23 pound turkey - spatchcock or not?

Powak

Cooking a 23 pound Butterball tomorrow for the famdamily. Cooking this Bigole boy in the oven and was set on throwing an onion, half a lemon snd some fresh herbs inside. SWMBO spotted this article and it is tempting to go spatchcock with this bird but A) I’ll have to use my huge bacon pan to support it and is that too bigga bird to spatchcock? If I did go that route, what temp on the oven? Either way I think I’ll use a baking sheet vs the roasting pan whether I spatchcock or not.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/11/21/1057549040/this-thanksgiving-let-science-help-you-roast-a-tastier-turkey

Photo Egg

A spatchcock does not give the traditional bird on a plate look.
Besides that it’s better in almost every way. You can easily season both sides, it cooks faster, and in my opinion more evenly.
But I’m not sure a baking sheet has the depth to hold all the drippings for a bird this big.
Start out at 325 and bump temp or turn on convection fan towards the end to crisp skin if needed. You got this!

RRP

Just as Darian has told you, that big bird will cover a lot real estate if you decide to spatccock it! My advice is to stick to leaving it as is!

Photo Egg

RRP said:

Just as Darian has told you, that big bird will cover a lot real estate if you decide to spatccock it! My advice is to stick to leaving it as is!

I think it will still fit in his oven fairly easily. But would be a tough fit in a Large Egg.

Powak

Boy this sounds excellent! The plan is to use the oven for this one so real estate won’t be an issue and I’m going to use half of my turkey roasting pan and lift the bird up off the bottom with a cookie rack. I’m also going to use my Meater to watch the temps. Where should I monitor that from? Breast or thigh? Read 150 breast is key.

marcdc

Spatchcocking our 24lb bird in the XL. Indirect, raised at 325. Putting it in around Noon

lousubcap

If you go the spatch route, I use a hatchet to cut out the backbone.  Just be careful of the follow thru.  FWIW-

Powak

lousubcap said:

If you go the spatch route, I use a hatchet to cut out the backbone.  Just be careful of the follow thru.  FWIW-

Oh yeah! I got bigass tinsmith pliers I use to cut it out. It’s goin good in oven right now. Should I be watching the thigh or Breast temps first?

lousubcap

Given the more fat in the thighs I always focus on the breast temp to declare victory.  The thigh can easily roll into the 180's and be moist.  FWIW-

Powak

lousubcap said:

Given the more fat in the thighs I always focus on the breast temp to declare victory.  The thigh can easily roll into the 180's and be moist.  FWIW-

160 in the breast?

bbracey21

Breast, always the breasts… 

Powak

Well this is gonna be interesting. I’ve got 160 in one breast and 146 in the other…

lousubcap

I go with 155*F in the breast.  The carryover will glide it up a few degrees (never measured the rise) and it is quite moist.  FWIW-

johnmitchell

lousubcap said:

I go with 155*F in the breast.  The carryover will glide it up a few degrees (never measured the rise) and it is quite moist.  FWIW-

I think there is a joke in this 😂😂😉

Powak

johnmitchell said:

lousubcap said:

I go with 155*F in the breast.  The carryover will glide it up a few degrees (never measured the rise) and it is quite moist.  FWIW-

I think there is a joke in this 😂😂😉

Naw. That’s nuthin but the truth Hahahahh 

Powak