New Egg owners here, need advise for thanksgiving turkey.

Todd_n_amanda

Hi all, Todd and Amanda here, just purchased a XL egg this past weekend. We want to do a turkey on it for thanksgiving but have zero experience with the egg. We have the XL egg, platesetter, egg 2 level cooking rack, egg folding grill extender and I've ordered the kick ash basket, Thermoworks smoke thermometer, and a thermopop. I've read so many recipes on here my eyes have crossed so our question is what is the most simple method for us to do our first turkey? I like the spatchcock idea and it looks pretty simple. Every post about them is a little different, some do direct, some indirect so again what would you recommend? Thanks in advance

EggMcMic

Good morning and congrats on the new egg! I am NOT an expert but I'll throw out my two cents. I have done exactly ONE turkey on my egg so far and I spatchcocked it, rubbed it and cooked it indirect at about 375 degrees. I pulled it when the breast hit 155 degrees and let it sit a little before carving. Moist, juicy and wonderful. Plan to do my second turkey the same way next Thursday. The only change I am planning to make is to add a couple pieces of cherry wood to the coals for a mild smoke and (hopefully) some good color.

Mickey

Spatchcocked Turkey and Chicken on the Big Green Egg

(you cut out the backbone and cook opened)

I like a 11/12 lb bird. If I need lots of turkey I just cook a couple ( 1 & 1/2  hr cook app)

Chicken 3 to 3.75lb bird or birds. Under an hour cook. 

Or, just add a package of legs extra. 

I do not brine the turkey or Chicken. 

If time I like to leave uncovered in the fridge overnight (no problem if no time) 

I cook "direct" @ 400/425 on a raised grill "skin side up" and never turn over.

I will use a coffee rub. Use what you like.

NOTE PLEASE (A LOT OF SMOKE IS NOT YOU FRIEND)

I use about a single handfull of mixed chips: Cherry & Pecan. 

Cook Turkey to temp (not time) breast @ 155 and thigh @ 165.

Cook Chicken to temp breast 160.

Rest both 10 mins.

 

Coffee Rub (turkey, chicken, beef & pork)

Equal part: Instant Expresso Ground coffee..

Equal part: Brown Sugar..

½ part: Black Pepper..

½ part: Kosher Salt..

½ part: Garlic Powder..

¾ part: Ancho Chili Powder..

  Don't worry on exact, just close on measurement. I used to use turbinado sugar but we like with brown better. This is pulled from MollyShark, Hungry Man, & Richard In Fl then tweaked. I find the ancho chili powder is far less expensive in the bulk spice area than the bottled area ( have used both light or dark version). I make it starting with a half cup Instant Expresso Ground coffee and work from there as it seems to store well if sealed.

Todd_n_amanda

Mickey that is the recipe I've looked at most this week. How far above the felt line does the grill need to be? Is there a reason for doing it direct instead of indirect?

thetrim

Two words: Mad Max.  This is a great recipe and even includes a killer recipe for gravy.  Good luck, congrats, and welcome!

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/madmaxturkey.htm

Mickey

Mine is 2" over felt (this Egg has not had felt in over 6 years). I use Adjustable Rigs in both Larges but you can just as easy use bricks. 
I find I get so much better results direct (skin,etc) than indirect. 

Skiddymarker

@Mickey nails it for the spatched birds, for traditional, the MadMax is well worth the extra time and effort. I suggest you spatch for the first time, MadMax as the next cook. For MadMax, rather than ice the breasts, I cook upside down for the first hour, then flip the whole bird to brown and finish. I do not use smoke wood, just the lump. 

Mickey

Skiddymarker said:

@Mickey nails it for the spatched birds, for traditional, the MadMax is well worth the extra time and effort. I suggest you spatch for the first time, MadMax as the next cook. For MadMax, rather than ice the breasts, I cook upside down for the first hour, then flip the whole bird to brown and finish. I do not use smoke wood, just the lump. 

Skiddymarker is 100% on. I am just a very lazy cook. 

