Cowboy Butter Turkey Recipe for Thanksgiving

Make your Thanksgiving meal unforgettable with this cowboy butter turkey recipe! A flavorful brine ensures juicy, evenly cooked meat, while herb butter infused with lemon zest, garlic, and paprika sets a new holiday standard. Basted with white wine for a golden, flavorful finish, this turkey is pure perfection!

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INGREDIENTS

- 12-18 lb turkey
- 1 tbsp kosher salt for every 4 lbs turkey (example: 3 tbsp for a 12 lb turkey)
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp mustard powder

For the cowboy butter

- 16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp minced fresh chives
- 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp minced fresh thyme
- 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary

For the basting liquid

- 2 1/2 cups dry white wine
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

For the roasting

- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

- In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and mustard powder. Mix together to combine evenly.

- Spatchcock the turkey. Ensure the turkey is fully thawed. Remove all packaging, including the neck and giblets often found in the cavity. Place breast-side down on a flat surface. Using a sturdy kitchen/poultry shears or sharp chef's knife, cut along one side of the backbone from tail to neck. Repeat on the other side of the backbone, cutting as close to the bone as possible. It may take some effort, especially the first time, but with steady pressure, the backbone will come free in one piece. With the backbone removed, flip the turkey over. The breasts should now be facing up. Dry the skin with a paper towel to remove any dampness. Spread the thighs outward, then press down firmly on the center of the breastbone using both hands. Apply enough pressure to crack the breastbone and flatten the turkey. It is now ready for brining or seasoning.

- Carefully separate the skin from the meat. Gently work fingers under the skin, being careful not to tear it. Separate as much as possible over the breasts and onto the thighs and legs.

- Rub the salt mixture over the entire turkey, under the skin, and on the underside. Once the salt is all used on the turkey, set the turkey on a baking sheet in the refrigerator uncovered for 8 to 24 hours, with 24 hours being ideal. Leaving the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator allows the skin to dry out and become crisp during roasting.

- Before roasting the turkey, preheat the oven to 425°F and make the cowboy butter. Combine the butter, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chives, parsley, garlic powder, smoked paprika, minced thyme, and minced rosemary. Mix until smooth. Remove half of the cowboy butter and set it aside. Rub the remaining half of the butter mixture under the skin directly on the meat and on top of the skin, all over the bird. The butter will clump with the cold turkey, but spread as much as possible, knowing there will be irregular pieces of the cowboy butter.

- Set the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan with onion, carrots, celery, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig underneath for the pan juices.

- In a saucepan, prepare the basting liquid. Combine the reserved cowboy butter, wine, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig, and Worcestershire sauce. Set over low heat to melt the butter and steep the herbs.

- Place the turkey in the preheated oven. Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes and then lower the temperature to 375°F. During roasting, baste the turkey every 15 minutes. Roast until the breast registers 160°F and the thighs register 170°F. A spatchcocked turkey will roast quickly, usually about 6-9 minutes per pound of meat. Start to check the temperature after 1 hour, making sure not to overroast. Once the turkey is at temperature, remove it from the oven and allow the turkey to rest for 20-30 minutes. The turkey will continue to roast from the residual heat, bringing the breast to 165°F and the thighs to 175°F. Once the turkey has rested, carve and serve.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:35 Spatchcocking the turkey
03:41 Preparing for the brine
05:35 Brining the turkey
06:49 Preparing the cowboy butter
09:37 Preparing the aromatics and turkey for roasting
10:49 Buttering the turkey
11:45 Roasting the turkey
12:00 Basting the turkey
13:06 Carving the turkey
14:18 Tasting the turkey

#Thanksgiving #turkey #recipe #holiday

[marymohan]

That turkey looks so good. Thank you for showing and technology. You are a great teacher. Thanks so much for sharing. Kaleb 🌾🦃🍂

[vickiwestlund]

Spatchcock is absolutely the best way to bake any poultry! Beautiful results, thank you for posting!

[lindalandavazo]

Ok Caleb, made both cowboy butter spatchcocked turkey and sausage bacon homemade bread dressing... the best most flavorable Thanksgiving meal made in 57 years of marriage. Winner!

[chardy]

Success! Thank you for walking me through all of it with that kind "can do" attitude. It was luscious and our small gathering of four enjoyed each bite. You are a master teacher, Kaleb. Love and thanks from Salt Lake City, Utah.

[maryaliftiras]

Hi Kaleb another beautiful recipe thank you so much

[sandycola]

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family - you are a joy 😘😘

[kw]

Great video! Thank you so much for showing every step, particularly the spatchcocking. Extremely helpful. Can’t wait to make this. Happy Thanksgiving!

[mmurray]

Caleb,
You've made brown butter jalapeño corn bread, and now a cowboy butter infused spatchcocked roasted turkey!
I can see your going to have a very flavorful meal this Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving Caleb.

[teknobear]

Great video. I'll be using this for one of my turkeys this year.

[livingasarose]

I’ve watched about 15 turkey videos and I’m doing this one! Thanks for making it easy to follow!

[maryokeefe]

The turkey turned out wonderful! The measurements you gave were perfect and the seasonings made it 👨‍🍳💋 especially the white wine and smoked paprika! I never would have attempted spatchcocking until I watched your video and you guided us through

[melaniem]

Looks SOOOO good! We will use this recipe & put the turkey on the smoker …Thank you so much Kaleb!

[kima.]

This will have to wait for next year. My brother-in-law found smoked turkey's and everyone loved it save for my daughter and I. Apparently, this is the new turkey for the family. It tasted like ham to my daughter (she doesn't like ham) and smoke flavor makes me nauseous. I will leave out the brown sugar in the first step and divide the recipe down to accommodate 2 breasts for us. Thank you!

[lilliedelahoz]

Thank you Kaleb! Your turkey looks so good!!

[kyliarector]

I love that you exist. ❤ I cooked the orange infused turkey you have shared last year. I can't remember the name. But it was a hit and I have tried to decided which variation you have shared for this year. I think this is the winner. Thank you for encouraging and inspiring us. Blessing and Happy 🦃

[leannemarble]

Kaleb!!! You are Strong!!! 💪 I wish someone had filmed me spatchcocking this turkey- I had to put it on the floor( on the pan) and use all my body weight to break the breast bone! At one point my hands slipped off the turkey and I was kinda was launched off the side on my kitchen floor 😂😂😂 Oh my goodness! It’s was hilarious!!! You do it no problem, in one motion! Superhero! But in all seriousness, I’m so excited for this turkey. I know it will be amazing, like all your recipes. You cook with me in my kitchen on a weekly basis and I adore you💖

[isidramares]

Thank you for the video and have a great happy thanksgiving !

[shellywood]

I made this for Thanksgiving this year. BEST turkey I've ever made! Moist breast meat and delicious flavor. I'll never cook turkey any other way in the future!

[zinatm]

You give great recipes! Nostalgic with some unique touches, and you make them look easy thank you! Happy Thanksgiving 🦃🍽 🧡

[jillrenier]

Looks delicious! Thanks for breaking it down a showing the step by step. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your fam!!!