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23 pound turkey - spatchcock or not?

Powak
Powak Posts: 1,391
in EggHead Forum
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 B) 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

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Comments

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    edited November 2022
    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!

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,887
    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!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    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.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391
    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.
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  • marcdc
    marcdc Posts: 126
    Spatchcocking our 24lb bird in the XL. Indirect, raised at 325. Putting it in around Noon
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,314
    If you go the spatch route, I use a hatchet to cut out the backbone.  Just be careful of the follow thru.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391
    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?
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,314
    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-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391
    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?
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  • bbracey21
    bbracey21 Posts: 319
    Breast, always the breasts… 
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  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391
    Well this is gonna be interesting. I’ve got 160 in one breast and 146 in the other…
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,314
    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-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • johnmitchell
    johnmitchell Posts: 6,569
    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 😂😂😉
    Greensboro North Carolina
    When in doubt Accelerate....
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  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391
    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 
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  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391

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