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Dry-brined, Smoked Spatchcock Turkey is an incredibly flavorful way to prepare turkey, perfect for the holidays! Learn how to spatchcock a turkey to shorten the cooking time, then dry brine and smoke it for deep flavor and moisture. Everyone at the table will love this butterflied turkey!
Jump to:
- Spatchcock Smoked Turkey Ingredients
- How to Spatchcock a Turkey
- Spatchcocked Smoked Turkey Tips
- How much faster is spatchcocking a turkey?
- How Long to Cook a Spatchcocked Turkey
- FAQ
- Butterflied Turkey Tools
- Dry Brine Turkey
- What to Do with Leftover Turkey
- Side Dishes for Turkey
- Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
- Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
- Reviews
Spatchcock Smoked Turkey Ingredients
- Whole turkey: Make sure to thaw your turkey in time for Thanksgiving!
- Salt and pepper: Sea salt flakes or kosher salt work best. I also recommend freshly cracked black pepper.
- Dried minced garlic
- Melted butter: I recommend using unsalted butter, but you can use salted and simply adjust the amount of added salt.
- Butter Flavored Nonstick Cooking Spray
How to Spatchcock a Turkey
- Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel and lay it on the turkey breast side up.
- Using a good pair of sharp kitchen shears, cut up the whole back side of the backbone of the turkey, along the spine, using the spine as a guide. Make the cut with a knife from end to end on the rib cage. Repeat this for the other side.
- Once the spine is removed, turn the turkey over and give the breast a gentle push in the middle to try to separate the breast bone. Push until it starts to give way and lays flatter.
- Spray the turkey lightly all over the skin with the nonstick spray. In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Coat the turkey with a healthy dose of the seasoning. Get all the nooks and crannies, the back side, and even under the skin, where possible. Wrap the turkey with plastic wrap and let it rest in a roasting pan in the fridge for a day.
- Preheat the smoker to 300℉. Place the whole turkey right on the grates.
- Every hour or so, brush some melted butter on the turkey. This helps brown and crisp it up. Once the breast reaches an internal temperature of 175℉, pull the turkey out and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Carve the turkey with a sharp knife, carving the turkey thin and slicing each section. Serve on a serving platter.
This recipe is excellent when made with chicken, too.
Spatchcocked Smoked Turkey Tips
- A pellet smoker is a great choice for this recipe; try this Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker.
- Spatchcock is a great way to get nice and even cook with your turkey. It also shortens the cooking time by eliminating a giant hollow cavity under the thickest part of the bird! It might take a time or two to really get the hang of getting the turkey ready, but it will be worth it!
- You may have to be heavy-handed and a little forceful to finish getting that spine out. It’s going to look like it’s messy, but once you flip it is when it all comes together.
- You can use other seasoning options such as a poultry mixture. This is all about preference. However, you absolutely cannot skip the salt as it’s necessary for the brining process.
- If you have the time, leave your turkey to brine for 48 hours. It’s the best for a really deep flavor profile.
- I used pecan pellets, but apple or cherry pellets are two great choices you can use as well with turkey.
- Worry less about the time the turkey is cooking and focus on the internal temperature. If you do this, it won’t matter what size turkey you have because no matter how big or small it is, it just has to reach that internal temperature, which signifies it’s ready to go.
- I also recommend giving my Butter Injection for Turkey a try!
How much faster is spatchcocking a turkey?
A spatchcocked turkey takes half the time to cook than a regular turkey does by spreading out the surface area of the turkey. This method will save you so much time - it takes just 2.5 to 3 hours to cook a 15-pound turkey on the smoker using this method!
How Long to Cook a Spatchcocked Turkey
A spatchcocked turkey takes about 10 minutes per pound to cook on the smoker at 300℉. For a handy reference, follow this guide as a general rule:
Spatchcocked Turkey Cooking Time
| Turkey Weight | Cook Time for Spatchcocked Turkey at 300℉ |
|---|---|
| 10 lbs. | 2.5 hours |
| 15 lbs. | 2.5-3 hours |
| 18 lbs. | 4.5 hours |
| 20 lbs. | 5 hours |
However, please keep in mind you should cook turkey to temperature, and not by exact timing. Always measure the internal temperature of the turkey by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. It must reach an internal temperature of 165℉ in the breast and 175°F in the thigh. After resting, it will come to the proper temperature. See my Turkey Temperature guide!
| Turkey Weight | Feeds | How Long to Smoke Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| 8 pounds | 5 guests and under | 2 hours |
| 15 pounds | 10 guests and under | 3 hours 45 minutes |
| 20 pounds | 15 guests and under | 5 hours |
FAQ
To spatch a turkey, pat the turkey dry, then rest it breast-side down on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears, cut along the back side of the turkey using the spine as a guide. Cut end to end and repeat on the other side. Remove the spine, then turn the turkey over and gently push the breast in the middle to separate the breast bone. Push until it starts to give way and lays flatter.
