Spatchcock Turkey: The Ultimate Thanksgiving Hack

Do you love turkey but hate how long it takes to cook? Then you need to try this spatchcock turkey recipe! There’s no need for constant basting or worrying about uneven cooking. This technique promises a perfect roast turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner in much less time.

Why You Will Love Spatchcock Turkey

Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday. It’s one of the few holidays remaining that hasn’t been commercialized and has remained pure to its original intent. It’s a celebration of what God has done for us, a culmination of hard work and enjoying the company of loved ones.

Among our Thanksgiving Day traditions is hosting and bringing together as much of our family as we can. Filling our home with loved ones and laughter and reflecting together over a shared meal creates our favorite memories.

Some of our classic dishes you’ll find on the table are sourdough Parkerhouse rolls, fermented cranberry sauce, corn pudding, creamed onions, and chestnut stuffing, finished with homemade pumpkin pie with a from-scratch pie crust.

At the center of it all, you will find the turkey. While the visual of a huge browned bird is classic and delightful, in reality, roasting such a big piece of meat can be unpredictable and extremely time-consuming. 

Spatchcock turkey is the way to go if you are looking for a more efficient way to cook your bird. Plus, if you’re like us, you end up with more than one turkey in your freezer. This is the perfect way to enjoy turkey more than one time of year (without all the hassle).

Spatchcocking, the art of cutting a bird so it lays flat to cook, reduces the roasting time by almost half and allows the meat to cook evenly over the whole bird. Your turkey may not be a giant centerpiece, but it will arrive at the table perfectly cooked and seasoned–every time!

Tips for the Best Spatchcock Turkey

To perfect your spatchcock turkey skills, follow these essential tips:

• Thaw Completely – Before beginning, Make sure your turkey is fully thawed. This is crucial for even cooking and achieving the right temperature throughout.
• Dry with Paper Towels – Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Removing excess moisture helps achieve crispy, golden skin.
• Preheat Your Oven – Use an oven thermometer to set your oven to the right temperature. Generally, a preheated oven at 425°F works best for roasting a spatchcocked turkey.
• Season Generously – To enhance the flavor of your turkey, use plenty of herbs (like herbs mixed with butter) and spread evenly under and over the skin for maximum impact. You could also use an herb-infused olive oil, but we prefer the flavor of butter with our turkey.
• Don’t Skip the Brine – Brining your turkey will make all the difference in a juicy and flavorful turkey. It’s an extra step well worth the effort!
• Use a Baking Sheet – Roast the spatchcock turkey on a wire rack over a baking sheet. This allows for better air circulation around the turkey, ensuring even cooking.

In The Homestead Kitchen

This recipe was featured in issue No. 27 of In the Homestead Kitchen Magazine. If you are looking for a homesteading resource that can provide answers, guidance, encouragement, tips and tricks, or advice, this magazine was designed just for you. 

As new homesteaders, it took us a lot of trial and error to overcome feelings of inadequacy. Now, we have made it our mission to share our journey and knowledge with others to help them bypass some of those growing pains.

With In the Homestead Kitchen Digital Magazine, you will be put on the fast track to homesteading with confidence as we share how to overcome the big obstacles along with the little things that can make a huge impact on your success. 

Our next goal? To give you the comfort and warmth of home in the palm of your hand. The response has been so huge that in 2025, In the Homestead Kitchen is going to print, so subscribe today to lock in your low digital price and get instant access!

How to Make a Spatchcock Turkey

Supplies Needed

• Saucepans – To prepare the brine, turkey, and gravy, you will need medium and small-sized saucepans.
• 5 Gallon Bucket – Make sure your bucket is clean and made of food-grade material.
• Cutting Board – This tool will come in handy to protect your countertops and make for easy clean-up.
• Kitchen Shears – A properly sharpened knife can be used, but strong kitchen shears are the best and safest tool for this job.
• Chef Knife – A chef knife or a kitchen mallet can be used to break and flatten the breast bone. 

