Tyler Fenton, the brains behind Tucson's BATA restaurant, wouldn't dream of serving anything but a spatchcock turkey for Thanksgiving. "Once you try spatchcock, you never look back," he quips. Fenton believes that spatchcocking results in a moist, evenly cooked turkey with a tantalizing golden-brown skin. His stance isn't uncommon. Google has recorded increasing interest in 'spatchcock turkey' each November for the past five years.

To those unsure about this cooking technique, the experts are asking you to take the leap. The term 'spatchcocking' refers to a butchering process where the bird's backbone is taken out, and the breastbone is flattened. This can be done by your butcher or on your own with these simple steps:

1. Position the turkey with the breast-side down on a flat surface. Start at the tail end and cut along each side of the backbone with poultry shears to separate it from the turkey. Keep the backbone for making stock.
2. Turn the turkey so that the breast-side is on top. Press down hard on the breastbone with the heels of your hands. This will crack the breastbone and flatten the turkey.

Matthew Cutolo, the culinary guru of Gargiulo's Restaurant in Coney Island, asserts that spatchcocking enables the turkey to cook faster and more evenly. "Compared to the classic roasting method, spatchcocking reduces the cooking time by 30 to 50 percent," he notes. For instance, the Salt and Pepper and Sesame-Ginger Spatchcock Turkeys can be fully cooked in an hour and 10 minutes, while most turkey recipes require over two hours.

While the aesthetics of a spatchcocked turkey may not appeal to everyone, Ken Lin, the mastermind behind New York City's Hutong, praises it for one crucial reason: "The turkey cooks evenly." Lin also hails its added benefit - crispy skin, facilitated by the larger surface area exposed to the oven's hot air.

That said, dealing with a 16-pound plus bird can be daunting. It requires a fair bit of courage (and strength) to break the breastbone to flatten the bird. Furthermore, as Cutolo points out, the flattened turkey requires more horizontal space in the oven.

However, New York-based Chef Mary Attea believes the flatter profile can be beneficial, especially when juggling multiple dishes in the oven. Yet, she warns, when it comes to a spatchcock turkey, tableside carving and stuffing aren't practical, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Considering health concerns with stuffing, many prefer preparing it in a separate dish. Lastly, while it may lack dramatic presentation, the flat structure of a spatchcocked turkey makes cutting and serving a breeze. As Fenton succinctly puts it: "I would rather have delicious turkey."