Learn to smoke a spatchcock turkey the quick and easy way. This is one of the simplest ways to cook a whole bird that doesn’t take a lot of time and makes a succulent, juicy turkey. Have a Thanksgiving dinner to remember with this no-brine turkey recipe and your pellet grill!
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Making a spatchcock smoked turkey on your pellet grill is an easy way to get a mouthwatering holiday dinner in less time. Follow my simple steps for exceptionally tender and juicy breast meat, crispy skin and succulent dark meat. If you're only looking for white meat, I think you'll love this Traeger Turkey Breast – smoked to perfection.
Want to cook only dark meat? Try these Smoked Turkey Thighs made with olive oil and balsamic for a tantalizing main course, another great centerpiece for your holiday table.
Why spatchcock turkey?
There are two main reasons to spatchcock a turkey:
Speeds up the process. Spatchcocking decreases the time for cooking a whole turkey. It results in more surface area exposed to heat so your bird will get to finished temperature faster.
More even cooking. All parts of the bird reach finished temp at about the same time. You get that juicy breast meat and crispy skin that we all look forward to. And, the smoke penetrates into the meat evenly, allowing smoky goodness to infuse into every part.
What is spatchcocking turkey?
Spatchcocking is also called “butterflying”. It entails cutting out the spine, essentially opening the carcass up like a book, where it lays flat. Use this method for grilling, roasting or smoking.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- No babysitting – put the bird in the smoker and it cooks itself to perfection. No basting required.
- Even cooking – the breast doesn’t cook faster than the dark meat. It all gets to temp at about the same time.
- Succulent, juicy meat and crispy skin – more surface area is exposed, which creates crispy, golden brown skin over moist and succulent meat
- No brining necessary – the meat stays so tender without a brine. You can use a wet brine or dry brine if you like, but there is no need. If you do choose to brine, simply follow these same steps for smoking.
Ingredients
- Turkey – any size that will fit in your smoker will do. However, removing the spine is easier on a smaller bird. I recommend 10-15 pounds. Larger birds will take longer to get up to finished temperature when cooking low and slow which could potentially leave the bird in the temperature danger zone for longer than recommended. If yours is on the larger side, consider cooking it at a higher temperature.
- Butter or olive oil – I like to use grass-fed butter for optimal flavor
- Poultry rub – I always use a dry rub for smoked turkey, but you can use any seasoning you like. See below for my recommendations.
Best dry rub for smoked turkey
Use any poultry seasoning you choose, but I love to make my own smoked turkey rub recipe. It really depends on what flavors you’re after – traditional, spicy, barbecue or sweet and savory. I use my All-Purpose Seasoning with the addition of paprika or Kashmiri chili powder - it creates a nice color and fantastic flavor. For a slightly spicy seasoning, check out my Buffalo Seasoning. It creates a beautiful color and adds just a touch of zing. It's one of my favorite and most versatile homemade spice blends.
If you‘re looking for non-traditional flavors, season with my smoky and savory BBQ Rub or try a symphony of flavors from Tikka Masala Powder, with the addition of a little salt.
Instructions
Learn to spatchcock and smoke the best holiday turkey!
- Pre-heat the smoker to 275°F
- Remove the neck and giblets, any plastic holding the legs together and pop-up timer if there is one
- Place the bird breast-side down, on a flat food-safe surface
With sturdy kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone, starting from the large opening of the cavity.
Cut along the other side of the backbone and remove. Save this for making bone broth, along with the leftover carcass.
Make a 1 inch cut down the center of the backbone on the breast side. This isn’t necessary for small birds, but I find it makes it easier to flatten, especially with larger turkeys.
Flip the bird over, breast-side up. Press down very firmly on the breast bone to flatten the bird. You should hear a very loud crack as it opens up.
Flip the bird over again and pat the surface dry.
Melt the butter (or use olive oil) and brush it on the entire surface.
Season thoroughly with your favorite dry rub.
Flip the bird over again. I find that grasping it by the thighs to flip over is easiest.
Pat dry, brush with butter or oil and season.
Put in the center of the grill and smoke until internal temperature of the breast reaches 165°F.
Remove from the grill and let rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.
How long to smoke a spatchcock turkey
A butterflied bird will take less time to cook. Smoke time depends on the size, but it usually takes between 2-3 hours at 275°F.
Serving Suggestions
Wondering what to serve with Traeger spatchcock turkey? Round out your holiday dinner with cozy, sweet and savory smoked turkey side dishes!
- Rolls and biscuits – tender, savory Cheddar Biscuits with Almond Flour and soft, gluten-free, low-carb Pull-apart Dinner Rolls are always a great addition
- Savory vegetable sides – Buttery Colcannon (Irish Mashed ‘Potatoes’), and Maple Rosemary Brussels Sprouts help round out your special occasion
- Sauces – try some Tomato Onion Chutney or Cranberry Jam (instead of cranberry sauce)
How to store
It’s best to de-bone the turkey right after dinner, with the bones and meat stored separately. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container within two hours of cooking, and store for up to 4 days. If leftovers won't be consumed within that time, consider freezing them.
