Spatchcocking means cutting out the backbone so the bird lies flat. It takes about two minutes and it fixes the central problem with cooking poultry whole: the breast is done at 165°F while the thighs want 175°F, and in an intact bird the breast is the part most exposed to heat. Flatten it and everything finishes together.

Why it is worth doing

• Even cooking. Breast and thigh land within a few degrees of each other instead of fighting.
• About a third less time. A whole turkey that takes 6 to 7 hours takes 4 to 5 spatchcocked.
• Far better skin. The entire surface faces the heat, so it renders and crisps evenly instead of only on top.
• It fits. A flattened bird slides onto a smaller smoker that could not take it whole.
• Easier carving. The bird is already open and the joints are exposed.

The only real trade-off is presentation. You cannot carry a flattened bird to the table for the big reveal.

How to do it

1. Put the bird breast side down on a cutting board, legs toward you.
2. Using heavy kitchen shears, cut up one side of the backbone from tail to neck. Stay tight to the bone.
3. Cut up the other side and lift the backbone out. Keep it for stock.
4. Flip the bird breast side up and press down hard on the breastbone with the heel of your hand until you feel it crack and the bird lies flat.
5. Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders so they do not burn.

Good shears are the whole game here. Poultry shears or heavy kitchen scissors go through a chicken easily; a turkey backbone is substantially tougher, and light scissors will fight you the entire way.

Times and temperatures

Cook hot. Poultry skin needs heat to render, and low and slow is how you get rubber.

• Spatchcocked chicken: 300 to 325°F, about 1.5 to 2 hours, pulled at 165°F in the breast. See the full guide.
• Spatchcocked turkey: 300 to 325°F, roughly 20 minutes per pound, so 4 to 5 hours for a 14 pound bird. See the turkey guide.

Always measure in the thickest part of the breast, away from bone. The thighs will read higher and that is exactly what you want from dark meat.

Dry brine first

Salt the bird all over and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight. A flattened bird gets better salt coverage than a whole one, and the open surface dries out beautifully, which is most of the battle for crisp skin. Put butter or oil under the skin, not on top, so it bastes the meat instead of running off.

Use mild wood. Apple, cherry or maple give colour without the acrid edge that heavy hickory or mesquite can leave on poultry.

Frequently asked questions

What does spatchcock mean?

Removing the backbone from a bird so it can be pressed flat. It is also called butterflying, and it makes the bird cook faster and more evenly.

How much faster is a spatchcocked bird?

About a third. A 14 pound turkey drops from roughly 6 to 7 hours down to 4 to 5, and a chicken finishes in around 1.5 to 2 hours.

Do I need special shears to spatchcock?

Heavy kitchen or poultry shears. A chicken is easy with almost anything sharp, but a turkey backbone is tough enough that light scissors become genuinely difficult.

Can you spatchcock a frozen bird?

No. Thaw it completely first. Beyond being nearly impossible to cut, a partly frozen bird cooks unevenly and sits too long in the danger zone.

More cuts and methods on the spatchcock smoking hub, and the full smoking times and temperatures chart.