How to Cut A Raw Turkey Or Chicken (Poultry) in Half For Roasting

Are you preparing for Thanks-giving or Christmas and wondering how to cut down on your cooking time?  Well here are two methods of splitting (cutting) turkey or chicken (poultry) in half that will cut down on your roasting time and save you money on your gas and electricity bill. 

Preparation 1A: Splitting the turkey by ChineseGrandma

Image from ChineseGrandma

1. Place the turkey breast-side up on a cutting board and to cut the thin skin connecting the legs to the breast area using a.
2. Cut along each side of the bird from the cavity opening, down toward the wings using a kitchen shear.
3. While holding the thighs, lift and bend the breast half of the turkey backwards to snap the fully exposed spine/rib into two.  Use a kitchen knife or shear to separate the two halves.
4. Wash and season the two halves on both sides and store the turkey in the refrigerator using a large brining bag.

Preparation 1B: Splitting (Spatchcocked) turkey by MarthaStewart

Image from Martha Stewart

1. Step 1: Cut Along the Backbone....beginning at the tail end using a kitchen shear while the turkey is breast-side down. Cut with the tip of the shears or kitchen knife if you hit a tough spot.
2. Step 2: Open the Turkey...., take out the giblets and any large pieces of fat, then turn the turkey breast-side up.
3. Step 3: Break the Breastbone. ...by placing your palm on one side of the breast - close to the breastbone and pushing down firmly until you hear a crack. Repeat on the other side.
4. Step 4: Flatten the Turkey....by pulling the thighs outward so the turkey lies flat, with the wings facing inward. Wash, season, pack in an easy roast multi-purpose oven bag and refrigerate.  

Preparation 2: Seasoning the Turkey/Poultry (My Recipe)

Image from the granola hustle 

1. Washing your turkey thoroughly with lime juice and water, pat dry with paper towel.
2. Season both the outside and the already cleaned out cavity liberally with 3 tbsp lemon juice and a mixture of some salt, freshly ground black pepper, onion powder, granulated garlic powder, tarragon, parsley flakes, thyme, basil and paprika immediately after patting dry.
3. Store the turkey in the refrigerator using a large brining bag or an easy roast muti-purpose oven bag. 
4. Store the washed neck and giblets from the cavity in a separate freezer bag for making stock.

See: 

How To Prepare Christmas Turkey Stuffing post and 

How to Make Split and Roasted Turkey For Christmas or Thanks-giving post

Happy Thanks-Giving, Merry Christmas And A Joy-filled New year!