JustineCaseyFeldown

mad max's method can be considered two separate things, both good.  one is a set up for the egg, how to configure the BGE.

the other thing, is that it is a recipe.

spatched bird is a cooking method: split th bird down the back bone and lay flat.  the ingredients are not part of the method, they are yet another recipe (also good)

but you probably have a great family recipe, right?

so, i would suggest, before you switch it up entirely and start doing EVERYTHING differently than you have before, why not follow your typical recipe, but simply use the egg like your oven, and cook the same bird the way you always did?

Mad Max will show you how to set up.  but you can prep the bird the way you always did.

that's not to say Max's recipe isn't good, or spatchcocked isn't an option.  all i'm saying is, for your first bird, if you remember the thing is essentially just an oven, then cooking the same bird (how ever you always stuff it, season it baste it, whatever) will give you a great comparison against past birds.

if you go slathering it in all sorts of rubs, adding exotic smokes, following someone else's grandmother's recipe, well, you will certainly have a great bird, but you will have a hard time appreciating what difference the egg itself made.

imagine just doing it the way you always did, except in the BGE, and then realizing, "wow. that's much better than we've ever done"

later you can go  nuts and brine and season and spatch and whatever. you'll have a point of comparison for future cooks, and can tweak as you go.

Ladeback69

I just did a 15 pound turkey last night for work today.  I like to brine a fresh turkey for 24 hours, but since this was a Buttertball I just did about 9.  I set my XL up for indirect at 325 to 340.  The normal cooking time they say for turkey in the oven is 15 minutes per pound, but I think the egg cooks it a little faster.  Here is what I did for the cook last night that I just posted.
http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1200781/smoked-turkey-for-work-lunch#latest
 

jtcBoynton

Todd_n_amanda said:

.... just purchased a XL egg this past weekend. We want to do a turkey on it for thanksgiving but have zero experience with the egg. ... so again what would you recommend? ...

Practice temp control a few times before the Thanksgiving cook.  You do not even need to cook anything. Try to get a steady temp and then change it.  Get a feel as to how the egg responds to changes in vent settings.  Put a pot of cold water into the egg to simulate adding a cold mass of meat and see how the egg responds.  Learn to be patient when dealing with temperature variations - always remember there is a lot of ceramic mass that adsorbs and releases heat slowly.

Todd_n_amanda

Appreciate the fast responses. I should have added that I intend to do a trail run this weekend with a cheap chicken that hopefully will be edible lol. I've been grilling my whole life just never on an egg so yes I do have several favorite seasonings and recipes that I'm curious to see what the difference is on the egg. My hardest part will be figuring out direct vs indirect and also grill rack height. I typically do full meals on the grill so there's going to be a learning curve to get the timing, temps, and placement rights for full meals. I've been reading recipes on here for a week now every spare second I get looking at different setups and I'm amazed with the options of cooking in the egg. Thanks for the help keep it coming please and add some advice on posting pics for me.

JustineCaseyFeldown

if you are indirect, you are simply roasting it, and it's no longer a grill.  just a lump-fired oven.  hint of smoke, steady temps. 

Mickey

@JustineCaseyFeldown are you saying just cut down the middle "split th bird down the back bone and lay flat" or cut out the back bone? I cut out the back bone.

rmr62

You have been given plenty of advice already, but I will give you one other way to consider.  I have done spatch direct or indirect, and several other ways.  With turkey, I think partly due to the size, I like my birds around 12-14 pounds.  The method I have used most is a raised direct of the whole bird.  It is less work (not having to cut out backbone) but otherwise everything I do is the same as far as rubs, etc.  My theory is the intact back in a sense acts as a heat deflector or plate setter.  I don't eat the back anyway.  Some people complain that the breast will get to temp before the legs.  This method for me seems to eliminate that.  Since the legs get more direct heat, everything seems to come to temp together.  I usually go in the 375-400 range, but if it's a little more or less, not a big deal.  For any question on this forum, you will get about 100 answers of different ways to do something.  Find what works for you and just keep trucking.

bgebrent

I like to do a traditional bird with compound butter under the skin and aromatics in the cavity.  I cook raised, indirect (think oven recipe) with a raised drip pan. I use a free range bird so I brine. 
Ive deep fried, spatched, grilled... blah, blah. All the above techniques work.  I do Ice down the breasts for 20-30' pre cook. Orient the bird so legs/thighs are toward the back of the egg (hotter).  It works well.