Spatchcocking a turkey or any poultry is the key to getting it to cook evenly and quickly. And the best part? You get that perfectly crispy skin and juicy meat because all the skin and meat area is exposed at the same time.

Ingredients:

Brine: (optional)

For about a 10-15 lb bird, if in doubt you can always double the brine recipe.

1 gallon water

1 C. Curing salt or kosher salt

1/2 C. Brown sugar

2 T. Onion powder

2 T. Chili powder

4 tsp. Garlic powder

4 tsp. Pepper

4 T. Butter, softened

4 T. Advacodo oil

Salt and pepper

Spatchcock:

Make sure you are cutting on a secure cutting board, you don’t want anything to move or slide around. Remove the neck and giblets if it came with your turkey and save it for making stock later. Place the turkey on the cutting board and position it breastside down. Using kitchen scissors, poultry shears or a shape knive cut along both sides of the backbone making sure to stay as close to the backbone as possible to avoid any leg joints. Once removed you can add the backbone to the giblets and neck for making stock or gravy.

Flip the turkey over so that it’s breast side up and press down firmly on the base of the breast to crack the breastbone and flatten the turkey somewhat. You will hear an audible crack to let you know that the breastbone has flattened.

You can tuck the wingtips behind the turkey so they do not burn when cooking. You can also secure them with cooking twine if that makes the process easier.

Curing:

In a large stock pot, mix quick-curing salt or kosher salt, brown sugar, onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper, and water. Heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let it cool. If you’re short on time, you can also start by heating half of the brine, then add ice to cool it to about 1 gallon of brine. When it’s cool, add the turkey and brine to whatever vessel you’re going to put in the fridge. Refrigerate overnight.

Cooking:

Every smoker is different, so refer to your smoker’s manual, and the choice of wood flavor is up to you.

When the turkey is fully brined, remove it from the liquid and rinse it under cool water to remove the brine. Let the turkey come to room temperature and make sure its dry. Coat the exterior of the bird with oil or melted butter and then season on all sides with salt, pepper and any seasonings you enjoy. Then turn your smoker on to just smoke. Place the turkey breast side up directly on the grill grate and smoke for 1 hour. Then increase the heat to 350°F and cook until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 160°F. The time will vary depending on the size of the turkey. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes; during this time, it will reach 165°F, then carve and enjoy!