Spatchcock Turkey on the Grill: Juicy Whole-Bird Recipe

Looking for a delicious, super-moist turkey without the fuss of a large liquid brine? This easy dry-brine spatchcock turkey is the solution. Instead of soaking the bird, a simple 4-ingredient dry rub seasons the meat and helps retain moisture — and you only need a sheet pan. Spatchcocking (butterflying) the turkey by removing the backbone lets the bird roast much faster and makes carving simpler. The cider gravy can be made ahead and reheated. This spatchcock grilled turkey is ideal for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, or any large gathering.

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. As always, all opinions are my own.

Thanksgiving is my favorite family holiday, but Friendsgiving is where I enjoy keeping things casual and delicious. I rely on my local Sprouts Farmers Market for fresh, natural and organic ingredients at great prices, including the turkey for this recipe. For this dish I bought everything I needed in one trip, which makes planning easy.

Best Fowl For Dry Brine Turkey

• Choose a fresh (never frozen), all-natural turkey with no hormones or additives.
• Avoid Kosher turkeys for this recipe, since they’ve already been soaked in a salt solution and won’t need a dry brine.
• Opt for a smaller bird; 10–14 pounds is ideal. Larger turkeys can be tougher. An 11½-pound turkey is a perfect size for spatchcocking and grilling.

Spatchcocking simply means removing the backbone so the bird can be flattened and cooked evenly. A good pair of poultry shears makes this task quick and safe.

How to Butterfly Turkey

1. Place the turkey breast-side down on a cutting surface.
2. Hold a thigh to steady the bird and cut along one side of the backbone with poultry shears.
3. Continue cutting up along the backbone toward the neck.
4. Repeat on the opposite side to free and remove the backbone.
5. Reserve the backbone for the gravy or stock.
6. Open the rib cage and make a shallow slit through the breast bone from inside the cavity to help it lay flat.
7. Flip the turkey breast-side up and press firmly in the center of the breast until the rib cage cracks and the bird lays flat.

Ingredients For Turkey Dry Rub

• Kosher salt (3 tablespoons Diamond Crystal or 1½ tablespoons Morton’s). Do not use iodized salt.
• Black pepper
• Dried thyme
• Smoked paprika

A word about salt:

Diamond Crystal and Morton’s kosher salts differ in flake size. Diamond Crystal measures less salty by volume, so if you use Morton’s, halve the amount. Iodized salt is much saltier and should not be substituted here.

How To Dry Brine Turkey

1. Mix the kosher salt, thyme, pepper and smoked paprika. Rub the mixture over the skin, under the skin, and inside the cavity.
2. Place the turkey on a half sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 24–36 hours.
3. Leave it uncovered to air-chill. This dries the skin slightly and helps achieve crisp, golden skin when cooking.

I used fresh apple cider to create a bright, sweet-savory cider gravy. The cider reduction adds a distinct apple note that pairs beautifully with turkey.

Making Cider Gravy For Spatchcock Grilled Turkey

• Bring the cider to a boil in an uncovered saucepan.
• Reduce until it measures about half the original volume, roughly 15–20 minutes.

The cider reduction combines with a savory turkey stock made from the reserved backbone, neck and giblets to create a balanced gravy. Fresh herbs and aromatics round out the flavor.

Turkey Broth Ingredients:

• Turkey neck, backbone and giblets
• Water
• Thyme, rosemary, sage, fresh parsley
• Onion
• Black peppercorns, bay leaves, kosher salt

Making Turkey Broth

1. Combine turkey parts with enough water to cover in a large pot.
2. Tie fresh herbs in a bundle and add with onion, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer with the lid slightly ajar so liquid can reduce.
4. Simmer about 20 minutes until reduced by half.
5. Remove solids, strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve about 3 cups for the gravy.

Making Cider Gravy

• Melt butter in a saucepan and whisk in flour to form a paste.
• Whisk in cider reduction and turkey stock gradually until smooth.
• Bring to a boil while whisking until the gravy thickens to the desired consistency.
• Stir in apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire and a touch of browning sauce, then add chopped fresh herbs and adjust seasoning.
• Refrigerate the gravy until ready to reheat and serve.

After 24–36 hours in the fridge, the turkey is ready to cook. You can roast it in the oven, but grilling outdoors adds char and smoke and frees the oven for sides. A spatchcocked turkey on the grill makes a striking presentation and cooks more quickly and evenly.

Making Spatchcock Grilled Turkey

• Set the grill for indirect heat. On charcoal, place embers to either side with a drip pan beneath the turkey; on gas, heat only one side and cook over the unlit portion with a drip pan under the bird.
• If you like smoke, add soaked wood chips (cherry, apple or pecan) to the embers or a smoker box.
• When the grill reaches about 350°F, place the turkey on the grate and cook 1½–2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast or thigh.
• Baste every 30 minutes with herb-butter for color and flavor.

Letting Spatchcock Grilled Turkey Rest

Rest the turkey 20–30 minutes tented with foil so juices redistribute. Warm the cider gravy and, if available, whisk in pan drippings for extra depth.

This method yields a tender, juicy bird with crisp skin and great flavor — perfect for sharing.

What to serve with spatchcock grilled turkey

• Horseradish mashed potatoes
• Mac and cheese
• Creamy scalloped potatoes
• Cajun oyster and sausage stuffing
• Oven-roasted butternut squash
• Whole-berry cranberry sauce
• Peas with shallots, mushrooms and tarragon
• Tangy lentils and quinoa

More Thanksgiving turkey recipes:

• Citrus marinated turkey breast
• Smoked turkey breasts
• Parmesan apple stuffed turkey tenderloin
• Roasted turkey with bourbon brine
• Whole smoked turkey with cider gravy

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