Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Smoked spatchcock turkey with a simple spice rub and an apple cider spritz. Juicy meat, crisp skin, and an 18 lb bird done in about 4 hours on any smoker.
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Smoked spatchcock turkey is the easiest way I know to get a juicy, evenly cooked bird with deeply browned, crisp skin. Flattening the turkey before it goes on the smoker means the breast and thighs finish at the same time, so you never have to choose between dry white meat and underdone dark meat. It takes just three ingredients, about 25 minutes of hands-on prep, and roughly 4 hours on the smoker for an 18 pound bird. The first time I made a turkey this way, my family stood around the smoker picking at the skin before I could even get it to the cutting board, and I have not roasted a whole bird in the oven since.
Once the turkey is resting, you have plenty of time to pull the rest of the table together. I like to serve it with a bowl of Classic Cranberry Sauce, a pan of Sausage and Caramelized Onion Stuffing, and Green Bean Mushroom Gratin. Hosting a bigger crowd? Add an Asian Apricot Spiral Ham to the menu, and browse my 50+ Thanksgiving Recipes for sides, pies, and make-ahead ideas.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love this Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
This turkey tastes like the best part of a backyard barbecue met the Thanksgiving table. Gentle wood smoke soaks into the meat, the spice rub turns into a savory, slightly sweet crust, and the apple cider mist keeps the surface moist while adding a hint of fruit. Every slice is juicy all the way through, from the thickest part of the breast to the drumsticks.
It is also one of the most low-stress ways to cook a holiday bird. There is no basting, no rotating, and no wrestling a 20 pound turkey in and out of a hot oven. You spatchcock it, rub it, put it on the grates, and give it a quick spritz about once an hour. Best of all, it frees up your oven for pies, rolls, and casseroles on the busiest cooking day of the year.
Heather’s Expert Tips for the Best Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Drawing from 20 years of recipe development and my time co-founding a spice company, here’s what makes this recipe worth making exactly as written.
- Dry the skin really well. After spending years developing poultry rubs as co-founder of Spiceology, I can tell you the biggest difference between rubbery skin and crisp skin is moisture. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels on both sides before the rub goes on, and if you have time, let it sit uncovered in the fridge overnight.
- Start hot, then drop the heat. The first 30 minutes at 400°F is what sets and browns the skin. After that, 300°F gives you plenty of smoke flavor without drying out the breast.
- Pull it at 160°F in the breast. Check the thickest part of the breast with an instant-read thermometer and take the turkey off at 160°F. The temperature keeps climbing to a safe 165°F while it rests under foil.
- Know your rub’s salt level. Many poultry rubs are already salted, so taste a pinch before you add extra kosher salt. If you would rather make your own, my Chicken Spice Rub works beautifully on turkey.
- Check your fuel before you start. A turkey this size is on the smoker for about 4 hours, so fill the pellet hopper or have extra wood ready. Running out halfway through is the fastest way to stall your cook.
Maillard Reaction
The Maillard reaction is the browning that happens when proteins and natural sugars on the surface of food hit high heat. It is what gives seared steak, toasted bread, and roast chicken their deep color and savory flavor. On this turkey, the 30 minute blast at 400°F gets the reaction going on the skin, and the spice rub joins in with its own sugars and spices to build a mahogany crust.
Moisture is the enemy of browning, which is why drying the bird matters so much. Water on the skin has to evaporate before the surface can get hot enough to brown, so a wet turkey steams instead of crisping. The apple cider mist adds a little moisture back during the long, lower temperature smoke, but by then the skin has already set, and the natural sugars in the cider help deepen the color even further.
Equipment Needed
- Pellet grill, wood smoker, or kamado-style grill
- Wood pellets or smoking wood
- Sharp poultry shears or kitchen shears
- Large cutting board
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Spray bottle
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Ingredients for Smoked Spatchcocked Turkey
- Whole Turkey – use the spatchcock method to split the bird which helps you get a more even cook (see below for instructions). Cooking time will vary based on the weight on your turkey so make sure to test internal temperature with a meat thermometer and remove when it reads 160ºF when inserted into the thickest breast meat.
- Spice Rub – your choice spice rub or poultry seasoning. For this recipe I used Spiceology x Over the Fire Cooking’s Sweet Carolina Blonde Pork & Poultry Rub but anything will work great.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper – optional, but use if you’re spice rub does not have much salt or is salt free. Always season the cavity of the turkey as well.
