Traeger Smoked Spatchcock Turkey

poultry

Nov 25

It’s Turkey Time, and the Traeger Smoked Spatchcock Turkey is the perfect addition to Thanksgiving! This year, I opted to make a smoked spatchcock turkey on my Traeger, and it was juicy and delicious! We are pretty traditional around here with roasting a turkey every year instead of veering off into other proteins, but there are SO many ways to do it and accomplish remarkable results! And, let’s face it, after cooking all day, we need it to be amazing, right?

The beauty of this preparation is two-fold. First, a spatchcock turkey will cut down on cooking time, and second, smoking it on the Traeger leaves your kitchen oven free for other sides. The process of spatchcocking a chicken or turkey is really very simple. Just grab a large cutting board that won’t slip and place the turkey on it, breastside down. Be sure to pat the whole turkey dry with paper towels. Carefully use kitchen shears, and cut down the backbone on both sides until it can be removed. Be sure to save this for your stock or in your freezer until you make stock the next time, it will add tons of flavor! Flip the turkey over and press firmly down until it lays flat. Tuck the wings under the turkey so it is as uniform in shape as possible. That’s all there is to it!

Now for cooking, I’ve seen recipes where people smoke the turkey starting off at a lower temp, like 275F, and then increasing it. I think that’s great if you have a lot of time and you really want to add more smoky flavor. However, for me, my goal is always to get the skin as crispy as I can when I’m smoking a turkey or chicken, so I like to do a higher temp. You will still get great wood-fired flavor, and it should be cooked for about 3-1/2 hours. If you use a Meater probe, it will help guide you with timing so that you don’t overcook it, I highly recommend! I have a discount code on my website if you want to add it to your repertoire.

This Thanksgiving, I’m so grateful for so many things and incredibly thankful for you and all of your support along this culinary journey! I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends. However you cook your turkey this year, I hope it is absolutely fabulous!

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

3 1/2 hour

Total Time

3 hour 45 minutes

Course

Main Entree

Cuisine

American

Servings

10-12 servings

PRINT THIS RECIPE

Ingredients

14lb Turkey

Wet brine, I used the Traeger Brine Kit & a brine bag

1 stick of butter, softened at room temp

3 cloves garlic, minced finely

1 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped finely

1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped finely

2 Tbsp. favorite rub, I used Meat Church “Hail Mary”

Instructions

1. Wet brine the turkey according to package instructions for 12 hours.

2. Remove and pat completely dry; there is no need to rinse. Spatchcock the turkey by placing it breast-side down and using kitchen shears to cut out the backbone. Flip it over and press firmly until it lays flat. Tuck the wings underneath the bird. Place the turkey on a rack in the fridge uncovered while you prepare it.

3. Place the turkey on a rack in the fridge uncovered while you prepare to help dry out the skin.

4. Preheat the Traeger to 350F and add turkey pellets.

5. Prepare a softened herb garlic butter with minced garlic, chopped sage, parsley, and thyme, spread all over the turkey, and carefully under the breast skin so you don’t tear it.

6. Sprinkle both sides with your favorite rub, I used Meat Church “Hail Mary”

7. Place a Meater probe or a cook-safe thermometer behind the thigh meat and set it for 165F.

8. Roast the turkey; when it has about 45 minutes left to cook, turn the Traeger up to 400F to get the skin as crispy as possible.

9. Let it rest for about 30 mins. Slice and serve!