I’ve always joked there’s a reason turkey usually only appears on the table once a year: it can be bland and, frankly, boring. That changes with this Nashville Hot Turkey. This version delivers juicy, well-seasoned meat with bold, spicy flavor.
If you love Nashville Hot Chicken, you’ll appreciate the inspiration behind this turkey. Nashville-style heat and tang transform the bird into something exciting. While the classic is deep-fried, this turkey works beautifully roasted on the grill or in the oven, and makes a fantastic centerpiece or sandwich filling.
Below I explain a few key tips to keep your turkey moist and flavorful, then walk through the simple recipe so you can replicate it at home.
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What Is the Perfect Size Turkey for Roasting?
I prefer a 10–12 pound turkey. Smaller birds tend to have better flavor and cook more evenly. If you need more meat, it’s often faster and tastier to roast two smaller birds than one very large one.
Why Is Turkey So Dry?
Turkey is naturally lean with little intramuscular fat, which means there’s less internal basting as it cooks. Dark and white meat require different internal temperatures, so it’s common to overcook white meat while waiting for dark meat to reach safe temperatures. Salt penetration is another challenge — without enough salt the meat can feel dry and lack flavor. This recipe addresses each of those issues.
Tips for Making Nashville Hot Turkey
The Injection: To add fat and flavor into lean breast meat and thick portions of the bird, melt butter and whisk in Nashville hot seasoning, then inject it into breasts, legs, and thighs. This keeps the meat juicy and seasons it from the inside out.
The Seasoning: Making your own rub or using a quality Nashville hot blend gives the bird the right balance of heat, smokiness, and savory notes. Use a seasoning you trust for consistent results.
The Trim: Rather than roasting the bird whole, split it in half (spatchcock or remove the backbone and halve the breastbone). A split bird cooks faster and more evenly, which helps avoid overcooked white meat and simplifies carving.
The Presentation: For serving, separate the leg and thigh from the breast in one piece along the natural joint. Remove the wings, then peel the breast meat from the breastbone and slice against the grain for tender slices that hold the seasoned skin. Collect and reserve drippings for finishing the dish.
The Drippings: Strain and combine the drippings with melted butter and a touch more seasoning to brush over the carved meat just before serving.
Nashville Hot Turkey Recipe
Serves: 8–10 | Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: About 1 hour
Ingredients
1 10–12 pound turkey
¼ cup Nashville Hot Seasoning
2 sticks salted butter
2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
How to Make Nashville Hot Turkey
Step 1: Remove the backbone with a sharp knife or kitchen shears, then split down the breastbone so the bird lays flat as two halves. The backbone can be saved for stock or gravy.
TIP: Don’t discard the backbone. It’s perfect for making turkey stock or enriching gravy.
Step 2: Preheat your grill set for two-zone cooking or preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Use indirect heat on the grill.
Step 3: Melt one stick of butter over low heat and whisk in about two teaspoons of Nashville hot seasoning. Let it cool slightly, then, before it solidifies, inject the seasoned butter evenly into the breasts, legs, and thighs using a meat injector or syringe.
Step 4: Lightly brush the skin with neutral oil and then generously season the entire bird with Nashville hot seasoning.
Step 5: Place the turkey on a raised-rim baking sheet and roast over indirect heat on the grill or in the oven. Cook until the breast reaches 150°F and the thigh reaches 170°F on a reliable quick-read thermometer. Cooking times vary by bird size, so monitor temperature rather than time alone.
Step 6: Transfer the turkey to another sheet, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest. While it rests, strain the drippings into a small saucepan, add the remaining stick of butter, melt over low heat, whisk in 2 teaspoons of seasoning, and keep warm.
Step 7: Carve as described above: separate leg and thigh, remove wings, peel and slice the breast against the grain. Drizzle the slices and pieces with the seasoned butter and reserved drippings just before serving.
Step 8: Serve with mashed potatoes, pickles, and your favorite stuffing or side dishes for a bold, memorable meal.
Nashville Hot Turkey
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Ingredients
- 1 10–12 pound turkey
- ¼ cup Nashville Hot Seasoning
- 2 sticks salted butter
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
Instructions
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Remove the backbone and split the turkey so it lays flat as two halves. See a spatchcock tutorial if you need guidance. Cut down the center of the breastbone to separate the halves.
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Preheat the grill for two-zone cooking or preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Melt one stick of butter over low heat and whisk in 2 teaspoons of Nashville hot seasoning. Let it cool slightly and inject the seasoned butter into breasts, legs, and thighs before it solidifies.
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Brush the skin with neutral oil, then generously season the skin with Nashville hot seasoning.
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Roast on a raised-rim sheet over indirect heat on the grill or in the oven. Cook until the breast reaches 150°F and the thigh 170°F. Rely on internal temperature rather than time.
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Transfer the turkey to a resting sheet and tent loosely with foil. Strain the drippings into a saucepan, add the remaining stick of butter, warm, and whisk in 2 teaspoons of seasoning.
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Carve the turkey: separate leg and thigh, remove wings, peel and slice the breast against the grain. Drizzle with the seasoned butter and reserved drippings.
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Serve with mashed potatoes, pickles, and your favorite stuffing or sides.