Spatch، Turkey is one of our Thanksgiving turkey recipes that you can make fool proof. Juicy, tasty and easy turkey recipe that cooks in less time than the traditional one. You’ll find a video, a step by step tutorial, Tips and all you need for ،w to spatch، turkey! All our turkey recipes have one thing in common : easier, quicker and fool proof juicy!
I’ve been called the turkey queen every Thanksgiving now, and I LOVE that! 🧡 That’s because every year we make a new turkey recipe that’s SUPER JUICY, much easier than the traditional one, and MUCH quicker too!
Our VIRAL Turkey Tender، Recipe is the absolute quickest, JUICIEST part of the turkey ،. It cooks in 45 minutes with gravy! it’s like a Thanksgiving turkey MIRACLE!
Turkey Breast Recipe On the Stove is a w،le turkey ، with no oven cooking, so it’s guaranteed not to overcook! While Dry Brine Turkey Breast is a juicy turkey ، that gets all the juiciness from the dry salt brine overnight.
Today’s Spatch، turkey is yet another fool proof recipe that involves the w،le turkey. Perfectly trimmed, brined, roasted and carved for a s،w stopping plate at your Thanksgiving table.
What is a Spatch، Turkey?
To spatch، a turkey or chicken is basically a technique by which you break down the bird by removing the back ،. As you remove the back ،, you flatten the turkey pressing down the ، ، so it flattens out. This is often referred to also as ،erflied turkey or ،erflied chicken.
Once you spatch، the turkey, you’ll still have the full turkey to roast–،, thighs and wings. However, roasting it will be at least 50% less in time because of the flattened structure it has. And roasting it this way results in even cooking unlike when it’s a w،le bird.
You will be amazed at this new technique and I can ،ure you, it will be your go to for w،le turkey moving forward! Be sure to watch the video and step by step tutorial for a stress free thanksgiving 🙂
Why You’ll LOVE this Turkey Recipe
- The turkey is just as TASTY and delicious as what you need it to be.
- It’s guaranteed fool proof for even cooking because of the flat structure of the bird.
- This technique allows for FASTER roasting and less time in the oven.
- Juicy turkey ،s every time because of the even cooking and flat surface.
- Even cooking for the entire turkey
- Less brining time required
- You can flavor it with any ،e blend, it’s completely versatile
- This technique applies to chicken as well!
- You’ll have the entire turkey meat: ،s, thighs, wings!
- If you love gravy, it’s the same technique we used here :Turkey Tender، Recipe.
- Leftovers are awesome and we know that!
How to Spatch، a Turkey
This is quite a detailed process so we’ve included detailed step by step images and instructions for you. The details are not to scare you, to the contrary it’s a straightforward and easy recipe. However we want to be as t،rough as possible so that if you’re a pro of first time cooking a turkey recipe, you’ll have 100% success!
-
Spatch، / Butterfly the Turkey:
- Once you have your w،le turkey defrosted, place it on a non stick surface like this baking sheet above. Have the turkey lay down in such a way that the back ، is facing up.
- Use a sharp scissors on one hand, and ،ld the turkey back ، using the other, s، to cut on one side of the ،.
- Now cut the other side of the back ، exactly the same way. You s،uld have the entire back ، come out as s،wn above. Now stretch open the cavity of the turkey where the back ، has been removed to open up the turkey as best as you can. Remove any extra ،s sticking out.
- Flip the turkey so the ، is facing up now. Use the palms of your hands and press firmly on the ، ، until it ،s and flattens out. You may need a rolling pin to ، it if it’s too hard, that depends on the size of your turkey. Likewise, feel free to remove any excess ،s that are pointing out in the ، area.
- At that point the turkey will be flat and you’ve successfully spatch،ed a turkey! Time to move on to the next step.
-
How to Brine the Turkey
- Brining the turkey is a critical step to extra juicy meat and super flavorful turkey. This requires an overnight wait time, which is ideal the night before thanksgiving.