- Apple Juice or Apple Cider – use a spray bottle to mist the bird periodically throughout the smoke to keep the bird moist and it also helps develop a crispier skin.
Find the printable recipe card with exact measurements and instructions below.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Brine it first: For an even juicier, more seasoned bird, wet brine the turkey a day or two ahead. My guide on How to Brine a Turkey walks you through it, and you can skip the extra salt in the rub.
- Dry brine instead: Rub the turkey with kosher salt and refrigerate it uncovered for 24 to 48 hours. It seasons the meat and dries the skin at the same time.
- Change the wood: Apple and cherry give a mild, slightly sweet smoke that suits turkey. Pecan and hickory are bolder if you like a stronger smoke flavor.
- Swap the mist: Apple juice works just as well as apple cider. You can also use a mix of cider and melted butter for a richer finish.
- Smaller bird: This method works for a 12 to 14 pound turkey too. Start checking the temperature earlier, since it will finish well before an 18 pound bird.
How to Spatchcock a Turkey Step-by-Step
Season Your Turkey before Smoking
Season the turkey well inside and out with your favorite dry spice rub. Allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes before adding it to the smoker.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
- Refrigerate: Carve the meat off the bone and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Pack sliced turkey in freezer bags with the air pressed out and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm slices in a covered baking dish at 325°F with a splash of broth until heated through, or microwave in short bursts. The broth keeps the meat from drying out.
- Save the bones: Use the backbone you cut out and the leftover carcass to make a batch of Homemade Chicken Stock. It works the same way with turkey and adds a light smoky flavor.
- Use the leftovers: Leftover smoked turkey is perfect in my Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie or a big pot of Turkey Chili with Yams and Black Beans.
What to Serve with Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
- Creamy Truffle Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
- Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Whipped Maple Butter
- Sweet Bread Stuffing with Sausage and Medjool Dates
- Creamy Baked Mac & Cheese
- Roasted Butternut Squash with Pine Nuts
- Buttermilk Cornbread
- Cardamom Pumpkin Pie
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, spatchcocked turkey roasts beautifully in a 450°F oven on a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a rack. A 12 to 14 pound turkey takes about 80 minutes, and larger birds need roughly 6 to 7 minutes per pound, so plan on about 2 hours for an 18 to 20 pound turkey. Start checking early, and remove the turkey when the thickest part of the breast reads 160°F. It will rise to 165°F as it rests.
An 18 pound spatchcock turkey takes about 3 to 4 hours total: 30 minutes at 400°F, then the rest at 300°F. Smaller birds finish sooner, so always go by internal temperature rather than the clock.
Start at 400°F for 30 minutes to crisp the skin, then lower the smoker to 300°F for the rest of the cook. That higher smoking temperature is the reason this turkey has crisp skin instead of the rubbery skin you get at 225°F.
Remove the turkey when the thickest part of the breast reads 160°F. It will rise to 165°F, the USDA safe temperature for poultry, as it rests under foil for 20 to 30 minutes.
No, you just need a sharp pair of poultry shears and a little elbow grease. Cut along both sides of the backbone, flip the turkey over, and press firmly on the breastbone until it lies flat.
Yes, and it actually helps. Spatchcock and season the turkey the day before, then refrigerate it uncovered on a rimmed baking sheet so the skin dries out for even better browning.
No, it stays breast side up on the grates the whole time. For more holiday mains and smoker recipes, browse my Thanksgiving recipes, Chicken & Poultry recipes, and Grilling & BBQ recipes.
If you like this recipe, try:
- Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie
- Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Super Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Turkey Chili with Yams
- Smoked Almond Pesto Cavatappi
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Recommended Tools
- Pellet Smoker - or wood smoker
Ingredients
- 18 lb turkey, defrosted
- ⅓ cup poultry spice rub, your favorite poultry spice rub
- 3 cups apple cider, or apple juice
- kosher salt, optional (only use if your spice rub choice is low or no sodium)
- black pepper, optional (only use if your spice rub needs more seasoning)
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 400ºF for 15 minutes.
- Rub the spice blend all over the outside skin of the turkey, including the underside.
- Place the turkey directly on the grill grates, breast side up. Close the lid and cook for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the temperature of the smoker to 300ºF and continue to cook until internal temperature reaches 160ºF, about 3 to 4 hours, misting with apple cider or apple juice every hour or so.
- Remove the turkey from the smoker and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes covered with aluminum foil before carving. This keeps the turkey from releasing all of the flavorful juices and keeps the meat tender after it’s carved.
Notes
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Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.
so simple and incredibly delicious!