Orange and Sage Spatchcocked (Butterflied) Turkey

If you’ve never tried a spatchcocked turkey, you’re in for a holiday game changer! This butterflied turkey roasts in half the time, cooks evenly, and comes out with perfectly crispy skin and juicy, tender meat.

The secret? A bright and herby orange-sage butter that makes every bite taste like pure Thanksgiving magic — without the stress.

I truly love the Thanksgiving meal. In fact, I love it so much, I could eat it throughout the year, and not just in November. I especially love a roasted turkey. Yes, I’m one of those people who buys an extra on sale, after the holidays, and store it in my freezer to enjoy months later.

To roast a turkey traditionally may seem like a daunting task, especially for the novice cook. I’ve already shared how to roast a turkey traditionally. But today I’m going to show you another technique.

Laura says :

Why this recipe works

• Cooks fast: A spatchcocked turkey (a.k.a. butterflied turkey) roasts in nearly half the time of a whole bird, perfect for busy holiday cooks!
• Crispy skin: Flattening the bird means every inch gets beautifully golden, crispy skin. No soggy spots here.
• Juicy meat: Despite the shorter cooking time, you’ll still get tender, juicy turkey every single time.
• Burst of flavor: An orange-sage butter rub infuses the turkey with bright citrus notes and herby goodness.
• Even cooking: No more dry breast meat and undercooked legs, this method ensures everything cooks evenly.
• Perfect for entertaining: Easy to carve and gorgeous on the platter, it’s a total showstopper for your holiday table.

Ingredients you need

• Whole turkey: You can butterfly a turkey of any size. Just be sure it is completely thawed.
• Fresh Sage: Although you could use dried sage, fresh is definitely preferred as it is more fragrant.
• Orange: You will the grated zest from one orange. You can also use lemon zest.
• Kitchen staples: Onion, butter, all purpose flour, salt and ground black pepper.

Step-by-step directions

1. Remove the spine. Using a heavy sharp knife or poultry shears, start cutting the spine from the turkey and remove it. Don’t toss it. Save it and make gravy using the neck, spine and gizzards.
2. Crack the breast bone. Flip the bird over cut side down. Using your full body, like performing CPR, press down hard on between the two breasts of the turkey. You want to hear a crack. This means that you have split the breast bone of your turkey.
3. Make the orange butter. Melt the butter and add orange zest, sage, salt and pepper.
4. Dry the turkey. Using some paper towels, pat down the entire bird, including the exposed carcass. A wet turkey will not roast well or give you a crispy skin. Also any butter or oil you rub on the turkey will stick better on a dry bird.
5. Season the turkey. Season both sides of the turkey with salt and pepper. Brush the entire bird with your butter mixture. For more flavor, rub under the skin, especially in the breast area.
6. Roast the turkey. The turkey pictured was about 13-pounds and it only needs 1 ½ hours in the oven.

Expert tips and Recipe FAQs

You can serve your turkey dinner with all the usual fixings. Some of my favorites are:

• Quinoa Salad with Cranberries and Orange
• Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce
• Sage Dressing
• Creamed Spinach
• Twice Baked Butternut Squash
• Turmeric and Spice Cauliflower Rice

If you want more spatchcock poultry recipes, try my sheet pan spatchcocked chicken with potatoes and vegetables, spatchcock chicken marinade or my spatchcocked chicken with mint and garlic.

If you are enjoying my recipes, please sign up for my newsletter and get my free 28-day meal plan! You can also follow me on Instagram or Facebook.

Spatchcocked (Butterflied) Turkey with Orange and Sage

Laura Bashar | Family Spice

Cut your turkey roasting time in half! This Spatchcocked Turkey with Orange-Sage Butter is crispy, juicy, and bursting with flavor — the easy showstopper your holiday table needs.

4.50 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 850 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 13 lb whole turkey completely thawed
• 3 cup water
• ½ onion halved
• 3 sage leaves
• 8 TBS butter unsalted
• 1 ½ tablespoon orange zest grated
• 3 TBS chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 TBS all purpose flour

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Remove gizzards and neck and reserve and place in a small saucepan.
• Place the turkey, breast side down, on a large cutting board.
• Using a large sharp knife or poultry shears, cut along each side of the backbone.
• Pull the turkey open slightly to cut the backbone out completely. Place the backbone in the pot with the neck and gizzards and reserve.
• Flip your turkey over, cut side down. Using your hands, press down firmly to break the breastbone and flatten the bird.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat combine 6 tablespoon butter, orange zest, 3 tablespoon chopped sage, salt and pepper. Heat until butter is melted
• Brush melted butter mixture on both sides of the turkey,
• Slide your fingers under the skin of the turkey to loosen it from the meat. Brush the remaining butter underneath the skin of the turkey breast.
• Place turkey in a large roasting pan, skin side up.
• Roast turkey for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh away from the bone registers 170º-175ºF. If the turkey starts to burn, loosely cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• While the turkey is roasting, cover the neck bone, gizzards and spine with water. Add onion and 3 sage leaves.
• Simmer until broth is reduced to 2 cups, skimming occasionally, for about 1 hour.
• Strain turkey broth, and reserve.
• When turkey is done, remove from oven and let it rest while you make the gravy.
• Melt 2 TBS butter in a skillet heat over medium-high heat. Stir in flour.
• After flour is browned, whisk in reserved turkey broth and strained drippings from the roasted turkey
• Whisk until fully incorporated and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until gravy has thickened.
• Serve turkey with gravy and the rest of your favorite Thanksgiving sides.

Notes

You can also use lemon zest instead of orange.

For herb substitutions, also try rosemary, thyme, marjoram or chives.

TO STORE: Store any leftover turkey in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1plateCalories: 850kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 114gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 407mgSodium: 1262mgPotassium: 1194mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 649IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 5mg

Keyword butterflied turkey, how to butterfly a turkey, how to spatchcock a turkey, spatchcocked turkey

Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Be sure to tag @FamilySpice

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.

You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my eMail list, too!