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Help...Bird done too early!

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dsmith
dsmith Posts: 147
in EggHead Forum
I've only smoked a couple of turkeys before (last one 2 years ago) and I could not remember estimated cook times.  Well, I went by the cook times turkey sheet which said my bird would take upwards of 8 hours.  Lo and behold 3 hours into it and the bird is done and looks perfect.  Problem is the timing.  Now just shy of 9:30 AM but not planning on eating until about 1PM.  

When I do butts I just wrap them in foil and put it in a cooler with towels for a few hours and it is perfect.  Can I do something similar with the turkey?  If not, what do I do?

Whilst I wait for responses, I simply left the bird in the Egg and shut the egg down.

Thanks for the help.

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  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
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    Get some hot water and pour into cooler to bring temp cooler up higher. Dump water out and do like you do with butt. It's your best option
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

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  • GATABITES
    GATABITES Posts: 1,260
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    The skin will be ruined ftc. You couldn't leave it out and maybe reheat? I'm not a turkey expert so my advice might not be the best option.
    XL BGE 
    Joe JR 
    Baltimore, MD
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  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,551
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    I would try to Eat earlier- don't think turkey is as forging as a butt. But the FTC is probably your best option. Then maybe toss in oven to try to dry skin back out. I haven't tried this just trying to throw out some options.
    Greensboro, NC
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,844
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    For better skin, refrigerate uncovered and reheat. For moister meat (would be my choice) FTC.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • dsmith
    dsmith Posts: 147
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    Well, here is what I did.

    I wrapped my bird in foil and kept it in the Egg at a temp of about 185F with the DigiQ  (though dome temp still about 210 currently since shutting it down about an hour ago).  My wife's bird was cooked in a roasting pan/oven bag with wine and garlic over night at 200F.  It is also done and was unable to take it out of the pan because it is falling apart.  While still in the roasting pan, I covered the top with foil and placed it in the egg next to mine.  (I only have one cooler which would not fit both birds so I came up with this hybrid solution.)

    I'll post results this afternoon.

    Y'all have a great Thanksgiving day!
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  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    I would carve it, arrange in a foil pan with some broth, cover and refrigerate, then reheat for meal time.
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
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  • CPARKTX
    CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
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    Same problem here, even smoking at +\-250 will finish way too early. I think I am going to loosely foil and reheat later.
    LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  
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  • dsmith
    dsmith Posts: 147
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    Well, my plan worked to perfection.  Foiled it and left it in the egg and basically let the egg just die off.  By the time the Egg was about 175F it was 30 minutes before eating so I just took it off and let it rest on the counter.  

    Was perfect in tenderness and taste.

    Thanks for the help.  
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    Congrats
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    Nice...
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
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    Great audible.  Congrats on the cook!
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Sixpack1
    Sixpack1 Posts: 189
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    Nice recovery...

    The Gator Nation, Central Florida
    LARGE & MINI  Life is good...
    GO GATORS!!!

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  • tridogdude
    tridogdude Posts: 136
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    @dsmith  Any ideas on what went wrong? Glad to hear that you recovered well and everything turned out good but was curious about what caused a 5 hour discrepancy. Must have been a 23lb plus bird. 
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  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,551
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    Good to know- thx for the tip
    Greensboro, NC
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