Active Time
25 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 45 minutes plus at least 6 hours chilling
There are many (many!) Thanksgiving turkey recipes out there. But this roast spatchcock turkey recipe with its aniseed, orange, and fresh herb dry brine is, as former BA test kitchen director Carla Lalli Music put it, “for people who want a turkey that actually tastes good, not a turkey that just looks good.” (Watch her make this recipe.)
Butterflying or spatchcocking a whole turkey (i.e., removing the backbone and flattening the bird) has a multitude of benefits: It creates more surface area, thereby exposing more turkey skin to direct heat—and greater skin exposure means more opportunity for crispy skin. It also lets the white and dark meat cook evenly, so everything stays juicy, and it significantly cuts the overall cooking time.
Most butchers will remove the backbone if you ask, but this video shows you how to spatchcock a 12–14-lb. turkey step by step if you want to DIY (make two if you have a big group). If you’re using a frozen bird, you must thaw it first, and if you don’t have sharp kitchen shears or poultry shears, now is the time to buy some.
There’s no need to wake up early for this recipe; all told, the prep time and cooking time combined is just about 90 minutes (though note you will need to be on hand as the turkey cooks to baste it). To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh and breast and look for an internal temperature of 165°. Cover the cooked turkey with foil for 30 minutes before carving so the juices stay put. (Meanwhile, make a killer turkey gravy from the drippings.)
That’s it. Now you have the rest of the day to finish your Thanksgiving side dishes, set the table, or simply pour yourself a drink and admire perfection.
Ingredients
8–10 Servings
5
½
¼
2
1
1
2
1
2
4
4
3
½
Preparation
Step 1
Toast 5 tsp. aniseed in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool; finely grind in a spice mill or a mortar and pestle. (Alternatively, chop with a knife.)
Step 2
Pulse ½ cup (72 g) Diamond Crystal or ¼ cup plus 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ¼ cup finely grated orange zest, 2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and 4 tsp. toasted aniseed in a food processor until finely chopped.
Step 3
Place 1 12–14-lb. turkey (neck, giblets, and backbone removed and reserved), skin side down, on a cutting board. Use a knife to score down long oblong bone in the center of breast. Turn skin side up and press down on breastbone to flatten. You should hear a crack and feel the bones give way. Sprinkle salt mixture liberally all over turkey, patting to adhere. You may not need all of it, but it’s good to have extra since some will end up on the baking sheet. Place turkey, breast side up, on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and chill, uncovered, at least 6 hours and up to 2 days.
Step 4
Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange 2 medium onions, quartered, 4 large carrots, peeled, halved, 4 celery stalks, 3 heads garlic, halved, and reserved rosemary and thyme sprigs in a roasting pan. Brush excess salt mixture off turkey and pat dry any damp parts with paper towels. Place, skin side up, on top of vegetables; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
Step 5
Meanwhile, heat ½ cup olive oil, 4 wide strips orange zest, and remaining toasted aniseed in a small saucepan until oil is sizzling, about 2 minutes; let cool slightly.
Step 6
Brush turkey with flavored oil, add ½ cup water to pan, and roast turkey 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to roast, brushing with more oil every 20 minutes, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°, about 1 hour longer. Transfer to a platter; tent with foil and let cooked turkey rest at least 30 minutes before carving.
Editor’s note: This spatchcock turkey recipe was first printed in our November 2014 issue. Head this way for more of our best Thanksgiving dinner recipes →
Nutrition Per Serving
How would you rate Spatchcock Turkey With Anise and Orange?
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Reviews (435)
Back to TopGreat recipe. Smells, looks and tastes wonderful. Dont forget the rinsing of the brine step.
Anonymous
Washington DC
11/24/2022
Additional comment: I have done this twice now with two chickens on the same tray since my last comment and it was amazing both times. Timing should be slightly adjusted due to smaller size of birds. This is hands down one of my favourite recipes ever. Thanks BA!
Jo Steinbarger
Saint Paul, MN
2/17/2022
This turkey was amazing. Best turkey I have ever had. I only enjoy dark meat, but the white meat on this bird was so wonderfully juicy and flavourful that i almost switched sides. The drippings were incredible also (i later used it in turkey wild rice soup). I was nervous when i did the brine because it turned out more paste-like and the smell was very anise heavy (as one could guess). I rubbed it in with my fingers pretty dang good. I let it brine for 24hrs… the bird soaked it in and left it beautifully savory and not overpowering in the least. Pulled the bird out of the fridge 2hrs before cooking. It was at 165 after exactly 1.5hrs in the oven. i let the turkey sit almost 2hrs before cutting into it. This was the first turkey I have ever done and it turned out beautifully. Make sure you have great scissors before attemping to spatchcock. Don’t hesitate on this recipe, just do it!!
Jo Steinbarger
Saint Paul, MN
12/8/2021
BEST, BEST, BEST turkey we have ever cooked. This is the fourth year we are making this turkey recipe. It consistently comes out perfectly cooked and delish!
P.Payson
Westchester, NY
11/24/2020
This was the best turkey I've ever had bar none! Juicy! Flavorful. I mean the white meat was JUICY people!
Brittany Janes
Denver, CO
11/24/2020
My husband and I have made this nearly every Thanksgiving since we first saw the recipe in 2014. Sometimes our families decide to stick to the traditional stuffed turkey, so we make this recipe on another day for a party or just for dinner. It takes some work, but it cooks so much faster that today it was done in an hour. The bird is always juicy and the flavor profile is a little different, but doesn't throw off traditionalists. And there's so much crispy skin! BA has published more turkey recipes in the last five years, but I can't bring myself to try them because I love this one so much.
Eattheworld
Dallas
12/2/2019
Pretty much the best Turkey recipe I’ve tried. I will definitely be using the dry brine on chicken (maybe pork shoulder?) in the near future!
Anonymous
Alberta, Canada
10/16/2019
BEST. TURKEY. EVER. I have no idea why this works but it's so good. Cooks really fast, really juicy, and the dry brine ensures that's it's seasoned throughout. LOVE.
Rifleball, KY
10/31/2017