Another first spatchcock turkey

Zmokin

for thanksgiving, we went to a restaurant because I wanted a break from the hectic work of making an entire dinner.
But that doesn't mean I don't want lots of left over turkey meat.
So today, i will be smoking my first turkey on the LBGE.
I will spatchcocking raised direct at 350 to 400.
I have 2 questions.
First, I've read different meat temps for cooking to, what do you guys and gals recommend for the lowest safe internal meat temps, thigh & breast?
Second, even though I am cooking to temp, about how long should a 12 lb bird take based on my cooking method and temp?

Boileregger

For time I would guess a little over an hour.  What I do is point the legs toward the hinges.  The back of the Egg is a hot spot so will cook legs and thighs faster.  I pull when the breast is 155 and let rest to 160.  I don't even check temps in the thighs anymore because using this method they have always come out done at the same time as the breast.

Hook_emHornsfan_74

I did my first one yesterday and it was 11.5 pounds and it took about 1:45 minutes. Came out great. Raised direct. 

smbishop

You probably already cooked, but I went at 275 direct for a 15lb bird, just over 2 hours.  Followed the Dizzy Pig post... http://dizzypigbbq.com/portfolio/spatchcocked-turkey-method/

Zmokin

OK, bird is on.  My spatchcock is a little lopsided.  I figured why cut twice to remove the backbone, I just cut once and left the backbone on one side.

eggsurance_agent

take some pics!

Zmokin

First pic.
Just about done, I think my thigh probe wasn't very well centered, from the very beginning of the cook it took off like a banshee, so I'm cooking based on the breast meat probe.


2nd pic.  Bird upside done for last hour of cook, ready to pull


last pic,
oops forgot the fork, well anyway, bird, skin side up in the house.


Forgot to take after pics, I ate the wings, son had a drumstick, wife ate part of a thigh.  The breasts are wrapped and in the fridge to cool, to be thinly sliced on a meat slicer tomorrow.  The rest of meat has been stripped from the bones and is awaiting being proportioned and frozen for later use.  bones and juices are zip-locked, waiting to join many other chicken bones and mirepoix to make home-made poultry stock tomorrow.