How to spatchcock a turkey: the two cuts, the 450°F roast and the thermometer check

Spatchcocking means cutting out a bird's backbone and pressing it flat before it roasts. USDA lists it as an option for hosts who are short on time, and its own description sums up the case: a quicker cook, easier carving, and a turkey that takes up less room in the oven because it is flat. It is the one turkey method that changes the schedule for the rest of the meal, so it is worth knowing before Thanksgiving week.

How to spatchcock a turkey, step by step

1. Start with a fully thawed bird. You are cutting through bone and joints, which needs a thawed turkey. USDA's fridge rule is about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds; the thaw chart has the full table.
2. Set up a clean, contained work area. Unwrap the turkey on a rimmed sheet pan, take out the neck and giblets, and pat it dry with paper towels. No rinsing; see why not to wash a raw turkey.
3. Turn it breast side down, with the neck end facing you.
4. Cut along one side of the backbone from tail to neck with sturdy kitchen or poultry shears. USDA's method says to use kitchen shears and cut along both sides of the backbone. The rib bones near the thigh are the hardest part; work in short cuts.
5. Cut along the other side and lift the backbone out. Put it in a bag in the fridge for stock.
6. Flip the turkey breast side up and press down firmly on the breastbone with the heels of your hands until it cracks and the bird lies flat.
7. Tuck the wing tips behind the breast so they do not burn, and spread the legs so the thighs face out.
8. Season, brush with oil, and set the turkey on an oven-safe rack in the pan. If you are brining, a dry brine suits a flattened bird; see how to brine a turkey.
9. Wash your hands, the shears and the board before you touch anything else.

How long and how hot: USDA's numbers

USDA's spatchcock guidance gives one benchmark: roast at 450°F, and a 12-pound turkey takes about 70 minutes. For comparison, USDA's standard roasting table at 325°F lists 3 to 3¾ hours for an unstuffed bird of 12 to 14 pounds.

	Whole bird, 325°F (USDA table)	Spatchcocked, 450°F (USDA benchmark)
12 lb turkey	2¾ to 3 hours (USDA 8 to 12 lb row)	about 70 minutes
Done when	165°F in the thigh, wing and breast	165°F in the thigh, wing and breast
Rest before carving	20 minutes	20 minutes

USDA does not publish spatchcock times for bigger birds, and we will not invent them. Two practical points: University of Illinois Extension notes that high-heat roasting is usually done with smaller turkeys of about 8 to 12 pounds, and a flattened 18-pound bird may not fit a home oven or a half sheet pan. If your turkey is bigger than about 14 pounds, measure the pan and the oven before Thursday, and let a thermometer decide when it is done rather than the clock.

Who should spatchcock (and who should not)

Good fit:

• One oven and a long list of sides. A 70-minute turkey leaves the oven free for most of the afternoon; plug it into the one-oven schedule.
• A late start. USDA lists spatchcocking under its options for when the turkey is not ready on time.
• Hosts who want an easier carve. A flat bird separates into breast, thighs and wings with fewer awkward angles; see how to carve a turkey.

Poor fit:

• A whole bird presented at the table. A flattened turkey looks different.
• A turkey over about 14 pounds in a small oven.
• A host who wants to stuff the bird. There is no cavity left; bake the stuffing in a dish, which USDA recommends anyway.

Three things that go wrong at 450°F

• Smoking drippings. At high heat, fat on the pan can scorch. Many cooks put a layer of chopped onion and carrot or a little water under the rack, and keep the oven clean before roasting.
• Dry breast. Illinois Extension warns that high-heat roasting can dry the breast if you do not check the temperature carefully. Start checking well before the 70-minute mark.
• Uneven thickness. If the breast sits higher than the thighs, it may finish at a different time. Press flatter, and check all three places, not one.

After the roast

Rest the turkey for 20 minutes, carve, and get leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours; the leftovers guide has USDA's storage limits. The backbone you cut out, plus the carcass later, makes a good pot of turkey stock. For the other methods side by side (roast, grill, smoke, fry), see turkey times and temperatures.