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What size turkey fits in a medium?

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TifffanyD
TifffanyD Posts: 119
in EggHead Forum
Raised direct, not standing up, not spatchcocked. Just put in normal like you would in the oven - lol. What size should I look for?
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  • TifffanyD
    TifffanyD Posts: 119
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    The BGE website says 18lb but I just want to make sure :)
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    I don't know about size, but are you planning on flipping the bird ;) during the cook? Raised direct may burn on bottom way before top is done.
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  • TifffanyD
    TifffanyD Posts: 119
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    OK well maybe I will do indirect. Just trying to say it will be at gasket height lol
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  • grEGGorys
    grEGGorys Posts: 168
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    I also have a medium BGE and the last turkey I cooked was about 14# and fit fine. Not sure that an 18# would fit because it was full with the 14# turkey. I cooked mine at the felt line indirect about 325 degrees. Hope this helps you.
    Gulf Coast FL
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  • TifffanyD
    TifffanyD Posts: 119
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    Thanks - that's what I was nervous about... following their guidelines and ending up with a bird that doesn't fit. I'll look for 14-15. I kinda think 15 lbs is the sweet spot for turkeys anyways
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  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
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    The XL can do 2-20 pounders and the Large 1-20 pounder so the meduim shold handle a 15. I'm only doing a 15 on XL because my mother-in-law is doing a 20 in the oven. Happy cooking.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
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  • cook861
    cook861 Posts: 872
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    I know you dont want to spatchcocked it but i did a 20# that way on my mbge and it just fit  i did it rasied in direct

    Trenton ON 1 mbge for now
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  • TifffanyD
    TifffanyD Posts: 119
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    you spatchcocked a 20 lb turkey on a medium??? How is that even possible? Did you cut it in half and cook it in 2 batches?
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  • anton
    anton Posts: 1,813
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    I purchased my turkey to cook on my medium, and I got a 14 lb, it barely fits frozen, could barely close dome, I am going to downsize to a 10-12 lb so I have dome clearance for proper air flow, am not spatching,cooking whole bird unstuffed as suggested.Unless the turkey sits lower after thawing, I see trouble with the 14lber. YMMV
     Using a MBGE,woo/w stone,livin' in  Hayward California," The Heart Of The Bay "
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  • Coastalcooker
    Coastalcooker Posts: 185
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    About twelve seems good in my medium. I use PS legs up a foil drip pan bent to fit and a rack to hold the turkey up. As I recall it hit the thermometer unless carefully positioned.
    I've cooked a couple at 250 all night, but may try 350 and less than three hours this year. I took the advice of placing a bag of ice on the breast a couple of hours before putting on. I cook breast up since it needs only 160 while the legs need 175 or so.
    Bob
    Cookin' on the coast
    Shellman Bluff, GA
    Medium BGE

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  • TifffanyD
    TifffanyD Posts: 119
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    thanks everyone! I picked up a 12.5 and a 13. that seemed to be the big break in weight as the next largest I could find was 18. :)
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  • Zmokin
    Zmokin Posts: 1,938
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    It's probably a hen.  Hens tend to come in  around the 12-14 pound range where as Tom's are in the 18-24 pound range typically.

    I'm cooking a mutant hen this year, a 16 pounder that has 6 wings and 4 thighs, but only 2 drumsticks. LOL
    Large BGE in a Sole' Gourmet Table
    Using the Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter,
     and a BBQ Guru temp controller.

    Medium BGE in custom modified off-road nest.
    Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter, and a Party-Q temp controller.

    Location: somewhere West of the Mason-Dixon Line
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  • TifffanyD
    TifffanyD Posts: 119
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    is there a taste difference?
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    TifffanyD said:
    is there a taste difference?

    I can't give a across the board answer, but here are my findings. On store bought, farm raised (farm raised is actually a misnomer now days) domesticated turkey, I can not detect any noticeable difference in the taste of the two. However, wild turkey is a totally different story.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • TifffanyD
    TifffanyD Posts: 119
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    I got the turkey in... just barely. the thermometer is sticking into the breast :/ is that a common problem?
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    Zmokin said:

    It's probably a hen.  Hens tend to come in  around the 12-14 pound range where as Tom's are in the 18-24 pound range typically.

    I'm cooking a mutant hen this year, a 16 pounder that has 6 wings and 4 thighs, but only 2 drumsticks. LOL

    I didn't know Monsanto grew turkeys. . :D
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,378
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    @TiffanyD-WRT your thermo-remove the clip and then use a true wine cork as a spacer on the outside of the dome and run your thermo thru it to give you more clearance.  That way you can see what's going on with the BGE.  Have a great Thanksgiving!
    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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  • KSwoll
    KSwoll Posts: 129
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    I just pulled a 17.45 pounder off my medium. I took the dome thermometer out and used my guru for temp control. It took 4 hours at 275 grate. Smoked with a mix of Apple and pecan chunks. It's FTCed right now waiting for eating time in 2 hours.
    XL, Large, Medium, and Mini Max
    Northern Virgina
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  • TifffanyD
    TifffanyD Posts: 119
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    Ok I didn't have a cork but I had some wood and a drill so I made do. the clip still sticks down pretty far though. Turkey was DELICIOUS!

    sorry pics aren't uploading right now
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  • TifffanyD
    TifffanyD Posts: 119
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    KSwoll said:
    I just pulled a 17.45 pounder off my medium. I took the dome thermometer out and used my guru for temp control. It took 4 hours at 275 grate. Smoked with a mix of Apple and pecan chunks. It's FTCed right now waiting for eating time in 2 hours.

    What is this guru that you speak of? :)
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    Toss the clip, you don't really need it. 12 to 14 is the ideal on the medium. I drop my drip pan and rack down onto some spacers on the setter to get some headroom above the bird - you don't want it too close to the dome, IMO. A 14 pounder, by the time the neck, giblets and trimmed - is more like 12. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    You can also put the clip on the outside of the egg. I use a wine cork. Rrp uses a wooden wheel from a child's toy.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    @TiffanyD - take a look here: https://www.bbqguru.com

    Basically a device that controls the air flow, hence the temp in a kamado. It attaches to the lower vent and when more air is needed to maintain the desired grid temp, a fan makes sure it happens. Kinda like the thermostat on your furnace or cruise control in your car. Certainly takes the worry out of overnight cooks. Some purists feel it turns you smoker into an oven, FWIW. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • td66snrf
    td66snrf Posts: 1,822
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    TifffanyD said:

    you spatchcocked a 20 lb turkey on a medium??? How is that even possible? Did you cut it in half and cook it in 2 batches?

    @TiffanyD
    @‌cook861 I did a spatchcocked 20 lb on my XL yesterday and no way would that have fit on my medium.
    XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
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