Spatchcock That Bird

[J Hasselberger]

Last year, I went with Chris' "Butterflied Turkey - Salted" recipe https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/butterflied-turkey-salted/
It was great, so we're doing it again this year.

A couple of tips:
Get yourself some serious shears to cut out the spine. See the photo below for bad boys that are up to the task. On Amazon, about 25 bucks.

Refer to Chris' recipe for a skin treatment (1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground pepper, 1 tsp baking powder) Nice and crispy skin.

Jeff

Last year's spatchcocked turkey
2023 turkey by Jeff Hasselberger, on Flickr

The Baddest Shears
Big bad shears by Jeff Hasselberger, on Flickr

 

[JKalchik]

This is the way to cook bird. About the only exception would be deep frying or rotisserie. The only downside is you don't have the Norman Rockwell presentation. IMO, you get a much better bird at the end.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

I’ve never cared much about the “Rockwellian perfection” in table presentation, have not had table space for that sort of service in years. Fine platter piled high with deliciousness takes precedence around here!

 

[Todd NC]

Another tip from ATBBQ that I use is take out the wishbone before coking it. It’s easier (for me, anyway) to process the breasts without the wishbone in the way. But I’m definitely a proponent of spatchcocking, and good shears help.

 

[Jim C in Denver]

I like to remove the wishbone before cooking too.

I use a $10 serrated knife to saw out the backbone.

I take the spatch one step further -- remove the legs/thighs from the main turkey. Cooks faster, easier to handle the smaller pieces, and allows you to cook the pieces for different times and different temps.

 

[Todd NC]

I take the spatch one step further -- remove the legs/thighs from the main turkey. Cooks faster, easier to handle the smaller pieces, and allows you to cook the pieces for different times and different temps.

That's a great approach, Jim. You can take pieces off as they get done.

 

[ChuckO]

I got a free Turkey (JennyO) from WinCo for spending > $100, I picked out a small one (13LBS) and planned to rotisserie it, but maybe spatchcocking it would be better way to go. Good call Jeff, and good to hear from you. Still rockin' in the free world?

 

[J Hasselberger]

I got a free Turkey (JennyO) from WinCo for spending > $100, I picked out a small one (13LBS) and planned to rotisserie it, but maybe spatchcocking it would be better way to go. Good call Jeff, and good to hear from you. Still rockin' in the free world?

Why is it that a free Turkey always tastes better than any other? Enjoy, (In the middle of recording album #5, btw.)