How to cook a whole turkey in a flash + photos

• Spatchcock was a great way to roast a turkey. It took only 75 minutes.
• Spatchcocking refers to removing the backbone and roasting flat.
• The turkey was tasty, beautiful, easy to carve and very simple to make.

Cooking a turkey is an intimidating process that can take hours — but spatchcocking, which involves cutting out the backbone of the bird and flattening it, is my new go-to strategy.

“Spatchcocking is great,”Solomon Johnson, co-owner of the restaurant, said this: The BussdownOKO, a fine-dining pan African concept, offers this. “It cuts the cooking time virtually in half and makes for a really consistent product.”

“It’s an easier and faster way to cook the bird entirely while keeping it moist,”Johnson’s business partner and chef Mike Woods agreed. This turkey is also easier to carve.

Here are my experiences with first spatchcocking turkeys.

Warning: These are graphic images of me cutting and cooking a raw turkey.

First, I made the turkey for cutting.

Thaw a turkey before you cook it. I bought a turkey that was 11 1/2 pounds and placed it in cold water for overnight.

Once the bird was thawed and I had taken the gizzard pouch and neck out, Remember that the bag of turkey gizzards remains in the turkey no matter how hard you try. This was something I had to learn the hard way.

This technique was the most daunting. It involved removing the backbone of the bird and flattening it.

First-timers: Nick Peters is a chefOf Batch and Brinerecommends using kitchen shears to cut on either side of the spine.

“Not too many people should be hacking at a bird that big for the first time with a cleaver,”He said. “Plus if they have a weak kitchen knife they might snap it.”

To cut the backbone, I didn’t own shearing scissors so I used regular knives and a sharp knife.

I placed the bird breast-side up on the cutting board. Then, I slowly removed the bone from both sides. This was a tedious task that required patience and a lot of work.

Johnson said that he often saves the backbone to make stock. This stock can then be used for homemade gravy.

Once you have removed the backbone, you can flip the bird and press down on its cavity until it collapses. This was a difficult part for me so I asked someone to help.

This helps to cook the turkey evenly. Peters explained that the turkey will cook evenly if it is flattened. “white and dark meat are cooked closer to the same amount of time, resulting in an overall juicy bird.”

Before I put my turkey in the oven, I prepared it with seasoning.

I peeled and lightly crushed a head garlic and added it to 3 tablespoons of softened, salty butter.

I gently separated the skin between the breasts and the breasts with my hands, taking care not to tear through the skin. I then applied the garlic butter mixture to the pockets in my hands and under the skin flaps at the legs, thighs and forearms.

Next, I chopped the celery, carrots and onions into small pieces.

I placed the turkey on top of the vegetables and added thyme to the crevices. Then, I drizzled olive oil over it and sprinkled salt and seasoning mix.

Peters explained that spatchcocking gives you crisper skin as all of it is exposed during cooking. To ensure nice browning, I made sure to apply olive oil to the skin.

Although the turkey was cooked quickly, I had to make some adjustments when it came time to cook the meat.

First, I roasted 20 minutes at 450° Fahrenheit. The turkey began to brown, however there weren’t any pan juices left to basting it with so I used a pre-made bone broth.

I reduced the heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit then cooked the turkey for 30 more minutes.

I continued to cook the turkey at 450° Fahrenheit for 25 more minutes, basting occasionally.

I didn’t own a meat thermometer, so I pierced one of my thighs until I could see the juices.

It was easy to carve the turkey and it was delicious

A stuffed turkey of 11 pounds should take three hours to cook. This method made it easy to cook my turkey in under an hour.

Peters also stated that spatchcocked turkeys can be easier to carve for beginners because of the way they are prepared. “won’t have to navigate the thigh joints on a whole bird.”

He was correct. It was easy to carve the turkey. The turkey was also tender, juicy, evenly browned, and cooked perfectly. I served it with rich pan juices as well as some of the cooked vegetables.

With all the time you save cooking turkey, you can also make some sides for a full feast.