Tips on Turkey

The_Grill_Sergeant · September 2012

Hey Gang! For the first time in years we're having Thanksgiving dinner at our house and I'd like to do the turkey on my Egg. Anyone care to offer up some quick and dirty tips for success?

Bird Pre Treat

Upright or V-rack or on the grate

Temp

Time

Misc

Thanks!

Sarge

Mickey · October 2012

I do not brine. I spatchcock and like to leave the bird uncovered in the fridge overnight. Also I use smaller birds, 12/13 lb size and if I need more meat I will just do two. Also cook direct. I use a coffee rub and cook raised up highat 375/400. I never turn the bird over.

bertscampers · October 2012

Mickey said:

I do not brine. I spatchcock and like to leave the bird uncovered in the fridge overnight. Also I use smaller birds, 12/13 lb size and if I need more meat I will just do two. Also cook direct. I use a coffee rub and cook raised up highat 375/400. I never turn the bird over.

aAny reason for raised direct over indirect. I just can't seem to get this right. Thanks for zany help.

Mickey · October 2012

bertscampers I have done about 12 to 15 of these and no "reason" just always went raised direct. I am into easy and one less item to mess with I guess.

Buckdodger · October 2012

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

Another good recipe.

ratcheer · October 2012

Comment deleted by original poster. Sorry.

Tim

Dave in Florida · October 2012

I did my first turkey last year on my LBGE. I did as Mickey posted, spatchcock, raised, direct. I used pecan wood if I remember correctly. It was awesome, everyone loved it. I have been a turkey fryer for years but this year, I'll be doing my turkey spatchcocked again.

The_Grill_Sergeant · October 2012

Thanks gang! The Mad Max recipe looks absolutely AMAZING!

jlsm · October 2012

Last Thanksgiving, I used the recipe at amazing ribs. I changed it by using a dry brine (1 T of kosher salt per 5 lbs. of bird, rubbed under the skin as well as on top, in the fridge for 24 hours). Absolutely the finest turkey I have ever eaten. I made a small bird, 13lbs., because only four people were eating, and I truly regretted not having more leftovers. The broth was out of this world. I served thin gravy as he suggests and a flour-based gravy for the traditionalists.

I've cooked turkey breasts several times since (I don't like oven turkey breast). The Egg really shines with turkey.

Griffin · October 2012

You're gonna get a million different responses to do it a million different ways. What kind of flavor profile are you looking for? I like to brine, inject and rub with Swamp Venom, but that is more of a Cajun style turkey than your traditional one.

I will say that cherry wood works great with turkey if you can get it.

jlsm · October 2012

+1 on the cherry. Maple is good, too.

gerhardk · October 2012

We have made whole turkeys twice using the recipe out of the BGE Cookbook and on Sunday my brother used the same recipe successfully, very moist and flavourful.

Gerhard

Skiddymarker · October 2012

Spatchcocked, indirect, 300-350 grid. We tend to look for smaller birds <12#, suits our family size and are easy to handle. Cooks just like the weekly chicken.....

Like @Griffin mentions, we try lots of different rubs. some have been great, some not so much - but always fun.

tgkleman · October 2012

I used Alton Brown's turkey recipe last Thanksgiving and it turned out great. Just to be sure, I did a dry run in late October to make sure it would work.

Just google Alton Brown turkey and you'll see the recipe.

SmokeyPitt · October 2012

Last year I did about a 12 lb bird from Trader Joes (pre-brined). I used a very simple herb butter* rubbed on and under the skin. I cooked it spatchcocked with an indirect setup until 160 in the breast. It turned out eggcellent.

*Herbed butter recipe:

Butter

McCormick's Italian Seasoning Herb Grinder.

Grind herbs into slightly softened butter to taste. Mix.

henapple · October 2012

Indirect 12 lb...what's your time at 300-350? Around 3 hrs?

KMagnus · October 2012

If I have time, I will always brine. Brine for up to 2 days, pull, rinse and let air dry in the fridge for 1 day. I generally do indirect, directly on the grate and allow up to 4-4.5 hours for a large (18-20#) bird.

Don_Piero · October 2012

Yesterday for Canadian Thanksgiving, I did two 15lb'ers side by side on two V-racks in the xl-egg sitting on the place setter without grill. No brine, but used butter (real butter) injected turkies, stuffed with 1/4'rd lemons, oranges and green apples. Smothered the outside with Paprika, rosemary and tyme. Roasted without smoking them at 300 degrees. Cooked breast down for about 2.5 hours and then turned them over for the last hour to brown the breast. Cooked till thigh was 182 degrees. Super moist bird.

fishlessman · October 2012

if this is your first egged turkey, why wait til tday, go cook one this weekend and work the bugs out of pan sizes , amount of smoking woods etc

cortguitarman · October 2012

fishlessman said:
if this is your first egged turkey, why wait til tday, go cook one this weekend and work the bugs out of pan sizes , amount of smoking woods etc

That's my plan. I've done tons of chickens. Ove cooked the bourbon brined turkey from the BGE cookbook once. It was good, but on the verge of being too moist, if that's possible.

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