Smoked Spatchcock Turkey

Smoking a whole turkey can be frustrating. The breast dries out and the skin won’t crisp. If you want a steady, predictable way to get a juicy turkey without the stress, this method is the one I trust for Thanksgiving.

Why this is my go-to method for smoked turkey

Over the years I’ve tested this recipe every way you can think of: wet brines, injections, high heat, low heat, binders, and every variation of seasoning. Each year I’ve stripped away the steps that didn’t make a meaningful difference and kept the ones that consistently delivered a juicy turkey with crispy skin.

Here’s why it’s become my go-to method:

• Simpler carving especially if you remove the keel bone and ribs
• Faster cook time because there’s no deep cavity to heat through
• More even cooking so the breast and legs finish closer together
• Better browning thanks to the extra surface area and dry skin
• Easier seasoning since everything sits flat and accessible

It doesn’t look like the classic holiday-table turkey, but the results are better and the process is far less stressful. Most of the work happens the day before when you spatchcock and dry brine. On cook day you only need to season, smoke, baste, rest, and carve.

If you want to stay organised, you can also prep the turkey rub and gravy tray the night.

Supplies you’ll need

• A fresh or thawed turkey – Allow 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 pounds, so a 12-pound turkey will take 3 full days to thaw properly.
• Smoking wood – Apple or cherry both work great, check out our post on the best woods for smoking turkey for the full list.
• Poultry shears or a sharp knife – Makes it much easier to spatchcock the turkey.
• Drip pan for gravy – Even if you’re not making gravy, you’ll want a pan to catch the dripping to keep everything clean.
• Meat thermometer – A dual probe remote thermometer like the Smoke is best so you can see exactly when the turkey breast hits 160°F.

Choosing a turkey

Smaller turkeys cook faster, more evenly, and hold on to more moisture, so you get better flavor and a juicier finished bird.

The ideal size for smoking and spatchcocking is 10 to 14 pounds. A simple rule is to plan on one pound of turkey per adult, so if you need more meat, you’re better off smoking two medium birds instead of forcing a huge one into your smoker.

When you’re shopping, check the labeling. Terms like “basted,” “self-basted,” and “Kosher” mean the turkey has been injected with a salt solution. These options aren’t unsafe, but they give you less control over seasoning. For this recipe, a natural, unenhanced turkey works best because it allows the dry brine and rub to do their job without over-salting.

Day before prep

I like to spatchcock and brine the turkey the day before I plan on smoking, although you could go as far as 36 hours before.

1. Spatchcock the turkey

Place the turkey breast side down on a clean cutting board.

Start at the neck end and cut along one side of the backbone using sturdy poultry shears.

Take your time. If you meet heavy resistance, stop and cut from the other end. Repeat on the other side to remove the backbone.

Save the backbone for gravy.

Flip the turkey over. Make a small cut at the top of the breastbone, then press firmly with both hands until the breastbone cracks and the bird lies flat.

Optional: Remove the keel bone and rib cage

You can also take out the keel bone (wishbone) and the small rib cage bones. Removing these lets the turkey sit flatter on the grill and exposes more meat for seasoning. It also makes carving quicker because you can lift each breast off in one clean piece.

This step is a bit fiddly and not essential. Most people skip it. I don’t usually bother either, but I did it here because it makes the final slicing much easier.

Trim any loose skin or excess fat around the cavity. Wear gloves if you prefer. The small bones in the area around the backbone can be sharp.

Finish by flipping the turkey breast-side up. If you didn’t remove the keel bone, press down in the centre of the breast until it cracks and the bird lies flat. It feels a bit like doing chest compressions on a turkey, but it works

2. Dry brine the turkey

Brining is a great way to keep turkey juicy. A wet brine works well and I use it in our whole smoked turkey recipe, but for a spatchcocked bird on the smoker a dry brine is the simpler choice. It seasons the meat, helps the skin dry out, and suits the flatter shape of a spatchcocked turkey.

To dry brine turkey, pat it dry and measure out about ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt per pound. For a 10-pound bird, this works out to roughly 2 to 2.5 tbsp.

