The Texas BBQ Forum

We have gotten away from the traditional whole Turkey the last few years and gone with the “Pre Smoked Whole Breast. This year however I was unable to locate any Smokedbreast and went ahead and purchased 2 fresh(frozen) breast. I’m wondering if I should spatchcock these or cook as is. Comments, recommendations please

Rambo wrote:We have gotten away from the traditional whole Turkey the last few years and gone with the “Pre Smoked Whole Breast. This year however I was unable to locate any Smokedbreast and went ahead and purchased 2 fresh(frozen) breast. I’m wondering if I should spatchcock these or cook as is. Comments, recommendations please

Cook them the Counselors way. You can thank me later. He has a post on here somewhere with some photo's.

Are they bone in or boneless?

TX1911 wrote:Are they bone in or boneless?

Bone in; real Turkey breast

I love to get those breasts and smoke, then slice them for sandwich meat.
The last few years, we have used just the breast for Thanksgiving too, since most prefer the breast meat anyway.
Usually smoked, or fixed in the Charbroil Big Easy.

This year I am fixing a whole turkey indoors in the oven - for the first time in at least 5 or 6 years.
I am intrigued with the idea of spatchcocking a turkey so going to give that a whirl. Should be done much faster, I understand.
I've spatchcocked chickens before, but not turkey.

Can I asked what you paid per pound for the breast? Walmart had some for $1.88/lb last week. That is about what I had normally
paid preCovid, so I was surprised it wasn't higher. Grabbed another one for the freezer.

It was 1.88 for breast but they had whole Butterballs for.98

Last time I did bone-in, and not as a whole bird, I cut the breasts out and did them my normal way. The benefit is the ability to season both sides with the detriment being inevitable lost meat.

TX1911 wrote:Last time I did bone-in, and not as a whole bird, I cut the breasts out and did them my normal way. The benefit is the ability to season both sides with the detriment being inevitable lost meat.

Thats the only thing that changes with your method with the bone in. You can still cook it the same, you just have to cut the meat free from the bone when finished. Should still be just as moist and tender.

Rambo, this was my first go using the Counselors method. I used SPG, I think his I just S&P. But it turned out moist and tender as.

Rambo wrote:.....................................went ahead and purchased 2 fresh(frozen) breast. I’m wondering if I should spatchcock these or cook as is. Comments, recommendations please

You don't spatchcock breasts. Spatchcocking is cutting out the backbone of a bird.

1MoreFord wrote:

Rambo wrote:.....................................went ahead and purchased 2 fresh(frozen) breast. I’m wondering if I should spatchcock these or cook as is. Comments, recommendations please

You don't spatchcock breasts. Spatchcocking is cutting out the backbone of a bird.

Understood