I have tried spatchcocking, I much prefer this I posted on another thread. I think there are photos there. I will never cook another way!

“I have been trying to copy and paste the recipe I sorta followed for the turkey. Not working, lol. It was ”TheTypical Mom”

https://temeculablogs.com/sheet-pan-turkey/

I had googled sheet pan turkey and this was the easiest.

I did cook the back also. I should checked sooner and used my Thermo with the alarm, because it cooked much quicker than I thought. You still get the crispy skin if you like that

ETA: I used my open roaster pan instead of a sheet pan. It is much deeper.“”

My son did his two 22 pound turkeys the same way. He used a much bigger open roaster than mine!

You are cutting up a cold, uncooked bird. No hot juices spurting and running all over the place

It was this thread.

Nicole’s on HD Conversations

OK..Let's see it! Thanksgiving table settings, stuffed turkeys....

^^ Thanks for the link, I will consider trying the sheet pan method too.

The only negative is if you want the “Carve the Whole Bird at the table” 1950’s thing. That only lasted a few times. We were cutting it up in the kitchen anyway.

ETA: You can try a chicken first. Same idea and process.

ETA2: If you spatchcock, I cut different both chicken and turkey. I still do chicken on grill spatchcocked

Cut the bird down the breastbone on one side. Then cut amd pull the bone and cartilidge out. Turn skin side up and push down, breaking and flattening the bird. You will have the breast halves on the outside and the back and thighs in the middle. On the grill, I cook on the cool side, flipping top to bottom and front to back to the hot side. In the oven, I just leave skin side up.

If you have a good butcher, he (or she) will do it for you...

Nope, no butchers anywhere. It is do it yourself. We do not have butchers, we have grocery stores with a meat counter with prepackaged meat or frozen meat. They will repackag a small package into a large to get the sale price. They do NOT cut anything. It comes precut and preground.

I have a butcher in town, but I buy Butterball turkeys. Never had a bad Butterball. In my entire life. Sodium be d*mned, it's a holiday LOL!

Yep, Butterball is my go to. They also are dairy free, which I need for oldest grandson.

My grocery store sells spatchcocked birds. Poor things look like they were run over by a truck.

Maybe Ill try one some day.

@dedtired - "...look like they were run over by a truck" too funny!

Sorry. There are half a dozen butchers cutting meat where I got my turkey, and at least a few at the other stores. Mine's a Diestel. Always excellent. I realize that there are different availabilities in different parts, but it's sad that there are no butchers where y'all shop. There are also some independent butchers here, but they're not really superior. Mostly they specialize in non-standard cuts to set themselves apart.

Those of you Butterball fans might enjoy sometime trying turkeys that are locally raised on smaller family owned farms. These kinds of farms are all over. The one producer that's quite popular in my area and has grown to be a bit more than "small" is Diestel Family Ranch. It's still family owned and operated and its turkeys are hands down better than most others on the market.

Birds raised by smaller operations usually spend much of their time outdoors in pastures, where they can happily move around freely and peck in the dirt. All the things such birds in the wild normally do. From doing so, they develop better flavor.

I know that turkeys from the national brands are widely available and perfectly adequate, quality wise, but the ones from the smaller operators really do have more flavor and are worth the added cost.

I have deboned a few Turkeys. Julia Childs did it. You can do it without breaking the skin if you are careful. I would leave in the lower leg bones and the wings. You stuff it and bake. Slice in rounds.

patriciae

Whole Foods sells already brined Diestel turkeys in my area for $4 a pound. 10 pounds would be $40, not $175 (I just looked it up on its website). That's before considering whether one of us is in a high cost of living area and the other not. It may be these turkeys are cheaper at stores other than Whole Foods.

It's a once a year holiday, we can each choose what works for us.

If your turkey is large and you grill it spatchcocking makes it cook more evenly and faster. My son did ours and now that DH was shown how he won't do turkey on the grill any other way. We like it smoked so this has been a game changer for us in the last four years.

A 10 to 12 pound Diestel is $140.

