Spatchco*cked Smoked Turkey | Grilling Inspiration | Weber Grills (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to smoke a turkey that has been spatchco*cked? ›

Place the spatchco*cked turkey skin side up and let it smoke cook for about 4 hours at 240°F. Monitor the temperature of the breast at it's thickest part and when it reaches about 158-160 it's time to move it from the heat.

Place the turkey breast-side up over the drip pan and grill, covered, until the meat is cooked about halfway through, about 50 minutes. Turn and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F, about 50 minutes more.

A spatchco*cked whole turkey will cook more quickly than a standard turkey. While the spatchco*ck turkey cooking time will depend on the size and oven temperature, 6 minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb. Depending on the size of the turkey, cook times are estimated between 60-90 minutes.

When smoking at 225°F, it can take about 30 to 45 minutes to cook one pound of turkey. That means a 12-pound turkey should take at least six hours to cook in a smoker. To smoke your turkey faster, increase the smoker's temperature to 250°F to 275°F.

Never brown or partially cook meat or poultry to refrigerate and finish later because any bacteria present would not have been destroyed.

Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Spatchco*ck the turkey by cutting out the backbone with heavy shears, making an incision in the breastbone, turning the bird onto its back and pressing down firmly to flatten it out. If you didn't dry brine it beforehand, season the bird well with salt and pepper.

Look for a breast temperature of 160°F and the leg and thigh temp of 170°F. Once the target temperatures are reached, remove the roasting tray. Take the bird off the root roast and allow it to rest for 20 minutes.

Cook your turkey with indirect heat by putting the roasting pan on the unlit side of the grill. Half way through the cooking process you may flip the turkey over.

Spatchco*ck Ahead Of Time

To save yourself some roasting time, you can spatchco*ck your turkey the day before. Just set it onto a baking sheet and leave it in the fridge uncovered overnight. Rub it with a little salt for a dry brine and allow the cold air to dry up the skin.

To spatchco*ck a turkey, you will want to first brine it, just as you would a bird for a traditional roast. When ready to roast, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, brush the turkey with oil and, depending on its weight, cook for 70 to 90 minutes. Roast until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Does Spatchco*ck turkey taste different? ›

A roasted spatchco*cked turkey is crispier, juicier, and quicker than a conventional whole bird, but you can cook a butterflied bird in plenty of other ways. If you want a different taste, you can smoke your spatchco*cked turkey.

Smoke the turkey over low heat 225° - 275° F for approximately 11-13 minutes a pound. 9. Once the breast reaches 165°F, remove, cover loosely with foil, and allow to rest approximately 30 minutes.

Spatchco*cking is a great choice for a big bird, because it helps it smoke faster and makes it easier for you to get really juicy results. Follow this step-by-step guide to spatchco*ck and smoke a whole turkey yourself!

For best results, insert your thermometer's oven-safe probe ( a DOT^® with a Pro-Series^® probe) into the deepest part of the turkey breast, avoiding bone.

Slow Method: Low Heat (around 3-4 hours)

Preheat Traeger grill to between 225 and 275 degrees F. Place the chicken breast side up on the grill, spreading out the legs so it lays flat. Smoke for 3-4 hours until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

The reason I recommend avoiding smoking a turkey over 15 pounds is that it can take too long to cook. Your bird will be sitting in the food safety danger zone between 40-140 degrees F for too long, and you risk bacteria overgrowing and spoiling your turkey before it is finished.

Smoking a turkey can be a long process, so be sure to start early in the day so that the turkey will be done by dinner time. Typically, it takes at least 5 hours to smoke an average sized turkey at 250 degrees F. Plan on having your turkey cook for about 25-30 minutes per pound.