What goes into making Christmas dinner? Well, most people would say you need the basics like potatoes, roasted vegetables, stuffing, baked pies and of course the turkey. Depending on how many mouths you have to feed, there could be several more options not to mention larger quantities of each dish.
Problem #1 – you only have one oven.
Problem #2 – all of your dishes require different temperatures.
Coordinating the oven logistics on Christmas day can be tiring and frustrating. Barbecue Country is here to help!
Since the turkey takes up most of the oven’s time and space, throw that bird on the barbecue!
Not only does this free up the entire oven for everything else but you will get a standing ovation when you bring in the perfectly grilled turkey. The results are amazing!
Want to do one better? Spatchcock your next bird before placing on the grill, and it’ll be the easiest, fastest turkey you’ve ever cooked. Promise!
What is spatchcocking? It’s basically butterflying the turkey open by taking out the backbone, and laying the entire bird flat with breast meat facing up.
The advantages are:
1. Flat Shape, Even Cooking
By laying the bird out flat and placing the legs to the sides, they will cook faster which prevents the white breast meat from drying out before the legs are cooked through. As a bonus, it doesn't take up nearly as much vertical space so it will fit nicely on the grill.
2. Juicy Meat and Crispy Skin
A regular turkey is sphere shaped which means a lot of the skin in hidden underneath. The juice from the skin at the bottom simply runs off without ever touching and flavouring the meat. With a spatchcocked turkey, all of the skin is on the top. This helps to create juicier meat and thinner and crispier skin!
3. Faster Cooking Time
A standard roast turkey can take several hours to cook through at an oven temperature of around 350 degrees F. With a spatchcocked turkey and its slim profile , cooking over indirect heat can cut the cooking time down dramatically. Depending on the size of the bird, whether you’re using a gas grill or smoker, and if you’ve brined the bird overnight, cooking time is virtually cut in half! We promise you won’t have to slave over the turkey for hours.
But remember the golden rule: the turkey is done when both the breast and thigh reads 165 degrees F with an instant read thermometer!
4. Better Gravy
You can always make gravy with boxed stock and some drippings. But let’s face it, if the turkey is the star of the dinner, gravy is definitely the best supporting actor. Real bones, meat, and drippings might actually rival the turkey for its star status.
This time, add the entire backbone you removed earlier, the neck and giblets to flavour the broth.
What’s the downside to spatchcocking the turkey? None.
Okay, some may argue that the turkey doesn’t look “quite right” because you didn’t leave it in its traditional sphere shape. We say, carve it in the kitchen. Don’t let them see dinner until it’s plated. Then all you’ll hear are the oohs and aahs as they gobble it up.
Want more tips on grilling tips? Visit us in store at Barbecue Country or online at www.barbecuecountry.com.
