THE EASIEST WAY TO A JUICIER, CRISPIER BIRD

If you’ve never tried spatchcocking your Thanksgiving turkey, then this just might be the year to try. By essentially flattening out the turkey, your bird is able to cook both more quickly and more evenly, resulting in a juicy bird with perfectly crisp skin. On top of that, cooking a spatchcocked turkey on your Traeger grill gives you next-level wood-fired flavor because it lets the smoke hit even more of the meat.

To make a spatchcock turkey, begin by removing the big bird’s backbone. To do this, take a large knife or meat shears and cut the turkey open along both sides of the backbone. Note that this will include cutting through the ribs. Remove the backbone completely and set it aside to make a gravy with if you choose.

Once the turkey is open, split the breastbone by pushing down with your hands to spread the turkey flat. This step is crucial, as it allows the bird to roast evenly.

With the turkey’s breast side up, season the exterior with Traeger Turkey Rub and a herb mixture of parsley, rosemary, thyme, scallions and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil. Flip the bird over and season generously with more Traeger Turkey Rub and herb mixture.

With the turkey’s breast side up, season the exterior with Traeger Turkey Rub and a herb mixture of parsley, rosemary, thyme, scallions and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil. Flip the bird over and season generously with more Traeger Turkey Rub and herb mixture.

When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 450 and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Place the turkey directly on the grill grate and cook for 30 minutes.

Reduce the temperature on the grill to 300 degrees F and continue to cook for 3-4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees in the breast (the finished internal temperature should reach 165 degrees, but the temperature will continue to rise after the bird is removed from the grill).

Let the bird rest 20-25 minutes before carving. Enjoy!