Thanksgiving SPATCHCOCK a turkey... smoking time

[Flynhawaiian]

I am wondering if it's worth spatchcocking a turkey for thanksgiving this year. Normally I cook it normally but I'm wondering if it would be more tender if I did it this way. I feel like there is more surface area and it would cook faster but might be less moist and would be drier. Thoughts?

[Jerod Broussard]

Never had a spatchcocked turkey or chicken come out any less in moistness.

[emil.glatz]

Chris Lily and Meathead discuss that a bit. Check out the video (https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...n-runs-1-14-03)

They talk about turkey pretty late in the show.

For a short: Chris preaches protect, protect, protect. So I'd say you're right: faster, but drier. I was really hoping to be selected as the grill master to try Chris's technique this TD, but alas, another grill master was chosen. (Huge family of awesome grillers.)

[richinlbrg]

My experience is that a turkey of about 12# spatchcocked cooks in about 90 minutes at about 350. Moist and is great, but leave some extra time.....just in case

[Flynhawaiian]

Awesome. I’m still trying to decide which way I want to do it. Last year it came out amazing, and was about 12 hours in the smoker.

[Huskee]

Flynhawaiian 325+ (I like 340-360 personally) will not dry it out. The breasts will likely be dry, that's their nature and for this reason many will inject the breasts (but you don't have to). But the bird as a whole will absolutely not dry out. Spatchcocking allows quicker more even cooking which prevents drying out.

[RonB]

I really like the way the turkey is when cooked on a rotisserie - been doing it that way for years.

[Flynhawaiian]

So you would do 340 for how many hours? Just till it reaches 160-165?