This is our favorite variation, which has with a more aggressive dry brining and more lemon. It is also gluten free. Recipe amounts are for an 18 lb turkey. Note that for a Butterball, reduce the salt by half due to being pre-brined. Turkey weight can be in the range of 16-22 lbs. For a larger bird increase the dry rub blend proportionately. We have done as large as 24lb birds this way.
Dry rub blend:
- 3 TB fine sea salt (1.5TB for a Butterball)
- 1.5 TB Mexican oregano rubbed
- 1TB dried thyme
- 1.5 TB dry rosemary rubbed
- 1 TB Pepper finely ground
- Fine zest of one lemon
When rubbing the spices grind them in the mortar and pestle or in a coffee grinder, and then pass them through a strainer. Teal hates the “sticks” as she calls the woody pieces . Mix the spices and salt well.
Spatchock the thawed bird, cutting down one side of the backbone or removing it for a larger bird, and splitting the keel bone. Save the backbone to add to the giblets for savory stuffing (the good stuff) or stock.
Loosen the skin of the turkey (including legs) and then rub the spice blend on the meat under the skin, on both sides of the bird. Rest for 6 to 18+ hours in the fridge. Place the bird uncovered in the fridge for 4-6 hours of this to start drying out the skin.
In the roasting pan, place the following ingredients:
- 4 carrots chopped
- 2 medium yellow onions chopped
- 18 fresh sage leaves chopped
- 2 lemons cut into eighths
- 1 sweet potato cubed
- 5-7 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 can of beer (gluten free so that Elyse can have some).
- Optional – 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 10 sprigs fresh thyme
Place the spatchcocked bird in a shallow roasting pan breast side up on the lowest rack of the oven so the convected air hits the legs and thighs first.
Roasting
Convection roast at 375 for 1 hour adding an aluminum foil L shaped deflector tucked under the wings to keep most of the heat blast away from the breasts. Then 275-300 for 1 hour looking for final internal temp of 157F. Then pull and rest for 30 min prior to carving.
This was a winner and is the family favorite so far with multiple questions about what was new. Changes were not huge: put the spice blend UNDER the skin rather than on top for the dry brining stage, add lemons in the pan, leave out the stuffing (to allow for those with Celiac disease). The lemons added a nice flavor and the juices make for great gravy. I use rice flour as the thickener (~ half as much as regular AP wheat flour). Discard the pseudo gravy gunk in the bag in the bird (its only purpose is to inflate the purchase weight).
To take a look at the earlier versions, go to: Spatchcock Turkey
Mark Bronkalla