If you're looking for a new way to cook a turkey this Thanksgiving try this method for spatchcocking. The skin comes turns out brown and super crispy, plus the turkey breast meat is super juicy inside
This week I tried spatchcocking a whole turkey for the first time and it turned out really great. Alton Brown’s recipe did not disappoint either as always. I was going to try smoking the turkey but it got way too cold out for that. You can either cook the turkey in the oven or smoke the turkey on a smoker.

If I were to make this again I'd be sure to have a really sharp scissors cause cutting the backbone out of a turkey is kind of hard!
What is Spatchcocking?
Spatchcocking simply means to remove the back bone of the turkey, flip it over, and then press your hands down on the breasts really hard to flatten the bird.
Spatchcocking the turkey is a really easy way to make sure the meat is cooked evenly since the bird is laying evenly flat on the baking sheet in the oven. The turkey also gets done in time! I could have pressed down harder on this bird but the more you practice doing this method the better you get!
What kitchen tools do I need?
You will need a spice grinder for grinding the whole peppercorns and allspice berries.
A nice pair of kitchen scissors that is sharp.
Some type of probe thermometer for checking the meat.
Ingredients Needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon whole allspice berries
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 3 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons rubbed sage
- 1 (13- to 14-pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed and reserved for stock
How to Make
- Four days before cooking, make the rub mixture and season the turkey: Coarsely grind the peppercorns and allspice berries by pulsing 3 to 4 times in a blade-style coffee/spice grinder. Add the dried thyme and pulse 3 more times. Combine the salt, rubbed sage, and ground spices in a small bowl and set aside.
- Position the turkey, breast-side down with the tail facing you, on a silicone mat or other stable surface set inside a large sheet pan. Use heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut up one side of the backbone. Turn the bird and cut back down the other side of the spine. Reserve the backbone for stock or gravy. Discard any fat pockets or excess skin found inside the bird. Flip breast-side up and use the heel of your hands to press down on both breasts, until you hear a cracking sound and the bird flattens.
- Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack set inside a sheet pan, and turn the wings backwards, tucking the tips under the forewings. Flip the turkey breast-side down and season with half of the rub mixture. Then, flip the bird back breast-side up and season with the remaining mixture.
- Store, uncovered, on the lowest level of your refrigerator for 4 days.
- When ready to cook, allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Place one oven rack in the center of the oven and a second one just below it. Place an empty roasting pan or large rimmed sheet pan on the lower rack. Crank the oven to 425°F.
- Place the turkey, still on the cooling rack, directly on the center oven rack. Add a cup of water to the pan below to prevent any drippings from smoking. Roast for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue to roast the bird until a probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155°F, an additional 40 to 50 minutes.
- Remove the turkey and its rack and rest for 15 minutes before carving. Carryover heat will take the final temperature close to 165 degrees.

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Spatchcocked Dry-Brined Roasted Turkey
- Prep Time: 65 min
- Cook Time: 80 min
- Total Time: 85 min
- Yield: 8 to 10 1x
- Category: Medium
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
If you're looking for a new way to cook a turkey this Thanksgiving try this method for spatchcocking. The skin comes turns out brown and super crispy, plus the turkey breast meat is super juicy inside
Ingredients
- 3 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons rubbed sage
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 ¼ teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon whole allspice berries
- 1 13 to 14 pound whole turkey, neck and giblets removed and reserved for Giblet Stock
Instructions
- Four days before cooking, make the rub mixture and season the turkey: Coarsely grind the peppercorns and allspice berries by pulsing 3 to 4 times in a blade-style coffee/spice grinder. Add the dried thyme and pulse 3 more times. Combine the salt, rubbed sage, and ground spices in a small bowl and set aside.
- Position the turkey, breast-side down with the tail facing you, on a silicone mat or other stable surface set inside a large sheet pan. Use heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut up one side of the backbone. Turn the bird and cut back down the other side of the spine. Reserve the backbone for stock or gravy. Discard any fat pockets or excess skin found inside the bird. Flip breast-side up and use the heel of your hands to press down on both breasts, until you hear a cracking sound and the bird flattens.
- Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack set inside a sheet pan, and turn the wings backwards, tucking the tips under the forewings. Flip the turkey breast-side down and season with half of the rub mixture. Then, flip the bird back breast-side up and season with the remaining mixture.
- Store, uncovered, on the lowest level of your refrigerator for 4 days.
- When ready to cook, allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Place one oven rack in the center of the oven and a second one just below it. Place an empty roasting pan or large rimmed sheet pan on the lower rack. Crank the oven to 425°F.
- Place the turkey, still on the cooling rack, directly on the center oven rack. Add a cup of water to the pan below to prevent any drippings from smoking. Roast for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue to roast the bird until a probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155°F, an additional 40 to 50 minutes.
- Remove the turkey and its rack and rest for 15 minutes before carving. Carryover heat will take the final temperature close to 165 degrees.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
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