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. Doesn’t that bird know you have green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, and rolls waiting in line? Plus it is often overcooked, and half the skin—which we want ultra crisp—is soaked and squidgy at the bottom of the bird. But a little time-saving trick of laying the bird out flat while roasting is a complete game-changer on all fronts. If you’re the type of person who thinks outside the box with an affinity for the unorthodox, keep reading. This fast-roasting turkey method is for you.
The origins of the word spatchcock are vague and disputed, though it is generally agreed that the word comes from Scottish or Irish usages. No matter its origin, when the term is applied to whole fowl, it is equivalent to “butterflying.” We’ll do a deeper dive into the exact process below, but in essence, we flatten the bird out by removing the backbone and arranging the legs and wings around the breast, like rays shining out from a white-meat sun. This vastly increases the surface area, much improving it over the semi-spherical shape it originally inhabits.
“But what,” we hear you asking, “about the perfect turkey being brought to table to be carved by Grandfather?!?” And we suppose that is something of a fair question, but we would also remind people that Norman Rockwell was famous for being a painter, not a cook. Just because it’s pretty doesn’t mean it’s the best way to cook something! We’re not the only ones who think so, either.
Spatchcocking, also known as butterflying, a turkey is a great way to evenly cook a large bird in a shorter amount of time By removing the backbone and flattening the turkey, more surface area is exposed to heat for quick and even cooking Many people wonder if you can spatchcock a big 22 lb turkey and how it would be done. Here’s a detailed guide on spatchcocking large turkeys like 22 pounds.
What is Spatchcocking?
Spatchcocking refers to the process of removing the backbone of a bird and flattening it for roasting or grilling. This allows the bird to cook faster since more surface area is exposed to heat.
When a whole turkey is roasted traditionally, the breast tends to cook faster than the thighs and legs. This can lead to dry breast meat and undercooked dark meat. Spatchcocking helps ensure even doneness between white and dark meat in a fraction of the normal roasting time.
The term “spatchcock” is believed to come from the Irish and British term “spitchcock” meaning to skewer and grill meat or fish. It’s also sometimes called butterflying because the process makes the bird look like it’s opening its wings.
Why Spatchcock a Turkey?
There are a few key benefits to spatchcocking a turkey:
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Cooks faster – With the backbone removed and bird flattened, heat can penetrate and cook the turkey more quickly and evenly The increased surface area exposed to heat cuts roasting time nearly in half
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Crispy skin – The flattened bird gets even exposure to hot oven air resulting in crisper, browned skin all over.
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Easy to carve – With the backbone gone and turkey laid flat, carving is much simpler.
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Cooks more evenly – Flattening the bird allows for even cooking between the delicate white breast meat and darker thighs and legs. No worrying about dry breast or undercooked legs.
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Flavorful – Seasoning can be evenly distributed over all the meat when flattened. Herbs and aromatics can also be tucked under the skin.
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Impressive presentation – A gorgeously bronzed, crispy spatchcocked turkey makes a dramatic table centerpiece.
Can You Spatchcock a 22 lb Turkey?
You sure can! With some kitchen shears, a sturdy cutting board, and a large roasting pan, spatchcocking a 22 lb bird is totally doable.
The only caveat is that turkeys larger than about 18 lbs might not fit in a standard home oven when spatchcocked. The bird needs space to lie flat in the pan. Measure oven and pan dimensions first before buying an extra large turkey.
Or opt for a smaller 12-16 lb turkey which will roast beautifully with this method. Smaller birds like 12 lbs are ideal for spatchcocking.
Step-By-Step Guide to Spatchcock a 22 lb Turkey
Follow these simple steps for spatchcocking a big 22 lb bird:
1. Prep the Turkey
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Remove neck and giblets from turkey cavities. Reserve for gravy or discard.
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Pat turkey dry with paper towels.
2. Flip Over
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Place the turkey breast side down on a cutting board.
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Position legs facing you for easier access to the backbone.
3. Snip Along Backbone
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Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut closely along one side of the backbone from the tail to the neck cavity.
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Repeat on the other side of the spine. Snip through any stubborn joints.
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Alternatively, use a sharp boning knife to cut along the backbone. Shears are quicker and easier though.
4. Remove the Backbone
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Grab the backbone with your hands and peel it out of the bird.
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You can save it to make turkey stock later if desired. Simply freeze until ready to use.
5. Flip and Flatten
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Turn turkey over breast side up.
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Open it like a book and press firmly with your hands on the breastbone to flatten completely.
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Flatten as much as possible for quick, even roasting.
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If legs extend off edges, tie together with kitchen twine to fit in pan.
6. Season and Roast
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Rub the flattened turkey all over with olive oil or butter. Season generously with salt and pepper.
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Tuck any aromatics like herbs, garlic, citrus under the skin.
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Roast at 450°F for 30 minutes.
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Reduce heat to 400°F and continue roasting approximately 15-18 minutes per pound until 165°F at thickest part of thigh.