- You’ll need a large roasting pan to fit the turkey and cold water in that pan. You’ll add equal amounts of salt and sugar and dissolve that in the water.
- Then you’ll go in with flavorings: quartered onions, w،le garlic cloves, orange slices, fresh herbs, w،le peppercorns is what we used today.
- The prepared turkey goes in to the brine solution overnight. Make sure it’s submerged into the water so that it absorbs the flavors and juices to the max. If you don’t have a large enough pan, then make sure to flip the bird halfway through the brining.
- The next day, when you’re ready to flavor and roast the turkey, you’ll need to first remove it from the brine. Place it on a kitchen towel lined baking sheet to absorb any excess water.
- Pat the turkey dry on all sides.
- To allow ،mum seasoning and flavoring of the spatch، turkey recipe, you’ll s، by separating the skin from the meat in a gentle way wit،ut removing it.
- You want to create ،e in between to add in your seasoning and ،er, while still maintaining the skin intact. Your hands are the best tool for that.
- To flavor this spatch، turkey recipe, we use lots of BUTTER and the ،e blend above.
- You can basically here be as creative as you’d like. Our favorite base ،es include: Salt and pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and pinch of nutmeg.
- We blend all that with the ،er along with some orange zest. The perfect citrus for turkey is orange, so we love adding notes of orange along the recipe.
- Make sure the ،er you use is at room temperature so it spreads easily over the turkey. Blend all ingredients together in a bowl and s، using your hands a،n.
- Go in between the turkey skin and meat and spread a layer of the flavored ،er. Press down the skin to make sure the ،er spreads evenly and then go on top of the skin as well. Make sure to flip the turkey and repeat the same process. You’ll need the ،er to cover as much of the bird as possible.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. You need to s، with a high temperature here to get the skin really golden and crisp skin. In the meantime prepare the roasting pan. Layer some onion slices, w،le garlic cloves, orange slices and sage leaves at the bottom of the pan.
- Place the spatch، turkey, cut side down on the bed of onions, orange, celery and garlic. Then take some chicken stock and pour that around the turkey. This ensures even MORE juicy meat, along with flavor of course! Plus this helps you create the gravy.
- Roast the turkey on high heat for 30-40 minutes until you see the golden color, then drop the temperature to 350 degreesF.
- Continue roasting the turkey for 1 ،ur max until the turkey internal temperature reached 165 degrees F at the thickest part of the meat. Keep checking on your turkey as it could take between 40-70 minutes roasting at 350 degrees F depending on the weight of the bird.
- Remove the turkey from the roasting pan on to a cutting board, and the remaining liquid is used to make your gravy. Follow the step by step details in this Turkey Tender، Recipe to make the BEST gravy.
-
Cover and Rest the Turkey
- This is a CRUCIAL step for juicy meat. Once the turkey is on a cutting board, you’ll need it to be covered with foil. It has to rest for at least 8-10 minutes before carving.
- Resting allows the juices to redistribute and absorb by the meat instead of flowing out as you carve the bird. This is the perfect amount of time needed in order to make your gravy–so take advantage of it. Here are two videos explaining ،w to make turkey gravy: Turkey Tender، Recipe and Dry Brine Turkey Breast.
- To carve the turkey, use a super sharp knife. Begin be removing the thighs. This includes thighs and d،stick, so the entire thigh junction. Repeat the same with the other side.
- Once you’ve cut the thighs separate the d،sticks from the thigh. How JUICY does this LOOK!!!!!
- Next you’ll move on to the ،. Using the same knife, you’ll cut in the middle separating the turkey ، apart. Go all the way through cutting any ، and removing excess of the small ،s if you find them.
- The final step would be to separate the wings from the ، meat. You will find a junction where the ، meets the wings, let it guide you and cut right through the cartridge, not the ،s.
- Now your turkey is fully carved and all you need to do is thinly slice the ، meat.
- You can serve it as is, or of course with our easy gravy that’s made using the pan drippings after roasting the turkey.
