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Spatchcock Turkey

Spatchcock Turkey

Spatchcock Turkey is a delicious, moist, beautifully browned bird and one of the easiest methods ever! The skin in a spatchcock turkey is crispy and the meat is moist and tender. The turkey giblets/parts are made into an awesome gravy.
4.94 from 15 votes
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Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 12 to 14 servings
Calories: 119kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

  • 2 large onions chopped (about 4 cups)
  • 1 medium fennel white bulb only, chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 3 large carrots chopped (about 3 cups)
  • 4 stalks celery chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1 medium garlic head peeled and cloves chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh sage leaves
  • 8-10 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 whole turkey 12-14 pounds
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground white or black pepper
  • Dusting of paprika optional

For the Gravy:

  • 5 cups chicken stock homemade if possible
  • 1 cup white wine
  • Fresh sage leaves
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs
  • Fresh thyme sprigs
  • 3 tablespoon softened butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F
  • Prepare a baking sheet by coating it lightly with oil spray. Set aside. 
  • Spray a wire rack with the oil spray to keep the turkey from sticking.
  • Add the chopped vegetables to a large mixing bowl and toss them together to combine. Place two-thirds of the chopped vegetables to the baking sheet and drizzle the wine over them. Reserve the remaining vegetables for the gravy. Distribute the sage, rosemary and thyme sprigs on top of the vegetables. 
  • Adjust the wire rack over the vegetables and set aside while preparing the turkey.
  • Remove the backbone with kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cutting along each side of the backbone. Turn the turkey breast side up and press down on the breastbone firmly. You should hear the breastbone crack and feel it give a little. Reserve the backbone, tail, neck and giblets. Rinse the inside/outside of the turkey and sprinkle lightly with salt.
  • Arrange the turkey on the wire rack flattening the turkey out as much as possible. Turn the wings under and position the thigh/legs towards the body. 
  • With paper towels, wipe the turkey dry, then brush with the olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper then dust with paprika if using.   
  • Transfer to the middle position of the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 425°F, continue roasting until a meat thermometer reads 155°F in the thickest portion of the breast and the thighs read 165°, about 70-90 minutes, depending on the size of your turkey. 

Meanwhile, as the Turkey is Roasting:

  • Cut the backbone into several pieces. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat, add the backbone pieces and the reserved giblets. Cook, stirring frequently until they achieve a rich brown color. Add the reserved raw vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until they become soft. 
  • Add the chicken stock and the wine, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

When the turkey has reached temperature: 

  • Remove it from the oven and transfer the rack to another baking sheet. Tent the turkey with foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.  

To Make the Gravy:

  • Add the roasted vegetables from the sheet pan into the saucepan of simmering turkey stock and continue simmering for another 10-15 minutes.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain it through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, press down to release as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Measure the liquid into a 2-quart saucepan, 3 cups of liquid will be needed for the gravy. Spoon off as much of the surface fat as possible. 
  • In a small dish blend the softened butter and the flour together to make a thick paste (BeurreManié) and reserve. *see Notes
  • Place the saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter-flour mixture. Return to the heat and continue whisking until thickened, 2-3 minutes. 
  • Cover the saucepan until ready to serve. 

Notes

  1. A strip of folded foil wrapped around the end of each drumstick will prevent the tips from browning too much.
  2. For even browning, turn the sheet pan a couple time during the cooking process.
  3. If the vegetables under the rack begin to scorch or burn, add an additional half-cup of water.
  4. BeurreManié is a paste made with equal parts soft butter and flour. When it is whisked into a hot liquid, the butter melts, releasing the coated flour particles without creating lumps. This is a wonderful French process for finishing sauces to a smooth, silky consistency.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 207mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g