Smoked Spatchcock Turkey is a great option any time of year or for your next holiday feast. This Traeger turkey recipe is easy to follow and results in a juicy, flavorful bird that will be the centerpiece of your meal.
When it comes to making turkey it is a passion for us. We started out more than 25 years ago without a clue on how to make a turkey. We tried cooking it from a semi-frozen state, opened the oven and basted a bazillion times, and made mistake after mistake.
But we vowed to not only master it – but make it super easy and AMAZING TOO! Here is our recipe for smoking a turkey on the Traeger (pellet grill) spatchcocked style. I know you’ll love it.
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So we had finally mastered roasting the turkey in the oven. That was incredible and we were thrilled to share that and make it easy for so many others too.
Then we got the Traeger and it was a complete game-changer when it came to making a smoked turkey. It comes out perfect every single time. But because we are always wanting to change it up – we thought we’d also share how we make a spatchcocked turkey on the smoker. It is SO FREAKING GOOD!
CHECK OUT HOW TO TO MAKE SMOKED SPATCHCOCK TURKEY
smoking a turkey on a pellet grill
Here are some commonly asked questions
Why Spatchcock a turkey?
Spatchcocking a turkey helps it cook evenly and allows more surface area for the smoke to penetrate. This method also results in juicier, more flavorful meat.
What Traeger model is needed for this recipe?
I would say that most standing Traeger models can handle roasting a turkey. We have the Pro 34 in blue & we take out the swinging rack from the lid when we make large things like a turkey. I don’t think we could make this recipe on our portable Ranger model that we use for camping because the lid doesn’t give it enough space.
What is the best way to store leftover turkey?
After serving, place leftover turkey in a shallow airtight container. Be sure to label with the date before refrigerating. This recipe should keep for up to 3-4 days if not left out for too long. As with most things, it is important to get food into the refrigerator within 1 hour after serving to prevent bacteria growth.
Why use a shallow container to store the leftovers?
Well, when the container is shallow, the contents chill faster than if you were to use a large, deep container. Ideally, you don’t want it to take too long for the leftovers to get to their chilled/stored temperature.
As I mentioned, if the food remains above about 35 degrees for more than 1 hour after cooking, the bacteria starts to grow.
Can this recipe be doubled?
Normally I would say yes – if you were making a regular smoked turkey recipe like our Applewood Smoked Turkey. But because of the amount of space this takes up with the turkey spread out so wide, I don’t think even the largest Traeger can accommodate more than one bird at a time.
What is Spatchcock?
Spatchcock is a method of preparing poultry in which the bird is split open, flattened, and grilled. This technique results in more evenly cooked meat that is juicy and flavorful. Smoked Spatchcock Turkey is a great option for your next holiday feast.
Traeger spatchcock turkey
Ingredients for Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Turkey
- Whole turkey
- poultry rub
Maple Whiskey Brine Ingredients
- onion – peeled and quartered
- bay leaves
- fresh rosemary
- whole peppercorns
- sea salt or kosher salt
- maple syrup
- bourbon whiskey
- lemon – sliced
- orange – sliced
- water at room temperature
- water – chilled
Do I have to brine the turkey?
Technically no, you don’t have to brine the turkey before smoking it. However, because we are placing it directly on the grill grates and we aren’t cooking it in a pan or covering it to hold in the steam and moisture, we brine to help counter that and keep the turkey moist and juicy.
If you would like to skip the brine – I recommend placing a heat-safe bowl of juice or water in the smoker with the turkey to help keep it from drying out. You can also spritz it with apple cider vinegar every 45 minutes to an hour to help with moisture.
How do you Spatchcock a turkey?
To spatchcock a turkey, start by removing the backbone and breast bone from the bird. This will help it cook evenly and allows more surface area for the smoke to penetrate. Then, spatchcock the turkey by flipping it over so that the breast side is facing down. This position helps keep the turkey moist during cooking.
Next, rub your Smoked Spatchcock Turkey all over with Traeger poultry rub. Be generous with the seasoning so that the flavors can really permeate the meat.
How to Make Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
- Thaw the turkey ahead of time if frozen. Remove any giblets or neck sections and set them aside for stock if desired.
Make the brine:
- Add the brining ingredients into a stock pot large enough to hold the turkey.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a separate pot.
- Add the boiling water to the stock pot and whisk until the salt is dissolved.
- Add the 6 cups of chilled water to the finished brining solution and set aside.
Spatchcock the turkey:
- Place the turkey breast down on a cutting board and with a chef’s knife or kitchen shears cut along both sides of the backbone.
- Next slice the cartilage separating the breasts.
- Turn the turkey over and press the turkey flat.
- Clip the wing tips off with your kitchen shears.
- Add the turkey to the stock pot with the brining solution and place in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours.
- After brining, remove the turkey from the solution and lay on a baking rack and allow it to drain while the smoker comes to temperature.
Cooking
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
- Pat any remaining moisture from the skin of the turkey and generously season the turkey with your favorite poultry rub.
- Lay the turkey flat directly onto the grill grates and close the lid.
