Roast Spatchcock Turkey with White Wine Sauce

This recipe is featured in the 2020 Holiday Cuisine and Cocktail Recipe Guide made in collaboration with Barry Johnson of Bartender Barry.

It may seem blasphemous, but growing up turkey was my least favorite form of poultry. While many looked forward to a large roasted turkey with all the fixings at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, I often preferred less desired meats such as chicken or ham. That all changed the day I came across spatchcocking. For those unfamiliar with spatchcocking, it’s a cooking technique that requires removing the backbone of a chicken or turkey prior to cooking. This allows the bird to be completely flattened while roasting, often resulting in juicier meat, crispier skin, and a shortened cook time.

Since learning how to spatchcock, it is my go-to method for cooking a turkey. Especially when I’m planning small intimate dinner parties or even for a weeknight dinner for my husband and myself. This year, in planning for a more low key holiday, I’ve developed a spatchcock turkey recipe that doubles as an easy one-pot dish. This roast spatchcock turkey recipe is roasted over a bed of cabbage, carrots, red onions, and garlic. As an accompaniment, I found a delicious White Wine Cranberry Sauce recipe that paired perfectly with the cooked bird.

This recipe is simple, very flavorful, and ready in under 90 minutes — and while it’s in the oven, you can sip on the Through the Grapevine cocktail, made specifically to be paired with this dish by my friend Barry Johnson of Bartender Barry.

Grab the recipe below!

Roast Spatchcock Turkey with White Wine Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 4 to 5 Pound Turkey Breast (spatchcocked or split)
• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Plus 2 tablespoons for saute
• 2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Teaspoons of Smoked Paprika
• 2 teaspoons Dried Thyme
• 6 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Small Red Onion
• 1 Medium Cabbage
• 1 Cup of Carrots

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and thyme until well combined.
3. Pat turkey breast dry and place turkey In a separate large bowl. Pour roughly two-thirds of the seasoning mix over turkey and toss. Be sure it’s evenly coated on all sides. Set aside.
4. Slice the garlic and dice the red onion. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet. Saute onions and garlic on medium-high heat until garlic is fragrant and the red onions are soft (approximately 3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Slice the cabbage into 1-inch rounds, and arrange in the cast-iron skillet on top of sauteed onions and garlic. Drizzle with the remaining 1/3 seasoning mix.
6. Take turkey breast and place on top of vegetables in the cast-iron skillet. Place in oven and roast for roughly 1 hour, or until turkey an internal temperature of 165 degrees at its thickest part.
7. While roasting prepare the White Wine Cranberry Sauce.
8. Remove from oven, and let cool before serving.

Print the Roast Spatchcock Turkey with White Wine Sauce below.