Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Tender, juicy, and flavorful, this Smoked Spatchcock Turkey recipe is the best way to evenly and quickly cook the perfect Thanksgiving turkey on your pellet grill.
Servings: 8 people
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 10-14 pound whole turkey
For the Dry Brine
- 4 Tablespoons kosher salt
For the Herb Butter Rub
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter (softened)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground sage (or 2 Tablespoons of fresh chopped sage)
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons parsley flakes (or 2 Tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Flavor Injection
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Turkey Gravy
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter (salted)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups turkey stock or chicken broth
- milk (to thin)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Turkey
- Prepare your thawed or fresh turkey 1 day ahead of time.
- Remove the pop-up timer, the neck and giblets inside the bird's cavity, and the plastic hock lock holding the legs together.
- Rinse the bird with cold water and then pat dry with paper towels.
Spatchcock
- Place the turkey breast-side down on a large cutting board or baking sheet. Using sturdy, sharp poultry shears, cut away from you along one side of the backbone and then the other, removing it entirely. (Save the backbone for gravy or stock if you’d like.)
- Spread the cavity open and make a shallow cut straight down the breastbone with a knife. (This will help the turkey lay flat during the next step.)
- Flip the turkey over breast-side up and spread the thighs out. Press down on the breastbone with the heel of your hands until you hear a crack and the turkey flattens out.
Dry Brine
- Using your fingers, separate the skin from the breasts, thighs, and legs by gently tearing the membrane between them. (Be careful not to tear the skin.)
- Sprinkle about 4-6 Tablespoons of kosher salt on all surfaces of the turkey, including under the skin.
- Place the turkey on a large baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Store it, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight for 8-12 hours.
Rub
- When ready to smoke your turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and prepare the butter rub. Place softened butter, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic powder, sage, onion powder, salt, and black pepper into a small bowl. Stir together until smooth and creamy.
- Take ⅔ of the butter rub and stuff it underneath the skin of the breasts and the thighs. Press your hand on top of the skin and smooth the rub out evenly underneath the skin all the way to the legs.
- Take the other ⅓ of the butter rub and spread it all over the top surface of the bird.
- Tuck the wing tips under the breasts to prevent the wings from overcooking.
Inject
- Stir the chicken broth, melted butter, and garlic powder together in a small bowl.
- Using a meat injector syringe, draw up the liquid and slowly inject it multiple times over the breasts and thighs.
Smoke the Turkey
- Fill the hopper on your pellet grill with the wood pellets of your choice. (I prefer mild-flavored fruitwood pellets. Apple is my favorite.) Adjust the temperature to 275℉ and set the smoke setting to the highest it will go. Allow the grill to preheat for 15 minutes with the lid closed.
- Place the turkey skin-side up directly onto the grill grates. Insert the attached temperature probe into the turkey breast. Close the lid and smoke at 275℉ for about 2 to 4 hours. The turkey is done when the thickest part of the breast hits 165°F and the thighs reach 175°F. (Start checking for doneness after 1 ½ hours of grilling. If any part of the turkey starts to over-brown, tent it with foil.)
- When done, remove the turkey from the smoker and cover loosely with foil allowing it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. (This will allow the turkey to reabsorb its juices and make the meat extra tender and juicy.)
Carve the Meat
- Using a sharp carving knife, cut along each side of the breastbone to remove each breast half. Then, slice them against the grain.
- Cut through the skin between the breast and leg, pulling the leg outward. Pop the joint with a little pressure, then slice through to detach the leg and thigh. Separate the thighs from the drumsticks.
- Cut the wings off and arrange all the pieces of the bird on a serving platter. I like to decorate my platter with cranberries and rosemary sprigs.
Make the Gravy
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add butter.
- Once butter melts, add flour and whisk together while cooking for 2 minutes until lightly browned. (This will prevent a "floury" taste to your gravy.)
- Add 3 cups of homemade turkey stock or storebought chicken broth to the saucepan. Whisk together and let the gravy come to a slow simmer. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, whisking frequently. Thin with milk until the consistency is slightly thinner than your preferred thickness, and then remove from heat. (It will continue to thicken as it cools.)
- Stir in salt and ground black pepper.
- Spoon over sliced turkey meat and enjoy! Happy Holidays!
Notes
- Make sure your turkey is fully thawed before preparing and cooking it. A frozen turkey takes one day per 4-5 pounds of weight to fully thaw in the refrigerator. So a 10-pound turkey should take 2 days to thaw, and a 12-pound turkey should take 3 days to thaw. (Add an extra day for preparing, seasoning, and brining.)
- Try not to smoke under 275℉ or the skin will be rubbery. Smoking over 325℉ could cause the skin to pull back and split.
- Leftover turkey should be stored within 2 hours of cooking. Place in an airtight container and store inside the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.