FarmsDiestel Family RanchAmerican Heirloom Whole Turkey 18-20 lbsTypically $190Track priceDiestel Family Ranch$189.95American Heirloom Whole Turkey 18-20 lbsIn stock onlineFree delivery between Wed - Fri·Not eligible for returnsBase price$189.95Delivery feeFreeTotal$189.95+tax

I found the receipt. I paid $116.32 for 19.5 lbs. Diestel, which includes (gratis) them cutting it to specification, including removeing the spine and breast plate (included in the package and currently in the freezer for the next gravy need). This was at the snooty market with the half dozen visible butchers, where most things cost $1-2 more than normal and a lot more than discount chains. I know I can get a cheaper bird, but Diestel really are the best and require no trickery to be juicy and tasty and all that. You just cook them. I want a little fancier this time because I wasn't cooking in my own kitchen, so tried a really different recipe that cooks really fast.

I'm guessing that the numbers Sherry found have the shipping from California built into the price.

Sherry, suppliers never undersell their customers, which in this case, is stores. And delivery isn't "free", it's included in the price. Considering the weight and need to keep cold, the delivery costs would be substantial. Your link goes to sales direct from Diestel, which is out in the boondocks and away from populated areas.

What I looked at first and stated above was incorrect. Sorry

Any of these in the image below, whether the Diestel -($6 pound, nearly half of what you've quoted) or the Whole Foods branded ones - $4 for organic, $3 for not organic, will be better than Butterball. Whole Foods doesn't compete on pricing but on reliable quality. I'm sure Diestel turkeys are less expensive in other stores.

We didn't buy a turkey, we were guests at a family location. The turkey served was - Diestel from Whole Foods. It was delicious. IIt's a well known and respected regional brand.

I don't know about you but if you're hosting guests for the special occasion, even if family, do you want to say "I found a great buy on turkey, less than $1 a pound" or would you rather say "I bought a high quality turkey for the special occasion"?

The same kind of thing would be available where you are. Local producers, better products than industrial scale ones. Click to enlarge

Last time, no one sells that brand here! The local farms were $175 when I checked the last time the subject came up. You have to order months ago and reserve one with a non refundable deposit.

The turkey was delicious and I WOULD brag about the price. I am not a snob.

The Whole Foods does not sell it. They sell something at $12.99 a pound.

" The Whole Foods does not sell it. They sell something at $12.99 a pound.

See the image below - the Whole Foods at 2501 Memorial Pkwy SW In Huntsville sells Diestel turkeys. $5.99 per pound for the organic heirloom ones - I think that's their top of the line. That's in Northern Alabama but maybe not near where you live.

I'm not confident in the accuracy of your information, including, not the price local farms charge.

Preparing the most delicious food within your means to afford isn't being snobbish. Too bad you think so.

Click to enlarge

I get that, totally. I've only cooked a Butterball once, and I didn't care for it, but if y'all like them I have to believe that it wasn't typical. It's not that there's any thought you should use a brand local for me--and I ordered mine a week or two before I picked it up, no deposit. I would balk at what the local places there are demanding, too!

"Preparing the most delicious food within your means to afford isn't being snobbish. Too bad you think so. " And the more you spend does not guarantee any of what you claim. We average about $.70 a pound for turkey at the holidays. When properly brined and then rub applied, spatchcocked and grilled/smoked the meat is tender, moist and full flavored. It is only turkey after all not exactly a premium protein. Butterball isn't a preferred brand as it's been shot up with who knows what fat, but prepared as we do I am sure it would favor well. It's not the price of the bird it's the preparation/cooking.

While I have nothing in particular against Butterball the injections means moist meat that tends to steam. People like it because Turkey breast being low fat tends to be dry. I do a dry salt with chopped herbs and crushed pepper and let it sit over night. It pulls moisture out and firms and flavors the meat. We usually smoke it for eight hours and then roast. How it ends up moist is beyond me but it is. We get non injected at Costco. But not this year. DH panicked and got one elsewhere since we were in town and it was soggy. Oh well. He eats most of it.

