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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
12/12/2025
Using the spatchcock technique when cooking a whole turkey has second thoughts inside it for Christmas to speed up preparation, simplify overwhelming the turkey's shell with seasoning and ensure consistent results.
A flat bird allows for more even distribution of heat from the oven, resulting in no overcooked/dry breast meat, and the thickness of the thighs coming off at the same time as they do, thanks to being able to roast them at high temperatures. Therefore, your roast turkey will be perfectly browned and exceptionally juicy—the perfect centrepiece for Christmas dinner without the traditional lengthy cooking time of a whole turkey, thus it is less work, while still creating all of that delightful flavour associated with a holiday-style meal.
In a conventional oven, cooking a whole chicken takes a lot of time since the heat can barely get to any of the other areas of the bird where it needs to be to reach optimal doneness. The spatchcock method returns that favour to your whole chicken and opens it up so there are no longer thick, thick areas hiding in the back of the bird, allowing the hot air created by the roasting to come directly in contact with all the thick, moist areas all at the same time. You have quicker cooking, with much better control and better overall results from spatchcocking.
It seems intimidating to remove a backbone until you actually do it - all that is required is your kitchen shears and a little bit of confidence. Cut down both sides of the backbone, take it out, turn the bird over and crack the breastbone (by pressing hard) until it flattens out completely. That’s all there is to it! You won’t understand why whole birds are usually roasted like beach balls once you try this technique.
Spatchcocked birds should be cooked at very high temperatures (between 220 °C and 240 °C); this heat makes for an incredibly crispy skin and keeps the meat extremely moist. Since these birds are so flat, there is no concern about burning one section while waiting on another; everything cooks together, and all parts are done between 45 minutes - 55 minutes, depending on the size.
While it is fine to stick with some essential ingredients like butter, salt, pepper, and garlic for your holiday meal, the flavours of the holiday season can be emphasised with warming herbs like rosemary or thyme (these would also pair quite well with sweet flavours such as orange zest, maple or balsamic vinegars).
When you use a flat spatchcocked chicken, the spices you add will not fall off the breast-side skin (due to gravity), nor will the butter leak out from under the wings. This allows even the simplest rubs to have a greater overall impact as there is more surface area to taste.
A dark metal tray will help to brown a spatchcocked turkey more evenly and efficiently. By placing vegetables such as carrots or potatoes under the bird, you gain an additional recipe without having to add any more work to your cooking (the drippings that come from the turkey will season the vegetables, thus giving them the same flavour as the turkey).
There is no need for a fancy thermometer to tell whether a spatchcocked turkey is done. The natural indicators of doneness (clear juices running from the turkey, movement of the thigh and deep golden colour of the skin) are visible on the surface of the turkey and provide visual confirmation of its readiness for consumption. Because of the difference in heat distribution, it is nearly impossible to cook a spatchcocked turkey improperly by undercooking it or overcooking it—a hidden victory of this technique.
Rest the turkey for ten minutes before slicing. The flattened turkey gives you more access to it, so you aren't wrestling with joints or trying to thump around the bone. You pull the legs cleanly off the carcass, and the breast can be sliced easily and evenly. The stress of carving a Christmas turkey has now turned into a calming process; it shouldn't be a struggle.
