How long to cook a spatchcock turkey?

[smoke ninja]

Turkey? Doing a spatchcock bird 18 lbs today. I usually do birds in the 12 lbs range.

Cooked on my pelt cooker at 350 how long do you think it will take?

I believe allow 2.5 hours for my normal birds and give a thirty minute rest. So three hours before dinner.

I think 3.5 would be enough but may go 4 and just throttle down the cook temp if its cooking fast. I'm sure I can rest the bird for up to an hour.

Thoughts?

 

[4ever3]

Sounds about right to me

 

[smoke ninja]

Sounds about right to me

I never take proper notes. Wasn't a problem when I cooked all the time but now I can barely remember my recipes. This is so embarrassing

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Google says Spatchcocking 18lb Turkey 10 minutes a lb @ 275 if smoking it.
350 in oven 4-4.5 hrs
Hate to tell you Steve as you age memory gets worse. Unfortunately what poor notes I had are lost

 

[Negolien]

Yeah I did my 16 lb spatched at 225 for a bit then 375 i think it was like 3 hours

 

[smoke ninja]

birds on at 145. dinners at 6ish

bird #2 is ready to go into the big easy sometime in the next hour it's 12lbs, my "records" indicate 3 hrs

 

[smoke ninja]

both birds on. the 18 lbs spatchcock is at 96 degrees and I've already panicked and dropped the cook temp, then decided it was too low and raised it back to 300...man I miss cooking

 

[Big George's BBQ]

3 hrs May be a lot the TBE

 

[smoke ninja]

3 hrs May be a lot the TBE

eh...guess that's why it's practice Thanksgiving.

 

[4ever3]

I never take proper notes. Wasn't a problem when I cooked all the time but now I can barely remember my recipes. This is so embarrassing

Naaa I don’t either, it’s done when it’s done, if it’s early, it’ll hold, if it’s late, there is plenty of finger foods.

I don’t serve food for money, I serve it cause I like to cook, haven’t had a complaint yet.

 

[Hoss]

I am cooking 4 turkeys for Thanksgiving.I am strongly leaning towards spatchcocked.

 

[lunchman]

I've been going through what I'll call "turkey anxiety" :roll: . I'm not sure why as I've got plenty of experience but I want to be certain this dinner turns out right.

14 lb, Spatchcock, dry brine, I'll inject with butter, indirect, 325-350F temps. I want to make sure it's not over smoked. Haven't chosen my seasoning yet, game time decision. I'm sure things will be fine.

I've been watching too many Chef Tom, Chef Eric, Meat Church, etc videos just to watch alternate prep and cooking methods and need to resist the temptation to try something new and just stick with my tried and true method.

I will be making turkey stock a day ahead from the backbone and turkey parts for gravy, something I've never done before. Kudos to Chef Tom for the inspiration. That's new but doesn't affect the actual cook other than collecting drippings for gravy.

Bottom line: I need to stop overthinking this and just cook the darn turkey! It's gonna be good.

Anybody else go through this? :biggrin1:

Regards,
-lunchman

 

[bowhnter]

Anybody else go through this? :biggrin1:

Regards,
-lunchman

Not this year! Leavin it to the son in law :biggrin1:

 

[snadamo]

Not this year! Leavin it to the son in law :biggrin1:

Ditto. This is my mother in law’s holiday. I’m there to eat, drink, football, and hopefully piss of my sister in law…if they show.

 

[Robert]

How do you guys spatchcock your turkeys? I have done it before, but my poultry shears and my hands do not really like it. Last week I cooked four bone in, skin on turkey breast for a friend. Original plan was to spatchcock them, but arthritic thumbs didn't allow that to happen. Scissors are just too lightweight. Even after cooking, they were a beotch to debone. Meat was very moist and wanting to fall apart as I was going through the task. He said everyone enjoyed the meat.


Thanks,


Robert

 

[4ever3]

Well, I saw on IG that everything turned out looking fantastic!

How was the timing?

 

[Big George's BBQ]

I've been going through what I'll call "turkey anxiety" :roll: . I'm not sure why as I've got plenty of experience but I want to be certain this dinner turns out right.

14 lb, Spatchcock, dry brine, I'll inject with butter, indirect, 325-350F temps. I want to make sure it's not over smoked. Haven't chosen my seasoning yet, game time decision. I'm sure things will be fine.

I've been watching too many Chef Tom, Chef Eric, Meat Church, etc videos just to watch alternate prep and cooking methods and need to resist the temptation to try something new and just stick with my tried and true method.

I will be making turkey stock a day ahead from the backbone and turkey parts for gravy, something I've never done before. Kudos to Chef Tom for the inspiration. That's new but doesn't affect the actual cook other than collecting drippings for gravy.

Bottom line: I need to stop overthinking this and just cook the darn turkey! It's gonna be good.

Anybody else go through this? :biggrin1:

Regards,
-lunchman

Yup everytime I cook I go through it Dom. I use The Big Easy and get that anxiety. Not this year. Going to my Son and D-I-L and she is ordering 2 Dinners via Market Basket

 

[smoke ninja]

Well, I saw on IG that everything turned out looking fantastic!

How was the timing?

we had a great time. turn out was good. dinner ended up being later than planned just because of when guest arrived and how long it took everyone to settle in. overall my timing was way early but I don't think it had a negative effect and I know nobody would have cared

the big easy bird finish as expected. I wrapped foil around the cage to keep it warm. it was still hot 2 hours after the cook finished



the larger spatchcocked bird could have cooked in 3 hours. good thing about using the pellet grill is you can adjust the temp down and basically hot hold the bird, we all know how much I like to hold large proteins. I would have like a bit more browning on the bird but it was good.



both birds were dry brined with harvest brine for three days. the last day they sit in the fridge uncovered to dry the skin. I get good crispy skin doing this. the big easy bird was trust and stuffed into the cage. willow asked if the cage was so no one would steal the turkey. both birds are basted throughout with herb butter. this one had the color I like



I made the stock for the gravy and stuffing. I also added some of the smoked turkey drippings to it. the gravy was really good. I made 2 half pans of mac and cheese because there are a ton of kids around and kids seem to gravitate to it. we also had corn because willow wanted canned corn



:becky: made her cranberries and the mashed potatoes. our friend does the green bean casserole out of canned and boxed stuff.



my baby boy really liked his first Thanksgiving style dinner



after dinner we drank and played some games. the kids slept in this morning. instead of pancakes we are having leftover mac and cheese and a green apple. I'm going to veg out before I do some cleaning and watch the lions. this life ain't half bad sometimes

 

[smoke ninja]

How do you guys spatchcock your turkeys? I have done it before, but my poultry shears and my hands do not really like it. Last week I cooked four bone in, skin on turkey breast for a friend. Original plan was to spatchcock them, but arthritic thumbs didn't allow that to happen. Scissors are just too lightweight. Even after cooking, they were a beotch to debone. Meat was very moist and wanting to fall apart as I was going through the task. He said everyone enjoyed the meat.


Thanks,


Robert

I have a good pair a poultry shears but there are getting a bit dull. it's definitely a bit of a struggle and I do not look forward to it. if I had any issues I would not be opposed to cutting out the backbone with my oscillating multi-tool or my small sawzall. I'm just looking for an excuse to use power tools sometimes

 

[4ever3]

Glad to hear!