Spatchcocked Turkey on a Pellet Grill
A whole thanksgiving turkey spatchcocked, seasoned, and smoked to perfection on a pellet grill with step by step instructions.Whether you've got a Traeger, Pit Boss, Camp Chef, Yoder, or any other type of pellet grill, we've got you covered!
Servings 8 people
Calories 350kcal
Cost $30
Equipment
- Pellet Grill
- Sharp Pair of Kitchen Shears
- Wood Pellets - Hickory, Oak, or Fruitwood
- Internal Meat Thermometers
- Carving Knife
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Turkey
- Your Favorite BBQ Rub -OR-
- Kosher Salt and Pepper
Instructions
Clean and Spatchcock the Turkey
- Clean, rinse, and pat dry the whole turkey well with paper towels. Remove the neck and giblet bag from the cavity.
- Trim any excess pieces of skin or fat off of the turkey.
- Place the turkey on a cutting board with the breast side DOWN. The legs and wings will also be pointing down.
- Using kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone from one end to the other, cutting all the way through.
- Repeat on the other side of the backbone and then remove the entire backbone.
- Open the turkey up as much as you can and make a small slice from one end to the other of the inside of breastbone to make it easier to snap and flatten out.
- Apply gentle pressure with both hands until you hear a snap of the breast bone and the turkey lays flat on the cutting board. Now flip the turkey over with the breast side UP to season.
Smoking the Spatchcock Turkey on the Pellet Grill
- Sprinkle about ¼ to ½ cup KOSHER salt and a few tsps of black pepper, OR your favorite BBQ rub to both sides of the spatchcocked turkey.
- Fill the hopper with pellets, start up the pellet grill, and preheat to 300-350°F. If your BBQ rub has a lot of sugar in it, choose 300°F. If you only used salt and pepper, go ahead and use 325-350°F.
- Place the spatchcocked turkey on the pellet grill, directly on the grill grates with the breast side facing up and to the left.
- Place an internal temperature probe if you have one into the center of one of the breasts, and another one, if you have one, into the middle of one of the thighs.
- Close the lid, cook the spatchcocked turkey for about 2.5 to 3 hours, monitoring the temperature as it may cook faster or take longer.
- When the internal temperature of the breast has reached 165°F, and the internal temperature of the thigh hits 175°F, remove the turkey from the pellet grill.
Rest and Carve
- Let the turkey rest for 25 minutes before carving to allow the juices to distribute.
- Carve, plate, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal