This grilled spatchcock turkey cooks in a fraction of the time compared to the oven and is still incredibly juicy and flavorful! Simply spatchcock the turkey, dry brine it overnight, and toss it on the grill! As a result, you'll have a perfectly cooked and delicious bird that is worthy of any occasion!
Best Grilled Spatchcock Turkey Recipe
There are so many different ways to prepare turkey out there. From classic oven-roasted turkey to smoked turkey, and even air fryer turkey, you can truly prepare a turkey any way you like!
However, I've found that grilling a spatchcocked turkey is a simple and tasty way to prepare a turkey that is also much quicker than traditional methods. Plus, you'll enjoy completely crispy skin and moist and flavorful meat!
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🥘 Grilled Spatchcock Turkey Ingredients
This simple collection of spices is really all that is needed to let the flavor of the turkey shine! I used a 15-pound turkey, but you can choose a turkey that is the right size to suit your needs.
- Turkey - One 15-pound turkey. Make sure you give yourself enough time to thaw it out if it's frozen!
- Kosher Salt - ½ tablespoon of Kosher salt.
- Pepper - 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Onion Powder - 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
- Smoked Paprika - 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika or regular paprika.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Grill Spatchcock Turkey
If you've never spatchcocked a turkey before, don't let it intimate you! It is actually much simpler than you might think! When you are ready to get started, you will need a pair of poultry or kitchen shears, a baking sheet, your grill, and grilling utensils.
Based on 1¼-pound portions, a 15-pound turkey will yield about 12 servings.
How To Spatchcock A Turkey
- Remove the inside packet. Place your turkey onto a large cutting board and remove the packaged items that come inside the turkey (giblets, heart, neck, gravy packet).
- Remove the backbone. Using poultry shears (or kitchen shears), start at the bottom of the bird and cut alongside both sides of the tail and backbone all the way up to the neck and remove it.
- Snip. Using the opening from the removed backbone, pull open the turkey and locate the breastbone. Use your shears to snip both sides of the cartilage connecting the area where the breast bone starts.
- Press. Flip over the bird and firmly press down on the lower area of the breast to flatten out the breast bone.
Grilled Spatchcock Turkey
- Mix seasonings. In a small bowl, mix together ½ tablespoon of Kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon each of ground black pepper, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
- Season. Place your 15-pound spatchcock turkey onto a baking sheet and use paper towels to pat it completely dry. Then, use the seasoning mixture to season both the top and bottom of the turkey.
- Dry brine. Transfer the seasoned turkey to the refrigerator, uncovered, and allow it to dry brine overnight (or up to 3 days).
- Preheat. When ready, clean and oil the grates of your grill and prepare it for two-zone cooking (or indirect heat) with an ideal temperature of 450°F (230°C).
- Place the turkey on the grill. Once preheated, place the turkey onto the grill over indirect heat, with the legs and thighs pointed towards the coals (if using).
- Grill. Close the lid and grill the turkey until the internal temperature reads 155°F (63°C) in the thickest part of the breast meat and 165°F (74°C) in the thigh but not touching the bone. This will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Rest. Next, remove the turkey from the grill and transfer it to a wire rack on top of a cutting board or serving tray. Cover the bird with aluminum foil and leave it to rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving.
Whether you are preparing this for the holidays, a special occasion, or just because, this turkey is sure to please! For some tasty side options, take a look at this list of what to serve with turkey! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Your turkey needs to be completely thawed before getting started. Learn how to safely thaw a turkey here.
- Servings are based on 1¼ pounds per person from a 15-pound turkey.
- Season your spatchcocked turkey and place it on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet overnight in the fridge to dry brine for up to 3 days at most.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
There are a ton of different ways to repurpose your turkey leftovers!
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend carving the turkey completely to save storage space.
Reheating Turkey
Place your turkey into a baking dish along with some chicken broth. Tightly cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake it in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until heated through.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! There are a ton of benefits to spatchcocking your turkey before cooking it. First of all, it saves a ton of time and allows the meat to cook quickly and evenly. Plus, it makes the skin extra crisp since it is all on top! You can even reuse the removed backbone for some extra-rich turkey gravy!
This term simply refers to the process of removing the backbone from the bird so that it can lay flat. You can actually spatchcock any kind of bird (like my tasty smoked spatchcock chicken!)
While they are similar ideas, they are not technically the same thing. Spatchcocking is only done on birds and involves removing the backbone and flattening the bird. To butterfly something simply means to slice a piece of meat down the middle, but not all the way through, so that it can be opened up to make a larger yet thinner piece.
🦃 Leftover Turkey Recipes
- Leftover Turkey Pot Pie - Not only does this tasty pie use up your leftover turkey, but you can use your leftover mashed potatoes too!
- Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup - A warm bowl of turkey noodle soup is a classic comfort food!
- Leftover Turkey Carnitas - You can use some turkey carnitas in any of your favorite Tex-Mex dishes, like tacos, quesadillas, or enchiladas!
- Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini - A cheesy and savory baked pasta dish that is topped with breadcrumbs for a delicious and easy recipe!
- Leftover Turkey Curry - Serve this flavorful curry with a side of rice for a complete meal!
- Leftover Turkey Stroganoff - Pasta, mushrooms, and turkey are topped with a wonderfully creamy and delicious sauce!
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📖 Recipe Card
Grilled Spatchcock Turkey
Ingredients
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
How To Spatchcock A Turkey
- Place your turkey onto a large cutting board and remove the packaged items that come inside the turkey (giblets, heart, neck, gravy packet).
- Using poultry shears (or kitchen shears), start at the bottom of the bird and cut alongside both sides of the tail and backbone all the way up to the neck and remove it.
- Using the opening from the removed backbone, pull open the turkey and locate the breastbone. Use your shears to snip both sides of the cartilage connecting the area where the breast bone starts.
- Flip over the bird and firmly press down on the lower area of the breast to flatten out the breast bone.
Grilled Spatchcock Turkey
- In a small bowl, mix together Kosher salt, ground black pepper, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
- Place your spatchcock turkey onto a baking sheet and use paper towels to pat it completely dry. Then, use the seasoning mixture to season both the top and bottom of the turkey.
- Transfer the seasoned turkey to the refrigerator, uncovered, and allow it to dry brine overnight (or up to 3 days).
- When ready, clean and oil the grates of your grill and prepare it for two-zone cooking (or indirect heat) with an ideal temperature of 450°F (230°C).
- Once preheated, place the turkey onto the grill over indirect heat, with the legs and thighs pointed towards the coals (if using).
- Close the lid and grill the turkey until the internal temperature reads 155°F (63°C) in the thickest part of the breast meat and 165°F (74°C) in the thigh but not touching the bone. This will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Remove the turkey from the grill and transfer it to a wire rack on top of a cutting board or serving tray. Cover the bird with aluminum foil and leave it to rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving.
Notes
- Your turkey needs to be completely thawed before getting started. Learn how to safely thaw a turkey here.
- Servings are based on 1 ¼ pounds per person from a 15-pound turkey.
- Season your spatchcocked turkey and place it on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet overnight in the fridge to dry brine for up to 3 days at most.
- To store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To reheat: Place your turkey into a baking dish along with some chicken broth. Tightly cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake it in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until heated through.
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