Chef Tom proves that preparing a remarkable Thanksgiving turkey can be effortless. By spatchcocking, brining, and roasting at a steady 325 °F in a Yoder Smokers YS640, you’ll achieve a beautifully smoky flavor with tender, evenly cooked meat—and skin that’s crisped just right.
Spatchcock Thanksgiving Turkey
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
4
Prep Time
2 hours
Cook Time
3 hours
Calories
480
Flattening the bird shortens cook time and improves texture—no more dry breast meat or uneven cooking. With this approach, your holiday centerpiece delivers flavor, efficiency, and visual wow factor, every time
Ingredients
Directions
- Spatchcock the turkey. To take the backbone out, place the bird breast side down. Cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears, from one opening of the cavity to the other.
Combine the one pound bag of Cattleman's Grill Butcher House Brine with 6 quarts of water. Whisk well until brine is dissolved. Place the brine and spatchcocked turkey in a large Briner Bucket. Lock the brining plate in place to keep the bird submerged. Refrigerate the turkey in the brine, one pound per hour.
Remove the turkey from the brine. Pat the bird dry with paper towels. Pull the skin away from the meat, but leave it attached. Using the John Henry’s Texas Chicken Tickler, season the meat under the skin for maximum flavor absorption.
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640 to 325ºF. Lay the bird flat on a foil lined sheet pan and place the pan in the cooker. At 325ºF, a 12-pound turkey will take about 2 hours to cook. Cook the turkey until all the meat has reached an internal temperature of 165ºF. It is likely that the legs will cook a bit faster than the breasts. That is fine. However, do NOT cook the breasts past 165ºF. We recommend using an instant-read thermometer like the Maverick PT-75.
- The thighs will separate from the rest of the body very easily, just slice through the skin. You can serve the quarters whole, separate the leg from the thigh (by cutting at the joint) or you can pull the meat from the bones and discard the bones. The breasts can either be sliced intact or removed from the breastbone, separated from wings, and sliced to serve. The wings can be served whole or you may remove the skin and pull that meat from the bones.
- Until you're ready to serve, store the meat, covered, in a pan with the juices rendered while cooking.
Recipe Note
What You’ll Love
Even heat exposure through spatchcocking, leading to perfectly cooked breast and thighs
Bold, deep flavor from the Butcher House Brine and the Texas Chicken Tickler under the skin
Focused roasting performance—325 °F indirect heat delivers moist meat without constant vigilance
One-bird showpiece—flat, smoky, and easier to slice or shuttle to the carving board
Frequently Asked Questions
Why spatchcock the turkey?
Flattening the bird ensures faster, more uniform cooking and crispier skin all over.
How long should I brine?
Brine for one hour per pound—so a 12 lb bird gets 12 hours of brining.
How do I know when it's done?
Use an instant-read thermometer. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F in the thickest area.
Can I use an oven instead of a smoker?
Yes—set your oven to 325 °F and roast with indirect heat. You’ll still get great results.
Can I cook these indoors?
We rate these as a 4 out of 5. Perfect for indoor, better on the grill.
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 480
- Carbs
- 8 grams
- Protein
- 60 grams
- Fat
- 24 grams
- Sodium
- 2120 milligrams
