Breast up or down

[ldrus]

Hi Guys still learning as i go and the wife had already bought the turkey(20lb) before i found out its not the best idea to smoke a large bird because of the danger zone and time in it, so with that said i have read it will be best if i "Spatchcock" the bird so that is my plan, however do i want to put skin side down for the first hr or just leave it skin side up since it will be laid out flat

one last thing what is ballpark time/temps for spatchcock bird i am thinking about 300 deg or can i run a little lower?

 

[beer-b-q]

I have never done one Spatchcock Style but I would say Breast Side Up...

 

[gregzee]

Ive always done breast up and havent had any lack of juicyness.

 

[scubadoo97]

bones down

 

[igolf2]

20Lb without spatching is ok but at a higher temp at first I usually set to 350+/- to get the bird up to temp quickly and then back off a bit (300) for the rest of the cook - Brine that turk overnight - ice the breasts (ziplock bags of ice on the breasts prior to putting in the smoker) - rub with olive oil & seasonings of your choice - breast side up - and go for it! Pull at 160-165 (measured at breast) and let sit for at least 20 min.

Spatchcocked turkey is great but I just don't like the presentation at Thankgiving.

 

[mballi3011]

I have never spatchcock a turkey either but all the turkey that I have smoked they all have been breast up and show them proply too.

 

[plj]

OK, I'm confused - you guys keep saying breast up, but if its spatchcocked does that mean the skin side up or down???

bones down would mean skin up, right?

 

[roksmith]

yup.. breast up = skin up

 

[raceyb]

Skin side up for the majority of the cook. If ya want to get fancy and char some grill marks, butter the skin, skin down, mark then flip and finish.

 

[sumosmoke]

If your smoker has enough vertical space, stand that sucker up! Get a large baked bean can (or something of that size/width), empty the beans to cook later. Fill the can 1/2 full with a liquid/spice mixture: apple juice with rosemary sprigs, or plain turkey broth. Place a potato or onion on top of the cavity where the neck bone was.

Check out this link to a fellow member that smoked a 20# turkey standing up on a can. It was a good thread with qvue to show how it looked in his ecb.

20# turkey smoke

 

[bassman]

This is spatchcocked smoking skin side up. Turns out perfect.

 

[toxie]

Breast side up here as well...

 

[waytoodeep03]

Breast side sideways....

Wait...Huh?

 

[pignit]

Spatchcocked.... breast (skin side up). I've been turning my whole chickens breastside down about midway through the smoke. I did it because it seemed that the bottom side was getting crispier than the top but I think it actually made the breast juicier. It makes sense. There are a number of chefs that suggest cooking a whole turkey or chicken breast side down. Last year a friend of mines wife cooked her first turkey ever and thought she had messed it up because she cooked it breast side down. It turned out awesome.

 

[miamirick]

i've always found that the younger they are the farther up the breast is, and when they get older the breast is down!

Happy Thanksgiving

 

[Bearcarver]

Only true if they are real.

Ditto on the "Happy Thanksgiving"