Grilled Spatchcock Turkey Recipes

SPATCHCOCK SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat the turkey dry and turn it breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears or a knife, cut the backbone out of the turkey, reserving it for stock. Flip the turkey so it's breast-side up, then press down on it with your hands to flatten the bird.
• Whisk together the orange juice, oil, maple syrup and garlic in a large bowl. Reserve half of the marinade and set aside. Season the turkey on both sides with salt and pepper and place the turkey into the bowl with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator an hour before grilling, so it can come to room temperature.
• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only on medium-high heat.
• Place the turkey skin-side up over indirect heat and cover the grill. Maintaining a temperature of 375 to 400 degrees F, smoke the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 90 minutes. Baste the turkey with the reserved marinade every 30 minutes during cooking.
• Remove the turkey from the grill and rest, tented with aluminum foil, for at least 20 minutes before carving.
• (Alternatively, you can bake the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet in a 375 to 400 degrees F oven for 90 minutes.)

GRILLED SPATCHCOCK TURKEY

Steps:

• Heat grill for indirect grilling: Light one side of grill, leaving other side unlit. Close lid; heat grill to 350ºF.
• Meanwhile, cook cranberry sauce and water in saucepan on medium heat 5 min. or until blended, stirring frequently. Stir in barbecue sauce and pumpkin pie spice; cook 2 min. or until heated through, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; set aside.
• Use kitchen shears or sharp knife to cut back bone from turkey; discard bone. Open turkey butterfly-style. Place, breast side down, on center of grill grate over unlit area. Grill 2 hours or until turkey is done (165ºF), monitoring for consistent grill temperature and turning turkey after 1 hour and brushing with 3/4 cup cranberry mixture for the last 15 min.
• Remove turkey from grill. Let stand 15 min. before slicing. Meanwhile, prepare stuffing mixes as directed on package.
• Serve turkey with cranberry sauce and stuffing.

GRILLED SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place salt in a large bowl or Dutch oven and add a little water. Stir until salt is dissolved. Unwrap the chicken and place in the salt water brine. Add enough water to cover the bird and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
• Remove chicken from the water, drain, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side down on a clean cutting board.
• Cut along both sides of the backbone of the chicken with kitchen shears. Remove bone and reserve for another use or discard. With the skin-side down, cut down into the breast bone and a bit of the cartilage above the bone about 1/4-inch deep using the tip of a sharp knife. Turn the chicken skin-side up.
• Place the heel of one hand on top of the other wrist, and using the heel of the hand, press down on the center of the breast, above the area of the cut, to flatten the center and achieve a more uniform thickness of the chicken.
• Combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub spice mix onto both sides of the chicken, gently lifting the skin wherever possible to place some of the rub directly onto the meat. Refrigerate seasoned chicken uncovered for at least 2 hours.
• Remove chicken from the refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes before grilling so it can come to room temperature.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat to about 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly oil the grate.
• Place chicken bone-side down onto the preheated grill and cook for 50 to 60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 150 degrees F (65 degrees C). Flip the chicken skin-side up and brush with barbecue sauce. Continue grilling until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 20 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Remove to a platter, tent with foil, and allow chicken to rest, about 10 minutes. Cut chicken into 6 servings and serve with additional barbecue sauce, if desired.

ROAST SPATCHCOCK TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a roasting rack on a baking sheet.
• Turn the turkey over, breast-side down. Using a pair of sharp heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone. Repeat on the other side of the backbone. Reserve the backbone for making turkey stock for gravy. Press firmly down onto both sides of turkey to flatten.
• Tuck the wing tips under the turkey and place on the roasting rack. Pat skin dry and rub olive oil over the entire turkey; season with salt, sage, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet every 30 minutes. Increase temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and roast until skin is crisp, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove turkey from the oven, cover loosely with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

GRILLED SPATCHCOCK TURKEY WITH MAPLE BUTTER AND APPLE CIDER BRINE

Steps:

• Place brine mix and apple cider in an extra large soup pot.
• Bring mixture to a boil, cooking until salt has dissolved.
• Turn off heat and add cold water.
• Let brine cool to room temperature and then add spatchcock turkey. (See above post for instructions on how to spatchcock a turkey)
• Refrigerate overnight, up to 12 hours.
• Bring all of the maple butter ingredients to room temperature.
• Juice and zest the orange.
• In the bowl of a mixer, soften the butter.
• Slowly add the remaining ingredients to the butter, mixing thoroughly with each addition.
• Cover your mixer with a clean tea towel and turn up to high. Be patient, the butter will eventually whip to a fluffy consistency.
• Season butter with salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide butter into two portions: one to serve on the table and one for basting the turkey.
• Preheat grill to 300-350F using indirect heat (see above post for more details).
• Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
• Melt a portion of the maple butter and baste the turkey with it.
• Place turkey on the grill, breast side up and tuck the wings under the breast.
• Cover the grill and let cook for 30 minutes.
• At the 30 minute mark, start basting the turkey every 15 minutes until it is almost done (about 140-145F).
• When the turkey reaches 160F, remove from the grill, cover and let rest 15 minutes before carving.
• While the turkey rests. line the platter with greens.
• After you've carved the turkey, place fruit around the turkey and serve.

GRILLED SPATCHCOCKED TURKEY RECIPE

Steps:

• Pat turkey dry with paper towels and season liberally all over with salt and black pepper. Tuck wing tips behind back. Place turkey on wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours.
• Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals in a crescent moon shape on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place wood chunk(s) directly on top of hot coals. Remove rack with turkey from sheet pan and place on grill, with turkey legs and thighs placed closer to the coals. Cover, situating top vent over cool side of grill, and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers between 165-170°F (74°C-77°C) in thickest part of the thigh and between 145-150°F (63°C-66°C) in thickest part of the breast, about 90 minutes, replenishing coals after an hour if needed.
• Remove rack with turkey from grill and place over a cutting board. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes, then remove wire rack and carve turkey. Serve immediately with gravy.