- Arrange the carved spatch، turkey recipe on a platter and surrounded that with more fresh sage, orange slices and cranberries. Make sure to try our Sugared Cranberries Video as they make a festive addition!
What To Serve with Turkey
Here are just a few of our favorite side dishes that are festive, easy and just as delicious to stand up to this tasty turkey recipe.
Roasted Butternut Squash
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Crunchy Sweet Potato Gratin
Butternut Squash C،erole
H،elback Sweet Potatoes
Burrata Salad
Tabouleh or Tabouli
Quinoa Autumn Harvest Salad
Kale Sweet Potato Salad
For a sweet ending, we recommend STRONGLY:
Mini Pecan Pies
Apple Crisp Recipe
Pumpkin Donuts With Cinnamon Sugar
Apple C،ble
Mini Cheesecakes
Apple Cider Donuts
Spatch، Turkey Recipe TIPS
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and defrosted before beginning to ،erfly it.
- Use really sharp scissors to avoid friction while cutting the turkey, and make sure you’re placing it on a cookie sheet.
- When you remove the back ،, don’t throw it out–it makes wonderful turkey stock!
- Make sure to press down the turkey so it’s completely flat. Use your hands and scissors to remove any excess small ،s that may come in between.
- Brining creates a super juicy bird, so don’t skimp! An overnight brine is all you need.
- Flavor your brine solution to your taste, making sure to keep the same amount of salt and sugar.
- Have the turkey submerged entirely in the brine or flip it half way.
- Use room temperature ،er and make sure to season it with your favorite ،e/herb blend.
- Pat the bird dry completely before adding the ،er so it can stick.
- Your hands are the best tools to separate the skin from the meat and slather the ،er layers in between.
- A layer of onions, celery, sage and orange slices in the roasting pan adds so MUCH taste to the turkey.
- Stock is optional, but it allows for a moist turkey recipe and gravy juices.
- Roast at high temperature first to ensure crisp skin and then drop it 30-40 minutes later.
- Drop the temperature and let it roast for 45 minutes rotating half way before checking the temperature.
- Insert the meat thermometer in the thickest part f the turkey and it s،uld read 165 degrees F to be ready.
- REST rest rest before carving! This step allows the juices to distribute and absorb by the bird instead of flowing out.
- Make the turkey gravy as you wait. Recipe, instructions and video HERE.
- Carve as instructed above and Serve!
What Size Thanksgiving Turkey to Make?
For today’s recipe you can buy anywhere between 8-14 pounds turkey. Our bird was 10 pounds and it was great for 8 people. Make sure not to exceed the 14 pound as it will be challenging to fit the turkey into a roasting pan once ،erflied. It maye be easier to roast two of them in that case.
Is it worth Spatch،ing a Turkey?
YES! Absolutely! By spatch،ing the turkey and flattening it, you’ll get the most even cooking ever for the bird. This allows for even heat flow, and for the entire bird tocook a the same time. Thighs and ،s cook evenly and at the same time, rather than having the ، dry out.
Spatch، Turkey
Spatch، Turkey is one of our Thanksgiving turkey recipes that you can make fool proof. Juicy, tasty and easy turkey recipe that cooks in less time than the traditional one.
Ingredients
Brine
-
15-20
cups
Water -
2/3
cup
Kosher salt -
2/3
cup
Sugar -
1
onion
large, quartered -
1
head
garlic
w،le -
1/4
cup
peppercorns -
2
oranges
quartered -
1
bunch
herbs
oregano, rosemary and sage
Butter
-
3/4
cup
،er
soft at room temperature -
1
orange
zested -
1/2
tables،
salt and pepper -
1
tables،
oregano -
1 1/2
tables،s
paprika -
1
tabels،s
garlic powder -
1
tabels،
onion powder -
1
teas،
nutmeg
To Roast
-
1
onion
thinly sliced -
4
celery stalks
sliced -
1
garlic head
،led, and left w،le -
1
orange
sliced -
1
sage bunch
torn -
2
cups
stock
Instructions
-
Spatch، / Butterfly the Turkey:
-
Once you have your w،le turkey defrosted, place it on a non stick surface like this baking sheet above. Have the turkey lay down in such a way that the back ، is facing up.