I am of the opinion that if you do not intend to do the "presentation" bit it really makes the most sense to dismember and cook as shown above. It is easier to slice and doesnt over cook the breast. When I score a really big turkey at a good price at CC I will do just the breast skin off. Smoked breast is beautiful and slices like a dream.

patriciae

Arcy, I had to call Butterball when we found my oldest grandson was allergic to a lot of things. While they could not tell me exact ingredients, there are no dairy of any kind and no nuts. In fact there are none of the common allergens.

I like it prebrined. I tried brine one year and I hated lugging the heavy water. Dry brining is too salty for us. So I went back to the turkey that my grandmother and my parents always bought. I can trust it. It comes with the giblets, (not all have them) I like it being frozen. They are only this price at Thanksgiving, so I buy usually at least 3 more, for Christmas, Easter, and summer.

I guess if you are someone so insecure that you are not confident of your cooking, that you have to over pay so you can brag where you bought it, well that is that persons problem. There are a lot cheaper turkeys, I saw some at 30 cents per pound.

patriciae, Your turkey sounds delicous. I smoke ours on the summer and sometimes Easter, depending on the weather.

FWIW, a lot of merchants were offering turkeys at loss leader prices this year - the organic fresh one we had was only about $4/#, and they were $3.49/# @ Trader Joe's.

One thing I've never tackled is a frozen turkey, tho many years ago, I won a frozen Butterball @ work. I took it to a pit barbecue place to have it smoked, and it was the driest turkey I've ever known!

Your problem Carol was the bbq place. A lot of them over cook their stuff. The breast only needs to go to 165*. When I smoke on my smoker, I still only cook to 165*. I had the space, so I thawed in my garage fridge. When I am short of time, I thaw like my grandmother and parents did. You put the turkey still in the package in the sink and cover with cool water. Every 30 minutes flip the bird and refill the water. When it is mostly thawed, put in fridge overnight.

DO NOT just set on counter to thaw.

ETA: Yes, the Butterballs are probably at cost or less this time of the year. They count on you picking up other stuff.

This guy does not look too happy about being spatchcocked. Tonight, in my grocery store.

Yeah, he looks knock-kneed

FWIW, I'll chime in ! Our turkey was Mary's brand, from California , for $62, accessed from our local butcher (we have had locally raised turkeys in the past and they must be ordered well ahead if eve available, and are quite pricey) We forgot to weigh it, it was sold as in the 12-16 pound range, my husband says it wasn't marked... so I'm guessing 14 pounds, and it was $62 so, under $5 a pound .... not bad for a free range, 'high welfare' as sweetheart Jamie Oliver puts it, turkey.

To the question, my husband has been spatchcocking the turkeys for years, this year I watched him do the cutting with the poultry shears, it looked like a laborious process... I think a knife down the bone might actually be easier. Could tackle it over the course of 45 minutes or something, to give the hands a rest. The turkey turns out Beautifully ! In the early years when he began his method, I roasted one whole as well, just because of my need for tradition, but as our group has become smaller I am totally satisfied with the spatchcocked turkey, done on the weber grill outside. Some years, straight onto the grates (with a cast iron skillet below to catch the drippings for gravy) but this year I suggested roasting the turkey, placing our 14" cast iron skillet onto the grates, and herb-butter basting it. That was well received, and the gravy was spectacular :)

I've done chickens a few times, and like carol does hers, I just cut it down the backbone without actually removing the backbone (I think we talked about that before).

I think if you want to try it out, start with a smaller bird like wise people above have already said, but if you ever tackle spatchcocking a 28-pounder, please post pictures, that sounds amazing !

I’ve never spatchcocked a turkey. I gather it is difficult to cut out the backbone? Hmm, a garage full of tools, something there must be suitable. Maybe a jigsaw with a fine blade; failing that, the cute 3.5” circular saw I use for drywall? If that is overkill, then for a manual option, the sheet metal shears.

I actually own poultry shears, never tried it with a turkey. I'll pick up another turkey, freeze it, and try it later in the year on the grill. GREAT idea!