Spatchcock turkey, cooked on the smoker after a dry brine, has an amazing flavor. Thanks to the spatchcock technique, it cooks more evenly than a turkey that has not been butterflied, and as a result is very moist and tender.
Butterflied Turkey Tools
- Large Sheet Pan or other Moveable Flat Surface
- Meat Thermometer
- Kitchen Shears
- Plastic Wrap
- Use poultry shears
Dry Brine Turkey
Dry brining a turkey is a process that really elevates the flavor of the turkey and really crisps up the skin by getting rid of any extra moisture. However, no liquid is involved, making it much easier to execute.
This will add so much flavor to your turkey - I guarantee you will taste the difference! Along with the spatchcock technique for a butterflied turkey, it makes this recipe uniquely delicious. Follow my step-by-step instructions on how to dry brine a turkey.
What to Do with Leftover Turkey
Use the leftover turkey to make my Leftover Turkey Recipes!
Side Dishes for Turkey
Don't forget to try my Dry Turkey Brine, Turkey Rub, Butter Injection for Turkey and Compound Butter for Turkey, too. Plus, make my Turkey Gravy for even more flavor!
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
If you know anything about me, you know how much I love my holiday turkeys. There is nothing like preparing a beautiful holiday meal with turkey as the centerpiece! But every year, my favorite thing to do is change my cooking method.
I love the flavors from dry brining and smoking, and the butterflied turkey technique is perfect for shortening the cooking time and making it so easy to handle. Calling all smoking fans - this step-by-step guide is a keeper!
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Equipment
- Large Sheet Pan or Moveable Flat Surface
- Kitchen Shears
Ingredients
- 5 pound Whole Turkey - or larger
- ½ Cup Salt
- ¼ Cup Pepper
- ¼ Cup Dried Minced Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Melted Butter
- Butter Flavored Nonstick Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Pat the turkey dry and lay it breast side down. Using a good pair of kitchen shears, cut up the whole back side of the turkey, along the spine, using the spine as a guide. Make the cut from end to end. Repeat this for the other side.5 pound Whole Turkey
- Once the spine is removed, turn the turkey over and give the breast a gentle push in the middle, to try to separate the breast bone. Push until it starts to give way and lays flatter.
- Spray the turkey lightly all over the skin with the nonstick spray. In a small bowl, mix minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.½ Cup Salt,¼ Cup Pepper,¼ Cup Dried Minced Garlic,Butter Flavored Nonstick Cooking Spray
- Coat the turkey in a healthy dose of the seasoning. Get all the nooks and crannies, the back side, and even under the skin where possible. Wrap the turkey with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for a day.
- Preheat the smoker to 300 degrees. Place the whole turkey right on the grates.
- Every hour or so, brush a little bit of melted butter on the turkey. This helps brown and crisp it up. Once the breast reaches an internal temperature of 175, pull the turkey out and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Carve and enjoy!1 Tablespoon Melted Butter
Notes
- Spatchcock is a great way to get nice and even cooking with your turkey. It also shortens the cook time by eliminating a giant hollow cavity under the thickest part of the bird! It might take a time or two to really get the hang of getting the turkey ready, but it will be worth it!
- You may have to be heavy handed and a little forceful to finish getting that spine out. It’s going to look like it’s messy, but once you flip it is when it all comes together.
- You can use other seasoning options such as a poultry mixture. This is all about preference. However, you absolutely cannot skip the salt as it’s necessary for the brining process.
- Dry brining a turkey is a process that really elevates the flavor of the turkey and really crisps up the skin by getting rid of any extra moisture. However, there is no liquid involved, which makes it much easier to execute.
- If you have the time, leave your turkey to brine for 48 hours. It’s the best for a really deep flavor profile.
- I used pecan pellets, but apple or cherry pellets are two great choices you can use as well with turkey.
- Worry less about the time the turkey is cooking and focus on the internal temperature. If you do this, it won’t matter what size turkey you have because no matter how big or small it is, it just has to reach that internal temperature, which signifies it’s ready to go.
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