Smoked Spatchcock Turkey Recipe
The two main reasons why turkey is better than other types of poultry are protein and the meat. Turkey contains a bit more turkey than chicken or other types of poultry. Turkey, especially wild turkey, also tends to have more dark meat than other varieties of poultry which can be a major incentive for some people when it comes to smoked turkey.
Calories: 70kcal
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Bird
- 1 whole turkey sans neck and gizzards, 10 lbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients for the Herb Butter
- 8 tbsp Butter, unsalted, softened
- 1 tbsp Sage, fresh and finely minced
- 1 tbsp Rosemary leaves, fresh
- 1 tbsp Thyme leaves, fresh
- 2 tsp Salt, kosher
- 2 tsp Pepper, black, coarse
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 450°F.
- Flip your turkey so that it is breast-side down on your cutting board. Starting on one side of the backbone, use some shears to cut straight across the bird in a vertial direction, starting at the tailbone and stopping at the neck. Most of the bones will be easy to slice through with some good scissors.
- Repeat this step along the other side of the backbone, cutting all the way until you can remove the backbone.
- Place the turkey on its back and turn the thighs outward so they can also lay flat on your board. Use both hands to firmly press against the breastbone until it snaps and the breast is pressing against the board. Reposition the wing tips behind the turkey’s back.
- Blend the herb butter ingredients together in a small bowl. Once your butter is properly blended, use your fingers to massage the it under the turkey’s entire skin.
- Drizzle the bird with olive oil and add your salt and pepper. Move the turkey to your grill grate, close the lid and let it roast 45 minutes or until you can read an internal temperature of at least 165°F in the breasts and thighs; the thighs might be a bit hotter than the breasts by the time the latter is fully cooked through.
- Pull the turkey out of the grill and give it at least 15 minutes of rest before carving into it.
Nutrition
Serving: 2oz | Calories: 70kcal