Turkey, Spatchcocked, Dry Brined & Compound Butter

Ingredients

• ~15lb turkey (NOT pre-brined)

Dry brine

• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1.5T baking powder

Compound butter

• 1 stick butter
• 1T black pepper
• 1T fresh thyme
• 1T fresh rosemary
• 2T fresh sage
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1T BBQ rub
• Customize the compound butter as you like!

Directions

Spatchcock the turkey

1. Remove backbone, unfold legs, press down on breast to flatten
2. Separate skin from flesh

Dry brine

1. Combine kosher salt with baking powder for extra crispiness.
2. Salt turkey day before cooking, rest in fridge loosely covered.
3. You don’t necessarily use all of the salt mixture!
4. Turkey should be well seasoned but not “salt crusted”

Make the compound butter

1. Combine all compound butter ingredients (I use the whip on my Kitchenaid)
2. Using gloved hands, spread butter under the skin of the turkey.
3. Note, you don’t need to use all of the compound butter.

Prepare the Turkey for roasting

1. Place the turkey on a rack over a foil lined tray or sheet pan.
2. Optionally scatter tray with vegetables like onions/carrots/root vegetables/herbs if desired, reserved juices can be added to gravy or poured on top of sliced turkey

Roast the turkey

1. Place turkey in oven with legs facing towards the back which is hotter
2. If breast is getting too dark, add some tin foil.

For a turkey <15lb (recommended)

1. Set the oven to 450F degrees and roast until the internal temperature is 150F in breast (~1.5hours).
2. Keep an eye on the color, if browning too quickly, tent with tin foil.

For a turkey >15lb turkey

1. Set the oven to 400-425F degrees and roast until the internal temperature is 150F in breast.
2. Keep an eye on the color, if browning too quickly, tent with tin foil.

Rest the turkey

1. During the 15 minute rest, the turkey will continue cooking to 160F+ which is perfectly safe.
2. High oven temps will ensure crispy skin and cook an average turkey in under 2 hours.