Sprinkle half of the mixture over the underside of the bird, then flip it and season the skin side with the rest.

Set the turkey on a rack over a tray and refrigerate it uncovered for 24 to 36 hours. Leaving it uncovered dries the skin out, which helps it brown evenly and smoke cleanly. 

On cook day, don’t rinse the turkey. Rinsing puts moisture straight back onto the skin and undoes the drying you achieved overnight.

The skin should look dry and slightly tacky, with a dull finish rather than shiny or wet. Pat it dry once more, especially if any liquid has pooled anywhere on the turkey.

Once the dry brine is done, you’re ready to season the turkey and fire up the smoker.

How to smoke a Spatchcock Turkey

With the spatchcocking and dry brining done the day before, you should now have a flattened turkey with dry skin ready for seasoning and throwing on the smoker.

1. Season the turkey

Mix up a batch of our Turkey Rub but leave out the salt. You’ve already dry brined, so you don’t want an extra salty seasoning. If you’re using a store-bought rub, check the label and avoid anything heavy on salt.

Loosen the skin over the breasts by sliding your fingers underneath and working your way down each side. This lets you add seasoning directly to the meat and helps the skin crisp up.

Add about a teaspoon of rub under the skin of each breast and spread it out with your hand.

Start with the back while the turkey is breast-side down and season generously then flip it over and repeat.

Lift the wings and drumsticks so you hit every surface. A turkey can take a lot of seasoning.

I like to finish with a light layer of freshly ground black pepper. I skip binders for this recipe because the skin is already dry from the brine and the rub sticks well on its own.

2. Fire up your smoker

If you’ve dry brined properly and the skin is nice and dry, 275–300°F is the ideal range to smoke a spatchcock turkey. If you skipped the dry brine, bump the temperature up to around 350°F to help the skin tighten and render.

I like smoking poultry on my charcoal Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco Pro because it holds temperature almost as steady as a pellet grill, but use whatever cooker you have.

I used apple wood chunks for this cook, but any mild wood works well, like cherry, pecan, or maple.

Give your smoker enough time to come up to temperature, settle in, and produce clean smoke. A little extra time here only helps—the seasoning can sit on the turkey while the smoker stabilizes.

3. Set up a gravy tray (Optional)

I like to place a tray of chopped vegetables and stock under the turkey to catch the drippings. It makes a great base for gravy and saves you from cleaning burnt drippings out of your smoker.

Just roughly chop some onion, carrot, and celery, add a few fresh herbs (I used sage), pour in some chicken stock, and set the tray beneath the turkey. If you saved the backbone from spatchcocking, add that too for extra flavour.

4. Smoke the turkey

Once the smoker is steady and the smoke is clean, place the turkey on the grates. Position the wings and legs so they sit evenly. This helps the turkey cook at the same rate across the grate.

Let it smoke for about 1½ hours. I like to rotate the bird once or twice during this time to promote even browning. After the first check, look at the wing tips and drum ends. If they’re starting to darken faster than the rest of the turkey, wrap them loosely in foil.

At around the 90-minute mark, start checking the breast every 10 minutes or so. Once the breast reaches about 145°F, melt some butter with chopped sage, cracked black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon in a small pan.

Brush this over the skin and continue cooking until the breast reads 160°F. Carryover heat will take it to a safe 165°F while it rests.

5. Rest and carve

Pull the turkey from the smoker once the breast hits 160°F. The thighs and legs can reach 175–180°F without drying out.

Let the turkey rest for about 20 minutes, uncovered. Wrapping in foil will soften the skin, so skip it. The turkey will stay hot enough.

Carving a spatchcock turkey is straightforward, especially if you removed the ribs and keel bone. Start with the leg and thigh: lift the piece, follow the joint with your knife, and it should come off cleanly. Leave it whole or separate the drumstick and thigh.

Next, remove the wing. Taking a small slice of breast with it helps. With the centre bones gone, you can then lift each breast off in one clean piece and slice it across the grain.

Arrange everything on a platter so people can grab what they like.