Spatchcock Your Turkey to Cut Your Thanksgiving Cook Time in Half

All poultry, from chicken and turkey to ducks and cornish hens, can be spatchcocked. We’ll show you how to do it and provide some recipe inspiration as well.

Spatchcocking is easier than you might think. It refers to removing the backbone of a bird, and then pressing the rest of the body flat. We've found that the best tool to remove the backbone is a knife with some heft (a cleaver is a good option) or kitchen shears.

1. It allows for more even cooking. Without the body cavity to contend with, the breast and thigh meat will be done around the same time.
2. It allows for faster cooking. Since a butterflied bird lays flat, it cooks considerably faster than an unbutterflied one.
3. It increases the surface area of the meat and makes it more level. This allows the entirety of the skin—not just that on the top of the bird—to crisp and brown. It also means that if you plan on glazing your bird (which we recommend—especially if you’re using this recipe), you don’t have to deal with your glaze dripping down any sloped sides.
4. A spatchcocked turkey is easier to maneuver and carve. No balancing a half-carved whole turkey as you slice—a butterflied turkey lays flat.

You don't need anything you don't already have in the kitchen.

• Turkey
• Kitchen shears or a meat cleaver
• Large cutting board
• Rolling pin (optional)