Quick question

[NamVetJoe]

I will start my second foray into smoking two spatchcock chickens. The first time I did breast up. I have seen some say breast down. What says you, experts. Thanks
Joe

 

[ristau5741]

If ya run 'em, breasts up, don't want to loose all that goodness on the skin.

it's normal for me to do them breast up, they rest flatter that way. Or whole upright if making a been can chicken like thing.

 

[SonnyE]

Hi Joe,
I can only speak from experience with Air Frying skin-on chicken thighs. I put them in skin side down once.
The skin was nice and crispy and stuck to the pan. :mad:
So I learned to do the skin side up first... :rolleyes:

One of my earlier triumphs was to smoke my chicken thighs for a couple of hours, then finish in the Air Fryer to get smokie crispy chicken. ;)

So my vote is for breast up.o_O

 

[bregent]

Do one up and one down - then you'll know if there is any meaningful difference.

 

[BandCollector]

In my experience I have always had the best results with breast side up.

Have fun,

John

 

[NamVetJoe]

Thanks I will actually do one breast side up and one down and post any discernable difference

 

[HalfSmoked]

I would do bone side down skin up for the jucies to run down over and soak into the breast.

Warren

 

[NamVetJoe]

Well, smoking is done. My first attempt was a 75% good chicken not as much smoke as I would have liked I started smoking 4:30. 260 degrees. After one hour I added another woodchuck. 6:30 my chicken temp was 158. At 7 pm I added a small chuck. AND I WAITED AND WAITED. By all that is holy smoke gods please let that chicken temp rise.Do I crank the sucker up to 500 degrees and get my chicken to 170.I wait and wait. 7:50 pm and I'm at 163. That's it I'm taken those suckers off. Great chicken moist and tender. Still would like some more smoke but that's just me. Today I give myself an 85. The one on the left is breast side down on the right up. I was going to crisp the skin on my grill but decided to try them as is.

 

[NamVetJoe]

 

[SmokinAl]

Was one more juicy & tender than the other?
Just curious, cause I always do breast side up.
Al

 

[HalfSmoked]

Kits thanks for the like.

Warren

 

[NamVetJoe]

@smokingal. No discernable difference in juiciness or tenderness BUT the one smoked breast side down was more seasoned simply because I was able to get more seasoning on the meat that way I did not use a binding agent on the underside of the one I did breast up hence could only really season under the skin. i hope that makes some sort of sense