Spicy Spatchcock Turkey
This Spicy Spatchcock Turkey is flavored with yogurt and a fusion blend of spices. It cooks in a fraction of the time needed to roast a whole turkey, and it is a delicious way to spice up your Thanksgiving or holiday gathering.
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“Spatchcock,” the word might cause some to blush, and the process might be deemed brutal. But, spatchcocking a turkey and slathering it with a spicy yogurt rub is my new favorite way to make turkey.
The speed of the cook time! The flavor of this turkey! My mom said, “I didn’t know turkey could taste this good,” followed by, “This is the best turkey I’ve had.”
This tasty spatchcocked turkey features a fusion spice blend of coriander, smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, Italian seasoning, onion, and garlic powder mixed with plain Greek yogurt. A good pair of poultry shears, about 90 minutes, and you have one heck of a tasty bird!
By the way, have you heard of the Butterball Turkey Hotline? Apparently, there are several articles and podcasts circulating that are highlighting some of the funniest calls the Turkey Hotline has received.
But, I digress…let’s talk about…
What is spatchcocking a turkey?
Spatchcocking a turkey is a technique that involves removing the backbone of the turkey and flattening it so it cooks quickly and evenly.
A good pair of poultry shears (this is the one I use) does a lot of the heavy lifting during this process.
How do you make this Spicy Spatchcock Turkey?
After I bought an 11-pound turkey from the store, I let it thaw in the fridge, breast side down, for 3 full days.
The day I baked it, I let it thaw out on the kitchen counter for about 2 hours.
After removing the mesh, plastic wrapping, and the giblets inside, I dried the turkey well by patting it with paper towels. I also used paper towels to dry out the inside of the turkey.
Then, I placed a kitchen towel on the counter and a large cutting board on top of it. The towel was to steady the cutting board so it didn’t slip. Then, I placed the turkey on the cutting board, breast side down.
Using these sharp poultry shears, I cut the backbone out of the turkey. I started at the tail of the turkey and cut up one side of the backbone. Then, I proceeded to cut on the other side of the backbone. Some bones may be a little tougher to cut through, so you may have to use both hands on the shears. The backbone can be discarded or used to make stock or gravy. I have tried doing this with a knife and feel the poultry shears are more effective and safer.
Then I flipped the turkey over onto a baking tray. I placed both hands firmly in the center of the breast, pressing down forcefully to flatten the turkey. This took a few tries, and I heard the rib bone breaking.
After the turkey was spatchcocked, I seasoned it well with salt and pepper.
After that, I mixed the spices with the yogurt.
I rubbed the spiced yogurt mixture all over the turkey. I separated the skin from the breast and thighs and spread some of the spiced yogurt mixture under the skin of the turkey as well. I also brushed the turkey with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
Then I tucked (or tried to tuck) the wings under the breast and popped the turkey into the oven that had been preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
The turkey was roasted for 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204°C). Then, I basted the turkey with the pan drippings, rotated the tray the turkey was on, and dropped the temperature to 375 degrees (190°C) for another 30 minutes. I basted the turkey at the end of the 30 minutes with the dripping fat and juices, and placed some foil over it. Then, I rotated the turkey again and bumped the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204°C) for the last 10-20 minutes of cook time.
Use a poultry thermometer to make sure the deepest part of the breast registers at 150°F (66°C), and the thighs register at least 165°F (74°C).
Let the turkey rest for 20 to 30 more minutes. Then carve it and serve.
Spatchcocking Tips
- Invest in a good, sharp pair of poultry shears. This helps immensely. And, you can use these shears to spatchcock chicken for everyday meals as well.
- Dry the turkey well. I used absorbent paper towels and dried the whole thing well.
- Place the turkey on the baking tray and skip the wire rack. A couple of times, I placed the spatchcock turkey on a wire rack in a baking tray, so the heat could circulate under the bird. Even though I sprayed those racks with cooking spray, it took me forever to clean them. As an alternative, you could chop up some carrots and celery and place the spatchcocked turkey on top of these vegetables.
- Use a reliable meat thermometer to check for doneness.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet. This would ensure that the juices did not run off the tray and cause your oven to smoke.
