# Breast up or down



## ldrus (Nov 24, 2009)

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?


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## beer-b-q (Nov 24, 2009)

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


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## gregzee (Nov 24, 2009)

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


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## scubadoo97 (Nov 24, 2009)

bones down


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## igolf2 (Nov 24, 2009)

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.


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## mballi3011 (Nov 24, 2009)

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.


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## plj (Nov 24, 2009)

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?


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## roksmith (Nov 24, 2009)

yup.. breast up = skin up


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## raceyb (Nov 24, 2009)

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.


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## sumosmoke (Nov 24, 2009)

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


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## bassman (Nov 24, 2009)

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


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## toxie (Nov 24, 2009)

Breast side up here as well...


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## waytoodeep03 (Nov 25, 2009)

Breast side sideways....

Wait...Huh?


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## pignit (Nov 25, 2009)

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.


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## miamirick (Nov 25, 2009)

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


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## Bearcarver (Nov 25, 2009)

Only true if they are real.

Ditto on the *"Happy Thanksgiving"*


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