Spatchcock Turkey

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FlattenedMediumPrep 25 minCook 1h 15mServes 12

Remove the backbone, flatten the bird, and the whole turkey cooks in about an hour with evenly crisp skin everywhere.

Ingredients

1 whole turkey (12–14 lb), thawed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 onions, sliced, for the pan

Steps

Heat the oven to 450°F. Cut along both sides of the backbone with sturdy kitchen shears and remove it (save it for stock).
Flip the turkey breast up and press firmly on the breastbone until it lies flat.
Rub with oil, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Lay on a rack over a sheet pan scattered with sliced onions.
Roast 60–80 minutes until the thigh reads 175°F and the breast 165°F.
Rest 20 minutes before carving.

Serve with: crispy roast potatoes, charred carrots and a sharp herb salad.

Spatchcocking is the fastest whole-bird method and the best use of a single oven rack. The backbone makes excellent gravy stock.

Find this recipe in the Holidays section on the RecipeDelish home page, where you can scale it, print a clean PDF, download the shopping list and use cook mode.

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