Description
This Spatchcock Roasted Turkey recipe offers a faster and more even cooking method for a whole turkey by removing the backbone and roasting it flat. Rubbed with a flavorful herb butter blend including garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, lemon zest, and paprika, this turkey emerges with crispy skin and juicy meat, perfect for a delicious holiday centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey
- 1 whole turkey, 12 to 14 pounds, backbone removed and butterflied
Herb Butter Mixture
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 lemon, zested and halved
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large onion, thickly sliced
- 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
- 2 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Turkey: Preheat the oven to 425°F and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Pat the spatchcocked turkey completely dry with paper towels and place it skin side up on a large rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan fitted with a rack.
- Make Herb Butter Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme leaves, chopped sage, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, paprika, and lemon zest until thoroughly mixed.
- Apply Herb Butter Under and Over Skin: Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast and thighs and rub half of the herb butter mixture underneath the skin. Then rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the turkey evenly.
- Arrange Vegetables and Lemon: Place the thickly sliced onion, large chunks of carrots, celery, and the lemon halves underneath the roasting rack or around the turkey in the pan to add flavor and aroma during roasting.
- Roast Turkey: Roast the turkey for 80 to 100 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking. Monitor the temperature carefully – the thickest part of the breast should reach 160°F and the thighs 170 to 175°F to ensure doneness. If the skin browns too quickly, loosely tent the turkey with foil to prevent burning.
- Rest Before Carving: Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute before carving and serving.
Notes
- Spatchcocking allows the turkey to cook more evenly and shortens roasting time compared to traditional methods.
- You can ask your butcher to remove the backbone if you prefer not to do it yourself.
- Save the backbone and pan drippings to make homemade turkey stock or gravy, adding rich flavor to other recipes.