USDA safe handling and storage instructions
Divide leftovers into small portions so they cool more quickly. Larger packages, or whole birds can take too long to cool to a safe temperature, giving bacteria the opportunity to multiply.
How to reheat smoked turkey
There are a two best options for reheating smoked turkey to keep it as moist and delicious as possible:
Oven method – the best way is in a 350°F oven. Add 2-3 tablespoons of broth or butter, cover, and heat for about 30 minutes.
Microwave – re-heating in the microwave is fast and easy. In a microwave-safe dish, add the meat and 2-3 tablespoons of broth. Cover with a damp paper towel and heat on 50% power until heated through.
Food safety tip: The USDA recommends you re-heat leftovers to at least 165°F.
Turkey leftovers ideas
- Use the carcass, leftover spine and neck – these ingredients make amazing Homemade Bone Broth
- Soup – use the leftovers as you would leftover chicken and make amazing turkey and dumplings or this savory, delicious Turkey Lentil Soup
- Hash – add shredded meat to rutabaga hash browns and other sautéed veggies to make a great hash
- Sandwiches – leftover turkey sandwiches are the best! Make them with Low-carb Sandwich Thins, Cranberry Jam, Tomato Chili Jam or even Homemade Basil Pesto. And don’t forget the crispy bacon!
- Tacos, burritos and burrito bowls – turkey tacos, burritos and bowls topped with some Homemade Guacamole, Lime Crema and Radish Salsa are a delicious and healthy meal.
FAQ
Freeze leftovers within one day of cooking for the best taste and freshness.
If possible, remove the meat from the bone before packaging. This will reduce the amount of air in the container and minimize freezer-burn. Freeze in a freezer-proof container or zipper-top bag (be sure to press out as much air as possible). And, be sure to label the bags or containers with the date frozen and how much you are freezing (1 pound, 2 cups, etc.).
The USDA recommends freezing leftovers that won't be consumed within 4 days.
Hickory has a very distinct and classic flavor. For a lighter smoke flavor, consider maple or pecan or fruit woods such as apple or cherry for a more delicate, subtle flavor.
Some people will swear by brining, but it really isn’t necessary. A bird you cook low and slow on the smoker or roasted in a convection oven will be tender and juicy without a brine. I also find that brining reduces the flavor of the meat a bit.
It's a trade-off. Non-brined gives you a stronger, classic flavor, where brined provides a slightly salty goodness and other flavors from the brine solution or dry rub. Neither is ‘better’ – it’s a matter of personal preference. I recommend trying both and see which you like best.
Note: You can buy a pre-brined bird. A pre-brined turkey will have salt in the ingredient list. Further brining will make it overly salty when cooked.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how you liked it by giving a star rating and leaving a comment!
📖 Recipe
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 10-15 pound turkey
- 6 tablespoons butter (quantity will depend on the size of your bird)
- ¼ cup turkey rub (I recommend All-Purpose Seasoning. See post for all of my recommendations.)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the smoker to 275°F.
- Remove the neck and giblets, any plastic holding the legs together and pop-up timer if there is one.
- Place the turkey breast-side down, on a flat, food-safe surface.
- With sturdy kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone, starting from the large opening of the cavity.
- Cut along the other side of the backbone and remove. Save this for making homemade bone broth, along with the leftover carcass.
- With the shears, cut one inch into the center of the breast bone. This isn’t necessary for small birds, but I find it makes it easier to flatten with larger turkeys.
- Flip the bird over, breast-side up. Press down very firmly on the breast bone to flatten the bird. You should hear a very loud crack as it opens up.
- Flip the bird over again and pat the underside of the bird dry.
- Melt the butter (or use olive oil) and brush it on the entire surface.
- Season thoroughly with your favorite dry rub.
- Flip the turkey over again with the breast side up. I find that grasping the bird by the thighs to flip over is easiest.
- Pat dry, brush with butter or oil and season.
- Put in the center of the grill breast side up and smoke until internal temperature reaches 165°F, between 2-3 hours, depending on the size of the bird.
- Remove from the grill and let rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
Turkey side dishes
Round out your turkey dinner with cozy, sweet and savory side dishes!- Rolls and biscuits – tender, savory Cheddar Biscuits with Almond Flour and soft, gluten-free, low-carb Pull-apart Dinner Rolls are always a great addition
- Savory vegetable sides – Buttery Colcannon (Irish Mashed ‘Potatoes’), and Maple Rosemary Brussels Sprouts help round out your special occasion
- Sauces – try some Tomato Onion Chutney or Cranberry Jam (instead of cranberry sauce).
Nutrition
*Net carbs = carbohydrates - fiber
Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.
Tracey Hatch-Rizzi says
It never ceases to amaze me how little time it takes a spatchcocked turkey smoke. And, it's still so tender and flavorful. Butterflying is so simple (really!) and takes so much time off of the total cooking time.