What is the best temperature to cook a spatchcocked turkey to allow for cooking stuffing at the same time?

I'm cooking a spatchcocked turkey for the first time tomorrow. I've seen so many different instructions online for cooking temperature that I'm really confused. One site says do it at 450 the whole time or it will be uneven, one says start at 425 and reduce to 375, one says start at 350 and increase to 425 at the end, and one says cook at 325 the whole time. I only have a single oven and was hoping that spatchcocking would allow me to cook another dish simultaneously. The stuffing I'm planning to make needs to be cooked at 350 for an hour. What's the best way to manage cooking the turkey so that I can also cook the stuffing? The turkey is somewhere in the 10-12 lb range, I haven't unwrapped it from the butcher yet. Thanks!!

Jessica Zeckel
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4 Comments

katekirk November 23, 2016
With a turkey that size (also mine...only 3 of us!) and spatchcocking, I would tend toward consistent temperature with a turn-up at the end to crisp skin if needed. When you turn up the turkey temp for a short time, put in the stuffing and then turn it down when you take out turkey. I do stuffing covered for half time and then uncover for crisping so that timing could work for you.
 
Kristen M. November 23, 2016
And if you need another method to consider, this one worked really well for us: https://food52.com/recipes/19394-spatchcocked-roast-turkey
 
Kristen M. November 23, 2016
I think I would just rest the turkey, tented with foil on the carving board, for the hour the stuffing is baking (it needs to rest for at least 30 minutes anyway—close enough!), and not worry about trying to coordinate them.
 
Jessica Z. November 23, 2016
I have a couple other things to cook after the turkey which need to be at 425 -- is it okay to cook stuffing at a higher temperature for less time?
 
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