Spatchcock Ranch Turkey Recipes

ROAST SPATCHCOCK TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a roasting rack on a baking sheet.
• Turn the turkey over, breast-side down. Using a pair of sharp heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone. Repeat on the other side of the backbone. Reserve the backbone for making turkey stock for gravy. Press firmly down onto both sides of turkey to flatten.
• Tuck the wing tips under the turkey and place on the roasting rack. Pat skin dry and rub olive oil over the entire turkey; season with salt, sage, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet every 30 minutes. Increase temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and roast until skin is crisp, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove turkey from the oven, cover loosely with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

ROAST SPATCHCOCKED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Stir together oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Rinse inside and outside of turkey; pat dry with paper towels. Spatchcock turkey (see our how-to). Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, breast side up. Let stand for 30 minutes.
• Brush or rub turkey all over with oil mixture. Roast, rotating sheet halfway through and basting twice, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes before carving (see our how-to).

SPATCHCOCK RANCH TURKEY

Steps:

• Place the turkey on a cutting board with the backbone facing up. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone to release it from the bird. Remove the backbone and discard. Flip the turkey over and use your palms to press against the turkey breasts and thighs until the bird is slightly flattened. Allow the turkey to come up to temperature for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning from 1 packet and reserve. Mix together 8 tablespoons of the butter with the remaining ranch seasoning (from both packets) in a small bowl until well incorporated.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the carrots, celery and onions over the baking sheet. Lay the turkey on top of the vegetables, breast-side up. Spread the ranch butter all over and underneath the skin. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and put the turkey inside to roast.
• In the meantime, add the maple syrup and 1 cup of the chicken stock to a saucepan, then stir in the reserved 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning. Bring to a simmer just to warm through and incorporate the seasoning. Baste the turkey with this liquid every 20 minutes. (Allow 30 to 40 minutes of cooking time for every 3 pounds of turkey). If the skin turns golden brown before the turkey is completely cooked through, tent with aluminum foil until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven and tent the whole turkey with aluminum foil. Let rest 30 minutes. (There will be carryover cooking and the temperature will rise to 165 degrees F while resting).
• For the gravy, strain the juices left in the bottom of the roasting pan into a fat separator and pour the fat off the top. Place the saucepan used to make the basting liquid back on the stove over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and whisk in the flour, cooking for a minute. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 cups chicken stock along with the juices from the pan. Season with salt and pepper and serve alongside the turkey.

ROAST SPATCHCOCK TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a roasting rack on a baking sheet.
• Place turkey, breast-side down, on a cutting board. Using a pair of sharp heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone. Repeat on the other side of the backbone. Remove backbone and reserve for making turkey stock for gravy.
• Press firmly down onto both sides of turkey to flatten. Flip turkey breast-side up and put on the roasting rack. Tuck wing tips under turkey (behind breast). Pat skin dry and rub olive oil over entire turkey. Season with sage, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet every 30 minutes.
• Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and continue to roast until skin is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Remove turkey from the oven, cover loosely with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

SPATCHCOCK SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat the turkey dry and turn it breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears or a knife, cut the backbone out of the turkey, reserving it for stock. Flip the turkey so it's breast-side up, then press down on it with your hands to flatten the bird.
• Whisk together the orange juice, oil, maple syrup and garlic in a large bowl. Reserve half of the marinade and set aside. Season the turkey on both sides with salt and pepper and place the turkey into the bowl with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator an hour before grilling, so it can come to room temperature.
• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only on medium-high heat.
• Place the turkey skin-side up over indirect heat and cover the grill. Maintaining a temperature of 375 to 400 degrees F, smoke the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 90 minutes. Baste the turkey with the reserved marinade every 30 minutes during cooking.
• Remove the turkey from the grill and rest, tented with aluminum foil, for at least 20 minutes before carving.
• (Alternatively, you can bake the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet in a 375 to 400 degrees F oven for 90 minutes.)