How big a turkey in a Large BGE on a V rack and drip pan?

txav8r

I bought a 16.35 pound butterball and it was one of the only smaller birds available at our local store.  Most all were bigger and the vast majority of birds were Honeysuckle brand, which are not advertised as hormone free.  Anyway, as the title implies, I am wanting confirmation that the bird will fit in the egg.  I was hoping my roasting pan would fit but it is way too big and I will probably use the rectangular bge drip pan but not sure it will catch all the drippings.  I may have to go with a foil pan if I can find one that is more appropriate.  Thanks for any direction here.

Little Steven

Coupla things here. If you use a traditional pan the bird will cook faster. I've done a 24 pound bird in a large. You can use a disposable pan on a large, you just need to ovalise it a bit. Use spacers under the pan. Not so critical with a disposable because they have ridges built in. I have a rectangular pan that just fits and use spacers.

txav8r

Wow...24 pounds!  I shoulda bought a bigger bird!  So spacers...what to use for spacers?

Little Steven

I use copper plumbing tees. Doesn't matter, 3/4" nuts, foil balls, 1/2" steel pipe couplings. The copper tees are more stable.

txav8r

I can handle that, thanks!

Little Steven

One thing to watch, make sure the dome thermo doesn't touch the bird. You might have to pull the clip off and put it on the outside of the dome.

txav8r

Yeah, Tom at the CGS has pointed that out too when using the AR.

txav8r

I will use my Maverick ET-732 and watch grid and breast temp through the cook, so the dome isn't going to be too important to me except when I am stabilizing the egg.

Muscledawg

Little Steven said:

One thing to watch, make sure the dome thermo doesn't touch the bird. You might have to pull the clip off and put it on the outside of the dome.

what happens if the bird touches the dome temp?

Jeremiah

I must have read the mad max recipe 100 times and passed over the part that clearly stated to check your setup!! So last night at 10:00 I decided to check it. Nope, didn't fit. Neither did the disposable trays that were my back up. So off to walmart at 10:30. Has anyone been to walmart that late at night lately?? Holy crap I should have been armed. Armed with a tape measure this time I came home with a smaller pan with rack for a whopping $12. It's 10x 15 and fits fine in the large egg and the 17 lb bird fits well too. Fwiw.

FearlessTheEggNoob

crunch up those disposable trays enough and I guarantee it will fit. I do it all the time.

Jeremiah

FearlessTheEggNoob said:

crunch up those disposable trays enough and I guarantee it will fit. I do it all the time.

They would but my stupid rack wouldn't fit in them. Oh well.

FearlessTheEggNoob

Platesetter, legs up> then crunched up pan> then BGE grid resting on PS legs> then rack resting on grid> then turkey on rack.  That won"t work?

Pinkfacemark

I got a 22 lb on my large with placesetter, grate, tray, v rack.  Make sure and take the clip off your thermometer and remove the thermometer when closing and opening..... I bent mine this year, even with the clip off. 

shadowcaster

I just did a 20lb bird on thanksgiving and I know I had room for a little bit more. I used the V-rack and set it right inside the rectangular BGE drip pan and it worked perfect!