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Rest 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Roasting Time for a 22 lb Spatchcocked Turkey
A spatchcocked 22 lb turkey will take much less time to roast than a traditionally roasted bird of the same size. Here are estimated roasting times:
- Roast at 450°F for 30 minutes
- Reduce heat to 400°F
- Continue roasting approximately 15-18 minutes per pound
- For a 22 lb turkey, roast about 330-400 minutes total after reducing heat
- Check temperature at least hourly and tent breast with foil if browning too quickly
- Roast until 165°F at thickest part of thigh
Always use a meat thermometer for doneness, not just oven timing. Let rest at least 20 minutes before carving.
The increase in exposed surface area reduces overall roasting time significantly compared to roasting a whole 22 lb turkey which could take over 5 hours.
Trussing a Spatchcocked Turkey
With a very large spatchcocked turkey like 22 lbs, you may need to truss the legs to make it fit in your roasting pan properly.
To truss a spatchcocked turkey:
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Once backbone is removed and turkey is flattened, if legs are protruding off the edges of the pan, truss legs together.
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Use kitchen twine or silicone trussing bands. Wrap and tie drumsticks together.
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Loop twine or bands around lower legs. Tie securely.
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You can also tuck the legs under band of skin connecting thigh to breast to help contain.
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Trussing contains the legs for even roasting.
Carving a Spatchcocked Turkey
One benefit of spatchcocking is that carving the roasted turkey is much easier. Here’s how to carve a spatchcocked turkey:
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Let turkey rest at least 20 minutes before carving.
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Slice between leg and breast to remove entire leg quarter if desired.
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Slice breast meat across the grain into thin pieces.
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Or serve breast meat on the bone by cutting down along either side of breastbone.
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Cut wings at joints. Slice thigh and leg meat off the bone.
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Arrange sliced meat on a platter and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Spatchcocking makes perfectly cooked white and dark meat, super crisp skin, and quick carving a breeze. A spatchcocked 22 lb turkey makes an impressive holiday centerpiece! While it requires a bit more hands on prep work up front, the benefits of shortened cooking time and foolproof even doneness are well worth it.
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 that seems low, read our article on chicken internal temps—the same concepts apply to turkey as they do to chicken. Trust us, a turkey cooked to that temp will be WAY juicier than one cooked to a higher temp.) 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 is better in every way and will provide you with a turkey that people will actually enjoy eating, not just pretend to like. Stick to our recommended temps, don’t forget the aromatics, and you’ll be crowned Thanksgiving royalty, for sure.
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.
- It’s a Timesaver: To take the time out of the turkey roasting process, Mark splits and flattens out the turkey. With the turkey flattened out, the amount of exposed surface area increases and the overall thickness of the bird comes down to a nearly even level. With this preparation, you can blast the turkey at a higher oven temperature to expedite the cooking process. Depending on the size of the bird, it could take only 45 minutes to cook all the way through. Spatchcocking addresses the issues of not only time, but oven space too. With the turkey flattened out, you’ll still have room in the oven for pies, rolls, and anything else you may be baking.
- Flat Shape = Even Cooking: A turkey is pretty much spherical in shape; no wonder there are issues with even cooking! In a spatchcocked turkey, the legs will be far more exposed than a turkey in its natural shape. This is great because the dark meat needs to reach a higher temperature than the light meat in the breast.
- Juicier Meat and Crisper Skin: On a spatchcocked bird, all of the skin is facing up and fully exposed. This will result in a turkey with crackling crisp skin and even browning all around. As the juices render from the skin, they help keep the meat nice and moist.
- Better Gravy: With removing the backbone, you have another component to add flavor to your gravy. Make a quick stock using the neck, giblets and backbone, and use that in addition to the drippings from the turkey to make your gravy. No need to use store-bought chicken stock to make the gravy. (Not that you’ll need gravy for your bird … you won’t. But you will need some for your potatoes.)
- The Drippings: Oh, the drippings! Fill the bottom of your sheet tray with carrots, celery, onion, parsnip, turnip, green apple, herbs, and lemon. As you cook your bird, the juices and butter (don’t forget the butter) run down, not into the bird’s own cavity, but into a hot pan filled with aromatic goodness. The veggies braise and cook in the juices, producing the BEST pan sauce ever. No need for thickener, no need for gravy. Just dip the meat in this stuff, scoop up the veggies with it, and you’ll never want to cook your bird another way.
Disadvantages:
We’ve exhausted the good points of this method, but what are the drawbacks? The most common complaint about spatchcocking is that it “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. It’s so much easier than you might think! All you need are a cutting board, poultry shears, and a chef’s knife. As long as you’re not squeamish to the sound of bones breaking, it’s a cinch.
Follow These Easy Steps:
- Pat the turkey dry and place it backbone side-up on a cutting board.
- Use poultry shears and cut on either side of the backbone, starting from the bottom cutting up toward the neck. If you get to an area that you can’t get through with the shears, use a knife to crack through. You have now removed the backbone. Set aside to use when making your gravy.
- Make a cut either down the center of the breastbone or one cut on either side of it. Turn the turkey breast side up.
- Flatten the bird out by pressing down on the breastbone with your palms, and break it (ribs will break too). You may need to stand on a stool for more leverage.
- Tuck the wings under and move the legs out toward the side. Trim the excess neck skin. Your bird is now spatchcocked and ready to go.
Cooking with Bill. Traeger Spatchcocked 22 lb Turkey demonstration
FAQ
How long does it take to cook a 22-pound spatchcocked turkey?
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