Spatchcocking & Grilling Thanksgiving Turkey

This year why not try grilling your turkey for a new twist on your Thanksgiving feat! We have a delicious recipe and a great spatchcock (butterfly) technique to use that will make grilling your turkey a breeze.

• 1 turkey, any size
• 1/2 teaspoon Pacific Sea Salt per pound of meat (only if the meat has not been pre-salted)
• 4 ounces [113 gm] or so of hardwood or fruitwood

Ingredients for the Gravy 

• 3 quarts [2.8 L] water
• 1 cup [237 ml] apple juice
• 2 onions, skin on, ends removed, cut into quarters
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch lengths
• 1 rib of celery, leaves and all, cut into 2 inch lengths
• 1 tablespoon [15 ml] dried sage leaves, crumbled (do not use powdered herbs, they can cloud the broth)
• 1 tablespoon [15 ml] dried thyme leaves
• 2 whole dried bay leaves

Ingredients for the Wet Rub 

• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1.5 tablespoons finely chopped or powdered sage (fresh or dried)
• 1.5 tablespoons thyme leaves (fresh or dried)

Tips: 

1. For the liquids. You can substitute some of the water with chicken stock, vegetable stock, or a bottle of a white wine. Just don’t use anything that has turned to vinegar, (never use red wine because it will turn your turkey purple). You can substitute a small handful of celery leaves for the celery rib.
2. For the onion skins. Onion skins contain a pigment that darkens the gravy. If the skins are musty, or the under-layer is mushy or rotten, discard them.
3. Add no salt. Drippings from the meat will have salt, so wait until you taste the final gravy and add salt at the end if you think it needs more.

Spatchcock (butterfly) a Turkey: 

Why spatchcock your Thanksgiving turkey this year? This method allows heat to enter the meat from both the top and bottom. This prevents the top side from drying out and allows your turkey to stay moist and delicious, plus your turkey will cook faster!

Here is an easy visual guide to setting up your spatchcocked turkey!