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Roasted spatchcocked turkey on plate.

Dry Brined Spatchcocked Turkey

Kaylie
Perfectly cooked dry brined spatchcocked turkey. This method gives the best crispy skin, with the most flavorful and moist meat!
5 from 9 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Dry Brining Time 2 days
Total Time 2 days 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 809 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 14 pound whole turkey
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt if using table salt, half the amount.
  • ½ tablespoon dried thyme
  • ½ tablespoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1-2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Fully thaw the turkey in your fridge. Rule of thumb is 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey.
  • Remove the turkey neck and giblets from the body cavity, cut out the kidneys if it has not been removed. Make sure to also check the neck cavity as sometimes the gizzards are placed there in a bag.
  • Thoroughly pat dry the cavity and skin of the turkey with paper towels. Locate the backbone, facing it up towards you. Using kitchen sears, cut along each side of the back bone from the tail to neck. Use scissors to snip at the skin and fatty tissue near the neck as needed.
  • To spatchcock, turn the turkey over, skin side up. Use the heel of your hands, apply pressure (put your weight into it!) on the upper middle of one side of the the breast bone to break it. You may hear a small crack. Repeat on the other side of the breast bone.
  • To season the turkey, use paper towels to completely dry the inside and outside of the turkey again. Place the turkey on a clean and dry roasting sheet. Season the cavity of the turkey first, using ⅓ of the seasoning. Then turn it over and season the skin with the remaining seasoning.
  • Place the turkey skin side up, laying it flat on the sheet pan and place it in the fridge, uncovered for 2 to 3 days. Make sure nothing is touching it, and that nothing stored in the door will touch it when closed.
  • To cook, preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Place the turkey in the middle rack uncovered and cook for 1 hour. After the hour, add butter or olive oil to the skin so it will crisp up and brown nicely.
  • Check the temperature at 1 hour 30 minutes. Keep roasting until it reaches 165 degrees at the deepest point of the breast, then remove from the oven. The temperature will normally rise another 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving or all the juice will run out and your meat will be dry.

Notes

*Nutritional facts are only an estimate. Accuracy for nutritional information on any recipes on this site is not guaranteed. 
  • Save the giblets and backbone to make a delicious gravy!
  • Trim the tips of the wings off at the joint (save it to make gravy), as it burns easily or you can tuck the wings under the body of the turkey.
  • Minimize opening the oven door. It drops the temperature and you won’t get that golden brown, crispy skin. 
  • To check the doneness, place the thermometer deep in the thickest part of the breast. You should also check the temp near the wing joint, where the wing meets the breast. 
  • You can spatchcock a turkey at any size. However, roasting a spatchcocked turkey bigger than 15 pounds will be hard to fit on a roasting pan and in the oven. Roasting two  smaller birds from 12 to 14 pounds will give you meat that's more moist and tender.

Nutrition

Serving: 8peopleCalories: 809kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 122gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 406mgSodium: 3264mgPotassium: 1268mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 392IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 5mg
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