To spatchcock or not to spatchcock?

dsimmons · Nov 22, 2016

Can someone help me understand why I wouldn't spatchcock a turkey before smoking it this year? From everything I've read, it seems as though there are only benefits to using this method (i.e. It cooks faster and more evenly.) Am I missing something here?

dirtsailor2003 · Nov 22, 2016

In my mind the only reason to not is if your smoker, oven or whatever you are cooking the bird in is not big enough. Otherwise, Its a great way to go.

Others get hung up on having the Norman Rockefeller iconic whole turkey sitting in the middle of the table.A spatched bird can be plated just as well.

If done properly, your guests will forget what the bird looked like after they have the best turkey ever!

Spatched and dry brined it my favorite method to use.

dsimmons · Nov 22, 2016

Thanks for the confirmation! I'm thinking the same thing. What do you mean by "dry brined" though? I've never heard of that. (I've only had my camp chef pellet smoker for about a year. It's been awesome though!)

dirtsailor2003 · Nov 22, 2016

You have wet brine. Where the meat brines in a concoction of liquid, salt and seasonings. Or a dry brine which is salt and seasonings.

Dry brine for a turkey would be (depending on size) 4-6 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons baking powder (helps crisp skin) and what ever dry spices you like. Rub the bird all over. Place on a rack over a pan uncovered in the fridge for at least 8 hours and preferably 12-24 hours. Smoke er up!

dsimmons · Nov 22, 2016

Is that different than just using a rub of some kind and then letting it sit in the fridge for a while? Are the terms "dry brine" and "rub" pretty much the same thing?

chef jimmyj · Nov 22, 2016

Not wanting to step on Case's toes by jumping in. A Dry Brine can have 8-12X the salt a Rub has. I use 1T salt for enough Rub for 2 Turkeys where the Dry Brine uses 4-6T for ONE Bird. A great deal gets washed off but there is quite a bit of salt absorbed.Also read the label, just prepped a 22# Turkey that already had a 10%, by weight, Broth, Salt and Trisodium Phosphate solution added to Enhance it. A Dry Brine on it would be way too salty for my taste. A Dry Brine is usually best suited to All Natural Turkeys...JJ

donegotfat · Nov 22, 2016

dsimmons said:
Is that different than just using a rub of some kind and then letting it sit in the fridge for a while? Are the terms "dry brine" and "rub" pretty much the same thing?

In my experience none of the rubs I have used have anywhere near that heavy of a salt mixture.

If you were to take your favorite rub, then add 4-6 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons baking powder to it, then I can see it being similar.

Then note the key part of leaving it in the fridge uncovered (no plastic wrap, no bags) 8-24 hours.

Edit- Chef JimmyJ beat me to the reply, sorry

chef jimmyj · Nov 22, 2016

DoneGotFat said:
In my experience none of the rubs I have used have anywhere near that heavy of a salt mixture.

If you were to take your favorite rub, then add 4-6 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons baking powder to it, then I can see it being similar.

Then note the key part of leaving it in the fridge uncovered (no plastic wrap, no bags) 8-24 hours.

Edit- Chef JimmyJ beat me to the reply, sorry

No worries. Confirmation is always helpful...

...JJ

dsimmons · Nov 22, 2016

Thanks for your thoughts Chef JimmyJ! Just out of curiosity, what are your thoughts regarding my original question about to spatchcock a turkey or not. Can you think of any reasons why not to use that method?

SmokinAl · Nov 22, 2016

dsimmons said:
Thanks for your thoughts Chef JimmyJ! Just out of curiosity, what are your thoughts regarding my original question about to spatchcock a turkey or not. Can you think of any reasons why not to use that method?

There is no reason not to spatchcock the turkey, unless you want to make a presentation at the table with a whole turkey.

Personally I would not smoke a turkey unless it was spatchcocked or parted out.

It just cooks more evenly & comes out more tender & juicy.

Al

marctrees · Nov 22, 2016

I think you have room on your grate to standard spatchcock.

