Spatchcocked turkey on WSM Vs hanging in PBC

[Driverdan]

I will be smoking turkeys this Thanksgiving for around 30 guests. Previously I spatchcocked 2 birds and smoked one on a WSM, the other on my UDS. This year I also have a PBC and am considering hanging 2 birds in it.
Te first method yields evenly cooked meat, will the PBC cooked birds be subject to the same unevenness that un-butterflied birds do?

Thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

[jecucolo]

The PBC and turkeys are a match made in heaven. I spatchcock 2 every year. Keep the lid cracked and in 2 hours you are ready to eat.

[Driverdan]

Thank you Jecucolo. Do you use the turkey hooks or the standard hooks?
Also, where do you insert your temp probe, breast or leg?

[jecucolo]

I use the regular hooks. I put the probe in the breast.

[Rod]

I just did a practice run in the PBC on a 14.5lb bird unspatchcocked and it turned out perfect. Used the PBC turkey hanger. Took only 2hrs with the cooker temp an average of 340. I think it's key to inject the breasts with a 50/50 mixture of butter and oil. Super moist.

[JeffJ]

I've cooked several birds in the PBC. I have the turkey hanger and it works beautifully. I've never seen the benefit of spatchcocked birds. I've tried it twice and didn't feel the results were any better than cooking the bird whole. Whole is easier so it has won out. If you remove the bowl and limit yourself to the top grate you can pretty closely replicate the PBC with a WSM.

[N227GB]

And a whole bird gives you a traditional presentation at a holiday dinner.

[Troutman]

I know it's a mute point but there are some simple mods that allow you to hang meat in a WSM, if that's the way you want to go. As was said, once the bowl is removed (which mine is long gone) there is very little, if any difference between the WSM and a drum.

[Troutman]

I rarely use the bottom rack. I have an 18 and a 22" so I choose the size to fit the meat being cooked on the top rack.

[JeffJ]

Ok. That makes sense. The nice thing about MCS is capacity is rarely an issue and thus the various cookers don't need to be loaded up to maximum.

[dshaffes]

I agree. I'm hanging my turkey in my 22" WSM setup just like a drum. I've got the Gateway hanging rack and the Pit Barrel turkey hanger with the Hunsaker Vortex charcoal grate. This setup produce fantastic results for me.

[ecowper]

Here's my only comment on the subject :-)

[New2Cue]

I've made turkey on the PBC both spatchcocked and with the hangers. Both came out fantastic, much better than any turkey I've had in the past. I prefer the new hangers just for the presentation, but either works just fine.

Bummed I'm going away for Thanksgiving - no smoked turkey for me My sister-in-law better not mess it up!

[EdF]

Oh boy!