This smoked spatchcock turkey is our go-to for juicy meat and crispy, golden skin. Flattening the bird gives you faster, even roasting on the smoker and the garlic-herb butter and optional butter-broth injection give you the perfect amount of moisture. When the holiday bird needs to impress, this is our no-stress showstopper.
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey Recipe
Flattening the bird means faster cooking time, even doneness (no dry breast!), and much crisper skin. We start low for gentle smoke, then finish hot to blister the skin. We tuck garlic-herb butter under the skin for big flavor, spread more on top, and sometimes add a quick butter-broth injection to provide even more juice. It smells incredible, slices clean, and makes the best leftovers. And if you’re building a bigger smoker spread (or want a cozier second main), these smoked short ribs with a red wine braise are ridiculously good on the same kind of “gravy + mashed potatoes” plate.
Ingredient Notes
- Turkey. 12–16 pounds, spatchcocked.
- Butter. You can use either salted or unsalted, but if using unsalted, you'll need to add extra salt to the garlic herb butter.
- Herbs. Use your favorite fresh poultry blend (rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley).
- Wood. We recommend fruitwoods like apple or cherry with a touch of oak. See the full breakdown in our best wood for smoking guide.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Pro Tip: Whisk melted butter with warm broth and inject a small amount into the breasts and thighs. It’s quick and adds a little extra richness. This is especially helpful for larger birds or if you’re cooking for a crowd.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Begin by spatchcocking your turkey. Place the turkey breast-side down. Use kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone (you can also use a sharp knife but we find shears work best). Remove it and save for stock/gravy. Flip the turkey breast-side up. Press firmly on the breastbone until it cracks and the bird lies flat. If you want a quick visual, follow the exact technique in my short video on how to spatchcock a chicken—same process here, just a bigger bird.
Step 2: Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F. Stir softened butter with garlic, chopped herbs, salt, paprika and pepper until smooth.
Step 3: Loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs and spread most of the butter underneath, then rub the rest on top.
Step 4: (Optional) Combine melted butter and warm broth. Inject small amounts into breasts and thighs.
Step 5: Set the turkey skin-side up on the smoker grates. Smoke for 10-13 minutes per pound until the breast temp is 140-145 degrees F.
Step 6: Increase smoker temp to 375–400 degrees F. Continue cooking until the breast reads 160–162 degrees F and thighs 175–180 degrees F.
Our Go-To Wood Pellets for Smoking
We always keep a bag of these on hand. The CookinPellets Perfect Mix is our favorite blend for a reason: it’s made from 100% hardwood (no fillers!) and combines hickory, cherry, hard maple, and apple for balanced, reliable flavor every time.
This blend works beautifully for just about everything, and gives that perfect hint of smoke without overpowering the dish.
Tips for Success
Dry bird = crisp skin. Pat the bird very dry before it hits the smoker to ensure crispy skin.
Season under the skin. That garlic-herb butter directly on the meat keeps the breast and thighs juicy.
Go by temp, not time. Plan timing, but always go by temperature and skin texture.
Finish hotter. A hotter final smoke crisps the skin without drying the meat.
Don't skip the rest. A 20–30 minute rest keeps the meat juicy.
Serving Suggestions
We like to serve the sliced smoked spatchcock turkey on a platter, spooning a little pan gravy over the top, then keeping the sides simple. Go with the classics or your favorites —mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, and crisp green beans. Add a scoop of smoked macaroni and cheese and warm dinner rolls for sandwiching. The leftovers make great next-day soup or pot pie.
Recipe FAQs
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Keep leftover turkey for 3–4 days in the fridge.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Oven at 300–350 degrees F with a splash of broth, covered, just until hot; or microwave in short bursts.
Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below—we’d love to hear how it turned out. Your feedback helps other backyard cooks, too!
Tap stars to rate!
Crispy Skin Spatchcock Turkey on the Smoker with Garlic Herb Butter
See the full post for extra tips and photos
Ingredients
- 1 12–16 lb whole turkey, spatchcocked
- 2 cups butter, softened
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-3 teaspoons kosher salt, depending on if your butter is salted or unsalted
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ cup fresh chopped herbs, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, etc.
Optional Injection
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup warm chicken or turkey broth
Instructions
- Remove the turkey from the fridge 1 hour before smoking. Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F. Pat the turkey very dry (top and bottom).1 12–16 lb whole turkey
- Spatchcock (if not already). Set the turkey breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone; remove it. Flip breast-side up and press firmly on the breastbone until it cracks and the bird lies flat.
- In a bowl, combine the softened butter, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and chopped herbs. Using your hands, season the turkey between the skin and the meat with the herb butter and then use the remaining to cover the top of the skin.2 cups butter, 6 garlic cloves, 1-3 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1-2 teaspoons paprika, ½ cup fresh chopped herbs
- Whisk melted butter with warm broth. Using an injector, inject small amounts into the thickest parts of the breasts and thighs (a few injections per area; avoid over-filling so it doesn’t leak out).¼ cup butter, ¼ cup warm chicken or turkey broth
- Place the turkey skin-side up on the smoker grate. Insert probes into the thickest part of the breast and thigh. Smoke at 225 degrees F until the breast hits 140–145 degrees F (thighs typically run 10–15 degrees higher). Start checking around 2 hours, then every 20–30 min. If you have a larger bird, this will take longer.
- Increase temp to 375–400 degrees F. Continue cooking until the breast reads 160–162 degrees F and thighs 175–180 degrees F. Rotate the bird if one side colors faster.
- Transfer to a board and rest 20–30 minutes, uncovered. Resting will bring the breast to ~165 degrees F. Carve legs/thighs, then remove breast lobes and slice across the grain and enjoy.
Notes
- Spatchcocked birds cook faster than whole; total time varies by size and smoker. Use temperature as your guide but typically you can aim for 10-13 minutes per pound.
- For a cleaner flavor, choose milder fruitwoods.
- Optional: but we usually inject warm broth and melted butter into the turkey for maximum moisture.
Equipment Needed
- Pellet Smoker
Leave a Reply