Cook time advice needed

TigerTony

Good morning guys, how about giving me your best guess as to how long before I'm carving my turkey.[p]My plan is that we eat our Thanksgiving dinner around 12:15 this afternoon. We need to eat early so that my daughters can catch another dinner with their boy friends families later in the day.[p]I'm following Mad Max's method and all is going fine. I lit the egg at 4:15 this morning and put the turkey in a few minutes after 5:00. I had the egg temp stable at 325* but it wasn't until about 6 o'clock that the temp came back up even with some minor vent adjustments. Anyway, it's been in the egg since 5 o'clock.
My turkey is a 19.58 lb. I was figuring for a 6 hour cook and a half hour to cool before I carve and serve. I will remove when breast temp is 160* and thigh temp 180*
I'm now concerned that if I open the egg every 20 minutes to baste it like Mad Max suggest that I will increase the cooking time.
Should I cut back on the basting to insure that the turkey is cooked in time or am I going to make it "time-wise" by basting every 20 minutes? BTW I never opened the egg yet since putting the bird in
What ya think?
Thanks! [p]

mad max beyond eggdome

Tiger Tony,
first, i'd be opening that egg right now to see if the skin is starting to brown on the breasts ...if it is, time to 'tent' it! ...and start basting ... .if you are worried about it being done in time, crack the vents a little more and run it up to a good 350 on the dome temp thermometer (heck you could even go up to 375 . .. 1/2 hour is cutting it a little close if you need to be right on time. . . a turkey can be done a good couple of hours in advance if need be and then just wrapped in foil. .. give your self time to make gravy, and do other final prep. .. .[p]it was good talking to you yesterday!!

TigerTony

mad max beyond eggdome,[p]I'm all set for the gravy. I'm starting it in a little while. Yesterday I cooked two 4 lb. bone-in breast. I saved all the drippings and and even made a stock from yesterdays bones.[p]Right after I made the post I opened the egg, the turkey looks great. I basted it and poured the other half of the white wine on the turkey.
I'm not too worried about it anymore, I think I'll make it.[p]It was great talking with you yesterday, thanks for all the help.[p][p]

TigerTony

Tiger Tony,
Here is a pic after 2 1/2 hours ? first hour under 300* last 1.5 hrs at 325*.