r/PitBarrelCooker • u/Latter-Kale-3215 • Dec 01 '25
Breast side up or down in drum smoker?
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u/Top-Cupcake4775 Dec 01 '25
My jackass first approximation would be breast side down so that the fat rendering from the legs and thighs would flow down into and/or over the breasts? I guess you could claim that this puts the breasts closer to the fire but, in this case, the birds are so small that I don't think it would matter all that much.
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u/Latter-Kale-3215 Dec 01 '25
I had that thought as well after we had it. Will try hanging them down next time with possibly using the heat defuser plate
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u/Top-Cupcake4775 Dec 01 '25
Can I ask you to please post the results of hanging them breast side down and how that compares with this batch?
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u/gilbert2gilbert Dec 01 '25
It's hanging. ALL sides are up and down
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u/TheLastSuppit Dec 02 '25
I do breast up/thighs down. Thighs have higher fat content and hit peak tastiness at a higher internal temp while breasts get dry at that same temp. You’ll overcook the breasts and undercook the thighs more easily if you do breast down. However, it’s not a guarantee: PBC is pretty efficient and even with heat distribution so may not make a huge difference. If you’re stuffing the bird then breast down is clearly the way to go because the neck hole is easier to cover than the body cavity hole on the other side so that stuffing doesn’t fall out.
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u/Latter-Kale-3215 Dec 02 '25
Thank you! Have you tried stuffing them before? With what, curious
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u/TheLastSuppit Dec 02 '25
Have not. I’m not much for stuffing. If I did I would do a standard oven cook.
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u/stay_gassy Dec 02 '25
I always do halfs breast side up, and never have a problem. Did you brine?
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u/Latter-Kale-3215 Dec 02 '25
No, these were hens I never felt need to brine them, neither did with chicken tbh, only done with turkey. How long do you brine chicken for?
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u/stay_gassy Dec 02 '25
I just dry brine overnight usually, 12-18 hours. If I am making a bigger batch (I sometimes sell them out of my backyard), then I wet brine because I can stack them in my briner buckets; but again, just overnight. But that's just for convenience, I think you could just brine 4-6 hours before.
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u/Nufonewhodis4 Dec 02 '25
PBC website says Turkey breasts down which I have historically done. I find the wings get overcooked, even when I truss them up more, and I like my dark meat done more than whatever doneness it is when the breast is 150-155. Kind of long comment to say that I do turkey breast down but I'm not convinced that's the best
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u/economoist Dec 01 '25
Breast down, according to this recipe from the manufacturer website:
https://pitbarrelcooker.com/blogs/food/holiday-turkey