I'm taking my FREE Butterball turkey to the gym today....giving it to a guy with a BIG family for his Christmas dinner. (Safeway has a deal every year, spend $100 & the turkey...any size is free). I paid .79cents a lb, for a Honeysuckle White, it was delicious!

" Our turkey was Mary's brand, from California "

We love Mary's chicken, it's all we buy. They seemed to be one of the first on the scene to use the air-chilling process rather than dunking the chicken into cold water, as is common especially with the factory scale operations. Air chilling preserves the chicken's flavor (rather than it leeching into the water) and results in a much more flavorful product.

How did you find the turkey? Is it also air chilled, or maybe the package didn't mention it?

Having a dedicated pair of tin snips or garden snips can be handy for a turkey.

On another forum/thread, the turkey bought was 39 cents per pound.

I use OXO kitchen shears.

I do not like spatchcocking, but if you do….:

You cut along the thin bones between the front and back. They are not hard to cut with good kitchen shears. You are NOT cutting down the middle of the backbone, you are cutting the backbone out, leaving the breasts, thigh quarters, and wings. Flip skin side up and push down on breasts to break the bones around it and flatten. You can also pull up on thigh quarters as you are pushing down on breasts. Roast or simmer backbone in water for whatever.

My father gave me tinsnips to trim artichokes with. I don't think those would go through turkey bones (other tinsnips might do better), but neither would my good poultry shears, which aren't happy cutting a chicken pelvis from the spine if it's much above 4 lbs. At a certain point, you need brute strength and an espesciall sharp bone cutter. Which is why I leave it to the butcher, but cut my own chickens,

I've spatch cocked chickens, not turkeys. I bought special shears made just for that purpose to do it and truthfully they've seen very little use. I'd been buying them already spatched and lemon seasoned at Trader Joes - thought I might like to do my own. Buying them already prepared to cook is easier 😊

I tried for years to convince my eldest sister in law that its much easier to roast two 14 # turkeys than struggle with one 28#. The bird never made it out of the kitchen to be shown off as art on the dining table. She never 'got it', always cooked the one huge size. Her oven would have easily held two smaller roasters and she had two ovens anyway! She reached an age she couldn't manage the weight of that massive roaster and we quit having 40-50 people at her house on Christmas Eve a few years ago.

Pillog, I have not had a problem with my OXO kitchen shears with any bones, chicken OR turkey.

ETA: You do not cut through the bone chicken or turkey. You flip skin side down and cut on either side of the breast bone and cartilidge with a meat knife and pop it out.

I have OXO poultry shears that easily spatchcock chickens and turkeys, though I don’t think I’ve done more than an 18 lb turkey.

Do you cut away the pelvis from the spine? Or do ou do it "restaurant style" with the pelvis still attached to the spine?

I do as Sherry, cut only between bones. I leave the back and spine intact, flipping it off to the side of the bird. After all these years, I learned that. It's nice to get all the roasted drippings and flavor, so it helps.

What do you mean by pelvis? The flip of a tail?

Ah. See that's my issue. Cutting the pelvis from the spine. I don't bother spatchcocking young chickens for roasting. I just remove the spine (freeze for making stock) and press down a bit to butterfly them. Removing the breast plate isn't a big deal, but I like the flavor of roasted on the bone. Same with turkey, really. I want the spine off when cut in parts, but I think the breast has more flavor if roasted on the bones.

I think I really messed up my syntax on my post, I didn't mean to imply cutting through the bone was the way to do it. Maybe the way I've done it on a chicken was down the breast side, I've only done it twice and kind of 'wiggled' the knife through what must be called cartilage and tendons, not bones. My apologies - I'm out of my depth in what is more of a technical discussion of techniques.

Elmer - Our Mary's turkey was provided through Matanuska Valley Meats, they have a nice shop near my house called Butcher Block 9 (referencing their 9 kids). They carry lots of local meat but not limited to that. It was sold as 'Mary's fresh organic turkeys, $5.49 a pound'. Beyond that, I trust that it was a high quality bird, it sure tasted great !