Ingredients Needed

For the Brine:

• 2 Gallons Cold Water, Divided – Nothing fancy here. Tap water works great.
• 1 Cup Kosher Salt – I love Redmond Real Salt. (Using that link for Redmond Salt will automatically give you 15% off your order!)
• 1⁄2 Cup Brown Sugar – If you don’t have brown sugar on hand, you can mix ½ tablespoon of molasses with ½ cup of white sugar.
• 3 Cups Apple Cider – Fresh pressed or store-bought apple cider works great.
• 1 Large Onion, Cut into Wedges – Learn how to grow onions from seed here.
• 5 Cloves Garlic, Smashed – Learn how to grow garlic here.
• 3 Unpeeled Oranges, Cut into Thick Slices – If you don’t have oranges on hand, you can substitute lemons.
• 2 Tablespoons Peppercorns – You can use white or black peppercorns.
• 5 Rosemary Sprigs – Learn how to grow rosemary here.
• 6 Sage Sprigs – Learn how to grow sage here.
• 3 Bay Leaves – Leave the bay leaves whole.
• 3 Cups Ice Cubes – The ice will keep the brine from warming the turkey to dangerous temperatures while you work with it outside of refrigeration.

For the Roasting:

• 12-14 lb Turkey – We pasture-raise our own turkeys, but a store-bought turkey works too.
• 1⁄2 Cup Butter – Learn how to make homemade butter here.
• Salt and Pepper – To taste.
• 2 Tbsp Finely Chopped Herbs – Use your favorite blend of herbs. Some popular choices for turkey are sage, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, or parsley.
• Baking Sheet – Use a large roasting pan or baking sheet with a rack to allow your turkey to lay flat.

For the Gravy:

• 1 Carrot, Roughly Chopped – Learn how to grow carrots here.
• 1 Celery Stalk, Roughly Chopped – No need to trim the celery, just use the leaves and all.
• ½ Onion – Any type of onion can be used: yellow, white, red, etc.
• 4 Cups Water – Plain tap water works great!
• 2 Tbsp Butter – Learn how to make homemade butter here.
• 1 Minced Clove of Garlic – If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, you can use freeze dried garlic or ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic.
• 1 tsp Thyme – Learn how to grow thyme here. 
• 1⁄4 Cup Flour – All-purpose flour works best.
• 1⁄2 cup Apple Cider – Apple cider is the secret ingredient that makes this gravy a perfect complement to your spatchcock turkey.

Step-by-Step Directions

For the Brine:

1. Combine 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan with the salt and brown sugar. Warm over medium heat and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. Cool to room temperature.
2. In a 5-gallon bucket, combine the sugar water with the remaining brine ingredients.
3. Remove any giblets from the turkey and submerge the turkey in the brine, weighing it down as necessary to keep it below the surface of the liquid.
4. Place the brining turkey in the refrigerator or another cold place where it can stay below 40°F. Leave the turkey in the brine for 18-36 hours.

To Spatchcock a Turkey:

1. On your roasting day, preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it, and pat it dry.
2. Place the turkey breast side down on a cutting board. Using strong kitchen shears, cut the turkey from end to end along one side of the backbone. Then, make an identical cut on the other side, removing the backbone completely. Set the backbone aside and use it to make the turkey stock for the gravy.
3. Flip the turkey over and use the flat of a chef’s knife to press down on the breastbone until you hear a crack.
4. Flip the thighs and legs out so the whole turkey lies flat. Place the flattened turkey on a rack inside a roasting pan.

To Roast the Turkey:

1. Melt the butter in a small pot and remove it from the heat. Stir in chopped herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Brush the seasoned butter over the whole skin of the turkey.
2. Roast the turkey for 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (dark meat) and breast (white meat) reads 165°F.
3. Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer it to a large cutting board. Allow the meat to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving to serve.

For the Gravy:

1. While the turkey is cooking, place the turkey backbone you removed (and giblets if you have them), one large rough-chopped carrot, one large rough-chopped celery stalk, and half an onion in a large saucepan with 4 cups of water.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for about one hour.
3. Strain your turkey stock and discard the solids.
4. In a saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add one minced clove of garlic and one teaspoon of thyme. Cook for one minute.
5. Whisk in flour and apple cider, and continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth and thickened.
6. Add 2 1⁄2 cups turkey stock and whisk to combine. Cook until your gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
7. Taste and salt and ground black pepper as desired. 
8. Carve your turkey, and serve it with the warm gravy.

Did you make spatchcock turkey? If so, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. Then snap a photo and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see!

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