to remove it. Rock the knife to cut through the ribs. It will be harder work than shears, but doable.
Does smoking time vary for a spatchcock turkey?
Yes, smoking times are significantly reduced. A 15 lb spatchcock turkey may finish in as little as 2 1/2 – 3 hours at 275°F. Monitor temperature rather than time and allow the bird to rest before checking doneness.
Can I spatchcock in advance or must it be done right before smoking?
You can spatchcock 1-2 days prior to smoking. Leaving the backbone intact keeps the shape for thawing. Spatchcock after thawed. Keep chilled until ready to smoke.
Spatchcocking a turkey before smoking allows for even cooking, juicy meat, and foolproof carving. By removing the backbone and flattening the bird, heat and smoke reach all parts equally. Follow these simple steps for your best smoked turkey ever!
Tips for Cooking Spatchcock Smoked Turkey
If you have a big celebration coming up (Thanksgiving, anyone?), take these tips into consideration so your turkey is perfectly cooked with lots of juicy flavor.
- Stay small. When purchasing your turkey, try to keep your turkey under 15 pounds, if possible. Bigger turkey means more time in the danger zone of 40-140 degrees F. If you need more turkey, cook two instead of buying bigger.
- Don’t forget the gravy! If you want to save drippings from your turkey for gravy, place the spatchcocked turkey on a flat cooling rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. This may increase the cook time slightly, but you’ll have lots of melty buttery drippings at the end.
- Switch up flavors. If you want to keep the smoking temperature and time, play with flavors by using my Apple Turkey Brine or my Homemade Turkey Rub. You could also use my Chicken Seasoning for a traditional turkey flavor or my Sweet Rub to give it a classic BBQ twist.
How to Smoke a Spatchcock Turkey
Once you have your turkey spatchcocked, you’re ready to butter, season, and smoke the turkey.
- Butter. Spreading a healthy amount of butter under the skin of the turkey prior to smoking gives this turkey so much incredible flavor. I wouldn’t recommend any substitutions here. Go for the good stuff and you won’t be disappointed.
- Season. This turkey is going to be so tasty from the butter and smoke, it doesn’t need anything fancy when it comes to seasoning. Simple salt and pepper are all you need! Drizzle the whole thing with extra virgin olive oil, then season liberally with salt and pepper. I highly recommend you use a good quality kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper for the best flavor.
- Smoke. Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees F. I used almond wood for this particular recipe, but pecan, apple, alder, or maple will also taste amazing! You can also pick your favorite. Smoke the bird for 4-4 1/2 hours. You’ll know the turkey is done cooking when the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F. Make sure you’re using a reliable instant read thermometer and measuring the temperature in the thickest part of the breast. The thighs will be around 175-185 degrees F.
- Rest. Make sure to rest the turkey for 10-15 minutes before carving and serving.
- Serve. Get into that bird! It’ll be cooked nice and evenly and buttery delicious.