How to Smoke Spatchcock Turkey

One of the most tender, juiciest, flavorful turkeys you’ll ever eat! Spatchcock-style smoked Garlic herb butter-infused turkey meat smoked to perfection!

Spatchcock Smoked Turkey

This really is such an easy recipe to make but it does require you to have two things:

• Fridge Space
• Time

What takes the longest is honestly wet brining and drying the skin in the fridge. It’s so worth it as the flavors are INCREDIBLE and it’s truly what gives you the best, juiciest, and most flavorful turkey.

What you’ll need for Smoking a Spatchcock Turkey

• Wet Brine Kit (ask your local BBQ place for it
• Thawed 12-pound turkey ( neck, giblets, and all pouches removed)
• Water
• Kosher Salt
• Garlic Herb Butter
• Melted Butter

How to Spatchcock Turkey

I’ll create a separate post for this soon but you only need a few things – gloves, if you don’t like touching raw meat, a non-wood cutting board, and poultry shears. No, not kitchen shears but actual poultry shears that are curved.

1. Using poultry shears, cut along each side of the turkey’s backbone staying as close to the bone as possible.
2. Cut about 1/2 way down the turkey then turn the turkey 180 and cut the other end. It’s really difficult to cut straight through in a single stroke.
3. Using a sharp knife, make a small incision in the breastbone before flipping it over. *Note you can remove the wishbonefully if you want as that’ll make carving it easier.
4. Flip the turkey over, breast side up. Using the palms of your hands, give a forceful compression on the upper part of the breast (in the middle) until it’s flattened. It may take a few compressions to fully crack it.

How to Wet Brine Turkey

To a large plastic bag and or large bucket, add the Brine followed by the salt and water. Give it a mix. Place the spatchcocked turkey into the solution and cover more water if needed until it’s fully submerged. Close the lid or bag and place in the fridge for 12 hours.

Brining Rule Of Thumb

The rule of thumb is to wet brine your turkey 1 hour for every pound. Do not brine it for days on end or go over the timing rule. Over brining will result in super salt meat with a very unpleasant texture.

How to Make a Smoked Spatchcock Turkey

Dry Your Turkey In The Fridge

After the 12 hours, you want to now dry out the turkey in the fridge. We do this as this will help to crisp up the skin. Normally when you do this you’ll add salt to the skin but since we already wetbrined it, we don’t want to add any more salt.

1. Drain, and lay the turkey on a cooling rack in a rimmed pan. Gently lift the skin from the flesh to separate. Pop in the fridge uncovered overnight or at a minimum of 2-3 hours.

1. Inject and Smoke The Turkey

1. When you’re ready to smoke the turkey, light up your Yoder Smokers 640S to 275F.
2. Remove the bird from the fridge, and flip the bird over showing the undercarriage. Liberally sprinkle the underside with trail dust and flip
3. Taking the meat injector, inject the flesh (go under the skin) with the butter injection all throughout. Coat the skin with olive oil and liberally coat the skin with seasoning.

4. Place the bird directly on the top rack and place a rimmed baking sheet underneath. Smoke for 1 hour then insert a MEATER probe into the thickest part of the bird, avoiding the bone.

2. Baste Turkey

1. Using the melted butter, allow the butter to drizzle over the top of the bird for the first “basting”. Once the seasoning is all set in (1.5-2 hour mark then you can brush on the butter).
2. Baste with melted butter every hour until internal temp is 165°. I rotated the bird every hour until it’s reading 165F.
3. Once it reaches 165F, carefully remove from the smoker, tent with foil loosely, and allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Smoked Spatchcock Turkey Time Per Pound

Here’s a little chart to help you plan out your smoking time when it comes to smoking a spatchcocked turkey. Keep in mind that things like ambient temperature, wind, and elevation can factor into your smoking time.

For a spatchcocked bird, the rule of thumb is ~10-12 minutes per pound.

How to Smoke Spatchcock Turkey in the Oven

Many said that you didn’t have a smoker but still wanted to make this in the home oven. You can follow the same recipe, but bake it in the oven with a few adjustments.

1. You want to follow the brining and herb butter injection steps. *To give it a smoky flavor, add 3/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika to mimic the ‘smoked’ flavor, OR add 1/2 teaspoon of Hickory Smoke Powder (my choice) to the garlic butter injection.
2. When you’re ready to bake, place the turkey on a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet in a 450°F oven. Cook for about 30-35 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 400°F and bake for another 25-40 minutes, or until the meat registers 165°F. For birds larger than, say, 15 pounds, start at 425°F, then reduce to 375°F.

*Note if your bird is getting too dark too fast, reduce the heat to 350°F. I always rely on a MEATER Meat Thermometer for accurate temperatures.

What to Serve With a Spatchcock Smoked Turkey

Whether you make this for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just because you want an amazing turkey dish, here are some of my favorite sides to serve with it.

• The best Cranberry Relish… ever! No really, like EVER!
• Homemade Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
• Baked Creamy Corn Casserole
• Grilled Italian Parmesan Asparagus
• Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Filling (Dressing)

Spatchcock Turkey (Smoker)

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One of the most tender, juiciest, flavorful turkeys you’ll ever eat! Spatchcock-style smoked Garlic herb butter-infused turkey meat smoked to perfection!

• Author: Lori
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 2.5
• Total Time: 3 hours
• Yield: 1 12 pound turkey
• Category: grilling, holiday meals, smoking, thanksgiving, turkey
• Method: smoker/grill
• Cuisine: grilling, holiday meals, smoking, thanksgiving, turkey

Ingredients

• 12 lb turkey, spatchcocked
• 1 bottle turkey bath brine
• 1-gallon water plus addition to cover the bird
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Garlic herb butter injection (1/2 cup melted butter mixed with 2 teaspoons garlic powder and 1 teaspoon parsley and dried thyme)
• Olive oil
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2–4 Tablespoons Trail Dust Seasoning or your favorite turkey seasoning

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Instructions

1. To a large plastic bag and or large bucket, add the Brine followed by the salt and water. Give it a mix. Place the spatchcocked turkey into the solution and cover more water if needed until it’s fully submerged. Close the lid or bag and place in the fridge for 12 hours. Rule of thumb is 1 hour brine per lb.
2. Drain, and lay the turkey on a cooling rack in a rimmed pan. Gently lift the skin from the flesh to separate. Pop in the fridge uncovered for overnight or at a minimum of 2-3 hours.
3. When it’s time to smoke, fire up the Yoder Smokers 640S to 275.
4. Remove the bird from the fridge, flip the bird over showing the undercarriage. Liberally sprinkle the underside with trail dust and flip.
5. Taking the meat injector, inject the flesh (go  under the skin) with the butter injection all throughout. Coat the skin with olive oil and liberally coat the skin with seasoning.
6. Place the bird directly on the top rack and place a rimmed baking sheet underneath. After 1 hour insert a MEATER probe into the thickest part of the bird but avoiding the bone. Baste with melted butter every hour until internal temp is 165°. I rotated the bird every hour. The rule of thumb is to smoke ~10 minutes per pound
7. Remove from the smoker, loosely tent for 20 minutes then carve.

Notes

*Time does not including brining or dry resting.

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