Spatchcocking a Turkey, Latin American Style

[gulfporter]

We've never spatchcocked a turkey and never grilled one before, but that's the plan for Thursday. 

 

I ran across this article today.  It's not technically a spatchcock since the bird will end up in two pieces, but having the white meat separate from the dark meat will make it easier to get each type cooked properly.  And not having to cut out the backbone will make it less of a struggle, I think.  

 

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-spatchcock-a-turkey-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-212641

 

Any comments?

[cyalexa]

That is exactly how I cut mine except I flatten the breast. I have always dry brined with it whole because it fits in my refrigerator better. I slow-roast it beginning with the breast skin side down and the leg half skin side up and slightly covering the thinner tip of the breast. After about an hour I flip the breast skin side up and continue roasting until the breast is 160F and the leg half is at least 170. It rests for whatever variable period fits the rest of the schedule then it put back in at 500F to crisp the skin. BTW, I brine in a plastic bag as per the LA Times article and will do it tonight. I'll remove it from the bag on Weds night and will let it dry overnight.

[gulfporter]

Figured I'd flatten the breast using turkey CPR 

 

I'm going to start the dry rub tomorrow night or early Tuesday.  

 

While I've never grilled one before, when I roast turkey, I bring them out of the oven at 150 degrees and let them rest for 45-60 minutes and the temperature always comes up to 165 after it rests.  

[cyalexa]

I decided to try butchering mine prior to applying the dry brine and just finished. The parts minus the neck (which was unusually long) and the connected part of the spine and ribs are in a 2.5 gal zip top bag in the fridge. It was a 12.9 lb bird and just barely fit in the bag. It takes a bit more than CPR to flatten the breast. I removed the wings and the portion of the ribs closest to the spine then split the bony part of the sternum down the center. 

Edited November 23, 2015 by cyalexa (log)

[gulfporter]

I decided to try butchering mine prior to applying the dry brine and just finished. The parts minus the neck (which was unusually long) and the connected part of the spine and ribs are in a 2.5 gal zip top bag in the fridge. It was a 12.9 lb bird and just barely fit in the bag. It takes a bit more than CPR to flatten the breast. I removed the wings and the portion of the ribs closest to the spine then split the bony part of the sternum down the center. 

My DH did the Latin spatchcock this morning, and he did indeed need to cut through the ribs and remove a part of the backbone.  We always intended to take off the top two joins of the wings because they don't have much meat and I will roast them with other bits and pieces for a stock base.   

 

I did the dry brine and my bird is also in a plastic bag in the fridge.  It is only 10.5 pounds which will help fit it on our gas grill and also when it comes time to flip the bird.  

[cyalexa]

I'm going to slow roast the wings with the rest of the bird. I don't yet know if I'll serve them for Thanksgiving or save them for a different dinner. I love the crisp and gooey textures of a slow-cooked then broiled or grilled turkey wing. There will only be 6 adults at my table. All big eaters but a 12 pounder without the wings should be more than enough.