Spatchcock Turkey at 425°F: Done in About 90 Minutes

Spatchcock turkey, roasted
HeatOven, 425°F (dry-brine 24 hrs first)
Time~90–105 min (~6.5–7.5 min/lb for a 14 lb bird)
Pull atBreast 160°F, thigh 170°F+
Rest20 min, breast coasts to 165°F

Backbone out, bird pressed flat, dry-brined a day ahead, roasted at 425°F. A 14 lb turkey is done in about 90–105 minutes, and the breast and thighs finish together because they're the same thickness.

Serves 12. One serving: 8 oz carved turkey.

Ingredients

  • Whole turkey (12–14 lb, thawed, backbone removed/spatchcocked)
  • Kosher salt (dry brine, 1 tbsp per 5 lb)
  • Black pepper (to taste)
  • Butter, 1 stick, softened
  • Garlic powder (1 tsp)
  • Dried thyme and rosemary (1 tsp each)

Steps

  1. Do this 24 hours before cooking. Cut out the backbone with kitchen shears. Press the turkey down so it lies flat. Rub kosher salt all over, plus black pepper. Leave it uncovered in the fridge. This is a dry brine (salt it and leave it uncovered in the fridge).
  2. On cooking day, turn the oven on to 425°F. Mix the soft butter with the garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary, if using. Rub it under the skin and all over the top of the skin.
  3. Lay the turkey flat, skin-side up, on a sheet pan. Roast it in the oven at 425°F. The high heat and flat shape cook it fast and evenly, so the breast and thighs finish at the same time.
  4. At 75 minutes, start checking the temperature. Push the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, then into the inner thigh, not touching bone. Take it out when the breast reads 160°F and the thigh reads at least 170°F. For a 14 lb bird, that's usually 90–105 minutes total. If the skin gets dark early, turn the oven down to 400°F. Don't cover it with foil.
  5. Let it rest 20 minutes before carving (let it sit on a board, don't cut it yet). It keeps cooking a few degrees while it rests, and the breast reaches 165°F. No foil needed; the flat shape browns evenly on its own.
Don't screw it upAt 425°F this bird cooks fast. Start checking the temperature at 75 minutes. Take it out when the breast reads 160°F; the thigh should be at 170°F or higher by then. Skin getting dark early? Turn the oven down to 400°F instead of covering it. Foil traps steam and makes a flat bird's skin soggy.

Why spatchcock: laying the bird flat means the breast and thighs are roughly the same thickness, so nothing dries out waiting for the rest to catch up. The most foolproof method for a first-timer.

Per serving

429 calories · 65 g protein · 17 g fat · 0.1 g net carbs (USDA FoodData Central, for the serving above)

Food safety

USDA's safe minimum for turkey is 165°F. Pull the breast at 160°F; the 20-minute rest carries it to 165°F. Check with a thermometer, not the pop-up timer. Every cut's pull temp and USDA minimum is on our meat temperature chart.

This is 1 of 280 recipes in Carnivore Kitchen. Every recipe in the app opens on the device, the temperature, the time and the pull temp, with timers that run, USDA macros and a "Don't screw it up" line. 280 recipes, 340 ways to cook them: grill, smoker, oven, air fryer, stovetop. Works offline on your phone, no app store, no account.
Start for $1Try 3 recipes free
First month $1, then $4.99 a month. Cancel in two taps. 30-day money back.