So who else is doing their first turkey on the egg?

QDude · November 2013

I have done a few on my XL. I did a 19 pound one last weekend after I brined it. It actually came out a bit too salty for me taste. For those of you who are doing your first bird, you may think it will take longer than it actually will. The 19 pounder took about 3.5 hours at a grid temp of 325. This was actually longer than previous birds. You can keep the bird hot for at least a couple of hours by wrapping it in foil, covering it with towels, and putting it in a cooler if you have one that is big enough.

Charlesmaneri · November 2013

I'm also doing my 1st Turkey in the Egg last night I brined the bird I most likely will take the bird out of the brine on Wednesday nite and dry with paper towels then put in fridge uncovered to allow the bird to dry fully them season and put on my LBGE photos to follow

YEMTrey · November 2013

Never done a turkey yet. I did just pick up a turkey breast to put on the Egg soon. I'll give that a whirl and see how it goes.

pasoegg · November 2013

did a spatchcocked Sunday morning...12 lb bird indirect at 350 degrees and took aprox 2 hours...tasted great and easy to do...highly recommend this method for ease

Conneggticut_Yankee · November 2013

Gonna have back to back my 1st and 2nd turkeys on the Egg for Wednesday and Thursday. 1st is a "test" 20# for my wife's work and Thursday's is 16#. Using APL's method and have great expectations.

EagleIII · November 2013

I will admit...this will be my first whole turkey on my LBGE. I have smoked turkeys for the last 25 years on an old bullet style Coleman Smoker, as I never had a BGE until this past July. I have smoked almost everything possible - except for a Turkey. I did do a Turkey Breast for SWMBO as she wanted it for lunchmeat for work....Brined it and about 2 hours in the Egg. ...came out great. I have a 17.5 lb bird this year and figuring about 20 min/lb at about 300 - 325.

Would love to include a water pan in there for some extra moisture....anybody going to try that and if so, how?

Cookinbob · November 2013

I have done many turkeys on the Weber kettle I had up until this year. Always good turkeys, but temp control was a problem and they were often done before the rest of the sides.

This year will be my first on the Egg. 15 lb fresh turkey, also following most of the mad max methodology. Not brining - it is too much trouble keeping the brine cold, and I have always ended up with a too salty turkey.

Little Steven · November 2013

EagleIII said:

I will admit...this will be my first whole turkey on my LBGE. I have smoked turkeys for the last 25 years on an old bullet style Coleman Smoker, as I never had a BGE until this past July. I have smoked almost everything possible - except for a Turkey. I did do a Turkey Breast for SWMBO as she wanted it for lunchmeat for work....Brined it and about 2 hours in the Egg. ...came out great. I have a 17.5 lb bird this year and figuring about 20 min/lb at about 300 - 325.

Would love to include a water pan in there for some extra moisture....anybody going to try that and if so, how?

@fishlessman did a poll a few years back and as I remember the results were between 12 and 15 minutes @ 325*

Water pan will not do anything in the egg except hold your temp down.

GrannyX4 · November 2013

I remember my first turkey which was in the mid '70's. Prior to that the family wouldn't trust me to do THE turkey. The pressure was on. I was doing the whole dinner myself. Yeah! When the family arrived at the house for dinner I thought I was going to have to pick them up off the floor. The turkey was sitting on the grill cooking away. Tradition said the turkey must be cooked in the oven in a roasting pan cooked until falling apart. (yuk). From then on turkey's were cooked on the grill until the egg came along. If they were alive could you imagine their horror of breaking tradition 40 years later. On the egg I have done the mad max, Cajun, brined, spatched, direct, and indirect all are good when cooked to temp. Happy Thanksgiving, enjoy the family and count your blessings! ;;)

iyacyas · November 2013

Are you guys/ladies butterflying the bird then placing onto the grates? I assume that you'd set up the plate setter the just place the bird on the rack wither butterflied or whole? 3 months new to the EGG and obviously my first Turkey.

GrannyX4 · November 2013

When I spatch a turkey I do it direct on a raised grid. Whole birds I've done with a plate setter and bird in a v-rack.

margareedaville · November 2013

1st time here too. Got a 20# thawing, ready for the morning. I love my LBGE. Freaking can't wait!

SkinnyV · November 2013

Picked up 15lb dies tel. First time fresh turkey hope its worth it.
Was going to do a butterball but those factories came to mind and spent a little extra.

Thievery · November 2013

I did my 1st turkey on the egg last year. Now, it's assumed that I will be hosting from here on out since everyone loved it. Rest assured that your company will want to come back next year.

I was a little stressed leading up to it, but it went perfectly. Just follow the mad max method for cooking the bird and it will come out perfectly. IMHO, the gravy is way more labor intensive than the bird.

I did a 24 hour herb brine, rinsed it well, went in the fridge for 24 hours and about 3.5 hours on the egg with mickey's coffee rub.

Most people start with a regular butterball, but you're already ahead by getting an organic bird, I've done regular birds in the past but this year I'm stepping up the game and getting a heritage turkey and am excited to see the difference.