They also offered 'Northwest Natural Turkeys' at $3.49 a pound , but because I've enjoyed Mary's chickens from our store 'Natural Pantry' , I chose that brand. The air-chilled versus water is something I've read about and do my best to choose those... we can get local chickens from Polaris farms now that are much less $$ than Mary's - I'll have to look into the process used - thank you.

I mentioned above that I cut down one side of the chicken's spine in back, but I still have to cut through the ribs and the hip bone, where it connects with the spine, leaving the spine attached on one side. I use a filet knife.

I've never owned poultry shears, but my mom had a pair and they were used often.

I forgot you live in Alaska, lat62. That's a Lower 48 price way up there. They must ship the turkeys frozen. Do those kind of food items and other groceries come up by ship?

I've never had a Mary's turkey, though Mary's operation is also near/in the Central Valley. Diestel is the market leader for locally raised, non-mass produced turkeys and Mary's is its equivalent in the chicken market.

Maybe we'll try one sometime.

I think there's a definition of deep chilling versus freezing, to allow them to be sold as fresh ? Anyway, I was quite satisfied and trusting without doing a deep dive into understanding the process

Yes, the vast majority of our food comes up on the barge, which makes me appreciate our local farmers and fishermen very much... we eat locally as much as possible - many Alaskans have an extra freezer or two for berries, salmon, moose, caribou - it's a way of life. But yes, we depend on the lower-48 for many staples. It's an issue up here for sure

There's a reverse flow of seafood. While I understand that it seems that it's people who live in coastal locations that tend to like fish and other seafood more than people who live inland, it's not like our doing so is a form of being a locavore. Because a lot of fish is landed far from its ultimate markets where sold and the only way to be able to sell them in those distant markets in "like fresh" condition is by freezing the products at sea or, for day fishing, once back in port. I suspect you know that a lot of fishing boats that go out for many days or weeks at a time have processing quick freeze equipment onboard.

While we have salmon in our ocean nearby, much of our wild salmon down here is from Alaska and is labeled as being "previously frozen". At good stores that know how to handle fish properly, I have no problem with that. I think the same is true of other products we get from the East - sea scallops, wild Atlantic cod (the traditional kind and a different species from Alaskan cod) are but a few examples.

I'm happy to know that Alaska can 'return the favor' by providing salmon. I read now and then about salmon habitat restoration efforts in California and the Pacific Northwest (dam removal is a big part of that ), so that is a very important and hopeful effort. We here in Alaska have sustainability issues that make me worried, like dams being proposed, mining projects, and the worst might be the bottom trawling for pollock resulting in bycatch that impact chinook salmon runs.

Anyway, I agree that the flash-frozen fish at sea is very high quality ! I must do a side by side taste test with fresh-caught copper river reds (sockeye) this spring,some of our friends share from their dip-netting efforts - it's been awhile since I've had my hook in the water :)) We can get fresh troll-caught salmon in the winter, but our biologist friend says it's not a very sustainable idea, so I feel a little guilty if I indulge in that.

The Monterey Bay aquarium is such a great resource for these issues :))

Sorry to go so far off topic, talking about 'turkeys of the sea' , haha but lots of people enjoy salmon for Thanksgiving !

We get Copper River salmon down here, just for a few weeks a year. Maybe It's late May or early June. It is delicious, very sweet and mild. I don't recall if what we get it's fresh-fresh or flash frozen. It does have a different taste, about which I once read an explanation that said it was one part "terroir" (the unique and distinctive flavor impact of Copper River area vegetation and water and its ocean outflow area, and the food it provides for the fish), and two parts successful marketing hype. Who knows?

Yes, there have been efforts to reestablish salmon in a number of rivers. I don't know enough about it to know if the gestures are symbolic or intended to have a significant effect on salmon populations out in the ocean down this way.

Another thing I've read is that the colder water up your way produces salmon with a higher fat content than the ones down here. That affects flavor too, and I think it's one of the reasons that salmon farming takes place more in colder water areas than in warmer water ones.