PBC Turkey hanger question

[cgseymour]

Hello All,
I am planning to do a turkey in my PBC this weekend. Was watching some videos and noticed one where they hung the turkey breast up, with the legs and thighs closest to fire.
I had always done the opposite, with the breast closest to the fire.
Was wondering if anyone had any experience, advice with this regard ?
I am thinking I may try hanging it with the legs done -- but wanted to see if anyone else had any experience hanging it like that?

Thank you

[pkadare]

Breast = white meat, legs, thighs, etc. = dark meat. Dark meat needs to be cooked to a higher temp than does white meat, ergo legs down, breast up.

[Skip]

I have did a whole Spatchcocked Turkey for last Thanksgiving on my PBC. It was the best Turkey I've even done IMO. It was hung breast up with the legs hanging pretty close to the charcoal basket. Next time I plan to tie the legs/thighs up just a little to see what happens. Before I did my turkey I researched The Pit and it seemed the preferred method was to spatchcock and hang legs down.

[cgseymour]

Thanks for the replies -- will try to remember to grab some picks

Cheers

[HawkerXP]

I do legs up as well.

[Sandpaper]

I did four turkeys in the PBC this year. All of them whole on the turkey hanger. 3 were breast down, 1 breast up. The breast up was the worst of the bunch. I understand the idea that you'd want dark meat closer to the fire, but the overall quality of that 1 bird was worse than the other three. Just my experience.

[HawkerXP]

What size birds?
I do chickens, legs down but usually do a larger size turkey.

[Sandpaper]

Birds were all 16-18 lbs

[SipIt]

I agree with Sandpaper. I did breast up this year with the turkey hanger and the results were not as good the dark meat was overdone by the time the breast got to 150-155. Going back to the recommended breast down from now on. The only thing I can think of is, the bird sits pretty low when the legs are down. The entire bird seems to be in the sweet spot of the barrel with the breasts are down.

[miked]

Every turkey and chicken I’ve cooked (over a dozen) has been a whole bird on a hangar with the legs up. Hasn’t failed me yet... I’ve screwed up just about everything else at least once, but never a whole bird in the PBC.

[TheQuietOne]

Very interesting. Legs up goes against everything I've ever been told about cooking poultry. I've also never done a whole bird either. I always quarter the bird so I can remove each part at the perfect temp.

[cgseymour]

Hello All,
I apologize, was not able to grab pics, I did my turkey breast up and one of the legs did get pretty dark.
Overall, the bird was good, but I may go back to legs up .

Cheers