Turkey Placement Question

jfm0830 · November 2012

First turkey on the Egg. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be doing rolls, Hermit Cookies, an Eggnog Bundt Cake as well as the 14# turkey on the Egg.

I cook my turkeys in a cast iron drip pan with a v-rack set inside. I place quartered onions and apples in both the cavities and the drip pan. No need for gravy. Today I picked up the bird so I can start brining it and I did a test fit on the grill. Therein lies my question.

I was planning on doing this setup: Plate setter legs up, stainless steel grate on top of the legs, Cast iron drip pan on top of the grate and v-rack in the drip pan. It does fit but parts of the bird are about an inch away from the walls in the dome part of the Egg in two places about 3" below the top. It quickly falls away, but I don't know if that is too close.

The second way of doing it would be: Plate setter legs up, cast iron drip pan on the plate setter, v-rack in the Plate setter. This puts the bird further away from the walls of the dome, but closer to the heat source.

Any comments on which setup might work better? I don't care wether the drippings burn a bit, I am not using them for gravy and I will have aromatics in the drip pan. Thanks in advance.

Jim

Little Steven · November 2012

Doesn't matter if you are using the drippings or not. If you are putting the ci directly on the platesetter you will get acrid burning fat. You still need to space the drip pan off the platesetter

jfm0830 · November 2012

OK, sold on that. How much do I need to lift the cast iron drip pan up off the platesetter?

Also any thoughts about having it up higher in the dome but one inch from the top?

Little Steven · November 2012

Just a bit. I actually invented the idea of 1/2" copper plumbing tees. Well I didn't really invent it but guys were using 90* bends and I thought the tees were a little more stable, albeit a few cents more. You just need some bit of an air barrier so the radiant heat of the lump doesn't transfer to the drip pan.

Little Steven · November 2012

The higher in the dome you get the faster it will cook. I have always done them at grid level, simply because I have to cook large birds. Keep the legs toward the back of the egg.

nolaegghead · November 2012

Steve, didn't you say you've cooked turkey ass-up (beer can-like - legs, thighs up) to take advantage of the higher dome temps? +1 on legs in the back if it's horizontal.

Little Steven · November 2012

Dude,

Yes I cook a lot of poultry butt up. Problem is I have to do two large birds at Christmas and you can't do a big bird inverted. Try a chicken one time in a shallow pan and you won't go back. Ah Guarantee

SMITTYtheSMOKER · November 2012

Ball up some tin foil and hammer them flat to form four corner spacers that will get the pan off the platesetter. Should be the best set-up for you cook. IMO

tulocay · November 2012

This is a timely topic. I just bought a 17# bird today. I have a LBGE and assumed it would fit with plate setter legs up, stainless steel grate on top of the setter, drip pan on top of the setter with v-rack on top of the grate. Sounds like that may be cutting it close. I might have to put the v-rack in the drip pan on top of the setter. Would approx 3/8 clearance be enough between the setter and the drip pan?

Little Steven · November 2012

Yes, All you need is a bit of airspace. If you use 1/2" plumbing tees there is only a moment of contact between the heat barrier. Copper is a good heat sink

jbates67 · November 2012

Great advice on the copper plumbing T's, will head to HD tomorrow and pick some up. Perfect solution. Love this forum. Thanks....and Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

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