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Crazy turkey question

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bettysnephew
bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
edited November 2013 in EggHead Forum
I am going to be doing a turkey for Thanksgiving. SWMBO insists.  I have done several turkeys before without issues so no problem with that, but after reading many of the posts here and elsewhere, it seems to me that the temperature further up in the dome tends to run higher than the grate.  SOOOOO, would there be a possible advantage to cooking the bird upside down on a SS turkey stand in order to apply more heat to the thigh area to get it to the higher temp required than the breast.  There also might be the possibility that this would keep the breast juicier.  Any thoughts from the experts on this plan?  I might just do it if no one else has destroyed a bird this way and see what happens.  I've already got the turkey stand from previous cooks and am going to get the bird.  HAHA!
A poor widows son.
See der Rabbits, Iowa
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Comments

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
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    Cooking high in the dome (cooking flat) is what made spatchcock method what it is. By cooking direct and raised (@400) cooking a flat bird it just cooks better (IMO).
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    edited November 2013
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    This man is a genius!

    photo e92152ef-9f4a-46c5-bcd9-1e99721bc708.jpg

    photo d25e71c8-47bd-4781-bba2-cd6690b2dab4.jpg 

     The thermapen in the rear was at 1588

     

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    @Mickey - I thought the Nephew was thinking of inverting the bird like LS does with chickens, that is stand them on their head. Have no idea how a turkey would fit as I have trouble inverting a chicken in my MBGE, which is why a spatchcocked bird is the almost always cook, turkey or chicken. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
    edited November 2013
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    @Little_Steven

    I will be cooking it on my XL, so I think there is enough room to invert it like LS picture.  I hadn't seen that pic before, does it work well?

    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,467
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    You will have grill marks across the breasts, if aesthetics are important (Norman Rockwell will be peeved!  :D )
    While the raw bird is outside the frig for an hour coming up to room temp, I just fill a sealed bag with icewater and lay it across the breasts, bird usually comes out okay.
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    I don't spatchcock chickens or turkeys. I always get 20 to25* differential between the thigh and breast. The melting fat from the rear end bastes the breast throughout the cook. Skin gets really crispy. Do the first half of the cook with the back of the bird to the rear of the egg. Spin it 180* for the rest to brown the breast. My XL is the old squat dome style so I don't know if it would fit. You could remove the fire ring and put a couple of pieces of square tube steel across and set your platesetter on those, that is if the platesetter won't sit on the firebox.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
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    @Little_Steven

    @Mickey

    Skiddymarker

    I just love it when a good plan comes together!  Thanks everyone.

    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    I don't spatchcock chickens or turkeys...

    Dear Little Steven,

    Please leave...
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    edited November 2013
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    henapple said:
    I don't spatchcock chickens or turkeys... Dear Little Steven, Please leave...
    I'll leave tomorrow. I just bought a small turkey which I will cook a bit later. After I post some decent pics with readable thermapen screens and a picture of the juices flowing over the cutting board. In the interim, what you and Mickey do behind closed doors is none of my concern.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
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    Little Steven rises above everyone else here(at least when he sits on my shoulders). I'm with him all the way. Spatchcockin ' is butt - ugly when it comes to "Sunday Dinner" presentation so I like his way for that. I'll leave with him.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Botch said:
    You will have grill marks across the breasts, if aesthetics are important (Norman Rockwell will be peeved!  :D )
    While the raw bird is outside the frig for an hour coming up to room temp, I just fill a sealed bag with icewater and lay it across the breasts, bird usually comes out okay.
    You can minimise the marks by using a rack and greased parchment. I don't do it breast down but have tried.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    I forgot to add, you may need to clip out an inch or two of backbone to get the bird started on the stand going neck first.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Rebellab
    Rebellab Posts: 43
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    I purchased a metal paper towel holder at Walmart for $2 to invert my turkey.
    LBGE South Dakota
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,741
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    ive done a couple hundred turkeys upsidedown, they come out really juicy and seem easier to carve but make lousy presentations. back in college we used to cook one bird for presentation and 20 something for carving upsidedown. this one i cooked low and slow for pulling, it practically fell apart
    imageimage

    image

    image 
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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