Large Versus XL: Turkey Cook results

BBQfan1

I see in a message below a few folks asking drbbq about the differences in cooking products in a new XL versus a large. As the good doctor explained, there's not much difference in technique or results, with one exception in my case: turkey.
What I found in doing seperate cooks for Thanksgiving in the large and for Christmas in the XL is that the low 'slope' in the dome of the XL gives a different radiant heat than that of the large.
In the large turkey cook, the crest of the breast and the tops of the legs were the first to darken, since the bird was sitting up in the dome and the heat radiated onto them. I had to foil them for a short time as they darkened before the rest of the bird.
In the XL cook, using same set-up and same temps, those two areas browned quite slowly as the heat radiated at a lower angle, really browning up the wings and the lower legs/thighs first. With some basting and time, the breasts and top of legs browned up nicely as well, I might add. (Given that the breast is often done ahead of the thigh in many cases, over time it may eventually be decided that the XL is the superior turkey cooker, as the dome configuration seems to be right for getting heat to the thigh area?)
In general I think those getting the new XL will have to make slight adjustments in those cooks where meat surface browning is directly linked to the radiant heat from the dome, which to me would mean taking about poultry and gamebirds.....
Qfan

a stick

BBQfan1,[p]My dad got the XL about a week ago - thanks for the info, it all makes perfect sense. It will be fun to experiment!