Spatchcocking a turkey is a beautiful way to cook the Thanksgiving Day centerpiece. While you won't end up with a traditional round turkey served on a platter, the method of spatchcocking will give you an evenly brown roasted turkey that will be the envy of all of your dinner guests. What is spatchcocking? Much like butterflying, spatchcocking involves cutting the turkey - basically removing the backbone - so it lays flat.