Spatchcock Smoking

Spatchcocking (removing the backbone and flattening the bird) is the single best trick for smoked poultry: it cooks faster, more evenly, and crisps the skin far better than a whole bird. Here are our spatchcock guides, each with a free calculator that plans your cook backward from dinner to the minute.

Smoking a Whole Turkey (Spatchcocked) – Time and TempSmoking Whole Chicken (Spatchcocked) – Time and Temp

Cut	Pit temp	Pull temp	Rough time
Smoking a Whole Turkey (Spatchcocked) – Time and Temp	225°F / 107°C	165°F	~25 min/lb
Smoking Whole Chicken (Spatchcocked) – Time and Temp	225°F / 107°C	165°F	~4 hr

Why spatchcock a bird for smoking?

A whole bird is thick and round, so the breast overcooks before the thighs are done. Spatchcocking flattens it to an even thickness, so white and dark meat finish together, the skin renders and crisps, and the total time drops by a third or more. It is the method most competition and backyard cooks reach for.

How to spatchcock

Cut out the backbone with kitchen shears (save it for stock), flip the bird breast-up, and press firmly on the breastbone until it flattens. Season, then smoke skin-up. Pull poultry at a safe 165 F in the thickest part of the breast. Pick your bird above and the calculator will size the timeline to its exact weight.