Porchetta-Flavored Spatchcocked Turkey Recipe

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Senior Culinary Director
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
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Updated Aug. 29, 2018
20161025-spatchcock-turkey-porchetta-flavor-vicky-wasik-6.jpg
Vicky Wasik

Why This Recipe Works

  • Spatchcocking the bird results in meat that cooks faster and more evenly, with better-browned, crispier skin.
  • Pushing the moist herb and spice mixture under the skin infuses its flavor into the meat and avoids the scorching that tends to happen when spices are rubbed on the outside of the skin.

The woodsy herb, fennel, and garlic flavors in a classic Italian porchetta are an absolutely natural match for turkey, which is why we stuff them under the skin in this easy recipe. It's such a great pairing, we're surprised the Pilgrims didn't think of it first.

Recipe Details

Porchetta-Flavored Spatchcocked Turkey Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 2 hrs
Serves 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 large onions, roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 quarts; 1 1/2 pounds; 680g), divided

  • 3 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (about 1 quart; 12 ounces; 340g), divided

  • 4 ribs celery, roughly chopped (about 1 quart; 12 ounces; 340g), divided

  • 12 thyme sprigs, divided

  • 1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns (1/4 ounce; 6g)

  • 1 tablespoon fennel seed (1/4 ounce; 8g)

  • 1 teaspoon (2g) red pepper flakes

  • 4 medium cloves garlic (3/4 ounce; 20g)

  • 1/2 cup fresh sage leaves (1/2 ounce; 15g)

  • 1 whole turkey (12 to 14 pounds total; 5.5 to 6.3kg), butterflied according to these instructions, backbone, neck, and giblets reserved

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil, divided

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 1/2 quarts (1.4L) homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or turkey stock

  • 2 bay leaves

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Scatter two-thirds of onions, carrots, celery, and thyme sprigs across pan. Place a wire rack directly on top of vegetables.

  2. Using a food processor or mortar and pestle, combine peppercorns, fennel seed, red pepper flakes, garlic, and sage leaves and process or crush until a rough paste is formed, scraping down sides as needed.

  3. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Rub 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil all over turkey, then season liberally on all surfaces with salt and black pepper. (If using a brined, salted, or kosher turkey, omit salting step; see note.) Using your hands, carefully separate skin from turkey breast and leg meat while leaving it fully intact. Stuff three-quarters of herb mixture under skin, making sure to spread it around in an even layer that covers as much of the meat as possible; try to avoid leaving large clumps in any one place. Rub remaining herb mixture all over underside of turkey.

  4. Tuck wing tips behind back. Place turkey on top of rack, arranging so that it does not overlap the edges, pressing down on breastbone to flatten breasts slightly.

  5. Transfer turkey to oven and roast, rotating occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into deepest part of breast registers 150°F (66°C) and thighs register at least 165°F (74°C), about 1 hour 20 minutes.

  6. While turkey roasts, make jus. Roughly chop reserved neck, backbone, and giblets. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil in a 3-quart saucepan over high heat until shimmering. Add chopped turkey parts and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add remaining onions, carrots, and celery and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften and brown in spots, about 5 minutes longer. Add chicken stock, remaining thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Simmer until reduced by half, about 40 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a 2-quart liquid measuring cup and discard solids. Skim off any fat from surface of broth. Season jus to taste with salt and pepper, cover, and keep warm.

  7. When turkey is cooked, remove from oven and transfer rack to a new baking sheet. Allow to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before carving. Carefully pour any collected juices from pan through a fine-mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup. Skim off excess fat and discard. Whisk juices into jus.

  8. Carve turkey and serve with jus.

Notes

For best results, dry-brine your turkey by following the instructions here. If dry-brining, omit any extra salt added to the turkey in step 3. For full step-by-step photos demonstrating how to prepare a butterflied turkey for roasting, check out the slideshow here.

Special Equipment

Rimmed baking sheets, wire rack, food processor or mortar and pestle, instant-read thermometer, fine-mesh strainer

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
458 Calories
19g Fat
4g Carbs
65g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 458
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 238mg 79%
Sodium 1143mg 50%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 65g
Vitamin C 3mg 16%
Calcium 66mg 5%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 718mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)