What are the downsides of spatchcocking?
While spatchcocking results in turkey perfection (to me), it does have a couple of drawbacks, such as:
It’s hard to stuff a spatchcocked turkey. So, if serving a spatchcocked turkey, the stuffing might need to be replaced with dressing.
A spatchcocked turkey is not the prettiest to serve as is. So, carve it in the kitchen before serving it. Cut it at the wing joint and slice the breast meat neatly. Separate the dark meat, such as drumsticks and thighs, by cutting at the thigh joint. Arrange these on a serving platter with some herbs and cranberries for color.
This spicy spatchcock turkey recipe is
- Flavorful
- Easy
- Quick, and
- So Delicious
- It pairs well with this Easy Cranberry Apple Chutney, this Potato Salad with Dandelion Greens, this Pickle Salad, this pumpkin chutney, and any of these 21 Thanksgiving sides.
And, I hope you give it a try!
Thanks so much for stopping by. If you make this recipe, please let me know in the comments below what you think of it, or tag your creation on social media with @savoryspin or #savoryspin. For more fusion, spice-filled, recipe ideas, please subscribe and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Pinterest!
Ingredients
- 10.81 lb Young Turkey
- 3 tbsp. Smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp. Coriander
- 2 tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp Cayenne
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 3 tsp salt
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp. butter
Instructions
- Thaw the turkey in the fridge, breast side down, for 3 full days.
- The,. the day it is to be prepared, thaw it out on the kitchen counter for about 2 hours.
- Remove the outer packaging and the giblets inside.
- Dry the turkey well by patting it with paper towels. Also use paper towels to dry out the inside of the turkey.
- Placed a kitchen towel on the counter and a large cutting board on top of it. The towel is to steady the cutting board so it doesn’t slip. Then, place the turkey on the cutting board, breast side down.
- Use sharp poultry shears, and cut the backbone out of the turkey. Start at the tail of the turkey and cut up one side of the backbone. Then, cut on the other side of the backbone. Some bones may be a little tougher to cut through, so you may have to use both hands on the shears. The backbone can be discarded or used to make stock or gravy.
- Then flip the turkey over onto a rimmed baking tray. Place both hands firmly in the center of the breast, pressing down forcefully to flatten the turkey. This took a few tries, and you will hear the rib bone breaking.
- After the turkey is spatchcocked, season it well with 1 tsp of salt, rubbing it into the bird.
- Then, make the spice yogurt rub by mixing the spices with the yogurt.
- Rub the spiced yogurt mixture all over the turkey. Separate the skin from the breast and thighs and spread some of the spiced yogurt mixture under the skin of the turkey as well.
- Melt the butter in a microwave safe dish by microwaving for 20 seconds. Then, use a pastry brush and the turkey with the melted butter.
- Tuck the wings under the breast and pop the turkey into the oven that had been preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roast the turkey for 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204°C). Then, baste the turkey with the pan drippings, rotated the tray the turkey is on, and drop the temperature to 375 degrees (190°C) for another 30 minutes. Baste the turkey at the end of the 30 minutes with the dripping fat and juices, and placed some foil over it. Then, rotate the turkey again and bump the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204°C) for the last 10-20 minutes of cook time.
- Use a poultry thermometer to make sure the deepest part of the breast registers at 150°F (66°C), and the thighs register at least 165°F (74°C).
- Let the turkey rest for 20 to 30 more minutes. Then carve it and serve.
Notes
- Invest in a good, sharp pair of poultry shears. This helps immensely. And, you can use these shears to spatchcock chicken for everyday meals as well.
- Dry the turkey well. I used absorbent paper towels and dried the whole thing well.
- Place the turkey on the baking tray and skip the wire rack. A couple of times, I placed the spatchcock turkey on a wire rack in a baking tray, so the heat could circulate under the bird. Even though I sprayed those racks with cooking spray, it took me forever to clean them. As an alternative, you could chop up some carrots and celery and place the spatchcocked turkey on top of these vegetables.
- Use a reliable meat thermometer to check for doneness.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet. This would ensure that the juices did not run off the tray and cause your oven to smoke.
