How do you all hang your spatchcocked turkeys?

[darth_mulligan]

Last time I smoked a spatchcocked turkey, I put a meat hook into each breast through the rib cage. Is there a better way?

[texastweeter]

I dress to the right...

[texastweeter]

At least one person got it Alan Brice

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

If you're hanging it, I'm not sure if spatchcocking is any real use, is it? I'm trying to decide how I'm doing mine this year. Looking at about a 20 lb bird. Also going to do a large ham, as well, so I'll still be firing up the stickburner - might as well do 'em both in there, I guess. But I had considered using my drum for the turkey and hanging it... decisions, decisions.

I also like to do the 'full spatchcock', removing the lower ribs and and pelvis, as well as blades. wishbone and breastbone, so this would preclude hanging, as the leg and thigh in this case are only attached by skin. But I find the full spatch makes for easier carving all the way around.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I agree, I think... If hanging my mind says you might as well go quarters or halves if not going with a whole hung bird.

[RonB]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gscut1p4kY

I know I'm no help...

[darth_mulligan]

lol

[fzxdoc]

I spatchcock turkeys all the time, putting a hook through each armpit, into the rib cage, coming out the back. That way there are no holes in the breast meat.



Kathryn

[Kascon11]

I am a bit spatially challenged, do you have pics of where to place the hooks. this looks so good I might get a whole turkey and try this. (I will practice with chickens first)

[Alan Brice]

Several years ago I inquired abt this exact thing. I was doing a first time for the inlaws n Kathryn set me straight! IIRC 17lb bird was done in PBC under 2hrs and perfectly.
It is quite a sight to be the centerpiece of the table! It just needs to be carved in the kitchen.

[darth_mulligan]

Thanks for the visual! +1 for the aluminum foil booties.

[BGWolf]

I have a Big Green Egg (No Drum... yet) I have spatchcocked my turkeys for the past few years. They are unbelievably moist and get done in record time.

I bought a pair of tin snips from Harbor freight and ran thru the Sani cycle of my dishwasher and use them exclusively for poultry and they get run thru the Sani cycle after each use.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I didn't know you could hang stuff in the BGE?

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Think he just means spatchcocked...

[BGWolf]

Sorry, I don't hang turkeys in my BGE. I spatchcock rather than hang.

[MarkN]

I have a PBC and have used their turkey hanger. It turned out great but, it seems like it is hanging upside down since it puts the breast meat closer to the coals and the legs/thighs on top. I am thinking of spatchcocking it this year so I can hang it with the two hooks and the dark meat closer to the coals. I like the way Kathryn shows to do it. Thanks.

[fzxdoc]

Here's a copy of the PBC Spatchcocked Turkey Game Plan I wrote for myself back in the day. It's pretty much what I do now as well. TripleB and Kascon11

PBC Spatchcocked Turkey game plan:

1. 24 hours before: Spatchcock the thawed turkey using the Fiskar Pruning Shears set aside for food only.
2. Rub with PBC AP rub under the skin as far as possible, covering the breast, leg, thigh meat. Smooth the skin back into place. Mix PBC AP rub 1 tablespoon to ½ tablespoon (aluminum free) baking powder and rub into the skin to help it crisp. Otherwise, just put the rub on the skin.
3. Rest uncovered overnight in refrigerator. This allows the skin to dry. Don’t do any longer or skin will get leathery.
4. Just before putting the turkey on the PBC: sprinkle lightly the with more PBC AP rub mixed half and half with paprika for color. Pat the added rub in to make sure it's moistened.
5. Hang the bird under armpits, hooking first between the ribs under the front of the armpits, and continue the hooking into back ribs before letting the point of the hook come out of the bird. Make sure hooks face same direction, since hanging on one rebar only.
6. Put oiled foil booties on the ends of the legs. This keeps the “ankles” from charring from hanging so close to the coals so they look pretty on the platter.
7. Light fire using your preferred method, charcoal, and wood. I like the 15-10-10 method (see sticky on PBC channel), with Kingsford Professional or KBB preferred, and a chunk of applewood added.
8. Pull one rebar out, and thread the other one through on the diagonal so the bird has more wiggle room. This is optional; it works with my cooks to keep the temps in the 325-350° range because of the two open rebar holes.

Expect a 1.5 to 2 hour cook time for 14 lb spatchcocked turkey

Sometimes as soon as I have removed the turkey from the PBC, I toss a turkey breast in to cook while we’re eating dinner for more white meat for leftovers. There are usually plenty of coals to cook this second breast, which makes for nice leftovers. Most people in my family prefer white meat for leftover turkey sammies.


Kathryn

P.S. If you've never done a turkey before, it doesn't hurt to do a trial run with one, just to get the details worked out for yourself before the Big Day.

[TripleB]

Thank you Kathryn. Greatly appreciated. I've done a few turkeys before. The Sunday before Thanksgiving, I'm smoking 5 turkeys on my Jambo for a community food distribution center I volunteer at. Just never done a turkey on my PBC (pork butt, brisket, ribs, chickens - yes, turkey - no). Thank you again.

[Kascon11]

thanks. If I get time away from work. I will try this before Thanksgiving.

[darth_mulligan]

Good call on throwing in a breast for leftovers! Also I feel like I've made it now that Queen Kathryn has replied to one of my posts.

[darth_mulligan]

Circling back to say my spatchcocked turkey in the PBC was a great success! Thanks to all for the advice!

[Potkettleblack]

Not a PBC owner, but my plan for doing one on the OJB would be to just hang it, legs down, and not bother spatchcocking. The reason being is that my default turkey prep is a vertical roast on the Grilla. The twelve pound bird cooks in 2 hours and change on the Grilla at 325*.

The airflow that you get from the vent at the bottom up to the rebar holes at the top should create a convection flow, so as long as the bottom and the top are open, that flow will go through the central cavity of the bird, essentially cooking from both sides at once. That eliminates the need to spatchcock. Just trim the neck area and the fat flap around the bottom, and hang.