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No more long turkey roasting times! Spatchcock Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey cuts the roasting time in half. A butterflied turkey is glazed with a delicious cranberry-orange sauce made from orange juice, cranberry juice, soy sauce, spices, and honey.

A whole turkey, cut open and flat on a cutting board

Why Spatchcock Speeds up Cooking

Flattening the bird allows it to cook more evenly. By removing the backbone from the turkey and pressing it flat, you expose more surface area to the oven’s heat, ensuring that both the breast and thighs cook at the same rate (no need to tuck the wings!). This increased exposure and even heat distribution reduce roasting time—often by half—while keeping the meat juicy and the skin crispy and golden brown.

Dark or Light Meat Turkey?

We know many people prefer lean meat, like turkey breast, which is the most popular part of the bird. When I’m making Thanksgiving turkey for just 2 or 4 people, I often roast a large turkey breast—it also cooks quickly! But if you want to roast a whole bird, spatchcocking (butterflying) is the way to go. 


A closeup of roasted turkey with brown crispy skin

Easy Cranberry Glaze

The glaze is everything for this cranberry-orange glazed turkey. It’s easily made in a small saucepan by thickening orange juice, orange zest, cranberry juice, soy sauce, spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), and honey over medium heat with a bit of cornstarch. I know it might sound strange to add soy sauce to a holiday-flavored glaze, but trust me, it adds a wonderful depth of flavor—similar to the cranberry sauce I serve with Brussels sprouts!

I also add orange slices on top of the turkey for extra orange flavor while roasting.

How to Spatchcock a Turkey

Does it sound intimidating? All you need is a sharp knife and sturdy, sharp kitchen shears. Use the same method as my Spatchcock Chicken (the pictures below show a chicken, but the technique is identical for turkey).

Place turkey on a sturdy cutting board, breast-side down, Hold the open end of the cavity and use kitchen shears to cut along each side of the backbone and remove it (you can save this for gravy).

2. Press the turkey open. At this stage you can leave it as is and turn breast side up and roast, or you can cut in half so you have 2 halves. The choice is yours.


The steps showing how to spatchcock a whole turkey

Tips for the Best Roast Turkey

  • I recommend refrigerating the turkey uncovered in the fridge for at least 2 hours.  This dries out the skin of the turkey and aides in getting a crispier skin, which is one of the best parts of roasted turkey.
  • Spatchcock or butterfly the turkey. This greatly reduces roasting time—actually, it cuts it in half—and it’s so easy to do. I used a 12-pound turkey, which fits nicely in my 12 x 15-inch (30 x 38 cm) shallow roasting pan. Normally, this turkey would take about 3 ½ hours to cook.
  • Just as I do with my roast chicken, I like to place vegetables and chicken broth or stock in the bottom of the roasting pan for instant gravy as the turkey cooks. I’ve been using this method for years, and it results in the most delicious gravy. Simply strain and blend the juices with the onion and garlic, then season and thicken.
  • When brushing the glaze onto the skin, apply half of the glaze before roasting. Also, lift the skin slightly and brush some directly onto the turkey meat for even more flavor. Pour the remaining glaze over the fully roasted turkey at the end.
A whole roasted turkey served with potato gratin in a cast iron pan

Meat Thermometer for Roast Turkey

  • Make sure the oven temperature is correct. Often, ovens run too hot or too cold, so it’s always best to check this using an oven thermometer.  Purchase a meat thermometer. It can be an ovenproof meat thermometer or a simple instant-read thermometer. 
  • It’s the only foolproof way of knowing if the turkey is cooked and more importantly, safe to eat. The internal temperature must reach at least 165°F/74°C when the thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of inside thigh. This is not the time for guess work.
  • Also, purchase an oven thermometer. None of the above will matter if your oven is running to hot or too cold. We want a successful Thanksgiving dinner.

Resting a Roast Turkey

Allow a good amount of time for the turkey to rest when it comes out of the oven. This prevents all the tasty juices from leaving the meat when you slice it. I like to transfer it to a large serving plate, lightly covered with aluminum foil. A plate is best for this, so any juices that come out while it’s resting stay on the plate.

Serving Cranberry Orange-Glazed Roast Turkey

I like the usual sides of cornbread stuffing/dressing and cranberry. I also have an extensive selection of easy recipes, including side dishes made with sweet potatoes.

Yield: 4

Spatchcock Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey

A spatchcock roasted turkey garnished with herbs and orange slices.

Spatchcock cranberry orange glazed turkey roasts in half the time. The cranberry orange glazed gets a delicious flavor boost from soy sauce and seasonal spices.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the glazed turkey:
  • 1-12 pound turkey
  • 6 large carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
  • 4 stalks celery, cut in half
  • 1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into quarters
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 cup cranberry juice, plus 2 teaspoons
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Small pinch freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 1 cup chicken or turkey stock
  • 1 orange, sliced

Instructions

  1. For the glazed turkey:
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C.
  3. Arrange the carrots, celery, onion and garlic in the bottom of a high-sided roasting pan.
  4. Spatchcock the turkey, by removing the backbone and lay flat. For step by step  instructions with photos click here, lay bone-side down onto the vegetables. Set aside while you make the glaze.
  5. To a saucepan add the orange juice, cranberry juice, soy sauce, spices and honey. Heat over medium heat and stir while it simmers and thickens. 
  6. Mix 2 teaspoons cranberry juice with the corn starch, whisk into the glaze and simmer until thick. Pour half of the glaze into a bowl and brush all over the skin of the turkey. Do not use the glaze that was brushed onto the raw turkey for the cooked turkey. (see note) Place the orange slices on top of turkey. Keep the other half of the glaze separate from the raw meat to brush over the cooked turkey.
  7. Pour the stock into the bottom of the pan to cover the vegetables.
  8. Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 40 minutes. Brush more glaze over the turkey and rotate the pan. Roast for 50 minutes more until a meat thermometer reads 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the leg.
  9. For the gravy:
  10. Remove the carrots and celery from the pan drippings set aside to serve later. Add the onions and garlic to a blender. 
  11. Skim off as much fat as you can from the juices, or use a fat separator. Strain the juices and add to the blender, blend until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan over medium heat. 
  12. Add 1 tablespoon of corn starch to a bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon chicken stock. Whisk this into the gravy and simmer until thickened.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6
Amount Per Serving Calories 791Saturated Fat 15gCholesterol 125mgSodium 1847mgCarbohydrates 98gProtein 39g
© Janette
Cuisine: American / Category: Dinner Ideas