It’s Thanksgiving, you’re considering moving on from turkey and having something else as your main course for a change. Not so fast, this Bourbon Glazed Spatchcock Turkey is a game changer that you and your guests will be talking about all year long.
Spatchcock turkey sounds strange but it is just shorthand for dispatching the cock. To those of us that still need to grow up, get your giggles out and let’s move on. It basically means to open the carcass. To open the carcass you need to (or have your butcher) remove whatever giblets are inside of the turkey and then remove the backbone of the turkey with kitchen shears or a sharp knife. It takes a bit of muscle but just find the back bone and cut through whatever you need to to get it out. Once the backbone is removed then flip the turkey back over and press down on the breast until it cracks and your turkey is lying flat. There are pictures below if there is any confusion on the Spatchcock process.
If you haven’t yet you should rinse the bird and then pat it dry until there is very little moisture on the skin. Season the turkey, top and bottom, with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, paprika, smoked paprika, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and softened butter. Fold and mix these ingredients together until they are uniform throughout.
Rub the paste all over the turkey and gently press some under the skin as best as you can.
Place onions and garlic cloves into a shallow roasting pan and then place the seasoned turkey over top.
Roast the turkey for 30 minutes at 450 degrees.
While the turkey is roasting you can make your bourbon glaze. Whisk together, bourbon, honey, apple cider vinegar, and one cup of brown sugar. Baste, brush, or spoon the bourbon glaze over top of the turkey every 20 minutes.
Cook the turkey until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest parts of the breast and thighs. In most ovens it will only take about an hour for a 12-15 pound bird but plan on one hour to an hour and a half’s worth of cooking time.
Tent the turkey with foil and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Resting the turkey allows the muscle fibers to relax and redistribute the juices throughout the turkey. If you skip letting the turkey rest all of the juices will flood out and your turkey will be dry. Don’t worry about the turkey getting cold, the bones hold a lot of heat and will keep it warm.
Spatchcock turkey is super easy to carve, the thighs usually just pull off and the breast isn’t as awkward and unbalanced as they are with a normal roasted or fried turkey.
Carve and serve on a platter. Pour the drippings into a gravy boat, most people are going to want to drink it so watch them carefully and make sure they share.
Is this the best turkey recipe of all time? Probably.
Bourbon Glazed Spatchcock Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 Spatchcock Turkey 13-15lbs preferably
- 2 Sliced Onions
- 6 Cloves of Garlic
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 cup Bourbon
- 1 cup Honey
- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1.5 cup Brown Sugar Separated 1c and 1/2c
- 2 tbsp Paprika
- 2 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
- 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 Softened Stick of Salted Butter
- 2 tbsp Flour
- 2 cup Chicken Stock
Instructions
- Remove and giblets from the cavity, then rinse the bird. Pat the turkey with paper towel to dry the skin. Season the turkey, top and underneath, with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2c brown sugar, paprika, smoked paprika, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and butter to form a paste.
- Rub the paste all over the turkey and gently under the skin.
- Place onions and garlic cloves in a shallow roasting pan; place the turkey on top. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes at 450 degrees.
- Make a bourbon glaze by whisking together bourbon, honey, apple cider vinegar, and one cup of brown sugar. Baste, brush, or spoon over top of the turkey every 20 minutes.
- Cook the turkey until it reaches at least 165 degrees in all locations.
- Cover with foil and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Notes
To make a bourbon gravy, remove the turkey from the pan, place the pan over medium heat on the stove top. Add flour to the pan to coat the onions then add chicken stock. Allow the stock to come to a simmer thicken to desired thickness. Add flour to make more thick, and add stock to thin it out.