If it should turn out tooo big, just finish cutting in two seperate halves, and fit on grate. Marc

dsimmons · Nov 22, 2016

Perfect! That's exactly what I was planning to do. How long would you guess it would take to cook an 11-12 pound spatchcocked turkey in the smoker at 240 degrees? Jeff Phillips' Lots of Butter recipe looks really good but he says it should take about 5 1/2 hours to cook. My guess is that he's cooking a turkey that hasn't been spatchcocked if it's taking that long. Do you agree?

chef jimmyj · Nov 22, 2016

dsimmons said:
Thanks for your thoughts Chef JimmyJ! Just out of curiosity, what are your thoughts regarding my original question about to spatchcock a turkey or not. Can you think of any reasons why not to use that method?

Nope. Case Nailed it! If you don't absolutely have to put on a show with a whole bird. Spatch it saves time. Another option is to Part It Out. Just prepped our bird. Wings removed, leg quarters removed and thighs deboned, seasoned. rolled and tied. Spine, wing tips, thigh bones. assorted veggies, neck and giblets went in a 400°F Oven to roast for 45 minutes, the rest or the raw bird in the refer. The spine and parts will be made into a Gallon of Turkey Stock, tonight, and cooled. Tomorrow, Wednesday, the Stock will be defatted, added to the Dressing ingredients and.made into Gravy. The Leg Quarters go in a 325°F Oven, or Smoker, for 1 hour then the Breast and Wings join the party until the Internal Temp (IT) hits 155, about another hour or so. After a rest all gets sliced, goes for a swim in a good dose of Gravy and in the refer until Thursday. One hour from Dinner, the pan of Turkey and Gravy along with the raw Dressing, goes in a 325 Oven until back to 155. During this time the rest of the meal gets made. So by parting the bird I have 2 hours actual cooking and 1 hour reheat and No Mess to clean on Thanksgiving!. Everybody enjoys the bird more because they are not Nose Blind from smelling it all day and I am not already full from all the tasting and adjusting for the last several hours. Win-Win. Fast and none of this...

...From her dealing with a Trashed Kitchen...JJ

marctrees · Nov 22, 2016

My ONLY comment is - I cooked a whole not Spatched turkey 13lbs @ around 290f.

Turned off electric smoker heat @ 3:45, and let rest half hour.

Was on table for few hour BEFORE smoking, breast started around 42 f.

Others with WAY more experience will answer. Marc

dsimmons · Nov 22, 2016

Good grief, you're a Thanksgiving Genius! :)

marctrees · Nov 22, 2016

He MUST be talking about Chef Jimmy J.

That guy KNOWS what he speaks about. Marc

dirtsailor2003 · Nov 22, 2016

Chef JimmyJ said:
Not wanting to step on Case's toes by jumping in. A Dry Brine can have 8-12X the salt a Rub has. I use 1T salt for enough Rub for 2 Turkeys where the Dry Brine uses 4-6T for ONE Bird. A great deal gets washed off but there is quite a bit of salt absorbed.Also read the label, just prepped a 22# Turkey that already had a 10%, by weight, Broth, Salt and Trisodium Phosphate solution added to Enhance it. A Dry Brine on it would be way too salty for my taste. A Dry Brine is usually best suited to All Natural Turkeys...JJ

Everything JJ has said is correct. We only use all natural birds, wether we wet or dry brine. No junk added.

We have dry brined birds that have been injected with solution. But wouldn't wet brine one .

chef jimmyj · Nov 22, 2016

dirtsailor2003 said:
Everything JJ has said is correct. We only use all natural birds, wether we wet or dry brine. No junk added.

We have dry brined birds that have been injected with solution. But wouldn't wet brine one .

You are a Lucky guy. I WISH I could find All Natural maybe even Free Range locally. Had them a few times when I lived on the other side of PA in Farm Country.They are so much tastier and not pumped full of water to bump the weight!. I hope to raise my own Turkeys in a year or so...JJ

Thanks for the compliments guys...

dirtsailor2003 · Nov 22, 2016

Chef JimmyJ said:
You are a Lucky guy. I WISH I could find All Natural maybe even Free Range locally. Had them a few times when I lived on the other side of PA in Farm Country.They are so much tastier and not pumped full of water to bump the weight!. I hope to raise my own Turkeys in a year or so...JJ

Thanks for the compliments guys...

Wait a minute! Didn't you just move to the country??? There should be non-enhanced turkeys running all over the place! And those that aren't should be in the butcher shops there!

bmudd14474 · Nov 22, 2016

The other nice thing about spatchcock is that if the breast are done and the dark isnt its super simple to separate and keep the dark on the smoker while removing the white.

To spatchcock or not to spatchcock?

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