- After 2 hours increase the temperature to 350°F and cook until the breast meat is 165° F read with an instant read thermometer. (Usually 1 ½ to 2 more hours)
- Remove the turkey from the smoker and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Carve and serve.
How much turkey breast do you need per person?
The rule of thumb is to buy one pound of turkey per person.
Keep in mind how many side dishes you will be offering along with the turkey. If you are making this for Thanksgiving – then you will most likely be serving side dishes too. So people may serve themselves a bit less turkey if they plan on loading up their plate with a lot of extras.
Something else to keep in mind – do you expect your guests to go back for seconds – always keep that in mind. I almost always double what I think I will need because not only does my family love seconds – but we love leftovers too.
What pellets do you recommend?
I personally prefer using applewood or cherry for turkey recipes. However – you can use whatever flavor you like depending on the overall flavor you are looking for.
Can you freeze turkey?
Yes, you can freeze turkey. Just portion out whatever you aren’t going to use & place it in a shallow, airtight & freezer-safe container. Label with the contents & the date before placing it in the freezer.
I like to use a zip-top bag for this & portion it out into a “per-day” amount so that we are only thawing what we can reasonably use which cuts waste.
What temperature should a turkey be cooked to?
The best way for a turkey to be cooked is with high heat, which will kill all the bacteria in the turkey. The USDA recommends cooking your turkey at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes per pound of weight when using a conventional oven.
Smoke the turkey until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees.
How to Spatchcock a Turkey
Why don’t you rinse the turkey first?
I know there are people out there that are passionate about rinsing poultry before cooking it. However, most cooking schools these days don’t recommend the practice.
This just spreads salmonella to more parts of your kitchen – leaving more room for issues and more places to clean. Plus, anything that you may be trying to wash off isn’t going to come off without soap. You wouldn’t just rinse your hands after touching poultry, you would vigorously use soap.
Since you aren’t going to use soap on your poultry, rinsing doesn’t help. Anything that could be on there, will bake off /out as long as you are cooking the turkey to the right temperature.
Don’t miss these other great turkey recipes
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Cajun Turkey Breast
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Turkey Panini
- How to Roast a Turkey – in the oven
- Turkey Chili
- Applewood Smoked Turkey – Traeger Recipe
- Turkey Tetrazzini
- Turkey Cranberry Sliders
Don’t miss our Smoked Boneless Leg of Lamb for an easy holiday main dish!
What to serve with Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
This recipe is so versatile you can serve it with just about anything. But here are some of our favorites.
- Sparkling Cranberries
- Crockpot Cranberry Cider
- Italian Garlic Butter – great for rubbing the outside of the bird before cooking
- One Hour Disappearing Fat Rolls
- Duchess Potatoes
- Easy Pecan Pie
- Oven-Roasted Mushrooms
- Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Thanksgiving Punch
How long is cooked turkey good for?
Providing that the turkey didn’t sit out too long before it was transferred to an airtight container, it should last 3-4 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
As with most things, it is important to get food into the refrigerator within 1 hour after serving to prevent bacteria growth.
Other Smoked Dishes
Products I love when making Traeger Smoked Spatchcock Turkey…
This smoked turkey recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never cooked on your smoker before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this dinner recipe. (you can also SHOP MY FAVORITES in my store)
- Traeger/pellet grille
- Traeger applewood pellets
- Pellets
- meat thermometer
- Traeger for camping
- Stay Dry Bin for Pellets
- tongs
- mixing bowl
If you love this delicious Traeger recipe, you’re going to love these other smoker recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
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Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Ingredients
Turkey
- Whole turkey 12-14 pounds
- 4 tablespoons poultry rub
Maple Whiskey Brine Ingredients
- 1 medium onion peeled and quartered
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 1 cup sea salt or kosher salt
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup bourbon whiskey
- 1 lemon sliced
- 1 orange sliced
- 2 cups of water at room temperature
- 6 cups water chilled
Instructions
- Thaw the turkey ahead of time if frozen. Remove any giblets or neck sections and set them aside for stock if desired.
Make the brine:
- Add the brining ingredients into a stock pot large enough to hold the turkey.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a separate pot.
- Add the boiling water to the stock pot and whisk until the salt is dissolved.
- Add the 6 cups of chilled water to the finished brining solution and set aside.
Spatchcock the turkey:
- Place the turkey breast down on a cutting board and with a chef’s knife or kitchen shears cut along both sides of the backbone.
- Next slice the cartilage separating the breasts.
- Turn the turkey over and press the turkey flat.
- Clip the wing tips off with your kitchen shears.
- Add the turkey to the stock pot with the brining solution and place in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours.
- After brining, remove the turkey from the solution and lay on a baking rack and allow it to drain while the smoker comes to temperature.
Cooking
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
- Pat any remaining moisture from the skin of the turkey and generously season the turkey with your favorite poultry rub.
- Lay the turkey flat directly onto the grill grates and close the lid.
- After 2 hours increase the temperature to 350°F and cook until the breast meat is 165° F read with an instant read thermometer. (Usually 1 ½ to 2 more hours)
- Remove the turkey from the smoker and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Carve and serve.
Equipment
- Wood Pellet Choices: Apple, Pecan, Cherry
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Taste of the Frontier cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
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