NPHuskerFL · November 2013

I'm doing my first turkey this Thanksgiving. I've practiced on whole chickens a few times just to get a feel 4 it. I'm using the sittin turkey filed with apple beer, olive oil, herbs and spices with a pecan rub directly on the bird (11#). I also stuff the neck cavity with a sweet Vidalia onion cut in half to help keep all the steam going into the bird. Will smoke at 250F dome using hickory, pecan, cherry or apple wood...haven't decided on the wood yet.

Filbert · November 2013

Doing my first turkey as well. I have a 20 pound bird in the brine right now. I'll probably do some rosemary butter under the skin, and do a vertical roast with a little apple wood for smoke.

Fingers crossed...

dihtn · November 2013

Thought I read that brining the bird actually cuts the cooking time down-is that true?

NeilTheBeerGuy · November 2013

This is my first bird as well. 22lb bird $1.99 a pound and $$ on brine stuff....stressed out.

NeilTheBeerGuy · November 2013

Z_Eggineer said:
I am! Doing a Diestel farms slow-growth 11 lber.
Planning on doing Good Eats except more of a reverse sear.
Spatchcock, dry brine, indirect 350 (until VERY end), smoke.

Question is, what to use? (please vote)
1. Cherry
2. Pecan
3. Apple

Use apple. It will go good with the turkey flav.

flynnbob · November 2013

lousubcap said:

I would offer that the Mad Max Turkey turns out great-the majority of effort is making the gravy. So, if you want a great turkey w/o the level of effort, give the gravy a pass. Just an opinion and we all know what those are worth:)

Gravy is truly both science and art. Some of my fondest memories of my mom were watching and learning how to make gravy - They don't teach that in cookbooks. I guess that's why I am always stuck in the kitchen patiently making and watching the gravy before we are ready to serve.

Kosko · November 2013

Smoking my first bird this year as well. Trying the Alton Brown brine. Gonna smoke it with some cherry chips. Just hope I don't let a lot of people down!

radamo · November 2013

I am with you @flynnbob, I share that set of memories and have picked up the ball. Gravy for any kind of roast completes the meal. Good gravy sets it apart by miles.

QDude · November 2013

I have done a few on my XL. I did a 19 pound one last weekend after I brined it. It actually came out a bit too salty for my taste. For those of you who are doing your first bird, you may think it will take longer than it actually will. The 19 pounder took about 3.5 hours at a grid temp of 325. This was actually longer than previous birds. You can keep the bird hot for at least a couple of hours by wrapping it in foil, covering it with towels, and putting it in a cooler if you have one that is big enough.

tksmoke · November 2013

Did my first BGE turkey Sunday. I've done lots of spatchcock chickens, and thought I'd give spatchcock turkey a go. Couldn't find a 12 pounder, so settled for a fresh 15 (the smallest the butcher had). Since I'm doing another one for Thanksgiving, I thought I'd make this one without any advanced prep, except letting it sit uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours. I figured it would probably take 2.5 hours. I really flattened the thighs and drumsticks by cutting some of the skin between the breast and the thigh, and placed the thighs to the back of the grill. Stabilized at 375 with cherry wood chunks for smoke. I couldn't believe how fast the temperature came up on the maverick - checked it with Thermapen - the thighs and drumsticks were done in a little over an hour. I separated them from the breast, and continued to cook the breast for another half hour or so. Let it all rest for another 45 minutes while the guests arrived and did the mandatory libation. I have NEVER had a turkey be done early.

Rave reviews from the guests! While I don't think it was the best turkey I've ever done, it was darn good. And with the short prep time, and no brining, it's moved way up on my list. I'm doing the same thing Thursday (even though I've had nothing but turkey this week for lunches and dinners - yes it was that good), And this time I'm going with the coffee-chile rub.

FiveStarEgger · November 2013

I'm also a bit concerned about the cook time. I did a 12 lb bird last week and it took nearly 4 hours at 300 degrees. On Thursday i'm going to cook 2 x 12 lb turkeys at the same time. So my question is should I expect the same cook time as the one turkey or should I expect the cooking time to increase? I'm using the smoked turkey recipe in the BGE cookbook.

laserdoc85 · November 2013

Have done turkey breasts for years. Over direct heat on a v shaped grate at 300 temp for about 2.5 hours. Cook it like chicken

jls9595 · November 2013

how do you make good gravy if doing spatchcocked raised direct? Can't catch drippings...

Ospreydog · November 2013

I'm doing my first spatchcock turkey this year. I have done all my spatchcock chickens raised direct and they were great but I think I will do indirect on the turkey. I guess I will never know until I try both methods.

PA Dutch Egger · November 2013

You are braver than I was. I have done Mad max methode 5 years for holidays. Average 2 a year. You are braver than I was I did one 3 weeks before Thanksgiving to make sure I had everthing right.follow his directions and you should do fine. Might want to have at least 1 extra set of hand around just in case to make things easier.

laserdoc85 · November 2013

jls9595 said:

how do you make good gravy if doing spatchcocked raised direct? Can't catch drippings...

No gravy :( but it is just as moist and juicy as anything you have put in your mouth.

Now do you really need that gravy. Your suppose to use gravy on something dried out a bit. Plus you take away the whole egg taste which is why we bought one to begin with ,,,so our cooks are nice and juicy !

So who else is doing their first turkey on the egg?

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