Hanging poultry-breast up or down?

[indaswamp]

So...I recently smoked 2 brine/cured turkeys. I put them in the net bags breast down to hang in my verticle smokehouse. The birds were a good 4' above the flame, and got good even heat. But upon looking around on the internet, I saw recommendations to smoke turkeys with the legs down towards the heat. This does two things, it allows heat to rise into the cavity of the bird, shortening the cooking time, and it allows the legs to cook to a higher temp(which is what you want anyways), being that they are closest to the fire with the heat rising around them. This also allows you to hang pieces of fat over the breast on the inside of the net bag which will self baste the bird skin and really help to crisp the skin up.

SMF Thoughts????

Anyone ever try it this way???

 

[motocrash]

Never done it but it makes complete sense.

 

[hardcookin]

When I smoke turkeys I usually do them in a pan. Usually breast down for 2 hours legs pointing away from firebox "reverseflow"
Then turn upright, breast away from firebox.

 

[zwiller]

I don't think it really matters. I thought about it when I did mine and thought that the breast might not get as much netted look and the wings might not be tight so I went legs up. If I knew someone who had a smokehouse large enough to fit a bunch of birds :D I'd test it. Netted up, netted down, netted on rack, spatchcocked, and halved. I would be really surprised if there was a taste difference. Ever since I read Marianski's I've discovered there are more variations to smoking turkey than I first knew and I think these will have a more profound effect on the end product than hanging position. Netted on a rack and smoked 28 hours. Looks incredible to me. http://tombstonebbq.blogspot.com/2012/11/turkey.html

I have never believed that basting works.

 

[indaswamp]

28 hours @170*.....hmmmm....
Almost had to have cure #1 in it I would think. Which is not a problem for me; I like cured smoked turkey.

 

[noboundaries]

I have a bullet smoker, so I don't use the OP's method. That said, I place the breast facing away from the hottest part of my smoker, which is under the offset vent. I generally do 6-8 turkeys year round. Whether spatchcocked, beer canned, turkey cannoned, or panned, I get a more consistent cook across the bird positioning the breast away from the greatest heat.

 

[zwiller]

28 hours @170*.....hmmmm....
+1; I think Pops is great for turkey with the small amount of cure. Mairanki's book is like 4x as much. Not sure if I will go 20+ hours but next bird is definitely going overnight. Provided it is cured, I could even cold smoke right?