Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Smoked spatchcock turkey delivers flavorful, fall-off-the-bone juiciness in every bite. Your pellet grill gets that flavor deep into your holiday bird without drying it out. Enjoy this go-to guide for a deliciously tender and juicy turkey that’s perfect any time of year!
Turkey is definitely one of my favorite special occasion creations. Seeing my family, seeing their happy faces, and hearing their laughter brings joy to my heart. And hearing those uhs and ahs while everyone is enjoying my hard work is so gratifying.
That’s why I’m excited to share my super easy guide on spatchcocking a turkey for easy smoking. You deserve those accolades, too. No advanced cooking skills needed, just a little patience!
Why Spatchcock a Turkey
First, spatchcocking speeds up the cooking time because the heat can quickly get to the whole bird. Plus, whether baking, grilling, or smoking, whatever you season it with penetrates better. And if you grill or smoke it, that delicious smokiness gets all the way to the bone.
While a whole turkey takes 25-30 minutes per pound to smoke at 225-250℉ (108-120℃), a spatchcocked turkey takes 11-13 minutes per pound at the same temperature.
How to Pellet Grill a Spatchcocked Turkey
- Clean the turkey, cut out the backbone (save for gravy), flip the turkey, and press the turkey to flatten.
- Season and smoke it.
Recipe Notes
- Poultry seasoning blends perfectly complement the turkey and smoky goodness. Homemade poultry seasoning is even better.
- Place veggies under the turkey on a baking sheet. As it smokes, turkey drippings will flavor them.
- If cutting the backbone is difficult, try cutting it a little farther from or closer to the bone. Or move the backbone around until you find the thinnest part.
- Open the smoker lid only when necessary to keep the heat and smoke from escaping and stretching out the cooking time.
- Stuffing a turkey for smoking is NOT a good idea. Please make the stuffing separately and serve it on the side. You could also put it in the smoker 30 minutes before the turkey finishes for a smoky stuffing.
- For crispier skin, dry the turkey well, turn up the heat to around 325-350℉ (160-180℃) for the last 30 minutes, and let it rest uncovered.
Make-Ahead and Leftover Makeovers
Smoked turkey stays moist, so if you’re not interested in the presentation, smoke it the day before. Let it cool, remove the meat from the bones, and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat it in the oven while finishing up the final details, and serve it on a platter.
Leftovers will last in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 4-5 months. Slice it up and use leftover turkey for sandwiches, soups, stews, burritos, tacos, you name it. Feel free to replace whatever protein is in the recipe with the turkey.
What Pairs With Smoked Spatchcocked Turkey
Holiday classics go best with this Thanksgiving bird. Green bean casserole, garlic mashed red potatoes or cornbread dressing, and homemade cranberry sauce deliver a complete meal. Finish it off with pecan or sweet potato pie, and you’re good to go.
More Amazing Smoked Turkey Recipes to Try
By Imma
This blog post was originally published in October 2021 and has been updated with additional tips and beautiful photos.
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Ingredients
- salt and pepper to taste (½-1 teaspoon salt per pound, depending on preference)
- 1 15-pound (6-7kg) turkey
- 4 tablespoons (60-65g) turkey seasoning (Creole, Italian, poultry, or your favorite will also work fine)
Instructions
- Remove the giblet package and rinse the turkey (see notes). Then cut the left side of the backbone from the tail to the neck with kitchen shears or a sharp boning knife. Do the same to the right side of the backbone. Flip the turkey over and press on it to break the breastbone and flatten the wings using both hands.
- Rub the turkey with your choice of seasoning all over and on both sides.
- Preheat the smoker to 250-275℉ (120-135℃). The higher the temperature, the faster the turkey will cook.
- Place the turkey, breast side up, in the smoker and brush it every 1-2 hours with its juices or broth.
- Smoke until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165℉ (73℃). The thighs can handle 175℉ (80℃).
- Remove the turkey from the smoker and allow it to rest, covered with foil, for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & Notes:
- Rinsing your poultry is a personal decision. I prefer clean meat and don’t mind disinfecting my kitchen and tools afterward.
- Brining isn’t necessary because the rub will give it flavor, and smoking low and slow will give you juicy, tender meat.
- Smoke your turkey until an instant-read meat thermometer reads at least 160℉ (72℃) in the thickest part of the breast. Ten minutes of resting should bring it up to the FDA recommendation of 165℉ (74℃). The thigh should read 180℉ (82℃) for the juiciest results. The leg should move easily when ready to remove it from the smoker.
- Make sure your meat thermometer doesn’t touch the bone. Inserting it at a 90-degree angle gives a better measurement. Sometimes, I measure in more than one spot to make double sure.
- If smoking a spatchcocked chicken, reduce the smoking time to 3-4 hours at 275℉ (135℃).
- The turkey will be much juicier if you let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Awesome!
Awesome recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!