Cooking a juicy and flavorful turkey for Thanksgiving or anytime of the year is actually very easy. I always use the spatchcock method for cooking a whole bird. And yes, this method works on other poultry! Opening your bird gives you the ability to cook it more evenly while almost always giving you a flavorful and juicy turkey! Not only does this help you from creating a dry turkey but it also cuts down on cooking time.
I like adding bacon grease or a little (or a lot of) butter to my turkey by putting it under the skin. Before spatchcocking and adding rub always pat dry the bird with paper towels. Brining a turkey is another great way to add flavor before you cook it and it’s compatible with the spatchcock method.
A turkey has a lot of surface area and you want to make sure you add a good spice rub all over the turkey. I used the Bull Steak & Burger BBQ Rub and it did a great job of adding flavor to my turkey.
You can use any Bull Grill but I decided to use my Bison Grill to give my turkey a smokier flavor profile. Grill set up: indirect cooking over medium-low heat (300° to 350°F). Place the pan so it is not directly over any heat. Close the grill over and cook until the skin is nicely browned and the juices at the thigh run clear.
No matter how you cook your turkey the safest thing to do is monitor the temperature. If you are using the spatchcock method insert a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. Grill your turkey until it has reached an internal temperature of 140°F, then crank up the heat as hot as you can. Grill the turkey until it reaches an internal temp of 160°F and you’ll have a crispy bird. Rest your spatchcock turkey for at least 20 minutes before you carve it.
A spatchcock turkey not only is beautiful but it’s easy to carve. Using a sharp knife, remove the leg (thigh and drumstick) in one piece. The leg section should be fairly loose if the turkey is cooked through; cut through the skin and push the leg toward the cutting board and you should see the joint that joins the leg to the body. Cut through the joint.
Starting at the breast bone, cut along the bone and rib cage to remove the breast and wing in one piece; cut through the leg joint and separate the thigh and drumstick, cut the wing away from the breast, the slice the breast across the grain of the meat. Repeat with the other side of the tukrey.
