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This year I did a trial run Thanksgiving turkey since I wanted to try a couple of new cooking techniques. Plus, I knew that we wouldn’t have any turkey leftovers since we are going to a friend’s home for the holiday this year.
First, I brined it in Kikkoman soy sauce. Then inspired by a recent Denver Post article and my friend, Vanessa at Chefdruck Musings, I spatchcocked the turkey.
I know, I know. It does sound like something Cartman would say on South Park. “Kyle, I saw you spatchcocking Kenny! That’s so sick, man.”
In fact, according to Tucker Shaw at the Denver Post, the word “spatchcock” is a combination of “dispatch” which means to prepare game or poultry for cooking and “cock” meaning bird. You could say…
View Full Recipe at This Mama Cooks!
%20Even%20though%20I%20don%E2%80%99t%20have%20a%20lot%20of%20hand%20strength,%20it%20was%20extremely%20easy%20to%20cut%20through%20the%20bird.%20However,%20if%20you%E2%80%99re%20squeamish,%20you%20could%20get%20a%20butcher%20to%20do%20it%20for%20you.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHow%20to%20spatchcock%20poultry%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFirst,%20place%20the%20bird%20breast%20side%20down%20on%20a%20large%20cutting%20board.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EUsing%20a%20pair%20of%20poultry%20shears,%20cut%20through%20the%20turkey%20along%20one%20side%20of%20the%20backbone,%20beginning%20at%20the%20tail%20end%20through%20to%20the%20neck.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERepeat%20on%20the%20other%20side%20of%20the%20backbone.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETrim%20away%20excess%20fat%20and%20skin%20including%20the%20%E2%80%9Cpope%E2%80%99s%20nose%E2%80%9D%20(the%20tail%20fat).%20Use%20the%20fat,%20skin,%20backbone,%20neck,%20giblets,%20heart,%20neck,%20etc.%20to%20make%20stock.%20(I%20did%20this%20to%20make%20stock%20for%20the%20gravy.%20Delicious!)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EYou%20can%20cut%20out%20the%20sternum%20or%20just%20cut%20through%20it.%20(If%20you%20cut%20through%20it,%20you%E2%80%99ll%20have%20no%20wish%20bone.)%20Or%20you%20can%20flip%20the%20bird%20over,%20breast%20side%20up.%20Then%20place%20your%20hands%20just%20to%20the%20left%20of%20the%20center%20of%20the%20bird%20and%20press%20down%20hard%20to%20crack%20the%20bones.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERepeat%20on%20the%20other%20side%20of%20the%20breastbone%20until%20the%20bird%20is%20flat.%20(If%20you%E2%80%99re%20short%20like%20me,%20you%20may%20want%20to%20stand%20on%20a%20chair%20so%20you%20can%20put%20all%20your%20weight%20on%20the%20bird.)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPlace%20the%20turkey%20on%20a%20large%20baking%20sheet%20that%20has%20been%20coated%20with%20cooking%20oil.%20Pull%20the%20legs%20out%20to%20the%20side%20and%20tuck%20the%20wings%20under.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECook!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20benefit%20to%20preparing%20turkey%20this%20way%20was%20that%20it%20cooks%20up%20quickly.%20My%2010%20pound%20turkey%20was%20done%20in%20an%20hour.%20(A%20bigger%20one%20probably%20wouldn%E2%80%99t%20fit%20on%20to%20a%20baking%20sheet,%20which%20is%20why%20the%20Denver%20Posts%20recommends%20doing%20two%20small%20turkeys%20(12%20to%2015%20pounds)%20if%20you%20need%20more%20meat%20for%20your%20guests.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20followed%20the%20cooking%20directions%20in%20the%20Spatchcocked%20Turkey%20Roasted%20With%20Herbs,%20and%20lowered%20the%20heat%20by%2025%20degrees%20since%20I%20was%20using%20a%20convection%20oven.%20Otherwise,%20I%20didn%E2%80%99t%20follow%20the%20recipe%20except%20for%20coating%20with%20oil.%20I%20also%20placed%20some%20Challenge%20Dairy%20Unsalted%20European%20Style%20Butter%20under%20the%20breast%20skin.%20Since%20I%20had%20brined%20the%20turkey%20in%20Kikkoman%20soy%20sauce,%20I%20wanted%20to%20experience%20the%20taste%20of%20a%20umami-infused%20turkey%20without%20tasting%20other%20herbs%20and%20spices.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERoasting%20turkey%20made%20easy%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESo%20how%20did%20it%20turn%20out?%20Very%20moist%20with%20a%20subtle%20umami%20flavor,%20which%20will%20be%20nice%20when%20I%20use%20the%20leftover%20turkey%20in%20soup%20or%20other%20dishes.%20Also,%20I%20added%20some%20melted%20butter%20and%20wheat%20flour%20to%20the%20stock%20and%20drippings%20and%20made%20a%20delicious%20gravy,%20too.%20All%20in%20all,%20a%20hassle%20free%20cooking%20experience.%20Since%20spatchcocking%20a%20turkey%20is%20so%20easy,%20maybe%20I%20won%E2%80%99t%20wait%20until%20next%20Thanksgiving%20to%20cook%20another%20one.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}