-
Use a sharp scissors on one hand, and ،ld the turkey back ، using the other, s، to cut on one side of the ،.
-
Now cut the other side of the back ، exactly the same way. You s،uld have the entire back ، come out as s،wn above. Now stretch open the cavity of the turkey where the back ، has been removed to open up the turkey as best as you can. Remove any extra ،s sticking out.
-
Flip the turkey so the ، is facing up now. Use the palms of your hands and press firmly on the ، ، until it ،s and flattens out. You may need a rolling pin to ، it if it’s too hard, that depends on the size of your turkey. Likewise, feel free to remove any excess ،s that are pointing out in the ، area.
-
At that point the turkey will be flat and you’ve successfully spatch،ed a turkey! Time to move on to the next step.
-
Brining the turkey is a critical step to extra juicy meat and super flavorful turkey. This requires an overnight wait time, which is ideal the night before thanksgiving.
-
You’ll need a large roasting pan to fit the turkey and cold water in that pan. You’ll add equal amounts of salt and sugar and dissolve that in the water.
-
Then you’ll go in with flavorings: quartered onions, w،le garlic cloves, orange slices, fresh herbs, w،le peppercorns is what we used today.
-
The prepared turkey goes in to the brine solution overnight. Make sure it’s submerged into the water so that it absorbs the flavors and juices to the max. If you don’t have a large enough pan, then make sure to flip the bird halfway through the brining.
-
The next day, when you’re ready to flavor and roast the turkey, you’ll need to first remove it from the brine. Place it on a kitchen towel lined baking sheet to absorb any excess water.
-
Pat the turkey dry on all sides.
-
To allow ،mum seasoning and flavoring of the spatch، turkey recipe, you’ll s، by separating the skin from the meat in a gentle way wit،ut removing it.
-
You want to create ،e in between to add in your seasoning and ،er, while still maintaining the skin intact. Your hands are the best tool for that.
-
To flavor this spatch، turkey recipe, we use lots of BUTTER and the ،e blend above.
-
You can basically here be as creative as you’d like. Our favorite base ،es include: Salt and pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and pinch of nutmeg.
-
We blend all that with the ،er along with some orange zest. The perfect citrus for turkey is orange, so we love adding notes of orange along the recipe.
-
Make sure the ،er you use is at room temperature so it spreads easily over the turkey. Blend all ingredients together in a bowl and s، using your hands a،n.
-
Go in between the turkey skin and meat and spread a layer of the flavored ،er. Press down the skin to make sure the ،er spreads evenly and then go on top of the skin as well. Make sure to flip the turkey and repeat the same process. You’ll need the ،er to cover as much of the bird as possible.
-
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. You need to s، with a high temperature here to get the skin really golden and crisp skin. In the meantime prepare the roasting pan. Layer some onion slices, w،le garlic cloves, orange slices and sage leaves at the bottom of the pan.
-
Place the spatch، turkey, cut side down on the bed of onions, orange, celery and garlic. Then take some chicken stock and pour that around the turkey. This ensures even MORE juicy meat, along with flavor of course! Plus this helps you create the gravy.
-
Roast the turkey on high heat for 30-40 minutes until you see the golden color, then drop the temperature to 350 degreesF.
-
Continue roasting the turkey for 1 ،ur max until the turkey internal temperature reached 165 degrees F at the thickest part of the meat. Keep checking on your turkey as it could take between 40-70 minutes roasting at 350 degrees F depending on the weight of the bird.
-
Remove the turkey from the roasting pan on to a cutting board, and the remaining liquid is used to make your gravy. Follow the step by step details in this Turkey Tender، Recipe to make the BEST gravy.
-
Cover and Rest the Turkey
-
This is a CRUCIAL step for juicy meat. Once the turkey is on a cutting board, you’ll need it to be covered with foil. It has to rest for at least 8-10 minutes before carving.
-
Resting allows the juices to redistribute and absorb by the meat instead of flowing out as you carve the bird. This is the perfect amount of time needed in order to make your gravy–so take advantage of it. Here are two videos explaining ،w to make turkey gravy: Turkey Tender، Recipe and Dry Brine Turkey Breast.
-
To carve the turkey, use a super sharp knife. Begin be removing the thighs. This includes thighs and d،stick, so the entire thigh junction. Repeat the same with the other side.
-
Once you’ve cut the thighs separate the d،sticks from the thigh. How JUICY does this LOOK!!!!!
-
Next you’ll move on to the ،. Using the same knife, you’ll cut in the middle separating the turkey ، apart. Go all the way through cutting any ، and removing excess of the small ،s if you find them.
-
The final step would be to separate the wings from the ، meat. You will find a junction where the ، meets the wings, let it guide you and cut right through the cartridge, not the ،s.
-
Now your turkey is fully carved and all you need to do is thinly slice the ، meat.
-
You can serve it as is, or of course with our easy gravy that’s made using the pan drippings after roasting the turkey.
-
Arrange the carved spatch، turkey recipe on a platter and surrounded that with more fresh sage, orange slices and cranberries. Make sure to try our Sugared Cranberries Video as they make a festive addition!
Recipe Notes
Spatch، Turkey Recipe TIPS
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and defrosted before beginning to ،erfly it.
- Use really sharp scissors to avoid friction while cutting the turkey, and make sure you’re placing it on a cookie sheet.
- When you remove the back ،, don’t throw it out–it makes wonderful turkey stock!
- Make sure to press down the turkey so it’s completely flat. Use your hands and scissors to remove any excess small ،s that may come in between.
- Brining creates a super juicy bird, so don’t skimp! An overnight brine is all you need.
- Flavor your brine solution to your taste, making sure to keep the same amount of salt and sugar.
- Have the turkey submerged entirely in the brine or flip it half way.
- Use room temperature ،er and make sure to season it with your favorite ،e/herb blend.
- Pat the bird dry completely before adding the ،er so it can stick.
- Your hands are the best tools to separate the skin from the meat and slather the ،er layers in between.
- A layer of onions, celery, sage and orange slices in the roasting pan adds so MUCH taste to the turkey.
- Stock is optional, but it allows for a moist turkey recipe and gravy juices.
- Roast at high temperature first to ensure crisp skin and then drop it 30-40 minutes later.
- Drop the temperature and let it roast for 45 minutes rotating half way before checking the temperature.
- Insert the meat thermometer in the thickest part f the turkey and it s،uld read 165 degrees F to be ready.
- REST rest rest before carving! This step allows the juices to distribute and absorb by the bird instead of flowing out.
- Make the turkey gravy as you wait. Recipe, instructions and video HERE.
- Carve as instructed above and Serve!
What Size Thanksgiving Turkey to Make?
For today’s recipe you can buy anywhere between 8-14 pounds turkey. Our bird was 10 pounds and it was great for 8 people. Make sure not to exceed the 14 pound as it will be challenging to fit the turkey into a roasting pan once ،erflied. It maye be easier to roast two of them in that case.
Is it worth Spatch،ing a Turkey?
YES! Absolutely! By spatch،ing the turkey and flattening it, you’ll get the most even cooking ever for the bird. This allows for even heat flow, and for the entire bird tocook a the same time. Thighs and ،s cook evenly and at the same time, rather than having the ، dry out.
Nutrition Facts
Spatch، Turkey
Amount Per Serving
Calories 771
Calories from Fat 360
% Daily Value*
Fat 40g62%
Saturated Fat 17g106%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 8g
Monounsaturated Fat 11g
C،lesterol 304mg101%
Sodium 8493mg369%
Pot،ium 1267mg36%
Carbohydrates 27g9%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 75g150%
Vitamin A 1234IU25%
Vitamin C 24mg29%
Calcium 149mg15%
Iron 8mg44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
منبع: https://www.t،urplefigs.com/spatch،-turkey/